Have you ever heard of the word ‘Ayurveda’. Sounds beautiful, right? Of course this word has a meaning that is also as beautiful as it sounds.
Ayurveda is one of the oldest medicinal methods in the world, it has been practiced in India for thousands of years. In Ayurveda view, it is believed that human health is influenced by the balance between the body, mind, and soul of the human being. The basic concept of Ayurvedic healing is to invite people to live healthily through special practices by adopting a healthy diet and lifestyle and also doing natural therapies such as using herbal medicines.
In the principles of Ayurvedic healing, Ayurvedic practitioners believe that health can be achieved if there is a balance between body, mind and spirit. If this balance is disturbed, there will be diseases that disturb our health. Ayurveda does not focus on how we fight disease, but how we live a healthy life. According by Ayurvedic views, humans need five elements that control bodily functions, which namely earth, water, air, fire and space. Then the combination of the five elements forms the three energy pairs (dosha). Even if a person has a mixture of these three dosha, there is only one dosha that dominates each person.
In practice, Ayurvedic practitioners will ask about the patient’s health, diet, and lifestyle first. They will also make a diagnosis by examining several parts of the body such as the skin, eyes, nails, lips and tongue. From there, Ayurvedic practitioners will know the dominant dosha in the patient’s body. Ayurvedic practice has several methods which are carried out through diet, meditation, massage, breathing exercises, body care, yoga, aromatherapy, vitamin and mineral diet and several other methods. These types of treatment aim to balance the dosha inside the body. Basically, we need to know the three types of energy in Ayurveda. If the three dosha in our body are out of balance then it will lead to disease. These three dosha consist of the following elements:
1. Pitta dosha (fire and water)
This energy manages several hormones related to appetite, digestion, and metabolism. Fatigue, prolonged exposure to the sun, or eating spicy or sour foods are believed to disrupt the balance of the pitta dosha. A person who is dominated by pitta dosha is more at risk of suffering from hypertension, heart disease, emotional stress and infection.
2. Vata dosha (space and air)
This energy regulates the respiratory tract, blood flow, heart function, mind, and the body’s ability to remove toxins from the intestines. Staying up late, being afraid, and consuming a serving of other foods too quickly after the main meal can upset the balance of these elements. The risk of heart disease, asthma, anxiety, nervous system disorders, skin diseases and rheumatoid arthritis will be greater if the body is dominated by vata dosha.
3. Kapha dosha (earth and water)
The energy of Kapha dosha plays a role in regulating body weight, muscle growth, the immune system, as well as body strength and stability. Eating after a full stomach, consuming too many sweet and salty foods can cause disruption of this dosha.
From Ayurvedic observations, the body which is dominated by kapha dosha is believed to have the potential to be more prone to cancer, diabetes, nausea after eating, asthma or obesity. Isn’t it interesting to know medicine and also the dominant energy in our body? It seems that this more natural Ayurvedic method can be chosen as an alternative to the modern medicine that we are used to nowadays.
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