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Ayurvedic Philosophy
for Disease Progression and Therapy
The principal site of action for each of doshas and their effects explains
the importance attributed to food consumption by Ayurvedic doctors. Food
enters the gastro-intestinal system and encounters the seats of the three
doshas one by one. The food interacts with the doshas and transformed into
the substance of the body, transported throughout the body which activates
the movement of the body. Persons who are sluggish and those who are
agitated may each suffer from a disorder in the transformation of food
into usable energy and substance; an important aspect of this is the
production of unhealthy byproducts, known as ama.
Dietary adjustments, along with the use of herbs, are the most important
aspects of healing regimens, at least for long-term therapy.Yet, one
should not forget the underlying basis of Ayurveda, which is not physical
medicine, but spiritual medicine: it is the unsettled spirit and the mind
not opens to full consciousness that remains at the root of these
problems.
As per Ayurveda weakness of the digestive fire is the root cause of all
diseases, vata is the chief cause of the development of all
diseases, and ama is the principal nourisher of disease. The primary
stages of progression disease considered are as accumulation, aggravation,
overflow, initial manifestation of symptoms,appearance of disease and
disease eruption
Accumulation:
As a result of exposure
to various disease-causing factors, one or more of the doshas accumulates
in its seat: kapha in the stomach, pitta in the small intestine, and vata
in the colon. Each produces its own characteristic symptoms. The disease
is relatively easy to resolve when the imbalance is primarily one of
accumulation.
Aggravation:
In this stage, the doshas
continue to increase and put pressure on their reservoirs, intensifying
the symptoms they have produced. It is still fairly easy to remove the
doshas even at this stage, but while treating them, their reservoir
organs, which have been stressed by the ire of the corresponding doshas,
need also to be strengthened. The doshas do not always accumulate before
they become enraged; if the causes are strong enough, aggravation of
doshas at their normal levels may occur directly.
Overflow:
If aggravation is not
controlled and allowed to proceed unchecked, the doshas escape their
original seats, wandering about the body and searching for a place to
camp. All the symptoms that already existed from aggravation now worsen.
At this point, kapha may produce vomiting, pitta may produce burning
diarrhea, and vata may produce colicky pain in the colon and painful
defecation, with the liberation of copious quantities of gas. Overflow of
pitta or kapha can occur without previous accumulation or aggravation in
their reservoir organs if either or both of those doshas are displaced by
the force of a strongly aggravated vata. The reasons for the accumulation
and aggravation of vata may be exposure to strong imbalancing conditions,
such as excessive desire, sleeplessness, excessive talking and activity
(especially on an empty stomach), sudden vomiting or diarrhea
(particularly if self-induced), intense joy or sadness, and the restraint
of any of the natural reflex urges.
Initial Manifestation
of Disease (Purvarupa)
The fourth stage (purvarupa)
is the initial manifestation of symptoms that result from accumulation of
the doshas at susceptible sites.
Appearance of Disease
(Rupa)
The fifth stage (rupa)
is when the disease has become readily apparent: the sites of secondary
accumulation of the doshas have been substantially disturbed; there are
local structural changes.
Disease Eruption
The sixth stage is when
the disease erupts from the body. At that point, symptoms might include
obvious inflammation, enlarged glands, abscesses, skin eruptions, fever,
diarrhea, leucorrhea, etc. That is, there are indications that the body is
filled, and material is either stuck (as in a swelling), erupting, or
draining out. At the same time, complications of the disease, manifesting
now at additional sites, will occur.
The therapies at each of
the stages of disease progression must become more specific, more potent,
and more frequently applied. It is best to detect the disorder early, when
dietary adjustments and a few days of using simple herb formulas may be
sufficient; perhaps massage will be applied once or twice, and some
cleansing procedures might be followed.
The basic foundation of
Ayurvedic anatomy, physiopathology, and pharmacology is the Panchmahabhuta
philosophy. The Panchmahabhuta philosophy considers that in the beginning,
the universe existed in an unmanifested state of consciousness. This
consciousness was energy that then manifested into five basic elements or
mahabhutas: ether (space), air, fire, water, and earth. Human being
is a microcosm of nature; and so, all five basic elements present in the
universe are also present in each and every human.
In the human body, the
five elements combine with each other and represented as three basic
principles, or humors, known as doshas.
Collectively, the doshas
are referred to as the tridosha and are made up as follows:
Vata is ether (space) +
air
Pitta is fire + water
Kapha is water + earth
Ayurvedic Philosophy
Types of Vata Dosha
Types
Pitta Dosha
Types
of Kaphha Dosha
Ayurveda
Ayurvedic Literature
Charaka
Samhita
Sushruta
Samhita
Ashtanga
Hridayam and Ashtanga Sangraha
The Lesser Three Classics of
Ayurveda
Sharngadhara Samhita
Bhava
Prakasha
Madhava
Nidanam
Recent
Ayurvedic Literature
Indian
Materia Medica
Official Publications
Ayurvedic Philosophy for Disease Progression and Therapy
Accumulation
Aggravation
Overflow
Initial Manifestation of
Disease (Purvarupa)
Appearance of Disease (Rupa)
Disease Eruption
Ayurvedic Methods of Treatment
Panchakarma
Vaman (Emesis)
Virechan
(Purgation)
Basti (Enema)
Navan/Nasya
(Nasal Administration)
Rakta Moksha (Blood Cleansing)
Panchakarma Diet
Some Important Concepts In Ayurveda
Balanced & Imbalanced of Doshas
Sapta Dhatu(Seven
Vital Elements)
Ayurvedic Drugs
Tridoshas
Synergy
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