Principles of Ayurveda
Tridosha System
The central concept of Ayurvedic medicine is the
theory that health exists when there is a balance between three fundamental bodily
humours or doshas called Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Vata is the impulse principle necessary
to mobilize the function of the nervous system Pitta is the energy principle which
uses bile to direct digestion and hence metabolism into the venous system. Kapha
is the body fluid principle which relates to mucous, lubrication and the carrier
of nutrients into the arterial system. All Ayurvedic physicians believe that these
ancient ideas, based in the knowledge discovered by the Rishis and Munis, exist
in harmony with physical reality. These Ayurvedic concepts allow physicians to examine
the homeostasis of the whole system. People may be of a predominant dosha or constitution,
but all doshas have the basic elements within them.
The Philosophy of Ayurveda
The philosophy of Ayurveda The emergence of different
schools of Sanskrit philosophy like Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Sankhya, Yoga, Vedanta and
Mimamsa was another landmark in the history of Indian medicine. The principles expounded
in these philosophies facilitated the development within Ayurveda of its theory
of humoral pathology which propounds that the human body is composed of Tridoshas,
the three humors – Vata, Pitta and Kapha. When these are in equilibrium they are
called the Tridhatus. The body in which these three humors are in a state of equilibrium
enjoys perfect health; their disequilibrium causes ill health.
Disease Management in Ayurveda
Disease management in Ayurveda The principles of
Ayurvedic pharmacology are fundamentally different from those of other systems of
medicine, especially evidence-based medicine. Most Ayurvedic medicines are prepared
from herbs. Shamana and Shodhana are the two concepts of disease management in Ayurveda.
Shamana means alleviation. Shamana methods mitigate the disease and its symptoms.
Shodhana means elimination and Shodhana methods aim at the elimination of the basic
cause of disease.