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Ayurveda is an ancient science of health. The word "Ayurveda"
is compound of the word Ayus meaning "life" and the word Veda, refers
to a system of "knowledge". Thus "Ayurveda" translates as the
"knowledge of life", "knowledge of a healthy and stable long life".
According to it, "life" itself is defined as the "combination of body,
senses, mind and soul. These are the factors responsible for preventing
decay and death also sustains the body over time. To this perspective,
Ayurveda is concerned with measures to protect "Ayus", which includes
healthy living along with therapeutic measures that relate to physical,
mental, social and spiritual harmony.
Ayurvedic concept of Tri-dosha
The concept of Ayurveda is that health exists when there is a balance
between three Doshas called Vata, Pitta and Kapha. According to
Ayurveda human organism is composed by the five elements as Ether, Air,
Fire, Water and Earth. Vata, Pitta and Kapha are the energy principal
which keeps the five elements and their attributes together in a
specific ratio to create balance for the betterment of human organism.
Vata is the energy principle keeps Ether
and Air elements together.
Pitta is the energy principle keeps Fire
and Water elements together.
Kapha is the energy principle keeps
Water and Earth elements together.
They need to remain in a specific ratio or balance, according to an
individual. Imbalance in between them causes disease.
Disease Management in Ayurveda
The unique and simple principles of Ayurvedic pharmacology are
fundamentally different from those of other systems of traditional and
modern medicine, especially evidence-based medicine. Most Ayurvedic
medicines are prepared from pure and natural herbs.
Shamana and Shodhana are the two basics concepts for the management of
disease in Ayurveda. Shamana refers alleviation, it mitigate the
disease and its symptoms. Shodhana refers elimination and it aims at
the elimination of the basic root-cause of disease.
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