Ayurveda is a health care system that originated in India. It is based on the sacred scriptures called Vedas. It advocates a perfect way of living a healthy life. This aims at a treatment which will help the patient to regain the balance between body and mind. In that sense Ayurveda is considered to be the most excellent holistic healing method.
The Ayurveda knowledge had been divided into eight classes. This is the reason for its being referred to as Ashtanga Ayurveda. The divisions are:
- General Medicine
- Surgery
- Cranial Organo Medicine
- Pediatrics
- Toxicology
- Rejuvenating Remedies
- Science of Fertility
- Spiritual Healing
Basics
Ayurveda says the human body is composed of 4 basics:
- Dosha
- Dhatu
- Mala
- Agni
Doshas
According to Ayurveda, the functional aspects of the body will be determined by three biological humors – vata, pitta and kapha called doshas. These doshas are of extreme importance because they co-ordinate, control and direct all the biological functions of the body. This is the foundation of the Ayurvedic knowledge which is used in diagnosis and treatment.
- Vata: Motions, transportation and electromagnetic activities are being controlled by Vata.
- Pitta: Pitta represents the fire principle. It deals with the chemical changes taking place in a body including consumption and conversion.
- Kapha: Kapha represents the water principle. Every living cell contains it so as to perform the body functions.
Dhatu
The function of Dhatu is to support body by providing the basic nutrition. According to Ayurveda, there are seven tissue systems in our body. It is a chain system, where each is derived from another. The basic Dhatu called Rasa (plasma) is composed of three doshas.
Mala
They are mainly the waste products of the body. Proper excretion of Malas from the body is essential for maintaining the health. There are two aspects of this: Mala and Kitta. Mala is the waste product of the body. Kitta is the waste product of Dhatus.
Agni
In Ayurveda, the biological fire itself is called Agni. All the digestive as well as metabolic activities in the human body takes place with the help of this. This can also be associated with the functioning of various enzymes in our body.
