DEFINITION OF HEALTH IN AYURVEDA

                    DEFINITION OF HEALTH IN AYURVEDA 

World Health Organization has defined health as follows –“Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”

Ayurveda definition of health – ‘Health is a state where in the Tridosha, Digestive fire, all the body tissues & components, all the physiological processes are in perfect unison and the soul, the sense organs and mind are in a state of total satisfaction (prasanna) & content”.

Samadosha samagnischa samadhatumala kriyaha              

prasanna atmenindriya manaha swasthya ityabhidheeyate

 Acharya Susruta

Let’s understand it better.......

Samadosha

The doshas that are present in the body and mind, namely vata, pitta and kapha, must be in a balanced state in order to keep a person healthy. When the balance of the doshas is disturbed, either aggravated or decreased (vitiated) it produces a state of Dosha Vaishamya, which is called disease.

Samagni

In order to keep an individual healthy and digestive fire (koshth agni) and dhatuagni (tissue enzymes) must be in a proper state. When agni is less in quality (Mandagni) it will cause many diseases (“Rogaha Sarvepi Mande Agni”). It is a well known that the health of an individual depends on the proper strength of his digestive power.

Sama dhatu mala kriya (balanced state of dhatus and malas)

According to Ayurveda there are seven Dhatus namely Rasa, Rakta, Mamsa, Medas, Asthi, Majja and Shukra. The excreta or Malas – purisa (faeces), Mutra (urine), Sweda (sweat). The dhatus of the body must function properly and so also the malas of the body.

Prasanna atmendriya manaha

In Ayurveda the functions of the sensory and motor organs and mind have been given special importance. When these are not in equilibrium and not performing there functions properly, it will lead to a state called disease. Even when all is functioning properly the bodily activities must not vitiate (decrease) the sensory and motor organs and mind. The state of mental health is more important than that of the physical health of a person.

Swasthaya

Swasthaya or the healthy state is maintained from birth and the three doshas remain in a balanced state, then the person achieves a well balanced constitution, attractive appearance, good muscular strength and complete peace of mind.

Achieving Your Life Goals

Good health can be maintained until death. For this one should intelligently follow all the rules laid down according to the Ayurveda science. Only then will a person enjoy an optimum life span of a hundred years without contracting disease. He will also gain recognition in society, friendship with people and honour and wealth as he has the energy and ability to achieve all the goals in life.

The aim of this system is to prevent illness, heal the sick and preserve life. This can be summed up as follows:

             

  Swasthyas swasthya rakshanam          

Aturasya vikar prashamanam cha

To  maintain the health of a healthy person and prolong life
and  to eliminate diseases and dysfunctions of the body

Both of these are aimed towards the promotion of health on three levels:

•Mentally
•Physically
• Spiritually

Ayurveda experts analyse Agni not only as digestive fire, but energy behind all the metabolic processes of the body. This also refers to physical well-being.

Body tissues and processes – this component refers to physical health

Total satisfaction of Soul, sense organs and mind – The explanation of these components are quite difficult and subjective. These not only refer to mental & social well-being, but also spiritual well-being.

Prana, Tejas and Ojas

Yoga is an alchemical process of balancing and transforming energies of the psyche. At the root of vata, pitta and kapha are its subtle counterparts called prana, tejas and ojas. Unlike the Doshas, which in excess create diseases, these promote health, creativity and well-being.

• Prana is our life force and is the healing energy of vata (air)

• Tejas is our inner radiance and is the healing energy of pitta (fire)

• Ojas is the ultimate energy reserve of the body derived from kapha (water)

Ultimately, Ayurveda is seeking to reduce diseases, in particular those that are chronic, and increase positive health in the body and mind via these three vital essences that aid in renewal and transformation.

Increased Prana gives us more enthusiasm, adaptability and creativity, all necessary when pursuing our spiritual path, in yoga this force is necessary to enable us to perform. Tejasprovides us with courage, fearlessness and insight, important when taking decisions.

 Ojas gives us peace, confidence and patience to keep our development consistent and avoiding that we give up. Eventually, the most important element we want to develop is ojas as it gives us physical and psychological endurance. This can be achieved via the right diet, tonic herbs, control of the senses, and devotion...

How can Ayurveda help you remain healthy?

Specialized Ayurvedic remedies such as

 panchakarmachikitsa, shirodhara or following an Ayurvedic diet, basically endevour to restore the harmony of the tridoshas. The purpose of all Ayurvedic remedies and herbal medicines is to keep the doshas or the humors in equilibrium, since an imbalance indicates a disease condition. 

Samsodhana (cleansing process),

 samsamana (palliativemeasures) and nidanaparivarjana (treating the causes) are the three main stages through which Ayurvedic remedies usually progress.

Of these three remedial phases, samsodhana is considered a prominent process and according to Ayurveda, should be administered with full care. Panchakarma is synonymous with this process. In fact, panchakarma is a group of five Ayurvedic remedies, all of which are not practiced in all diseases.

So a healthy person, as defined in Shusrut Samhita, one of the primary works on Ayurveda, is ‘he whose doshas are in balance, appetite is good, all tissues of the body and all natural urges are functioning properly, and whose mind, body and spirit are cheerful’.

SMILE WHENEVER YOU ARE CONSCIOUS ABOUT YOURSELF , YOU ARE THE BEST CREATION OF GOD

STAY HEALTH STAY BLESSED

DR.INDERJIT KAUR