Ayurveda from nature's philosophy to natural science.

Originating from the two Sanskrit words, ayus (life) and veda (science), Ayurveda is an ancient healing system originating in the Indian subcontinent that relies on herbs for maintaining good health. Historical records suggest that the journey of Ayurveda began in India more than 5,000 years ago, and this traditional system of healing has influenced both Unani humor therapy conceptualized by Hippocrates and ancient Chinese remedies.

Nature's Philosophy

Vedic philosophy believes that human beings are all a part of nature. Just as animals and plants are interdependent on each other to create balance within their beings, there is a concurrent and inherent connection between the universe and human beings. Unlike the animal kingdom, human beings live in a more complex, natural world where they are perpetually exposed to environmental changes. Changes in weather, society, economy, lifestyle, diet, work, financial status, emotions and relationships can easily tip the balance and negatively influence an individual's state of mind, body and soul. According to Ayurvedic texts, the human body comprises three body states which include Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Vata comprises the elements air and ether, which give us movement and activity. Pitta includes the elements fire and water, which are responsible for heat, appetite and digestion, and Kapha is characterized by the elements earth and water, which are responsible for water and other bodily fluids. When the three body states are in perfect harmony, the individual enjoys good health, whereas an imbalance in the states causes disease. Ayurveda seeks to address this state of imbalance through a process of holistic healing.

Towards Natural Sciences

The three ‘doshas’ (Vata, Pitta, Kapha), in Ayurveda, explain all the Psycho-biological functions of living beings. They are called “doshas” (ie. ”defective “or “vitiated” elements), because they are functional elements which are unstable and highly vulnerable to vitiation, although paradoxically, they need to exist and function in a state of ‘balance’ or ‘equilibrium’ to maintain perfect health (and prevent disease conditions). The three ‘doshas’ are more functional (rather than structural or anatomical) units; they still comprise the five primordial elements. Thus, vata, the most unstable of the doshas is composed of the air (vayu) and space/ether (akasha) elements, pitta is composed of fire (tejas) and water (ap) elements, whereas kapha, the most stable of the three doshas is composed of earth (prithvi) and water (ap) elements. Each of the doshas has its own properties and functions in the human body. There are physiological variation in a different season and different times in day and night like in a morning predominance of kapha, in the afternoon as the sun moves increases pitta and in the afternoon vata.

They have ascribed distinct properties and functions to each Dosha. They have ascribed the kinetic components of a system to Vata, the metabolic components to Pitta and the structural and stability components to Kapha. For instance, Vata contributes to the manifestation of shape, cell division, signalling, movement, excretion of wastes, cognition and also regulates the activities of Kapha and Pitta. Kapha is responsible for growth and maintenance of structure, storage and stability. Pitta is primarily responsible for metabolism, thermo-regulation, energy homeostasis, pigmentation, vision, and host surveillance. Hence the differences in Tridoshic proportions right from the time of fertilization are manifested as different phenotypes that can be regarding external appearances, body physiology and response to external environment etc. Thus a continuum of relative proportions of Doshas results in seven constitutional types namely Vata, Pitta, Kapha, Vata-Pitta, Pitta-Kapha, Vata-Kapha and Vata-Pitta-Kapha. Amongst these, we considers the first three as extremes, exhibiting readily recognizable phenotypes that are evident not only at the anatomical and physiological level but also at the level of mental aptitude. However, the individuals of such predominant Vata, Pitta, Kapha Prakriti are relatively infrequent in the population. At the anatomical level these constitution types differ regarding body frame and build, skin, eye and hair colour texture and composition; at the physiological level they exhibit the differences regarding food and bowel habits, the tendency to gain weight, disease resistance and healing capacity, tolerance for specific weather, metabolism of toxic compounds, etc. Besides these constitution types have specific likes, dislikes and suitability of tastes and there are differences in memory retention and aptitude differences (see Table). The constitution type and Prakriti levels of dosha are normal for that individual. Any perturbation from an individual’s homeostatic state of Doshas leads to diseases. Elevation of Vata, Pitta Kapha beyond an individual’s threshold leads to manifestation of specific doshic disorders. Amongst the Vatic disorders developmental, neurological, dementia, movement and speech disorders, it describes arrhythmias etc. In Pitta elevation, ulcer, bleeding disorders, skin diseases etc. and in Kapha obesity, diabetes, atherosclerotic conditions etc. are described. The perturbation of specific doshas in an individual is assessed through the symptoms and the aim of the Ayurveda physicians is to measure the amount of perturbation and bring back the doshas to his or her homeostatic state by dietary and therapeutic regime. Each of the food or medicine including lifestyle related things have been described to enhance or reduce a particular doshic state and therefore an individual specific customized treatment is provided. Thus the beauty of Ayurveda lies because an individual, a disease condition, drug, diet and environment is described in terms of doshic components and customization can be provided to balance these states. Ayurveda describes Vata to be the kinetic component, Kapha as a structural component and Pitta as a metabolic component, do individuals of different constitution types who are explained to be Vata, Pitta or Kapha types express a different set of genes that governs these process-server this were to happen then one could identify such genes and take it further to see whether these genes confer differences in susceptibility to diseases or differences in drug responsiveness.

Health Sciences

Herbs are at the heart of Ayurvedic medication. Whole flowers, roots, stems and leaves are manually processed in various ways to discover their optimal potential. Over 15,000 herbs are mentioned in the scriptures of which only around 850 are commonly used in Ayurvedic medicine today. One of the most commonly used herbs in Ayurveda is Neem. Described as sarva roga nivarini or that which keeps all diseases at bay, Neem supports the body's natural defense system. Apart from Neem, Ginger, Amla and Ashvagandha, among others, feature highly in the list of important plants in this traditional medicinal system.The real world is made of the nature, which has many components, such as entities/subjects or forces of nature. They referred these components to as Devatas both in The Vedas and The Puranas. In Atharva Veda, some Devatas are medicinal plants (such as Prishni Parni). In the Puranas the same subjects/entities or forces of nature (or Devatas) are dealt allegorically in the personifications made. Translational science deals with the rational interpretation of nature, its manifestations & unmanifested forms in traditional philosophies which are the function of observations integrated with interactions with the biological world. These understandings and representation with biological world objectify biological science, Veda and purana to have a common aim of understanding, gaining and representing knowledge of Nature and Reality. The Vaisheshika Darshana, one of the Six Darshana had brought out the physical domain of the knowledge or Veda. As a matter-of-fact Ayurveda which extends belief based Atharvaveda have taken a lot from Vaisheshika and Nyaya philosophy.

The goal of Ayurveda (the science of living) is to help mankind to live a healthy long life, mainly to achieve the well-recognized fourfold purpose of human life ( Dharma,artha ,kama moksha) encompassing seasonal consideration of dietetics. In classical Ayurvedic texts, something consider seasons of the year and (Ch.Su.-6). Someone narrates The science and practice of Ayurveda in ancient texts, of which the Charaka Samhita is the principal resource. The Charaka Samhita refers to a large collection of Hindu sacred texts called the Vedas. Written in the Indus Valley area around 1000 BC in Sanskrit, the Charaka Samhita is a treatise on general medicine. This strongly suggests the probability that Ayurveda, though of pan Indo-European origins, had evolved into a distinct entity within the Indian subcontinent by the first millennium BC. The basic aim of Ayurveda as mentioned by Charaka is dual in nature. In an ancient manuscript of Charaka Samhita Sutra Sthana 30/26 it is enumerated that the principal objective of Ayurveda is to protect health of the healthy and to alleviate the disorders in the diseased. This explains the importance of Swastha Vritta or preventive medicine in Ayurveda. Ayurveda provides a guiding principle for attainment and preservation of perfect health in its Swastha Vritta (Ayurvedic preventive health), Dinacharya (daily regimens), and Ritucharya (seasonal regimens). Specific Ahara Vidhi (food/dietary schedules) and avoidance of Virudhahara (incompatible diet) for different times of the day and different seasons, according to one’s age and to suit one’s individual constitution or Prakriti, have been instructed. Dharaniyavega (natural physical urges) such as hunger, thirst, sleep, micturition, and defecation are not to be suppressed. Adharaniyavega (abnormal urges like sexual overdrive) are to be controlled following the regimens. Along with that Achararasayana or nutrition measures for personal hygiene such as the use of medicated gargles, oil massages, and Yoga are prescribed. Ayurveda suggests the avoidance of negative emotions such as anger, fear, greed, vanity, jealously, and malice along with excessive attachment to anything for psychological cleansing. Positive attitude, Sadvritta (adherence to a strict code of moral principles and conduct throughout life), and measures of relaxation such as meditation, prayer, and group activities are very important for the maintenance of mental health. In prevention and management of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disorders, diabetes, hypertension, arthritic disorders, stress, and cancers, nondrug measures as supplements to medications and surgical principles found in Ayurveda are being advocated routinely in the present era by health-care providers of developed nations.