by Sheela Rani Chunkath
Since the knowledge and balance of doshas is key to maintaining good health, an overview of this subject would help readers in their quest for a disease-free and happy life.
Unlike allopathy, where each specialist is wondering what is going wrong with his specific system (a bit of an exaggeration, but mostly true), in ayurveda, good health is maintained by ensuring the following :-
Disharmony in the Bio-Psycho-Spiritual being of an individual causes disease. In this article we will look at the biological aspects of the body that when not properly nourished, vitiated or malnourished causes disease. There are seven dhatus, namely the rasa dhatu (chyle or lymph), the rakta dhatu (blood), the mamsa dhatu (muscle), meda dhatu (fat), asthi dhatu (bone) and majja dhatu (marrow) and shukra dhatu (reproductive tissue). These dhatus are produced in succession from the food we ingest. Thus rasa dhatu is produced first and then rakta dhatu from rasa dhatu and so on. The importance of the food we eat can and should be inferred from the fact that the entire body substratum depends for its nourishment on the ahaaram or food we choose to consume. The timing, nature and quantity of food therefore becomes extremely crucial in maintaining good health. Once ahaaram is properly regulated, the agni or digestive fire burns in a steady state ensuring proper digestion and ingestion of foods. One of my professors, of course from South India, cannot understand why people want to eat panipoori which according to him nourishes nothing. Hot food especially rice (with the ubiquitous sambar) or chapathis with a liberal helping of ghee and a small helping of vegetables, a tall glass of good cow's milk, butter, a little buttermilk and some wholesome sweets made in pure ghee would in his opinion be nourishing food. Although a vegetarian he is in favour of meat which resembles that of 'junglee mamsa' or meat of animals not reared in captivity. Thus soup of goat's meat (mutton soup, as it is locally known), and good mutton biriyani (eaten in moderation) is nourishing. The rice must be old (not freshly harvested, hand pounded preferred) and the briyani must be made in ghee.
Raw salads are not nourishing and ayurveda does not talk about dietary fibre. If you need to bulk the faeces eat urad dhal, say the ayurvedists.
Now many readers may wonder whether such foods can be eaten by middle-aged people. Yes, if they are healthy. And that brings us to the concept of agni, the digestive fire which is the crux of good health. There is no good health if your digestive fire is weak, malfunctioning, if you have acid reflux, irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, or ulcers.
It is the digestive fire which cooks or transforms what you eat and if that does not work well the foundation of your health becomes very very weak. A problem with the digestive system must first be attended to if you are to traverse the path of good health. And maintaining the digestive fire, while not a frivolous task is also not an impossible exercise.
If the agni is maintained well the doshas the bio-energetic principles of vata, pitta and kapha also remain in balance. The three main waste products namely pureesham (faeces), mutram (urine) and swedham (sweat) are excreted in proper quantities and maintain health. Pureesham is said to support the body. While a little suprising to understand initially one can see what will happen if there is uncontrolled diarrhoea. While faeces needs to be excreted it must in proper quantities. Urine and sweat similarly need to function properly to excrete the other metabolic wastes. For those who sweat, there is some good news, apparently it helps with abundant hair growth. So those of you who want long shiny tresses, exercise, do yoga and get that sweat moving.
On a more serious note, good health can be maintained only holistically so maintain the dhatudoshamala balance and you will enjoy a good quality of life.
--- The writer is retired Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Tamil Nadu. She can be reached at Sheelarani.arogyamantra@gmail. com. Earlier articles can be accessed at http://arogyamantra.blogspot.com/