Dosha according to the principle of constitution of the physical body in ayurveda, one of the three vital bioenergies (vata, pitta, kapha) condensed from the five elements, the doshas are responsible for the physical and emotional tendencies in the mind and body and along with the seven dhatus (tissues) and three malas (waste products) make up the human body. The attributes of the doshas and their specific combination with in each individual help determine the individual's physical and mental characteristics, while imbalance among the doshas is the cause of disease.
Vata dosha - Air
The Vata dosha is the most important of the three doshas. This is for two reasons. First, if Vata becomes imbalanced for long enough and sufficiently enough, it can also cause the other two doshas (Pitta or Kapha) to become imbalanced. It can even cause both Pitta and Kapha to become imbalanced. Secondly, Vata is the main driver or mover of the body, including the other two doshas, all the tissues and all of the waste products.
Vata provides the following functions:
- All eliminations: fetus, semen, feces, urine, sweat, and a few others
- Assists with all the various metabolisms in the body
- Controls all of the various movement of body (both physical & mental), including such things as respiration, heart beat, motivation and contraction of muscles, relays all sensory input from the various sense organs to the brain.
Pitta dosha - Fire
The Pitta dosha is associated with fire or heat. Wherever there is transformation, there is Pitta (doing its job). Whether it is in the GI tract, liver, skin, eyes or brain doesn't matter, for these are all locations where Pitta works.
Pitta provides the following functions:
- Metabolism - at all the various levels from digestion of food to transformation of all other material
- Thermo genesis - maintains the proper body temperature
- Vision - converts external images into optic nerve impulses
- Appetite - the feeling of hunger and thirst
- Comprehension - of information into knowledge, also reasoning and judgment
- Courage & Braveness - to face the situation
- Complexion - gives color and softness to skin
Kapha dosha - Earth
Kapha is the heaviest of the three doshas. It provides the structures and the lubrication that the body needs. These qualities help to counterbalance Vata's movement and Pitta's metabolism. A big, heavyset football play or wrestler is a person with a predominance of Kapha.
Kapha provides the following functions:
- Strength - to perform physical tasks
- Moistness & Lubrication - to prevent excessive friction from occurring between the various parts of the body
- Stability - to add the necessary grounding aspect to both mind and body
- Mass & Structure - to provide fullness to bodily tissues
- Fertility & Virility - to produce healthy offspring
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=windows-1252">
<title>INDIAN AYURVEDA ONLINE DOT COM</title>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Language" content="en">
<meta name="description" content="Ayurveda is a system of traditional medicine native to India,and practiced in other parts of the world as a form of alternative medicine. The Sushruta">
<meta name="keywords" content="Abroma Augusta, Ajwain, Almond, Aloes, alternative medicine, Arjuna, Ashoka, Atees, Barley, Betel, Bitter Melon, Black Pepper, Camphor, Cardamom, Castor Oil, Ceylon Leadwort, Chebulic Myrobalan, Cinnamon, Cloves, Cowhage, Cumin Seed, facts about medicine, Garlic, Gingelly Seed, Ginger, Guggul, Heart - Leaved Moonseed, Henna, Herbs, Holy Basil, Isabgul, Spogel Seeds, Jambool, Kurchi, Lemon, Liquorice, Lodh Tree, medicine dosage, Musale, Neem, Nutrition, Onion, Rauwolfia Serpentine, Sacred Fig, Saffron, sarsaparilla, Shankha Pushpi, Spreading Hogweed, Stress Management, Supplements, Tamarind, Turmeric, Vasaka, Vidanga, Winter Cherry, ayurveda online, home remedies,">
