THE DOSHAS
Ayurveda suggests that there are three primary qualities or principles that govern every human body. These principles are called doshas, which are derived from the five elements: earth, air, water, fire, and space. It is the doshas that regulate the body. When the doshas are balanced, we experience good health, vitality, ease, strength, flexibility and emotional well-being. When the doshas are out of balance, we experience dis-ease.

The doshas are named vata, pitta and kapha, and every human body contains all three. Each dosha has numerous traits that are described in terms such as temperature, taste and movement, among other attributes. Although we only offer the most basic primer here, interested readers will find much more extensive descriptions about physical attributes and character traits associated with the doshas in some of the excellent and accessible books that have been written about Ayurveda in recent years.

VATA DOSHA is comprised of the air and space elements. Among its qualities, vata is cold, dry, light and mobile. People with predominant vata are usually tall, thin, fast talking and fast moving. When vata is in balance, they get a lot done! Vata is aggravated by cold or dry weather and cold or dry and raw food. Following are examples of the kinds of discomfort that may be experienced when vata dosha is aggravated:

• cold hands and feet
• aching and cracking joints, arthritis
• muscular and general pain
• anxiety and depression
• lack of mental clarity
• difficulty falling to sleep or insomnia
• constipation, intestinal gas and colicky pain

THE PITTA dosha is made up of the fire and water elements. Among its qualities, pitta is hot, sharp, pungent and spreading. People with predominant pitta have a moderate frame and weight and a sharp intellect. When pitta is out of balance, people tend to be critical and irritable, angry or controlling, and they may be red-faced. Pitta is most aggravated by hot weather and spicy, hot foods. Physical disorders related to imbalanced pitta include:

• acne and rashes
• heartburn and acid reflux disease
• nausea and vomiting
• diarrhea or loose stools
• hot flashes

KAPHA is associated with water and earth. Among its qualities, kapha is heavy, cool, slow and oily. Kapha individuals will have a large body frame and heavy bones. They are usually calm and steady, and they tend to need a lot of sleep. In general, kapha is aggravated by cold and wet weather, and oily foods. Kapha problems include:

• Slow digestion and slow metabolism
• Obesity
• Lethargy
• Swelling
• Colds, sinus congestion and coughs

AMA or TOXINS
Key to the understanding of Ayurveda is recognizing the power of toxins to cause illness and disease. Called ama in Sanskrit, these toxins can be both physiological or negative mental concepts and emotions.

Have you ever scraped your tongue in the morning and found a thick, yellow sticky substance? This is ama, which should definitely be scraped off the tongue every morning!

On a gross physical level, most toxins are formed in the body because of incomplete digestion, which is either the result of weak or sluggish digestion, or because of eating heavy foods or too much food. Toxins are also formed as a by-product of poor food combining, such as eating fruits at the same time as other foods. Because the fruits and other foods metabolize at different rates, fermentation occurs in the stomach, which can cause the food to putrefy rather than be assimilated. Again, this is especially true for people with weak or sluggish digestion.

Toxins also form when we ingest chemicals that the body cannot assimilate, such as chemical food additives found in most processed foods. And finally, we breathe in toxins every day because of chemical pollutants in the environment. When these toxins are not eliminated by the body, they deposit themselves in the organs and joints, which over time, cause disease and chronic pain.

If your ama is high, your Jivan Shakti practitioner will recommend herbal remedies that help the body to naturally detoxify. Sometimes, the body needs a more thorough form of cleansing, which is offered in a five-week program called panchakarma.

Toxicity or energetic blocks are also formed in the body when a person holds onto negative mental patterns or painful emotions. These blocks can also be released with the help of herbs, marma therapy and panchakarma.

At this time, Jivan Shakti offers panchakarma in its clinic near Mumbai, India, although it will also be offered in the United States in the future.