Ancient Ayurveda principles suggest the universe is made of five basic elements called pancha bhootas. There is a harmonious synchronization between microcosm (human body) and macrocosm (the universe) because of the sharing of these five bhootas.

These panchabhootas in turn forms three doshas or principle humors in human body, known as tridoshas. The three doshas are vata, pitta and kapha. Vata (air) is responsible for movement of nutrients, air, blood and communication through nervous system. Pitta is responsible for digestion and energy. Kapha forms the physical characteristics of body – stomach, limbs, joints, sense organs etc.

Vata is predominant in large intestine, kapha in chest and pitta in stomach. Childhood is kapha dominant period, youth and middle age is pitta dominant stage and oldage is vata dominant period. That means the diseases affecting children will be mainly of kapha type diseases. Vata type diseases attack people at oldage.

Seven dhatus or sapta dhathus form the whole of human constitution. Flesh and muscles are mamsa dhathu, digestive juices are rasa dhathu, blood is rakta dhathu, fat is medas or meda dhathu, bone is asthi dhathu, bone marrow is majja and shukra or shukla is reproductive cells of man and woman.

Malas are by-products of dhatus, most of which must be eliminated from the body. Otherwise it becomes toxic to body.

According to Ayurveda, when the doshas, dhathus and malas are in balance, the human body is healthy and imbalance results in a disease or a group of diseases to body.

Prevention of diseases according to Ayurveda

The balance is maintained by our daily intake of food, daily activities and elimination of wastes without allowing them to become toxic malas in body.

The food we eat and the actions we undertake must not disturb the balance of tridoshas, saptadhathus or malas.

Food should be fresh, warm, normally cooked and easy to digest.

Don’t eat too much. Leave a gap of at least four hours between meals.

Get proper sleep and do moderate levels of physical exercise. Rasayana chikitsa is preventive measure against all kinds of diseases.

Treatments according to Ayurveda

There occur imbalances to any one or more of the doshas. Ayurveda treatment aims at restoring the balance as quickly as possible. If an imbalance is left unattended, the imbalance can get out of control.

According to Ayurveda, human body has the powers to regain the balance. Ayurvedic medicines, dietary controls and massages are aimed at strengthening the natural balancing power of the body to quickly regain the balanced state.

Almost all herbs, leaves and elements found in nature can offer help at appropriate occasions. The herbs that are quickly available and greatly beneficial for a variety of conditions are termed as Ayurvedic herbs. Ayurvedic herbs and Ayurvedic herbal combinations used for the treatment of various diseases act only to strengthen the body. Side-effects from Ayurvedic herbal drugs are extremely rare.

Apart from the physical aspects of health, Ayurveda also puts great emphasis on mind and soul. Ayurveda touches the physical, mental and spiritual levels of a person and offers guidelines for healthy demeanor in all the fronts.