According to Ayurveda the eye is created and maintained by the Fire Element. As such, the eye is adversely affected by excess heat, and just as the tears of the eye, as well as the aqueous and viteous humors function to nourish and cool the eye, Ayurvedic recommends supportive measures to balance the Fire Element. This includes hygienic measures such as washing the face three to four times a day, taking regular baths, a healthy diet, living and working in areas with adequate ventilation or outside in the fresh air, and the ancient practice of peering at the cooling rays of the moon. Continue reading ‘Diseases of the Eyes’
Archive for the 'Disease' Category
Diseases of the head including the mouth, throat, nose, ears and eyes are described under the Shalakya Tantra, one of the eight limbs of Ayurveda. The following is a summary of these treatments with the exception of diseases of the eyes, which are discussed separately. Continue reading ‘Diseases of the Mouth, Throat, Nose and Ears’
Many children’s diseases are caused by vitiation of breast milk. When vitiated milk is consumed, it will cause the corresponding disease in the nursing child. A simple method of detoxifying the milk is to give the mother Haridra root (turmeric / Curcuma longa). Continue reading ‘Diseases of Childhood’
There are many factors that can affect pregnancy and delivery or damage the fetus. Injury, excessive vibrations, incorrect postures, lack of sleep, emotional distress (quarrels and fights), poor digestion, poor diet and defects in the paternal semen are examples. Management of a pregnant woman requires caution. As much as possible, diseases of pregnant women should be managed with a soft, sweet diet and pleasant surroundings. Strong measures like emesis or bloodletting are used only in emergencies. Continue reading ‘Diseases of Pregnancy and Delivery’
Ayurveda classifies the major components of the body as serum (rasa), blood (rakta), flesh (mamsa), fat (medas), bone (asthi), marrow (majja) and semen (shukra), collectively called the sapta (seven) dhatus (tissue elements). It is important to note that these are broad categories, and each dhatu includes several different tissue types. For example, the tissue element of flesh (mamsa) includes the nerves, skin, tendons, membranes and glands. Continue reading ‘Diseases of Tissue Metabolism’
While skin diseases have many different causes, in general they are the result of the habitual intake of unhealthy or incompatible foods (e.g. fish with milk, meat with honey, etc.), an excessive reliance upon certain tastes or qualities in food (e.g. excessively greasy, sour or heavy foods), improperly cooked foods, eating too often, poor digestion, suppression of the urge to vomit and irregular sleep. Continue reading ‘Diseases of the Skin’
Vata in its normal healthy state helps to maintain equilibrium in the different tissues and governing principles of the body, as well as maintaining balanced metabolism, balanced nervous system function and balanced sensory function. Continue reading ‘Diseases of the Nerves’
This section reviews the various female reproductive diseases as described in Ayurveda. Diseases of the female genital organ such as herpes and syphilis are common to both sexes and are discussed under Male Reproductive Disease (Purushajanendriya Roga). Continue reading ‘Female Reproductive Diseases’
Ayurveda separates shukradosha, or defects of semen into eight categories: foamy semen, deficiency of semen, rough semen, colorful semen, putrefactive semen, viscous semen, semen mixed with blood and acids, and coagulated semen. Foamy semen, deficiency of semen or little semen, and rough or dry semen are Vata disorders, concerned with the aggravated function of the nervous system. Continue reading ‘Male Reproductive Disease’
Diseases of the kidney as well as metabolic conditions marked by polyuria, or excess urine excretion, largely come under the heading of prameha in Ayurveda. Prameha is a term that refers to the kidneys and their failure to properly preserve vital nutrients in the blood, allowing their excretion into the urine. It is diagnosed on the qualities of these substances found in the urine, and are broadly classified into three basic categories: Kaphaja, Pittaja and Vataja. Continue reading ‘Diseases of the Kidneys’