The concepts of Tridosha (Three humors) & Prakriti (Constitution)
An ancient science of life, Ayurveda focuses on preventing and curing disease through a variety of dietary and lifestyle practices, as well as treating illnesses with a variety of therapeutic measures that support the concepts of "āturasya vikārapraśamanam" (curing the diseases of the sick) and "svasthasya svāsthyarakṣaṇam" (preserving the health of healthy individuals).
Ayurveda is a holistic science which deals with everything related to life. Life is a conglomeration of body, mind, five senses and soul. Diseases affect both the body and mind, and they are inseparable, according to Ayurveda. The doctrine of Tridosha (Three humours) explains the body's function during health and disease. These basic functional units maintain the body. Ayurveda, closely tied to nature, recognises that our body mirrors the five elements of nature: space, air, water, fire, and earth. These elements combine in various permutations to form the three humours that sustain our body. The Vata dosha consists of air and space, Pitta of fire and water, and Kapha of earth and water. Any disturbance in the balance of these elements leads to the vitiation of the three humours, resulting in diseases within the human body.
· Vata represents the principle of initiation and balance in the body. It controls everything in the body, initiating and maintaining all sensory and motor functions. It supports the body's organs and systems. Vata also regulates anxiety, fear, pain, and other nervous functions.
· Pitta is the principle that controls digestion, metabolism, intellect, and skin complexion. Anger, hatred, and jealousy are all Pitta’s emotions.
· Kapha is the principle that governs the physical structure of the body and the immunological system. Calmness, forgiveness, love, and greed are all believed to be Kapha-controlled emotional responses.
Prakriti
In Sanskrit, ‘Pra’ means ‘before’, ‘Kriti’ implies creation, and so Prakriti means that which existed before creation. The way we are physically, the way we behave, and the way we react to certain conditions are called our nature. These all are, to a great extent, influenced by our ‘constitution’. We can call it the biological constitution or genetic constitution. It means every individual is unique and has a different constitution. So, the concept of Prakriti based on the Tridosha theory emphasises the treatment of disease in a highly individualised manner. Prakriti is a concept that aims at self-awareness and self-knowledge through self-observation of body processes. This helps one to adapt to constant changes and maintain balance with the natural processes, cycles, and energies that underlie human health. If people do not realise their essence, they make mistakes in their way of life, leading to ‘vikruti’ or imbalances in Prakriti. From there, the various diseases of the body and mind begin. Since body and mind are inseparable, diseases affecting any of these will also affect the other. For some people, Prakriti is dominated by Kapha, for others by Pitta or Vata, and for others by the combination of two doshas. In some rare cases, however, the equilibrium of doshas is well maintained, and this is the ideal constitution known as ‘Sama Prakriti’. Prakriti is manifested in the form of physical, psychological, physiological and behavioural traits. In Ayurveda, prognosis, diagnosis and therapeutics have been described as prakriti-specific. Guidelines for diet and lifestyle set by considering a person’s Prakriti can result in a healthy body and balance of Doshas. Every healthy individual should know about his/her Prakriti to know the most suitable lifestyle and eating habits to maintain health and prevent diseases. In general, by understanding your Prakriti, you can be aware of the do’s and don’ts for your daily routine to remain healthy and also be mindful of what type of disorders or ailments your body is likely to have in the future so that you can change your lifestyle well in advance.