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Ayurveda acknowledges the six different kinds of tastes that exist in nature through food. As per Ayurveda, the six tastes are – sweet, salty, sour, pungent, astringent and bitter. These tastes are made through different permutations and combinations of the five elements and thus each taste has a distinct effect on the body. Ayurveda teaches that a balanced diet contains all tastes; however due to each taste distinct effect on the body, one should regulate the tastes as per ones constitution.    Sweet (earth, water) taste builds and strengthens bodily tissues while making the mind stable and calm. Examples of sweet tasting foods are: starchy vegetables and grains. Salty (water, fire) taste helps lubricate tissues, maintain mineral balance, retain body fluids, improve appetite and calm nervous system. Example of salty foods are: rock salt, soy sauce and sea weed. Sour (earth, fire) taste restores digestion, improves heart function and amplifies intellectual abilities. Example of sour foods are: citrus fruits, berries, kimchi, sour kraut and kombucha. Pungent (fire, air) taste helps regulate body temperature, aids in detoxification through sweating, increases metabolism, and sharpens mind and senses. Examples of pungent foods are: chillies, pepper, ginger, garlic, wasabi and arugula.  Astringent (earth, air) taste is the one which helps in body cleansing, mind relaxation, active body and maintaining blood sugar. Examples of astringent foods are: garbanzo beans, unripe bananas, pomegranates and broccoli. Bitter (earth, air) taste in foods help in body detoxification, reducing body fat, promotes emotional clarity and balance food cravings. Examples of bitter foods are: kale, chard, cocoa, coffee and green tea.

Panchkarma is a Sanskrit term which literally means five actions. Panchkarma is considered a “Shodhan” treatment which helps in clearing out the toxins (Ama) in the body, balancing the doshas and rejuvenating the body with more vitality and vigour. The toxins that collect in the body due to unhealthy diet and lifestyle practices have the tendency to block microchannels in the body. These blockages hamper the optimal functions of the body organs causing chronic diseases such as cancer and diabetes. An ancient Ayurvedic therapeutic treatment, Panckarma takes a holistic approach to treating diseases or ailments at the root cause by cleansing and detoxifying the body and which essentially leads to purification of the mind and soul. The five techniques of a Panchkarma treatment are called Vamana (Emesis), Virechana (Purgation) Basti (Enema), Nasya (Nasal insufflations) and Rakta Mokshana (Blood-letting). These five techniques depend on five different elemental actions earth, fire, water, air and ether, that control bodily functions.   Vamana (Emesis) Vamana is a Panchkarma treatment in which medicated vomiting is induced to remove toxins through the upper channel i.e. mouth. Vamana treatment is typically performed to balance aggravated Kapha dosha and help cure many Kapha diseases and disorders such as cold, cough, obesity, and lethargy. Since the chest is the seat of Kapha, Vamana is the right treatment to dislodge Kapha toxins from the body. In addition to curing Kapha disorders, Vamana is beneficial in restoring health in many ways. Vamana not only helps in cleansing the body but also improves metabolism, complexion, cognitive abilities, immunity, fertility, and bodily strength.   Before Vamana therapy is performed, a patient is asked to take some digestive medicine and a certain kind of ghee for 3 – 7 days. Closer to the day of treatment, the patient is given an oil massage. And before the night of the treatment, the patient is given Kapha aggravating foods such as curd, rice, black gram etc and asked to take proper sleep. On the day of treatment, the patient is administered an Ayurvedic decoction after which they wait for 48 minutes before the commencement of vomiting. The patient should perform the vomiting in a seated position in the presence of an Ayurvedic doctor. The signs of perspiration, goose bumps, abdominal relaxation and nausea are signs that the medication has reacted well. Depending on the patient and the intensity of dosha, 4 – 8 rounds of Vamana can be performed.   Virechana (Purgation) A colon and liver cleanse, Virechana is the pitta pacifying detox treatment in Ayurveda where one ingests some purgative medicine to flush toxins from the lower pathways. Virechana can help treat many Pitta-related issues and diseases such as skin disorders, liver disorders, haemorrhoids (piles), jaundice, worms, ulcers, gouts and anaemia. Additionally, Virechana brings about many health benefits such as enhanced mental clarity, blood purification, improved skin and better digestion. In a Panchakarma treatment, Virechana is typically performed 3 days after Vamana and if Vamana is not prescribed to the patient due to any reason then Virechana is given. The three days before Virechana is when the patient goes through a proper oleation (snehana) and sweating (svedana) procedures to get ready for Virechana administration. On the day of administration, the patient is given a purgation medicine based on the kind and level of dosha imbalance. Taking the medication leads up to controlled bouts of purgation with a normal bout of purgation being 750 gms of fecal matter.   Basti (Enema) Considered one of the most important Panchkarma treatments for curing ailments and diseases, Basti is a medical enema given to treat Vata imbalances. In Ayurveda, Vata imbalances are known to be the root cause of major diseases such as inflammation, sciatica, constipation, arthritis, nerve pain etc. Balancing Vata dosha can help in stabilising energy levels, improving digestion, strengthening bones, bringing creativity and confidence and reducing fear and anxiety. To cure Vata borne diseases and bring the body in balance, it is necessary to perform treatment at the seat of Vata, which is the colon. Therefore, a medical decoction is administered rectally in two stages: oil and decoction stage. In the first stage, the patient is administered with 5 ounces of sesame oil and after ten minutes without expelling a 21 ounce liquid blend of herbal tea and oils is administered again and retained for thirty minutes. After the ideal time has passed, patient may sit on the toilet seat to evacuate their bowels and pass liquid and fecal matter. A couple of bowel movements accompanied by a feeling of lightness and mental clarity is a sign that the treatment is a success Nasyam (Nasal insufflations) A rejuvenating Panchkarma therapy which is mainly used to cure Vata-Pitta or Kapha-Pitta imbalances, Nasyam is an application of herbal decoction (typically infused with oils or ghee) into the nostrils of the patient. As per Ayurveda, the nasal passages are the doorway to our nervous system and essential to our consciousness. Thus, there is a wide range of mind and nervous system-related ailments that Nasyam therapy can treat such as sinus problems, memory loss, Parkinson’s disease, neck pain, insomnia, mental issues, skin diseases and chronic headaches. Administration of this herbal medicine into the nostrils helps in clearing toxins from nasal passages, throat, ear, neck, brain, and eyes as a result improving immunity, enhancing memory power, calming the nervous system, and strengthening sensory organs. In Nasyam, initially, oil is applied to the neck, head and shoulders after which a gentle massage is performed followed by fermentation. Then the medicine is administered in the left nostril in a single stream after closing the other nostril and the same is repeated in the right nostril. After that, a gentle massage is performed on the face and the extremities and then the patient is made to spit on either side until the throat is completely clear. The treatment is finished with Dhoomrapanum in which the smoke of medicated herbs smeared with ghee/oil is inhaled through the nostrils and mouth.   Rakta Mokshana (Blood-letting) A blood purification therapy, Raktamokshana is a controlled elimination of impure blood from the body. This Panchakarma treatment is performed to cure Pitta-related imbalances and diseases such as rheumatic diseases, migraine, acne, eczema, tonsillitis, sciatica, breast cancer, STDs, liver and spleen disorders, tumours etc. The least performed of all Panchkarma therapies, Raktamokshana is performed only when herbs or any other procedure cant cure the ailment or disease. In general, the treatment helps in improving blood circulation and blood health and reducing inflammation There are a few different ways of performing Rakta Moksha: one of them is by applying a few leeches on a specific part of the body or by puncturing a vein or making several small punctures on a focused area of the body to initiate bloodletting.

Also known as the sub-doshas, Ojas, Tejas and Prana are the subtle energies or one can call them the pure essence of the three doshas Kapha, Pitta and Vata respectively. These sub-doshas only portray the positive aspects of the three doshas and are necessary for a human being to live a healthy and balanced life. OJAS Ojas is the subtle energy of Kapha dosha and how balanced your Kapha dosha is greatly dependent on the quality of Ojas. Ojas can be defined as the pure essence of the bodily tissues and is responsible for maintaining your immune functions on a cellular level. Ojas is also responsible for maintaining other mental functions including mental endurance and memory, focus and concentration, patience, contentment, peace, and concentration There are two kinds of Ojas – Para Ojas that reside in one’s heart and Apara Ojas that circulate throughout one’s body. A lack of Ojas can result in states of fear, worry, confusion, mental fatigue, memory loss, and dreaminess. On the other hand, excessive Ojas can lead to states of mental dullness, stubbornness, and complacency. TEJAS Tejas is the subtle energy of Pitta and how balanced your Pitta dosha is depended on the quality of Tejas. Tejas can be defined as the inner luminosity and fire that is responsible for intelligence, logical reasoning, curiosity, focus, self-discipline, insight, and clarity. A lack of Tejas can lead to states of mental fog, passiveness, bad decision-making, and inability to discriminate. On the other hand, excess Tejas can lead to states of aggression, hate, jealousy, and irritability. PRANA Prana is the subtle energy of Vata and how balanced your Vata depends on the quality of Prana. Prana can be defined as the life force that provides vitality & energy. Prana is the source of natural intelligence and regulates all psycho-physical functions pertaining to emotions, feelings and stimulation of senses. Prana is responsible for many bodily functions including digestion, respiration, and circulation. A lack of Prana can lead to states of mental fatigue, and curbed creativity and receptivity. An increase in Prana on the other hand can lead to states of laziness, inattention, impulsivity, neuroticism and impatience.

Originated in Indus Valley more than 5,000 years ago, Ayurveda is attributed to Dhanvantri, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, who is also known as the god of Ayurveda. It is believed that Dhanvantri incarnated himself as the king of Varanasai and taught the science of Ayurveda to a group of physicians including Sushruta, who wrote the Sushruta Samhita. Sushruta Samhita along with Charaka Samhita, comprises the foundation text of Ayurveda, although, the earliest mentions of Ayurveda can be found in the last of the four Vedas known as Atharveda, complied by Vyasa. The word “Ayurveda” is Sanskrit: आयुर्वेद, Āyurveda, means knowledge of life and longevity. Considered as one of the oldest holistic healing systems in world and a sister science to Yoga, Ayurveda emphasizes on prevention rather than cure of a disease by maintaining the balance of body, mind and spirit. To bring balance to ones life, one must have right view, right diet, right use of herbs and right livelihood. According to Ayurveda, health is order and disease is disorder and it is only through the understanding of disorder one can reinstate order in their lives. Five Elements , three doshas & three gunas As per Ayurveda, the universe and the human body is made of the 5 elements found in nature – prithvi (earth), jala (water), teja (fire), vayu (wind), akash (ether). These elements combine together in certain combinations to create three bodily energy forces called the “doshas”. The three doshas are called the vata dosha (ether and wind), pitta dosha (fire and water) and kapha dosha (water and earth). Similarly, Ayurveda also defines mental doshas complimentary to the physical doshas, but are more subtle energies whose influence is most prominent on the mental states . These three doshas also known as “gunas” are sattva, rajas and tamas, complementary to vata, pitta and kapha respectively. Sattva is the force of evolution, progress and purity. Tamas is the force which opposes sattva, retards action and results in destruction and decay. Rajas is the impulse to action which maintains the coordination of sattva and tamas. Similar to our bodies, these three gunas are also found in the foods we see around us. Sattvic food means light and healthy food which does not go to any extremes of taste – neither too sweet, nor too salty or spicy – just moderate. A sattvic diet consists of pure wholesome unprocessed food that is light in potency, and rich in prana (life force) which energizes and calms the body and mind. A few examples of sattvic foods are: fresh fruits & vegetables, whole grains, nuts & seeds and raw sugar.  Rajasic foods are those that can creates imbalance in the pitta and vata doshas in the body. These foods stimulate the body’s nervous system and mind into action. When taken in excess, such foods can cause hyperactivity, stress, restlessness, anger, irritability, and sleeplessness. They also increase the level of toxins in the blood. Simply put, overly tasty food is rajasic. A few examples of rajasic foods are: garlic, chillies, coffee, teas, alcohol and aerated beverages. Tamasic foods are dull or dead foods which promotes inertia, lethargy, dullness confusion in the mind and body.  A few examples of tamasic foods are: onions, mushrooms, leftovers, frozen or oily foods, refined grains and over ripe fruits. Ayurveda teaches us to eat sattivc food and avoid rajasic and tamasic foods as much as possible. Prakruti & Vikruti Ayurveda teaches us that while we all have some amount of each dosha, we have a natural predominant Dosha or a combination which is determined for each one of us at the time we are conceived. This is called “Prakrati”, which determines our physical constitution and personality. The term actually means “original creation.” In Sanskrit prefix “pra” means “original” and “kruti” means “creation”. However, after the moment of conception, the external environments disturbs the normal physiology of the three doshas called Vikruti which leads to imbalances and eventually to diseases, . The Sanskrit root “vi” means “after” and the root word “kruti” means “creation.” A person’s vikruti is the state of the three doshas after the moment of conception. Qualities of the doshas Vata, pitta and kapha are combinations and permutations of these five elements that manifest as patterns present in all creation and each doshas consist of certain qualities called “gunas” (different then the three gunas discussed above). According to Ayurveda, there are 20 different qualities or “gunas” in 10 pairs of opposites and everything in the universe has one or more of these qualities. These qualities are – heavy and light, dull and sharp, cold and hot, oily and dry, smooth and rough, dense and liquid, hard and soft, static and mobile, subtle and gross, cloudy and clear. In Ayurvedic healing, we identify the attributes of an imbalance or disorder and implement treatments and diet using opposite gunas, which will ultimately pacify the imbalanced doshas.     According to Ayurveda, vata governs blinking, breathing, heartbeat, muscle and tissue movement along with all cellular activities. Imbalanced vata can cause anxiety, fatigue, arthritis, heart disease, constipation, nervous system disorder. To keep vata balanced, one should eat warm and well spiced meals four times a day and favor sweet, salty and sour tastes. Pitta governs digestion, absorption, assimilation, nutrition, metabolism and body temperature. Pitta imbalance can cause high blood pressure, anger and negative emotions, heartburn, diarrhea. To keep pitta balanced, one should eat cooling and non-spicy vegetarian food and favor sweet and bitter tasting foods. Kapha governs joint lubrication, skin moisture, and maintains immunity. Kapha imbalance can cause lethargy and obesity, diabetes, water retention, headaches and cancer. To keep kapha balanced, one should eat light and dry foods and favor bitter, pungent and astringent tastes.       Energy of movement which promotes creativity & flexibility. Light Dry Rough Clear Active Cold Mobile Energy of metabolism which promotes intelligence & understanding. Oily Sharp Hot Light Fleshy Spreading Liquid Energy of structure which promotes love, calmness & forgiveness. Cold Moist & Oily Heavy Dull Static Smooth & Soft Dense Agni & Ama Understanding of Ayurveda is incomplete without understanding “agni” and “ama”. Agni, or the digestive fire, is a key factor in understanding our physiological makeup, or our prakruti and vikruti. Ayurveda teaches us that when a body has a doshic imbalance, known as vikruti, it ultimately leads to impaired or imbalanced agni, which is the root cause of all diseases and ill health. Agni has a vast range of functions including digestion and assimilation of food, transforming food into bodily tissue and waste; interpreting information into experiential knowledge; discerning between nutritious material and waste product, maintenance of body temperature, sensory perceptions, metabolic activity, among other important functions. However, due to negative external influences, sometimes our bodies are not able to digest, absorb and assimilate all the food that we eat and information we receive. This leads to creation of ama, which are toxins and is the first stage of any disease. Ama can be described as a toxic, heavy foul smelling substance in our body as well as toxic and negative thoughts, emotions, and feelings in our psyche. Ayurveda kindles the agni of the body to digest toxins which have manifested due to internal or external imbalances, ensuring optimal functioning of the physical and mental being. Life (ayu) is the combination (samyoga) of body, senses, mind and reincarnating soul. Ayurveda is the most sacred science of life, beneficial to humans both in this world and the world beyond. – Charaka