The More You Know
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FOR DETOX FOR LIFE (STROLL DOWN)
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FOR HEALTH WISE (STROLL DOWN)
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FOR CHAKRAS 101 (STORLL DOWN)
“Wow!”
The Detox for Life® system is a powerful new way to experience cellular detoxification.
“How?” While everyone knows we ingest and store heavy metals, pollutants and all manner of industrial waste, it has been impossible to purge them from our bodies until the invention of the professional Detox for Life® system.
Chinese medicine refers to the complex energy fields that realign the body's energy while improving oxygen levels as the "Chi". The Detox for Life® System generates a stream of positive and negative ions which attract and attach themselves to oppositely charged toxic particles throughout the body creating a harmony with the Chi while purging the body of toxins such as chemicals, pollution, synthetics, and other foreign material that block the body's elimination system.
This internal cleansing is believed by many to clean the liver and kidneys resulting in less body fluid retention, reduced inflammation, improved memory, greater bladder control, a stronger immune system and significant pain relief from chronic headaches, menstrual cramping, arthritis and other pains.
What to Expect From Detox Therapy?
In combination with a healthy lifestyle, Detox for Life® can help you to maintain high energy levels and long-term wellness.
Most people should immediately experience an increased sense of well-being and more energy. Many people with headache pain, Menstrual cramping, edema, gout and swollen or deteriorating joints due to arthritis report considerable symptomatic relief from as little as one Detox for Life® therapy session.
Detoxifying the body regularly is essential to maintaining good health and to avoid disease. Every day we ingest a vast array of pesticides, herbicides, colorings, additives, preservatives, and chemicals through our water, air and food. The Detox for Life® foot spa system provides a thorough and efficient way to cleanse the body of these wastes. The result is increased metabolic function of each excretory organ increasing vitality, promoting healing and alleviating chronic pain.
Each person experiences a different reaction to the Detox for Life® system. The color and the makeup of the toxins expelled reflect the concentration of pollutants in your body. The following color chart indicates these variants.
Yellow/Green - Detoxifying from the kidney, bladder,urinary tract, female/prostate area.
Orange - Detoxifying from joints.
Brown - Detoxifying from liver, tobacco, cellular debris.
Black - Detoxifying from liver.
Dark Green - Detoxifying from galbladder.
White - Foam Lymphatic system.
White Particles - yeast
Black Flecks - Heavy metals.
Red Flecks - Blood clot material.
"Imagine”
A Detox for Life® Therapy system in your home, Spa or Salon adding thousands of extra dollars to your bottom line. Detox for Life Therapy sessions average $50 to $150 each and can be done while your client is having her hair done or having a Facial, Manicure or as a stand-alone service.
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HEALTH WISE
By Inga Hansen
Dangerous Waters
Protect clients and employees from the hidden risks in water-based treatments.
WATER TREATMENTS ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE spa experience - they allow clients to close their eyes and relax as jets of warm water wash away the day’s stress. But careless attention to disinfection can turn these treatments from healing to hostile in a matter of days.
“Wherever there’s warm water, there’s the potential for waterborne bacteria and other organ-isms that cause disease, referred to as pathogens, to thrive,” says Matthew R. Freije, president of HC Information Resources, a water-treatment consulting company.
Equipment, when not properly maintained, is an ideal environment for tiny pathogens to hide and multiply. Once released, they have the ability to wreak havoc on clients’ skin and lungs, and inflict irreparable damage on your spa’s reputation.
It’s important to guard your spa against these dangerous bacteria by understanding which ones present a problem, what to do to avoid hazards and how to reduce risks without too much downtime.
Hidden Dangers
Pathogens take two routes to enter your spa. One is through clients’ bodies when they soak in your tubs, and the other is through water that fills the tubs. “Water comes into buildings from natural sources like lakes and rivers,” says Janet Stout, Ph.D., laboratory director at Special Pathogens Laboratory. “Certain organisms and bacteria are natural inhabitants of these bodies of water. Once inside your spa, they can find nutrients and continue to grow, particularly in warm water.”
Some of the waterborne pathogens that cause the greatest concern among healthcare professionals are mycobacteria, pseudomonas and legionella.
Mycobacterium is one of the most common bacteria. The Mayo Clinic has linked hot tub lung, a respiratory illness that causes wheezing and shortness of breath, to a strain of it. “Mycobacterium avium belongs to the same class of bacteria that causes tuberculosis,” says Edward Rosenow, M.D., a pulmonologist at Mayo Clinic. “Unlike tuberculosis, hot tub lung isn’t contagious.”
Mycobacterium fortuitum was identified as the culprit in a 2000 outbreak in Watsonville, California, where 110 pedicure clients experienced oozing sores and ulcers on their legs. The State of Colorado Department of Barber and Cosmetology Licensure changed its disinfection regulations to help prevent a similar occurrence in its state.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Centers for Disease Control cites that mycobacteria is a major problem in pedicure spas. A study of 30 foot baths conducted by the California Department of Health Services in Berkeley, California, in 2000 found that mycobacteria were isolated in virtually all pedicure spas surveyed,” said author Due J. Vugia, et al. “The sole exception was a foot spa that had been in service 11 days.”
“Pseudomonas is another organism commonly found in improperly treated hot tubs,” Stout says. “It can cause wound infections and a rash known as hot tub folliculitis, an infection in the skin follicles. Pseudomonas has also been associated with urinary tract infections.”
Named for its most famous outbreak among American Legion delegates in 1976, legionella is the bacterium responsible for Legionnaires’ disease, a potentially deadly illness that causes flu-like symptoms and pneumonia.
“The good news is most of us are well enough that, even if we’re exposed to these bacteria, illness doesn’t occur,” Stout says. But a weakened immune system or an unclean environment that enables significant overgrowth of bacteria can put clients at risk.
In addition to entering open wounds or hair follicles, bacteria can lead to a host of respiratory problems if inhaled. “When bubbles in the tubs burst, tiny droplets of water can enter the lungs and cause infection,” Freije says. “Clients and employees are even at risk of inhaling bacteria-laden water droplets if they stand too close to a decorative fountain that’s not kept clean.”
Reducing the Risk
Steam rooms are unlikely to cause pathogen concerns because “the bacteria can’t survive at the temperature needed to convert water to steam,” Freije says. Your primary area of concern is soaking tubs. Disinfection standards are dictated by the EPA, and state and county Departments of Health.
Bacterial -growth prevention in tubs and foot spas begins with effective cleaning and water treatment protocols based on the type of tubs your spa offers. “There are two types of equipment - fill - and - drain tubs, where water is drained after each use, and larger whirlpool spas, where water is kept in the tub for a length of time,” Freije says.
Following are some basic disinfection protocols to keep equipment safe, but be aware that your state may have more stringent requirements.
Jetted tubs require the use of biocides such as chlorine or bromine to destroy dangerous pathogens, and the chemical levels must be monitored regularly. “Depending on your state, the requirements for testing may be as often as every hour, which can be a challenge,” Stout says. “One way to make sure the appropriate amount of biocides is present is to use an automated feeding system.” These systems read the chlorine or bromine levels then inject chemicals into the water as needed.
“You’ll still need to do a manual check with a water-testing kit once or twice a day, depending on your state’s regulations,” Freije says.
Most states offer, and in some cases require, water-treatment training where owners and managers learn to perform and document water tests. It’s important, Stout cautions, to have more than one member of your staff trained in water treatment. “We had a situation where the employee responsible for water testing went on vacation, and the next person in line didn’t really understand what she was doing,” Stout says. “She diligently tested the water and recorded her results but didn’t understand what she was measuring. When we saw the logs, the bromine levels had been at zero for two weeks, which means there was no biocide in the water.”
In addition to chemical treatments, hot tubs need to be drained regularly, and the inside must be scrubbed and disinfected thoroughly before refilling. “I’d recommend completely draining and cleaning your hot tub every week or two. The frequency required varies from state to state, so contact your Department of Health to make sure you’re in compliance,” Stout says.
Drain-and-fill tubs, including hydrotherapy and foot spas, are emptied after every use, so there’s no need to use chlorine or bromine, or monitor chemical levels. However, this doesn’t mean they don’t need to be monitored. “If you’re system has circulation piping, 8 to 10 ounces of water will remain in the pipes even when you drain the tub,” Freije says. This sitting water offers an ideal environment for bacterial growth. Once the tub is refilled, the bacteria will circulate into the water and onto your clients’ skin. The EPA requires you to drain the tub, wipe away all debris, and refill with fresh water and hospital-grade disinfecting solution after every use. The solution must be circulated for a minimum of 10 minutes.
Some states, particularly those that have experienced outbreaks, have enacted more stringent requirements. Amanda Gorecki, owner of Healing Waters Med Spa (healingwatersmedspa.com) with locations in Wichita, Kansas, and Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, uses Barbicide Plus and bleach to clean her circulation-pipe pedicure and hydrotherapy tubs, per new state regulations in Kansas. She also cleans out filters and drains weekly. "There was a bad outbreak of pseudomo-nas in our community," she says. "As a result, our regulations changed this year. We have to use more powerful disinfecting solutions, and we had to add bleach to the process."
New pipeless units feature jets that "screw onto the outside of the tub to agitate the water," Freije says, "so there's no worry about bacteria associated with circulation piping. The jets can be removed and cleaned with a bleaching solution, but there's no need to circulate the disinfecting chemicals." Some states, including Colorado, err on the side of safety and require owners to circulate disinfecting solutions even in portable or pipeless units.
Dealing with Downtime
One of the biggest challenges of new disinfection standards is determining how to integrate the protocols needed to keep everyone safe without cutting too deep into your bottom line. "We get so booked that 1
can't afford to have a station empty for 10 minutes between each client," says Roula Nassar, owner of Roula's Nail Spa (mom-consulting. com/rns_index) in Houston. "To maintain our sanitation standards without losing money, we disinfect while the client is there."
Nassar's employees are trained to drain, scrub and refill the pedicure foot spa between soaking and polishing, so the disinfecting solution can circulate while the technician polishes the client's nails. "By the time the tech is done, the station has been disinfected, and we've circulated the jets," Nassar says. "And the client has seen it all, which gives her peace of mind." With eight pedicure stations and a nine-hour workday, Nassar saves 90 minutes of downtime per station for a total of 12 hours each day by incorporating disinfection into the service.
Gorecki has designated one spa assistant to hydrotherapy tub disinfection. "We have an assistant come to the hydrotherapy room and disinfect the tub while the therapist is closing out the service and showing the client her recommended retail products," she says. By the time the therapist is done, the tub is ready for the next client. This system provides the dual benefit of reducing downtime and "allowing the therapist to spend more one-on-one time with the client," Gorecki says.
"It's crucial to maintain your water therapy equipment and treatment rooms," she adds. "You put so much money into branding your spa and building your reputation, you can destroy all that by skimping on disinfection compliance."
Inga Hansen is a Los Angeles-based freelance writer. Email her at ihansen@ socal.rr.com.
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Chakras 101
By Phil Catalfo
Natural Health Magazine February 2006
Wheels of Fortune
The word chakra means "wheel" in Sanskrit, and the idea of the human chakra system entered India's sacred texts between 1800 and 800 B.C. According to the yogic sages who first described the system, a set if seven invisible energy centers animates each person's physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual body. These vortexes aren't physiological, though they correspond to specific locations along the spine and are associated with particular physical as well as emotional functions.
Each chakra represents an aspect of living, and is arranged in a progression that mirrors human evolution: The lower chakras are concerned with primal issues such as survival, procreation, and power; the upper centers deal with phenomena like love, creativity, and insight. The first chakra encompasses our most basic needs: food, shelter, and safety. The second addresses sexual energy and reproduction. The third governs personal power and assertiveness. The fourth, or heart, chakra is about love, compassion, and kindness; it's at the center of all the chakras. The fifth chakra affects communication and personal expression. The sixth? Intuition. And the seventh is about spiritual connection and enlightenment. Thus, as we "move up" through the chakras our consciousness advances.
Working with the chakras can be beneficial to anyone striving for a truly unified life, in which a strong foundation anchors the more elevated achievements. "Each chakra is about integrating upward and downward currents of energy-and the heart is all about integration, including the integration of spirit and matter," says clinical psychologist Anodea Judith, Ph.D., author of Eastern Body, Western mind: Psychology and the Chakra System as a path to the Self. "We've pulled away from the earth, repressed our sexuality, become submissive, and blocked the heart. We've suppressed these qualities of the lower chakras in order to get to the upper chakras and higher consciousness, which we've done with technology. And now our work is to reconnect to the lower chakras and integrate them, at the heart, with the upper chakras."
The chakras framework represents "the sacred architecture of the soul" she continues. "It's an archetype of wholeness, a template from which we can address our lives."
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Balancing Acts
When all the chakras are open and functioning optimally, they allow energy to flow unimpeded from the base of the spine to the tip of the head in an expression of the boundless power of life. When they're not functioning properly-when they're over or under active-the chakras present "blockages" to the energy flow, or manifest imbalances in our health and in our lives.
Think of each chakra as the juncture of a tree trunk and one of its limbs, suggests spiritual trainer and psychotherapist Joan Harrigan, Ph.D., author of Kundalini Vidya: The Science of Spiritual Transformation. When a chakra is balanced, she says, "you're at the center, in the trunk, so you can move upward." But if it's blocked or imbalanced, you "go out on a limb." For example, in the third chakra-located in the solar plexus and associated with power, assertiveness, and will-an excess of energy leads to aggression, bossiness, and ultra-competitiveness, while a deficiency manifests as passivity, submissiveness, and avoidance. Those whose third chakra is balanced, Harrigan notes, are forthrightly assertive: "they clearly and directly state what their needs and opinions are, and are able to dialogue thoughtfully and peaceably about them."
This balance, then, can be seen as a model for the importance of virtue. "In the chakra system, 'virtue' is an integration of the two poles of personality at each chakra's themes. It indicates a healthy, aware, balanced personality that can deal with a variety of circumstances in a calm, effective way," says Harrigan. "It's how to keep your cool!"
Maintaining the equilibrium of the chakras also has health benefits. Each chakra is linked with a certain organ systems. For example, that solar plexus chakra is associated with digestion, and imbalance can lead to a host of problems, from indigestion to irritable bowel syndrome. Could an excess of third-chakra energy be why Type A personalities suffer so much digestive distress? Certainly a little chakra-balancing offers an attractive alternative to a lifelong dependence on Zantac or Tums.
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Emotional Healing
Because the chakras address multiple aspects of existence, we can work them mentally, spiritually, and physically. In fact, yoga's asanas (poses) are designed to activate and balance the chakras, "It's like a gentler version of Rolfing or bioenergetics," says Harrigan, who first experienced this in yoga class when she felt a "rush of emotion" during a deep forward bend. Though the feeling cease when she came out of the pose, Harrigan realized it was connected to "insecurity, loneliness, and anxiety," issues linked to the first three chakras. Focusing on deep breathing, she relaxed back into the bend "so the emotions could just come forward." The pose became for her a safe place to experience, work with, and ultimately release those feelings.
Jerry P Gore, M.D., director of the Center for Holistic Medicine in Riverwoods, IL, has experienced the same connection. A long-time yogi, Gore once was in Shoulderstand-a pose associated with the throat chakra-when he felt like he was being choked. The feeling evoked an incident from his high school years, and practicing the pose regularly over time allowed him to clear away his residual emotions on the subject.
Gore, a psychiatrist who also practices general medicine, has become adept at finding the links between health problems and specific chakras. Noting the high rate of heart disease among men, he says, "many men can't rise above their solar plexus; they can't exercise the right manipulation of power. And so their heart chakra-and heart-suffers." Gore's knowledge of the chakras and his background in psychiatry inform his multifaceted approach to wellness, which includes exercise, nutrition, homeopathy, breath work, medication, stress reduction, and yoga.
"Using postures and other techniques, I work with the physicality, energetic quality, and mentality that's going on with a given part of the body," he explains. Much of his approach stems from the satisfaction he felt when he first encountered the chakra system after completing his medical training: "When you're really thirsty and you take a nice long drink-that how I felt."
Thirsty or not, you too can make use of the chakra system to balance your energy centers and "tune up" your life-physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.
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1. Root Chakra
Color: Red
Location: Base of spine
Associated Body Parts: Perineum; rectum; large intestine; bones
Related Physical Complaints: Ulcerative colitis; hemorrhoids
Themes: Survival; security; grounded personality
When Balanced: Skillful in the art of self-preservation without harming others; ethical
Excess: Obese; Greedy
Deficiency: Fearful; insecure; restless
In Real Life: A healthy first chakra allows you to be comfortable in the world and confident of your right to be here. You're open to meeting new people and trying new things and don't worry unduly about bad things that might happen
Balancing Exercises:
Physical Perform any activity that opens the thighs and strengthens the legs (running; walking; in yoga, standing poses and knee bends), or strengthens the torso's connection to the ground. The yoga exercise Mula Bandha (Root Lock) is beneficial
Lifestyle Listen to soothing music
2. Sacral Chakra
Color: Orange
Location: Genital Area
Associated Body Parts: Pelvis; lower back; reproductive organs
Related Physical Complaints: Enlarged prostate; cystitis; chronic vaginitis; lower back pain
Themes: Sensuality; sexuality; identity; procreation; emotions
When Balanced: Comfortable with your sexual identity; joyously sexual
Excess: Overly interested in sex; indulgent; promiscuous; may be jaded, compulsive, obsessive, crude
Deficiency: Emotionally numb; sexually frigid
In Real Life: With a healthy second chakra, you relish the sensual pleasures that life affords: food, music, sex, physical recreation, and more. A dinner date sparkles with delightful tastes and aromas; a concert or a movie stimulates and edifies; and the "after" part is an adventure to embrace.
Balancing Exercises:
Physical Move the pelvis and lower back; in yoga, do hip openers.
Mental Consider your passions what makes you feel most alive, energetically and physically-and whether or not you're engaging in life's sensory pleasures. How might you enhance those pleasures?
Lifestyle Practice moderation in your diet and your alcohol consumption.
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3. Power Chakra
Color: Yellow
Location: Solar plexus
Associated Body Parts: Navel; belly; small intestine
Related Physical Complaints: Digestive troubles; ulcers; fatigue; compromised liver function; problems with adrenal glands, pancreas, kidneys
Themes: Power; vitality; will; individuality; confidence; assertiveness
When Balanced: Vital, competent, and capable, with a healthy ego structure; assertive yet cooperative; practical; realistic; egalitarian
Excess: Domineering; aggressive; boastful; prideful; overly ambitious; authoritarian; patronizing
Deficiency: Passive; lethargic; doubtful; submissive; avoidant; self-deprecating; self-defeating
In Real Life: Drawing on the third chakra's power you accept constructive criticism without getting defensive-but don't take abuse
Balancing Exercises:
Physical Do Diaphragmatic (deep) breathing
Mental Practice making "I" statements that articulate your feelings and needs clearly without hostility.
Lifestyle Adopt stress-reduction techniques to reduce anxiety
4. Heart Chakra
Color: Green
Location: Center of the chest
Associated Body Parts: Heart; Lungs
Related Physical Complaints: Asthma; bronchitis; heart disease.
Themes: Love; relationships; compassion; service
When Balanced: Generous and compassionate (Without looking for reward, or giving too much or too little); sensitive; showing unconditional positive regard for others; caring of self and others
Excess: Co-dependent; sentimental; smothering; inordinately responsible; given to overdoing it and burning out
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Deficiency: Hard-hearted; stingy; uncaring; thoughtless; callous; greedy; calculating
In Real Life: With a heart chakra that's open, you embrace the people in your life-family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, and others-as the blessings they are. You're comfortable telling them you love them and, more to the point, showing it in your kindness, generosity, and affection. you understand giving of yourself in this way it doesn't diminish you or deplete your energy; rather, it enlarges your spirit.
Balancing Exercises:
Physical practice breath work; in yoga try chest openers (Cobra, Camel, backbends)
Mental Examine your relationships-and your attitudes and assumptions about them. What makes you feel depleted? What fulfills you? How "loveable" do you think you are? Do you play hard to get?
Lifestyle Do volunteer work. Then do some more. Do it not out of obligation, but out of joy.
5. Throat Chakra
Color: Bright Blue
Location: Base of the throat
Associated Body Parts: Throat; laryx; thyroid problems; sore throat; stiff neck
Related Physical Complaints: Chronic tonsillitis; thyroid problems; sore throat; stiff neck
Themes: Communication; self-expression; creativity
When Balanced: optimistic; hopeful; spontaneous; aspiring; appreciative of metaphor, symbolism, and paradox; full of awe
Excess: Gossipy; excessively talkative; interruptive
Deficiency: Shy; untruthful; incommunicative; literal; introverted; suspicious; unresponsive
In Real Life: When that difficult truth must be voiced, a fully functioning throat chakra enables you to say it without malice reticence. You also freely express your innate gifts, whether creative (art, music, writing, sculpture, crafts) or personal (life stories, wisdom, amusement, wonder)
Balancing Exercises:
Physical Chant, sing.
Mental Examine what you haven't said-and find a way to say it without harming others (you may need to write it down)
Lifestyle Take classes to draw, sing, dance, etc.
6. Third-Eye Chakra
Color: Indigo blue
Location: Middle of the forehead
Associated Body Parts: Pineal gland; eyes
Related Physical Complaints: Chronic sinusitis; migraine headaches; vision problems
Themes: Wisdom; insight; discernment; objectivity; open-mindedness; intuition; dreams; imagination, visualization
When Balanced: Clear-minded; perceptive; aware
Excess: Plagued with intrusive memories, delusions, hallucinations, obsessions, nightmares; difficulty concentrating
Deficiency: Deluded; dull; indiscriminate; blind to true inner meaning; unquestioning; unable to look beyond appearances; superficial
In Real Life: A dispute of misunderstanding arises, and your free flowing sixth chakra enables you to envision a solution that benefits all parties at the expense of none. Combining wisdom and compassion with insight and clarity, your resolution requires no one be wronged or demeaned and lessens the chances the problem will recur
Balancing Exercises: Meditate, meditate, meditate. Also practice visualization and pay attention to dreams and dream imagery.
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7. Crown Chakra
Color: Violet
Location: Top of Head
Associated Body Parts: Brain; nervous system
Related Physical Complaints: Nervous disorders and psycho-emotional issues such as confusion or apathy
Themes: Cosmic understanding; grand overview; self-realization
When Balanced: Proactively cooperating with one's self-realization, and making choices accordingly
Excess: Overly intellectual; confused; caught up in spiritual addiction
Deficiency: Overly skeptical; Hard-headed; rigid; impervious
In Real Life: Truthfully, few of us-apart from saints and bona fide sages such as Mother Teresa, Gandhi, and the Dalai Lama-spend much time here. But with an open seventh chakra, you may catch glimpses of a mental state beyond ego, power games, greed, aggression, and fear. These moments of "residing" in the seventh chakra reveal the truth behind the meaning of the salutation namaste: there is only one of us.
Balancing Exercises:
Become engaged in a spiritual journey. Find a tradition or practice that works for you, study the teachings of the sages and saints, and do whatever you can to promote your own spiritual growth.
Ayurvedic treatments and the three Doshas of Vata, Pitta and Kapha
Ayurvedic Treatments
Ayurvedic treatments differ from the majority of conventional cures in its unique approach towards healing. The principle of treating the sick and not the sickness is central to all forms of ayuvedic treatments. Rather than trying to cure a disease in isolation, Ayurveda takes into account an individual in his entirety.
“samadosha samagnischa samsdthatu malakriya Prasanna atma manah swatha itih abhidhiyate.”
Having a balanced state of doshas, agni (digestive fire) , dhatus (tissues) normal functioning of mala (waste products), cheerful state of atman (soul), sensory organs and mind are the symptoms of healthy life.
Ayurvedic treatments lay emphasis on examining the doshas/prakriti or the natural states of individuals before proceeding. The prakriti or the physical constitution, susceptibility to diseases, mental make-up and lifestyle of an individual is ascertained in accordance to the elemental constitution of the larger prakriti or the universe.
Of course, ayurveda has drawn the most comprehensive picture of human body and the natural world, saying that, the elements of nature- the Panchamahabhuts: kshit (earth), ap (water), marut (air), tejas (fire), and vyoma (space or ether or akash), are also, the components of the human body, which are manifested in three types of physics – kaph (water/earth), pitta (fire), vata (ether/air). These three types are further recognized by auyrveda as tridoshas or the three faults- vata, pitta, and kapha irregularities. The smooth functioning of the body is hampered owning to the imbalances in the three doshas (prakriti) causing all kinds of diseases.
Ayurveda takes into consideration the body, mind and soul of an individual as the unit for diagnosis. Hence, it recognizes negative emotions like anger, fear, insecurity, jealousy and greed as incorrect thinking on the part of an individual. These can directly create an imbalance in the doshas. Sattva, or peaceful equilibrium, rajas, or excessive activity and tamas, or inertia – the three tendencies or gunas of mind influence the imbalances in the three doshas. Hence the mind-body imbalance impairs the creative functioning of men.
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The Doshas
Vata Prakriti/Type
Vata, which is identified with the cosmic element of vaayu or air and akash or ether, control all types of movements and is responsible for respiration too. This is the kinetic force in all kinds of biological forms, and controls the body's auto-functions (nerve impulses, circulation, respiration, and elimination and heartbeats etc. ) therein. In case of an imbalance (vikruti), vata prakriti individuals, who are quick in their mental process and initiation of action, tend to suffer from diseases of the neurological system especially motor functions. The diseases are pronounced during the old age, which is the period of vata (vata kala). The disease mostly affects the lower parts of the body since they are the predominant seats of vata dosha. Also, individuals belonging to this type suffer from angina (hridgraha).
Pitta Prakriti / Type
Pitta Prakriti is consists of ahni or teja, the element of heat energy. It is responsible for maintenance of body heat and transforming in nature. All types of outside elements an individual takes-in are transformed into inside elements (microcosm) of the body by pitta. It governs the digestion or proper assimilation of physical, mental and emotional elements of a biological entity. Hence, Pitta is responsible for metabolism in the organ and tissue systems, as well as cellular metabolism. The persons of this prakriti are sharp, quick in action and normally possess a very good intellect as well as grasping power. The pitta prakriti persons are prone to diseases of the digestive and metabolic systems. The diseases mostly affect the abdomen i.e. the area between the chest and umbilicus. Also, pitta disorders are pronounced in the middle ages, which is the period of pitta (pitta kala).
Kapha Prakriti / Type
Kapha prakriti or dosha consists of prithvi (earth) and jala (water). Jala or ap, is essential for substance of life. Prithvi, or earth, is responsible for structure and bulk of the material. Kapha is responsible for body form and structure (fluids, fats, bones and muscles). The kapha prakriti endows the individuals with a good physic and strong perseverance but they are slow in their activities. The cold quality of kapha results in poor appetite as their agni or digestion is poor. In case of an imbalance(vikruti), individuals tend to suffer from the diseases of the respiratory system especially phlegmatic disorders. The diseases normally affect the upper parts of the body i.e. chest and above. The diseases are pronounced during the early ages (childhood), which is the period of kapha (kapha kala). Generally people are a combination of two doshas i.e. dwandvaja prakriti. They possess characteristics of both doshasinvolved depending on the percentage of the combination. In this case, one is a primary and the other is the secondary dosha. Sometimes people are a combination of all three imbalances of doshas. Not only the humans but also everything (animals, plants, geographical locations, times of day, seasons, and activities performed etc.) in the universe is categorized according to these three doshas. An Ayurvedic practitioner formulates a diet plan and recommends herbs for a patient after taking into consideration all these aspects. That's why in ayurveda different people with the same disease sometimes receive different diet and herb plans.
Effect of Seasons on the Prakriti / Types
delicacies) and of course, the diet and lifestyle regimen (Dinacharya and Ritucharya ) of The condition of human body depends on the continuous interaction between internal and external factors. Environmental factors include the nature of the land, water and various atmospheric phenomena such as temperature, humidity, wind, rain and snow shortly, the seasons and climes. Food and proper digestion of it in our systems id considered vital to maintain a reasonable balance of the three doshas of vata, pitta and kapha. Food is digested by agni (heat/fire) within us just as it is cooked by agni (heat/fire) outside.
According to ayurveda, there is a "stimulus-response" relation between the agni within us and the outside agni- the sun. when the agni outside is strong (i.e. summer) the agni inside us (the digestive energy) is weak and vice0versa. Basing on this principle the Indian food customs (even festival ayurveda have been adapted to seasonal changes.
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