Dosha theory that helps in the diagnosis of diseases.
According to Ayurveda, three doshas or three energetic forces control the activities of the body. These doshas are
1. Vata
2. Pitta
3. Kafa
VATA: The Vata dosha is the most important of the three doshas. It has been said in the classic books of Ayurveda that “pitta, Kapha and all other tissues of the body are considered lame without the help of VATA”. Vata dominates the lower body, which is below the navel. Movements of body fluids, metabolism, elimination of waste products, ejaculation of semen, pushing the fetus out of the body, transmission of stimulus to the brain and response to organs and tissues, heartbeat , breathing, body movements, etc. They are assisted by VATA.
The regions dominated by Vata are the intestines, the lower back, the ears, the bones and the skin.
Vata becomes vitiated for the following reasons.
1. Control natural urges such as urination, defecation, hunger, thirst, etc.
2. Late at night.
3. Irregular eating habits.
4. Talk in a high tone.
5. Physical and mental overexertion.
6. Consumption of spicy, dry, bitter foods.
7. Exposure to dry weather and severe cold.
The opposites of the aforementioned reason normalize the vitiated vata.
PITTA: The pitta dosha helps the body fire or Agni, which plays an important role in the metabolic activities of the body. The places where pitta dominates are the digestive system, the skin, the eyes, the brain and the blood. Pitta maintains body temperature. Secretions like pigments of digestive juices like melanin (bhrajaka pitta), hemoglobin (ranjaka pitta) are all types of pitta.
Pitta is dominant in the navel, stomach, sweat, lymph, blood, eye, and skin regions.
Vata becomes vitiated for the following reasons.
1. Excessive consumption of spicy, acidic and salty foods.
2. Consume alcohol in excess.
3. Overexposure to hot, sunny weather.
4. Short temper.
5. Use dry vegetables.
6. Indigestion of food.
The opposites of the aforementioned reason normalize the vitiated pitta.
KAPHA: Kapha provides the body with volume, lubrication, moisture, fertility, stability, strength and memory. Help in the binding process when necessary. This is the heaviest of all the doshas.
The regions dominated by Kapha are the chest, neck, head, stomach, body fat, nose, and tongue.
Kapha becomes vitiated for the following reasons.
1. Sleep during the day.
2. Consuming sweets, refrigerated foods, in excess.
3. Consume fish, sesame, sugar cane, milk and dairy products.
The opposites of the aforementioned reason normalize the flawed kapha.
When these doshas are in a balanced condition, the body remains healthy. If these doshas become unbalanced, the body succumbs to disease. The doshas are often out of balance due to changes in weather, seasons, lifestyles, diet, etc. The treatment consists of returning the doshas to normality and expelling the toxin or ama produced during the imbalance condition.
Causes of genital herpes
Herpes is caused by a virus, the herpes simplex virus (HSV), which belongs to the same family of viruses that cause chickenpox. There are two types of herpes simplex virus
1. Herpes simplex type 1 (HSV-1) and mainly causes oral herpes
2. Herpes simplex type 2 (HSV-2). And mostly cause genital herpes.
However, both type 1 and type 2 can occur on the genitals, the oral area, or both.
Due to unhealthy lifestyles and diets, the delicate balance between the doshas is upset. This disturbs the body’s fire or Agni.
(Agni is the bodily fire, which is responsible for the transformation of one substance into another. It breaks down food substances, eliminates toxins and wastes, maintains body temperature, and resists the invasion of microbes by maintaining strong body immunity.
The body’s fire, which is assisted by balanced doshas, digests food completely to form Pakwa Anna rasa (the liquid form of food that is completely digested by digestive enzymes), which is ready to be absorbed by the body’s tissues. . According to ayurveda Pakwa Anna Rasa nourishes the body and its components to keep the body free from diseases. But when the fire of the body deteriorates, there will be incomplete digestion of food forming Apakwa Rasa (undigested food). Undigested food does not nourish the components of the body, which leads to a lower resistance of the body).
The disturbed Agni cannot digest food and toxins accumulate in the body due to improper metabolism. The accumulation of toxins reduces the body’s immunity and paves the way for the invasion of microbes.
When a person who has low immunity comes into contact with the HSV virus, they get genital or oral herpes.
unhealthy lifestyle
1. Overeating
2. Sleep in the afternoon.
3. Over physical effort.
4. Mental overexertion
5. Eat food frequently even when you are not hungry.
6. Constant exposure to hot and sunny climates
unhealthy diet
excessive consumption of
1. Salty, sour, spicy and spicy food.
2. Sour curd
3. Alcohol.
4. cheese
5. Charred and overcooked foods.
6. Sesame, Bengal gram, horse gram, sesame oil, rice flour, garlic, fish.
opposite foods
1. Curd, salt, mushroom, bamboo shoot, sour fruit, meat, shrimp, pork, should not be eaten with milk. The foods mentioned above should not be consumed by mixing one item with another.
2. Sprouts, honey and milk should not be eaten with meat and fish.
3. Fish and milk: fish and sugarcane juice; brown sugar and pork; honey and pork; milk and mango; banana milk; they are opposite foods.
Transmission of genital herpes
A person can get genital herpes under the following conditions
1. If you are sexually active and when you have sex (oral or genital) with infected partners.
2. A person who has oral herpes transmits herpes to a partner’s genitals during oral sex, and a person who has genital herpes transmits it to their partner during intercourse when they have genital contact.
3. The disease is transmitted when the mucous membrane comes into contact with the infected area.
The disease is mainly transmitted during the active phase. But it can spread even during the asymptomatic phase (when the person is free of symptoms for a certain period). The virus needs a fluid medium for its transport. Bodily fluids such as saliva, semen, secretions from the vaginal tract, etc. The mucosa of the mouth, vagina, urethra or open wounds facilitate the invasion of the virus due to its humidity.
In genital herpes there is an imbalance of the three doshas (VATA, PITTA, KAPHA), which in turn vitiate lasika (lymph), blood (rakta), muscle (mamsa) and skin (twacha).
Unbalanced doshas vitiate the skin and the immunity of skin cells is reduced. The virus attacks these weak cells and begins to show symptoms in the affected area.
local symptoms
1. Stinging sensation
2. Edema
3. Bread
4. Feeling of constriction
5. A feeling of an ant crawling
6. Many small eruptions gathered in a small area.
7. These eruptions or blisters soon break out with exudates.
8. These blisters will have different colors depending on the involvement of the doshas. (Blackish red or blue in vata, red, yellow, coppery in pitta, shades of white in kapha).
The weakened body’s immune system tries to resist the invasion of the virus but does not achieve the goal. In this futile attempt the following systemic symptoms are exhibited.
systemic symptoms
1. Fever
2. Weakness
3. Indigestion
4. Foreign intestines
5. Increased frequency of urination.
6. Body bread.
7. Increased thirst.
Unbalanced Vata causes symptoms like pain, swelling, and body aches.
Unbalanced pitta and foul blood and skin cause
1. Blisters,
2. Change the color of the skin,
3. Causes burning sensation and fever.
Unbalanced kapha and stale lymph cause itching, tingling sensation.
After the first attack, the virus moves from the skin through the nerve pathways to the nerve base and becomes inactive. Now the person infected with herpes will not have any symptoms. But the imbalance of the doshas still persists.
Virus reactivation to cause outbreaks
At unpredictable times, the virus activates. It multiplies and reappears in the skin traveling through the nervous pathway and presents symptoms locally. The severity of the outbreak symptoms depends on the strength of the body’s immunity.
The pelvis or shroni, the nerves and the skin are dominated by vata. When vata becomes vitiated due to precipitating factors, it reactivates the latent virus at the base of the nerve end, and the virus travels through the neural pathways to reach the skin surface.
Precipitating factors
As we know, outbreaks have few precipitating factors such as
1. Excessive exposure to the sun.
2. Illness,
3. Poor diet,
4. Emotional stress
5. Physical stress,
6. Friction,
7. steroids
8. Menstruation.
9. Emotional stress.
10. Genital injuries and sexual relations.
11. Repeated infections such as a cold or pneumonia.
These factors increase vata and the increase in vata activates the virus, which is inactive.
Low Immunity Systemically imbalanced doshas interfere with the body’s metabolism by vitiating the body’s fire (agni). This leads to indigestion and poor nutrient assimilation, which in turn causes poor immunity. Due to decreased immunity, the body offers no resistance to outbreaks.
Ayurveda tips to avoid outbreaks
Avoid
1. Spicy, acidic, fried and junk food, which aggravates vata.
2. Precipitating factors.
3. Sleep in the afternoon.
4. Fried or fried meat products in oil or fat.
5. Charred and overcooked foods.
6. Eating opposite foods like fish and milk etc.
7. Physical exertion after a meal
8. Bathing immediately after exercise or heavy work outdoors.
Include honey, pomegranate and Emblica officinalis fruits, vegetables, dates and grapes in your diet.
Practice Yoga and Meditation to control emotional disorders
Ayurveda References
1. Sushruta Samhita
2. Charaka Samhita
3. Madhava nidana
4. Ashtanga Sangraha
5. Ratnakara Yoga
