Imbalanced Vata shows up as rough skin, weight loss, anxiety, restlessness, insom-
nia, decreased strength, constipation, arthritis, hypertension, rheumatic disorder,
and cardiac arrhythmia. Pita imbalance includes a yellowish complexion, excessive
body heat, insufficient sleep, weak digestion, inflammation, inflammatory bowel
disease, skin disease, heartburn, and peptic ulcer. Kapha imbalance presents as a
pale complexion, coldness, lethargy, excessive sleep, depression, sinusitis, respiratory
disease, asthma, and excessive weight gain.
A number of factors aggravate or increase each of the doshas. Factors increasing
Vata are excessive exercise, wakefulness, falling, cold, late autumn and winter, fear
or grief, agitation or anger, fasting, and pungent, astringent, bitter foods. Factors
increasing Pita are anger, fasting, strong sunshine, midsummer and early autumn,
and pungent, sour, or salty food. Kapha is increased by factors such as sleeping dur-
ing the daytime, spring and early summer, heavy food, mild products, sugar, and
sweet, sour, or salty foods.
How Does Ayurveda Work?
The first question an Ayurvedic practitioner asks is not “What disease does this per-
son have?” but “Who is this person?” The complete process of diagnosis takes into
account physical, mental, and spiritual components integrated with the social and
environmental worlds in which the person lives. In addition to using x-rays or other
biomedical diagnostic tools, Ayurvedic practitioners diagnose by observing people,
touching them, taking pulses, and interviewing them.
Ayurvedic Diagnosis: The Whole Body Tells the Story
Pulse diagnosis is a highly specialized skill that requires great sensitivity. The process
involves placing the index, middle, and ring fingers of the right hand on the radial
arteries of the right hand of men and the left hand of women. Pulse diagnosis is
remarkably comprehensive. Experienced physicians can not only diagnose present
diseases but can also tell what diseases the person has experienced in the past and
which are likely to develop in the future.
Tongue diagnosis can also reveal the functional status of internal organs. A healthy
tongue should be pink, clear, and shiny. A discoloration and/or sensitivity of a par-
ticular area of the tongue indicates dosha dysfunction. Kapha imbalance is evi-
denced by a whitish tongue, Pitta imbalance a yellow-green tongue, and Vata
imbalance a brown to black tongue.
Ayurvedic practitioners do urine examinations as another way to understand dosha
imbalances. A midstream specimen is collected first thing in the morning. Healthy
urine should be clear without much foam. Kapha imbalance gives the urine a
CHAPTER 4 AYURVEDIC MEDICINE 57
