cloudy appearance, Pitta imbalance imparts a dark yellow color, and pale yellow
and oily urine indicates a Vata imbalance. The practitioner also puts a few drops of
sesame oil in the urine and examines it in the sunlight. The shape of the drops sig-
nifies which dosha is imbalanced: a snake-like shape with wave movement indicates
Vata, an umbrella shape with multiple colors, Pitta, and a pearl shape, Kapha. The
movement of the oil in the urine indicates the prognosis of the disease. If the drop
spreads immediately, the illness is probably easy to cure. If the oil drops to the mid-
dle of the urine sample, the illness is more difficult to cure. If the oil sinks to the bot-
tom, the illness may be impossible to cure.
The practitioner also carefully examines the skin, nails, and lips. Cool, hot, rough or
dry skin indicate imbalance. Imbalance can be visualized in the nails by longitudi-
nal striations, bumps, or a parrot beak at the end of the nail. Dry, rough lips or
inflammatory patches on the lips are another sign of imbalance. Coldness, dryness,
roughness, and cracking indicate Vata imbalance. Hotness and redness indicate Pitta
imbalance. Kapha imbalance is indicated by wetness, whiteness, and coldness.Ayurvedic Treatments Will Change Your Life
Specific lifestyle interventions are a major preventive and therapeutic approach in
Ayurveda. Each person is prescribed an individualized diet and exercise program
depending on dosha type and the nature of the underlying dosha imbalance. Herbal
preparations are added to the diet for preventive or regenerative purposes as well as
for the treatment of specific disorders. Practitioners also prescribe Yoga, breathing
exercises, and meditative techniques.Nutrition.
In Ayurveda, a balanced diet is different from the Western perspective of a balanced
diet derived from the basic food groups of meat, dairy, fruit, grains, and vegetables.
Ayurveda recognizes six tastes: sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent. A
balanced Ayurveda diet must contain all six tastes at every meal but in different
proportions depending on dosha type. The word “taste” includes not only the per-
ceptions on the tongue but also the immediate effect of the substances within the
body. Each of the six tastes is derived from two of the five elements as illustrated in
Figure 4.2. Sour, salty, and pungent have the fire element and so increase body tem-
perature, dilate body channels, and allow energy and toxins to flow out from the
body. Sweet, bitter, and astringent have no fire and thus are cooling, promoting
relaxation. Sweet, sour, and salty have the water element and soften tissues, lubri-
cate mucus membranes, and increase water retention.58 ABSOLUTE BEGINNER’S GUIDE TOALTERNATIVE MEDICINE