Health Defined.....

THE HEALTH CONCEPT

 'Health' in general means the continued maintenance of the best possible working of the human body under normal, and sometimes even abnormal, environmental conditions.

Disease is just a part of change to living beings. Vedanta says that birth, growth, disease, decay and death are just changes from womb to tomb. More elaborate is the Ayurveda, which is considered as a upaveda (subsidiary of Atharva Veda) which explains disease as a set of imbalances in vata, pitta, kapha (called as Dosha). If all are in balance then it is perfect. But perfection cannot be sustained.

The word disease forms from combination of prefix “dis” which means no and the word “ease” which means comfort or without difficulties or without pain. That means when we have disease, the natural inner comfort of body and mind gets disturbed. Opposite of disease is health when we are at ease with ourselves or in comfort with ourselves. Health is a state of equilibrium of states of our body, mind and spirit when we feel joyful, energetic, creative and enjoy our life. Its opposite of this state of equilibrium is disease.

Ayurveda which literally means science of long, healthy life. It was assumed that a healthy person will live a long life of 100 years on average if he follows all the rules of health. Ayurveda believes that health is created by equilibrium of three material components of Kapha, Pitta and Vata or elements of mucus, acid and air. If this equilibrium is disturbed, we have disease and it has to be restored through self-regulation or by approaching a doctor through medicine.

Ayurveda has a very profound insight in understanding the disease and its time of manifestation and the various approaches to treat the diseases. The solution to most health-related problems is often simpler than we think. The human body is very intelligent and in the Vedic approach to health, we use the body’s own inner intelligence to bring about balance and perfect health.

One of the very important verse describing health is as defined in Ayurveda

AYURVEDA’S DEFINITION OF HEALTH

“Sama Dosha sama agnischa sama dhatu mala kriyaaha|
Prasanna atma indriya manaha swastha iti abhidheeyate” – Sushruta Samhita

समदोषः समाग्निश्च समधातुमलक्रियाः।

प्रसन्नात्मेन्द्रियमनः स्वस्थ इत्यभिधीयते ॥ - २५-५१, सूत्रस्थानम्, सुश्रुतसंहिता

Meaning:

One is in perfect health when  the Three Dosha ( vata, pitta and Kapha) Digestive fire ( digestion, assimilation and metabolism) all the body tissues & components (Dhatus) (the entire physical body) all the excretory functions  (the physiological functions of urination and defecation) are in perfect order with a  pleasantly disposed and contented mind, senses and spirit.

BALANCE ~ AN AYURVEDA PERSPECTIVE:

The Sanskrit definition (above) in Ayurveda integrates all aspects of life giving us a complete picture of physical, mental and spiritual health.

WHAT IS BALANCE?

The word balance brings about a mental image of equilibrium to both the mind and body. It often reflects a middle path in any aspect of life and relates to a feeling of calmness and steadiness. Balance means to come into our centre and being able to function from that centre, in each moment. It follows naturally that a well-balanced person reflects excellence in health. It is thought that every human being (with exceptions) is born with an optimal blue print aligned with universal principles. However, as we continue the process of development, several factors influence us and may take us away from a balanced alignment [i.e. wrong diet, lifestyle, relationships, trauma, abuse, accidents and past karma].

NATURAL TENDENCY TOWARDS BALANCE: 

We, as human beings, are constantly looking for balance, consciously or unconsciously.
1. If it’s cold, we wear warm clothes … if it’s hot, we wear less.
2. If we’re hungry we only think of food … if full, we naturally decline food.
3. If we have not slept, we desire to sleep …  if overslept often we feel a sense of dullness.
4. Too much time together one seeks space …. if lonely, a person longs to fill that space.
5. Too much work, a feeling of exhaustion … if no work, one may develop a dull and idle mind.

PHYSICAL HEALTH:

Sama Dosha:
The Dosha (vata, pitta, kapha) are biological energies found throughout the human body and mind. They govern all physical and mental processes and provide every living being with an individual blueprint for health and fulfilment. The Dosha are derived from the Five Elements and their related properties. Vata is composed of Space and Air, Pitta of Fire and Water, and Kapha of Earth and Water. These three must exist in their normal range, display their normal characteristics and perform their normal functions.

Sama Agni:
Agni or the “digestive fire,” is one of the most important principles in the ancient science of Ayurveda. It refers broadly to our ability to process all aspects of life, including food, experiences, memories, and sensory impressions. Agni is responsible for absorbing the nutrients and essential elements the body needs while burning off waste products.  (Agni is the root of the English word “ignite”).  If our Agni is strong, we’re able to digest food efficiently and easily assimilate our daily experiences. On the other hand, if Agni is weak, our body won’t digest well, creating toxic residue or ama that lodges deep in our cells.

Sama Dhatu:
The seven dhatus are the tissue structures of the body, which are constantly being built up and broken down.
– Plasma (Rasa)
– Blood (Rakta)
– Muscle (Maansa)
– Fat (Meda)
– Bone (Asthi)
– Bone marrow and nerve (Majja)
– Reproductive fluid (Shukra)

Sama Mala:
Malas are the various waste products produced during the normal metabolic processes. The three primary malas being Purisa (faeces), Mutra (urine) and Sweda (sweat).  Ayurveda clearly states that only a balanced condition of Dosha, dhatus, and malas is Arogya (good health or disease-free condition) and their imbalance is the cause of ill health.

MENTAL HEALTH:

Prasanna Indriya:
The Indriya are the five senses (sight, smell, taste, hearing, touch). Each one should be capable of identifying its respective objects clearly and correctly. Each of the senses should be used properly – neither too little, nor excessively, nor in an inappropriate manner.

Prasanna Mana:
The Manas, or mind, should be balanced, calm and satisfied.

SPIRITUAL HEALTH:

Prasanna Atma:
The Atma, or soul, is that which is separate from the physical body, yet responsible for its actions. It stresses the importance of each individual recognizing right from wrong, and acting upon that at the proper time. It can also include introspection, seeking and understanding that each person ultimately seeks.

Conclusion:

It's possible for someone to be healthy but feel unhappy, as well as to be sickly in some way yet be beaming with joy. These two factors can easily exist separately from each other, but more often than not, happiness and health go hand in hand when determining a person's mental and physical health and each has an impact on the other in a significant way.

During the course of each day, we are all faced with situations old and new, which may take us away from feeling ‘centred’. A nice simple practice that I would like to share with all is …

Sit for a few moments even in the midst of turbulence and bring your focus to your natural breath and observe it for a few moments (your eyes can stay open).  Next, focus inside your chest and feel ‘yourself’ inside of you. It will gently bring a shift into your awareness and reflect upon your nervous system.  The mind will begin to develop calmness as you enter into your centre of being. Decisions made from one’s centre are connected to the Highest Truth. This is a practice to be practiced daily. The more it is practiced, the easier it becomes to stay in balance. Balance is a constant effort. However, when one is balanced, there is no effort in being.

As you age, the ends of your chromosomes -- called telomeres -- become shorter. This makes you more likely to get sick. But lifestyle changes can boost an enzyme that increases their length. Plus, studies show diet exercise, pranayama and Yoga can protect them. 

The bottom line: Healthy habits may slow aging at the cellular level.

“Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”