THE 5 ELEMENTS AND YOUR HEALTH.

The 5 elements normally support life and maintain harmony in the world but when they are out of balance, they can cause discomfort and threaten life.

The predominance of each element changes continuously, modifying temperature, humidity and seasons. People must strive to accommodate these changes in order to survive.

All the elements are present in each individual, but the proportions and combinations vary from person to person. Keeping one's individual qualitative and quantitative balance of these five basic elements is necessary for total health. When your own unique combination of the elements is maintained, your health is good but when the combination is upset, disease may result.

“For example, an increased Earth component can result in Obesity; increased water can lead to Edema; Increased Fire can cause fever, ulcers and burning sensations such as the heartburn, conjunctivitis or burning urination.

Subtle changes in the mental faculties may also appear when the equilibrium is upset. For example, an increase of the Air element may cause fear and anxiety; increase of Fire element can lead to anger and hate Increase of Earth may bring depression and dullness. All five elements play an important role in the formation of the structure of the tissues and in maintaining their functions.

Relating this to cause and Effect- function is the cause, structure is the effect.

The five elements form the basic foundation of Ayurveda out of which come the three doshas- Vata, Pitta and kapha. Ether and Air together constitute Vata; Fire and Water, Pitta and Water and Hearth, Kapha.

Textbook of Ayurveda

Dr Vasant Lad