THE THREE DOSHAS central to the philosophy of Ayurveda is the belief that we are composed of three vital energies, known as the doshas. Each of us is born with an individual constitution. Our constitution is determined by the state of our parents' doshas at the time of conception and other factors. Each of us born in the prakruthi state, which means that we are born with levels of the three doshas that are right for us. The best defence against illness is a strong constitution. If our doshas become imbalanced, through bad habits, food, or overwork, for example, we become susceptible to illness. Ayurveda helps to prevent the development of disease by working with the constitution of the individual, aiming to restore it to its prakruthi state. |