What is Ayurveda? Principles and the three doshas explained

Ayurveda is a traditional system of medicine that began in India. Today it is practised in clinics and hospitals across India and is used by many people around the world ^{[1, 4]}. This article explains how the Ministry of Ayush describes Ayurveda, what its main ideas mean in plain language, and how to use it safely. It draws on the Ministry of Ayush, the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) and the US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH).

1. Introduction

The Ministry of Ayush covers Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa and Homoeopathy. The Government of India formed this separate Ministry on 9 November 2014 to promote and propagate these systems and to validate them scientifically ^[1]. Among them, Ayurveda is described as the oldest, with a documented history of practice of more than 5,000 years. It is believed to have originated from the Vedas, which are ancient Indian texts ^[1].

NCCIH describes Ayurveda as a whole-person approach to physical and mental health that combines products (mostly from plants, but also from animals, metals and minerals), diet, exercise and lifestyle ^[4]. It is important to be clear from the start that Ayurveda uses its own traditional vocabulary. Many of its ideas are concepts from classical texts rather than things that a blood test or scan can measure.

2. How Ayurveda is recognised in India

India recognises Ayurveda as an official system of medicine. The Ministry of Ayush reported that, as of 1 January 2024, India had 371,957 registered Ayurveda practitioners, as reported by State Boards and Councils. As of 1 April 2024, the same report counted 3,024 Ayurveda hospitals, 26,498 Ayurveda dispensaries and 538 Ayurveda undergraduate colleges ^[1]. CCRAS is the Ministry's research council for Ayurveda ^[1].

Recognition by the government means that education, registration of practitioners and the licensing of medicines are organised by law ^[1]. It does not mean that every claim made about an Ayurvedic product is proven. Section 5 of this article returns to what the evidence says.

3. Core ideas: elements, doshas and tissues

According to the Ministry of Ayush, Ayurveda sees good health as a prerequisite for the four aims of life, and it sees the mind, the self and the body together as one whole, called Tri-danda ^[1]. Its main ideas can be summarised as follows ^[1].

• Five elements (Pancha Mahabhoota): earth, water, fire, air and ether (space). Ayurveda says the body is built from these.
• Three doshas (Tridosha): Vata, Pitta and Kapha. The Ministry describes the five elements as the basis of the three doshas. Vata is linked with ether and air, Pitta with fire, and Kapha with earth and water.
• Seven tissues (Saptadhatu) and waste products (Mala): the seven tissue systems of the body and its metabolic end products.
• Routines and diet: Ayurveda also describes a daily regimen, a seasonal regimen and dietary ideas for a healthy life.

CCRAS explains the doshas as three functional energies, or humours, that come from the five elements ^[3]. A humour here means a traditional body principle, an idea used in several old medical systems. The doshas are described as functional principles, not as named organs or chemicals, so you should treat them as traditional concepts rather than modern measurements.

4. Prakriti: the idea of constitution

Prakriti is the Ayurvedic word for a person's natural constitution. The Ministry of Ayush page on the topic describes it as a pattern of the doshas that is shaped at conception and stays with the person throughout life ^[2]. CCRAS adds that Prakriti is fixed by the proportions of the three doshas at fertilisation and during life in the womb, and that it is used to guide diet and lifestyle advice ^[3].

Practitioners assess Prakriti by looking at physical features, bodily functions such as digestion, and psychological features such as temperament, together with the person's history, lifestyle, diet and occupation ^[2]. The official description names seven types: three where one dosha leads, three where two doshas lead, and one balanced type ^[2]. A dominant dosha is described as normal for that person and not an illness in itself ^[2].

The CCRAS manual links the approach to modern ideas of personalised and preventive care ^[3], but that is a stated aim of the programme and not proof that the classification predicts health outcomes.

5. What Ayurveda care involves, and what the evidence says

NCCIH notes that Ayurvedic care can include herbal and other products, diet, exercise and lifestyle changes ^[4]. Later articles in this series explain Panchakarma (a set of cleansing procedures), diet and daily routine, regulation and safety.

On evidence, NCCIH states that few well-designed trials of Ayurvedic treatments exist and that there is little evidence for its value for most conditions. It describes a few small studies as hopeful but too limited for firm conclusions ^[4]. This does not mean Ayurveda has no value to the people who use it. It means that claims should be treated with care, and that no Ayurvedic product or procedure should be presented as a proven answer to any disease.

6. Using Ayurveda safely

• Choose a registered practitioner. Ask for the practitioner's registration number. The Ministry reports registered practitioner numbers through State Boards and Councils ^[1], and our article on regulation in this series explains how to check.
• Be careful with products. NCCIH reports that some Ayurvedic preparations may contain lead, mercury or arsenic in amounts that can be toxic, and that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns that metals in some products may be harmful ^[4].
• Take extra care in pregnancy and breastfeeding. NCCIH says some products may be harmful in pregnancy or while nursing, so ask your own doctor first ^[4].
• Do not delay medical care. NCCIH advises that Ayurvedic medicine should not be used to postpone seeing a conventional health care provider about a medical problem ^[4].
• Tell every provider. Share all Ayurvedic and other complementary approaches with your doctors so that they can keep your care safe ^[4].

7. When to see a doctor

See a doctor, rather than relying on Ayurvedic products alone, if you have a new, worsening or persistent symptom, if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, if you are caring for a child, or if you take regular medicines for a long-term condition. Also see a doctor if you feel unwell after starting any herbal or mineral product. The doctor decides which tests and treatment are needed.

In an emergency, call your local emergency number (112 in India, 911 in the United States).

8. Conclusion

Ayurveda is a recognised traditional system in India. It explains health through five elements, three doshas, tissues and an individual constitution. These are traditional concepts, and the evidence for benefit in most conditions is limited. The safest approach is to use Ayurveda only through a registered practitioner, to ask about product quality, to tell your doctor about everything you use, and never to delay medical care.