According to Ayurved the body in balance is in health. Balance means a balance of the three elements: bayu, pitta, kaffa. Unbalance or predominance of any one of the three may bring disease. If the unbalance fails to touch or disturb the organs, no disease results.

Bayu, pitta, and kaffa are the physical aspects respectively of the balanced, restless, and listless states of the Self. “Bayu does not mean wind at all, but comprehends all the phenomena of motion which come under the cell life, or to be more explicit, functions of the central and sympathetic nervous system; the word pitta does not essentially mean bile, but signifies the functions of metabolism and thermogenesis or heat production comprehending in its scope the process of digestion, coloration of blood and formation of various secretions which are either the means or ends of tissue combustion; and the word kaffa does not mean merely phlegm, but is used primarily to imply the function of cooling and preservation and secondarily the production of the various preservative fluids.”

There are five categories within Bayu: (1) Udan, (2) Pran, (3) Saman, (4) Apan, (5) Byan. Udan bayu is in the throat; Saman in the abdomen; Apan in the rectum ; and Byan in the body as a whole. Udan disorder creates headache, skin disease, ear troubles, teeth decay, hoarseness. Disordor of Pran bayu brings disease to the respiratory system. Saman brings loss of appetite and digestion; also anemia. Apan bayu brings disorder and malady to the penis and rectum, seminal discharges, gonorrhoea, and child-bearing difficulties. Disordor of Byan bayu can invite any body ailment.

There are also five categories of bile or pitta:  (1) pachak, (2) ranjak, (3) shadhak, (4) alochak, (5) bhrajak; functioning respectively in the stomach, liver and spleen, heart, eyes, and skin. The first digests, the second forms blood, the third helps the memory, the fourth aids sight, and the fifth keeps the skin smooth and glazy. If pitta secretion is disturbed in any one of these categories, there arises the possibility of disease.

Kaffa can also be put in five categories: (1) cledan, abalamban, (3) rashan, (4) snehan, (5) shleshan; existing respectively in the lower abdomen, heart, throat, head, and joints. Cledan puts eaten food into a liquidy condition; abalamban controls the movement of the heart and limbs; rashan (saliva) helps the mouth and tongue to taste food; snehan makes possible the satisfaction of the senses; and shleshan lubricates the joints. When we are attacked by a preponderance of pitta, we feel heavy, sleepy, idle, phlegmatic. Raggedness and itchiness are also felt.

When we are attacked in any one of these three (nervous, combusting, cooling) systems, the antidotes of bayu, pitta, and kaffa, as known by the Ayurved physician (kabiraj ), are respectively prescribed. The Ayurved physician generally treats the disease itself not the symptoms.

These three physical aspects of the states of the Self are, we believe, a scientific truth. Allopathy is not aware of them, it is handicapped by an ignorance of the three aspects in so doing. Once we understand the body in this Ayurvedic way, many new medical possibilities open up for us. It is a matter of realization and experience.