What is a Disease

Human body is in a complex dynamic equilibrium or state of balance, this is the internal harmony between the various body parts and body’s harmony with nature and surrounding environment.

Whenever we deviate from our natural balance it results in an abnormality in the body (etio-pathogenesis), subsequently leading to disease. According to Ayurveda, the root cause of disease is an imbalance and disproportionate ratio of the Vata (air), Pitta (phlegm) and Kapha (bile) doshas.

Disease usually manifests as pathological condition of a body part or organ, caused by genetic defect, environmental stress, infection, lifestyle disturbances, etc. and characterised by an identifiable group of signs and symptoms.

What are the different causes?

Lifestyle

These are diseases linked with the way people live their life, this includes diet, nutrition, exercise, sleep, etc. Lifestyle diseases are usually caused by substance abuse (alcohol, drug, smoking), lack of physical activity and unhealthy eating. Some examples are heart disease, obesity and type II diabetes. In India and world over there has been a large shift for communicable diseases to non communicable diseases (NCD) primarily caused due to an unhealthy lifestyle.

Psychosomatic

According to Ayurveda, our emotions have a strong effect on our mind and body and our mind has a strong impact on the physical body; a body in a stressed state is almost always weaker in its ability to self-heal. Some diseases are particularly prone to be made worse by mental factors such as stress and anxiety. Examples include eczema, psoriasis, high blood pressure, ulcers and heart disease. Sometimes diseases have no physical causes, e.g. chest pain due to stress. Other examples are tremors, nausea, dry mouth, etc.

Genetic

Caused in whole or in part by a change in the DNA sequence away from the normal sequence. There are mutations present in one or more genes in a person's DNA which predisposes them to developing disorders or disease under specific triggers. The gene abnormalities can be inherited from parents or developed over one’s lifetime through random occurrence or environmental exposure. Examples of genetic diseases are cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anemia, color-blindness, etc.

External Factors

A lot of diseases are caused by external factors such as bacteria, viruses (pathogens), or exposure to environmental stressors (pollution, chemical irritants). In such cases, body’s defense and detox mechanism kicks in to eliminate the external agents from the body. Most infections and inflammations in the body fall in this category.

There is a further classification of diseases depending on the time and stage they have been present in an individual

Acute Disease

A disease or disorder that lasts a short time, comes on rapidly, and is accompanied by distinct symptoms. Acute diseases are characterised by sudden onset and severity, duration can usually vary depending on the disease.

Chronic Disease

The terms chronic is usually used when the course of the disease last beyond three months. A chronic condition is one that is persistent or otherwise long lasting in its effects. Examples of chronic diseases are hypertension, diabetes, eating disorders, depression, etc.

Early detection usually results in less severe outcomes, promotive and preventive techniques are usually more effective against managing and avoid chronic conditions. Clinical preventive services usually include screening for existence of the disease or predisposition to developing it.

How should we deal with disease?

Our body is self-healing, it has a strong tendency and ability to go back to the natural equilibrium. So the best way to deal with the disease is to eliminate and remove the root causes that are disturbing the balance, and allow the body to heal. This usually needs to be personalised for every individual and aimed at sustained wellbeing in body, mind and soul dimensions.

MillionEyes Healthcare creates personalised wellness plans, to enable environment for healing. Please contact us for more details.