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| Priciples of health and disease |
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The principal of health and disease in Tibetan medicine revolves round the theory of Nyepa sum, the three functional principles of Lhung, Tripa and Badkan that explains how consciousness begin to play a direct role in physical function right from the beginning of the formation of the body, survival of the body during its life time and finally and destruction of human body. The understanding of the nature and function of these principal energies is the primary importance in understanding the health and disease in Tibetan medicine. As defined in most of the traditional natural medical systems, Tibetan medicine too recognize that as long as these principal energies maintain their balance, the mental and physical health too can be maintained. The moment they are imbalanced, disease arises. The three Nyepa are the expression of the elements that occur within our organism and determine the proper functioning of our mind and body. Each of these three principal energies has a distinct role to play in physical and mental health as well as a specific set of relationship to our body’s organs and constituents, to the processes of physical system and to our mind.
In order to know and understand the healthy state of mind and body, the characteristic, nature, location and function of each and specific principal energies has to be studied. Each Nyepa has five major types with specific nature, location and functions. The sub-types of Nyepa will continue to function uninterruptedly as long as they remain well in their balanced state. The moment they are imbalanced, the natural ecology of the principal energies is understood to lead dysfunction, and if not treated, will cause mental and physical problem. Therefore, it is illogical from the Tibetan medicine point of view, to attempt to understand ill health without first clearly understanding the natural or the healthy state of mind and body.
Tibetan medicine recognizes four main factors responsible for affecting the balance of the energies. They are unwholesome diet, improper lifestyle, seasonal changes and evil spirit influences. Out of the four factors, unwholesome diet and improper lifestyle plays the major role in disturbing the delicate state of the Nyepa. From the theory of Nyepa sum, Tibetan medicine is able to relate the ways in which health is directly affected by all aspects of behavior in its various physical, psychological and spiritual forms. The direct relationship of Five Elements to the three Nyepa also helps the Tibetan medicine practitioner to evaluate the specific effect of diet on health and disease. Once the state of imbalance is diagnosed with the help of various diagnostic methods, the health can be restored with the help of four therapeutic means of diet, lifestyle, medication and external therapy. |
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