Amalaki is also called Amla, Indian Gooseberry and Emblic Myrobalane.
Biological Name: Emblica officinalis
Euphorbiaceae family
Amalaki or Dhatri, the nurse, as it is like a nurse or mother in its healing properties
Part Used: fruit
Energetics: all tastes but salty, predominately sour/cooling/sweet PV- K and Ama+
(in excess)
Tissues: works on all tissue-elements and increases Ojas
Systems: circulatory, digestive,
excretory
Actions: nutritive tonic, rejuvenative, aphrodisiac, laxative, refrigerant, stomachic,
astringent, hemostatic
Indications: bleeding disorders, hemorrhoids, anemia, diabetes, gout, vertigo,
gastritis, colitis, hepatitis, osteoporosis, constipation, biliousness, weakness of liver or spleen,
premature greying or hair loss, convalescence from fever, general debility and tissue-deficiency,
mental disorder, palpitation
Precautions: acute diarrhea, dysentery
Preparation: decoction, powder
(250 mg to 1 g), confection
DIAGRAM 10 Amalaki
AMALAKI is one of the strongest rejuvenatives in Ayurvedic medicine. It is particularly effective
as a rasayana for Pitta; for the blood, bones, the liver and the heart. It rebuilds and maintains
new tissues and increases red blood cell count. Amalaki cleanses the mouth, strengthens the teeth,
nourishes the bones, and causes hair and nails to grow. It improves the eyesight, stops bleeding of
gums, and relieves inflammation of the stomach and colon. It is the highest natural source of
vitamin C, with 3000 mg per fruit. It improves appetite, cleanses the intestines and regulates
blood-sugar.
It is the basis for CHYAVAN PRASH, an herbal confection or jelly, that is the main general all-around
tonic and restorative in Ayurvedic medicine. It is sattvic in quality and gives good fortune, love
and longevity--it is itself a long-living tree. Five grams of the powder, mixed in one cup of warm
water, can be taken twice a day as a general tonic. It is used as a paste to the head for mental
disorders.
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THE THREE DOSHAS
At the heart of Ayurveda is its concept of the three Doshas, or the three different basic types of
human constitution. From ether and air comes Vata; from fire and an aspect of water comes Pitta;
and from water and earth comes Kapha. By the elements and Doshas, we determine the basic nature
of different individuals and we establish a line of treatment unique to their needs.
The three Doshas can be recognized by their attributes: Vata is dry, cold, light, mobile, subtle,
hard, rough, changeable and clear. It is the most powerful of the Doshas, being the life-force itself,
the strongest to create disease. It governs all movement, and carries both Pitta and Kapha.
Pitta is hot, light, fluid, subtle, sharp, malodorous, soft and clear. It governs heat, temperature
and all chemical reactions. Kapha is cold, wet, heavy, slow, dull, static, smooth, dense and cloudy.
It maintains substance, weight and coherence in the body.
Vata, in its natural state, maintains energy of will, inhalation, exhalation, movement, the discharge
of impulses, equilibrium of the tissues, acuity of the senses. When aggravated, it causes dryness,
dark discolorations, desire for warmth, tremors, abdominal distention, constipation, loss of strength,
insomnia, loss of sensory acuity, incoherency of speech, and fatigue.
Pitta, in its normal state, is responsible for digestion, heat, visual perception, hunger, thirst,
lustre of skin, intelligence, determination, courage, and softness of the body. When aggravated, it
causes yellow discoloration of urine, feces, eyes and skin, and may create hunger, thirst, burning
sensations and difficulty in sleeping.
Kapha, in its normal state, is responsible for firmness and stability, maintenance of bodily fluids,
lubrication of joints, and such positive emotions as peace, love and forgiveness. When aggravated,
it produces loss of digestive power, accumulation of phlegm and mucus, exhaustion, feeling of
heaviness, pallor, cold sensations, looseness of limbs, difficulty of breathing, coughing and
excessive desire for sleeping.
Vata dwells in the colon, hips, thighs, ears, bones and sense of touch. Its main site is the colon
where it accumulates, causes disease, and from which it can be expelled directly from the body.
Pitta dwells in the small intestine, stomach, sweat, sebum, blood, plasma, and sense of sight. Its
main location is the small intestine where it accumulates, and from which it can be directly expelled
from the body.
Kapha dwells in the chest, throat, head, pancreas, ribs, stomach, plasma, fat, nose, and tongue.
Its main site is the stomach where it accumulates and causes disease, and from which it can be
directly expelled from the body.
"Ayurveda is beyond beginning and ending. A science of eternal healing, it is compared to a vast ocean, and studying Ayurveda to swimming across. A true teacher can teach one how to swim, but the swimming is up to the student; …it is a lifelong journey."
Charaka Samhita
Sutrasthana
Chapter Thirty
