Ayurveda approach to genital herpes

Dosha theory that helps in the diagnosis of diseases.

According to Ayurveda, three doshas or three energetic forces control the activities of the body. These doshas are

1. Vata

2. Pitta

3. Kapha

VATA: The Vata dosha is the most important of the three doshas. In classical Ayurvedic books it has been said that “Pitta, Kapha and all other body tissues are considered lame without the help of VATA”. Vata dominates the lower body, which is below the navel. The movements of body fluids, metabolism, the elimination of waste products, the ejaculation of semen, the expulsion of the fetus from the body, the transmission of stimuli to the brain and the response to the organs and tissues, the heartbeat, the breathing, body movements, etc., are assisted by VATA.

Vata-dominated regions are the intestines, lower back, ears, bones, and skin.

Vata becomes vitiated due to the following reasons.

1. Control natural urges such as urinate, defecate, hunger, thirst, etc.

2. Late at night.

3. Irregular eating habits.

4. Speak in a high tone.

5. On physical and mental effort.

6. Consumption of spicy, dry and bitter foods.

7. Exposure to severe cold and dry climates.

The opposites of the aforementioned reason normalize the flawed vata.

PITTA: Pitta dosha helps the body’s fire or Agni, which plays an important role in the body’s metabolic activities. The places where pitta dominates are the digestive system, skin, eyes, brain, and blood. Pitta maintains body temperature. Secretions like digestive juice pigments like melanin (bhrajaka pitta), hemoglobin (ranjaka pitta) are all types of pitta.

Pitta is dominant in the navel, stomach, sweat, lymph, blood, eye, and skin regions.

Vata becomes vitiated due to the following reasons.

1. Excessive consumption of spicy, acidic and salty foods.

2. Consume alcohol in excess.

3. Excessive exposure to hot, sunny weather.

4. Bad temper.

5. Use dried vegetables.

6. Food indigestion.

The opposites of the aforementioned reason normalize the flawed pitta.

KAPHA: Kapha provides volume to the body, lubrication, moisture, fertility, stability, strength and memory. Assists in the binding process whenever necessary. This is the heaviest of all the doshas.

The Kapha-dominated regions are the chest, neck, head, stomach, body fat, nose, and tongue.

Kapha becomes flawed due to the following reasons.

1. Sleep during the day.

2. Consume sweets, refrigerated foods, in excess.

3. Consume fish, sesame, sugar cane, milk, and dairy products.

The opposites of the aforementioned reason normalize the flawed kapha.

When these doshas are in a balanced condition, the body remains healthy. If these doshas get out of balance, the body succumbs to disease. Doshas are frequently thrown out of balance due to change in weather, seasons, lifestyles, diet, etc. The treatment consists of returning the doshas to normal and expelling the toxin or ama produced during the imbalanced condition.

Causes of genital herpes

Herpes is caused by a virus, the herpes simplex virus (HSV), which belongs to the same family of viruses that cause chickenpox. There are two types of herpes simplex virus

1. Herpes simplex type 1 (HSV-1) and mainly causes oral herpes

2. Herpes simplex type 2 (HSV-2). And above all it causes genital herpes.

However, both type 1 and type 2 can occur on the genitals, the oral area, or both.

Due to unhealthy lifestyles and diet, the delicate balance between the doshas is disturbed. This disturbs the bodily fire or Agni.

(Agni is the body fire, responsible for the transformation of one substance into another. It breaks down food substances, eliminates toxins and waste, maintains body temperature and resists the invasion of microbes while maintaining strong body immunity.

The body fire, which is assisted by balanced doshas, ​​digests food completely to form Pakwa Anna rasa (the liquid form of food that is completely digested by digestive enzymes), which is ready to be absorbed by body tissues. According to Ayurveda, Pakwa Anna Rasa nourishes the body and its components to keep the body free from disease. But when the body fire is affected, there will be an incomplete digestion of food forming Apakwa Rasa (undigested food). Indigestible food does not nourish the components of the body, which reduces the resistance of the body).

The disturbed Agni cannot digest food and toxins accumulate in the body due to improper metabolism. The accumulation of toxins reduces the immunity of the body and paves the way for the invasion of microbes.

When a person who has low immunity comes into contact with the HSV virus, they contract genital or oral herpes.

Unhealthy lifestyle

1. overeat

2. Sleep in the afternoons.

3. On physical effort.

4. Mental overexertion

5. Eat food frequently even when you are not hungry.

6. Constant exposure to hot, sunny climates

Unhealthy diet

Excessive consumption of

1. Salty, sour, spicy and spicy food.

2. Curd for the deaf

3. Alcohol.

4. Cheese

5. Charred and overcooked food.

6. Sesame, gram of Bengal, gram of horse, sesame oil, rice flour, garlic, fish.

Opposite foods

1. Curd, salt, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, sour fruits, meat, prawns, pork, should not be consumed with milk. The aforementioned foods should not be consumed by mixing one item with another.

2. Sprouts, honey and milk should not be eaten with meat and fish.

3. Fish and milk: fish and sugar cane juice; jaggery and pork; honey and pork; milk and mango; banana milk; they are opposite foods.

Transmission of genital herpes

A person can get genital herpes under the following conditions

1. If you are sexually active and when you have sex (oral or genital) with infected partners.

2. A person who has oral herpes transmits herpes to their partner’s genital organs during oral sex and a person who has genital herpes transmits it to their partner during intercourse when they have genital contact.

3. The disease is transmitted when the mucous membrane comes into contact with the infected area.

The disease is transmitted mainly during the active phase. But it can spread even during the asymptomatic phase (when the person is symptom-free for a certain period). The virus needs a fluid medium for its transport. Body fluids such as saliva, semen, secretions from the vaginal tract, etc. The mucous membranes in the mouth, vagina, urethra or open wounds facilitate the invasion of the virus by its humidity.

In genital herpes there is an imbalance of the three doshas (VATA, PITTA, KAPHA), which in turn vitiate lasika (lymph), blood (rakta), muscle (mamsa) and skin (twacha).

The imbalanced doshas vitiate the skin and the immunity of the skin cells diminishes. The virus attacks these weak cells and begins to show symptoms in the affected area.

Local symptoms

1. Prick sensation

2. Edema

3. Bread

4. Sensation of constriction

5. Sensation of ant crawling

6. Many small rashes that accumulate in a small area.

7. These rashes or blisters soon burst with exudates.

8. These blisters will have different colors according to the participation of the doshas. (Blackish red or blue in vata, red, yellow, copper color in pitta, shades of white in kapha).

The immune system of the weakened body tries to resist the invasion of the virus but does not achieve the goal. In this futile attempt the following systemic symptoms are exhibited.

Systemic symptoms

1. Fever

2. Weakness

3. Indigestion

4. Impaired intestines

5. Increased frequency of urination.

6. Body pain.

7. Increased thirst.

Imbalanced vata causes symptoms such as pain, swelling, and body aches

Unbalanced pitta and stale blood and skin cause

1. Blisters,

2. Changes the color of the skin,

3. Cause burning sensation and fever.

Unbalanced kapha and stale lymph cause itching and tingling.

After the first attack, the virus moves from the skin through the nerve pathways to the base of the nerve and becomes inactive. Now the person infected with herpes will be devoid of all symptoms. But the imbalance of the doshas still persists.

Reactivation of the virus to cause outbreaks.

At unpredictable times, the virus kicks in. It multiplies and reappears on the skin traveling through the nerve pathway and exhibits symptoms locally. The severity of outbreak symptoms depends on the strength of the body’s immunity.

The pelvis or shroni, the nerves, and the skin are dominated by vata. When vata becomes vitiated by precipitating factors, it reactivates the latent virus at the base of the nerve end and the virus travels through the nerve pathways to reach the surface of the skin.

Precipitating factors

As we know, sprouts have few precipitating factors such as

1. Excessive sun exposure.

2. Illness,

3. Bad diet,

4. Emotional stress

5. Physical stress,

6. Friction,

7. Steroids

8. Menstruation.

9. Emotional stress.

10. Genital trauma and intercourse.

11. Repeated infections like a cold or pneumonia.

These factors increase vata and the increase in vata activates the virus, which is inactive.

Low immunity Systemically imbalanced doshas interfere with the body’s metabolism by vitiating bodily fire (agni). This leads to indigestion and poor assimilation of nutrients, which in turn leads to poor immunity. Due to decreased immunity, the body does not offer resistance to flare-ups.

Ayurvedic tips to avoid breakouts

Avoid

1. Spicy, sour, fried and junk food, which aggravates vata.

2. Precipitating factors.

3. Sleep in the afternoon.

4. Meat products over fried or fried in oil or fat.

5. Charred and overcooked food.

6. Consume opposite foods like fish and milk, etc.

7. Physical effort after a meal

8. Take a bath immediately after exercising or doing heavy work outdoors.

Include honey, pomegranate, and Emblica officinalis fruits, legumes, dates, and raisins in your diet.

Practice yoga and meditation to control emotional disturbances.

Ayurveda References

1. Sushruta Samhita

2. Charaka Samhita

3. Madhava nidana

4. Ashtanga Sangraha

5. Yoga Ratnakara