Kapha Flashcards
What is another name for kapha?
What is the root of this word, and what does it mean?
Shleshma
The root if shleshma is shlish, which means “to hug”
In the breakdown of the word kapha what is the meaning of ka, and what is the meaning of pha?
Therefore, what is the translation of kapha?
ka=water
pha=flourishing
Kapha=that which is flourished by water
What elements make up kapha?
Water and Earth
What are the 13 qualities of Kapha?
Heavy Slow/dull Cold Oily Liquid Slimy/smooth Dense Soft Static Sticky Cloudy Hard Gross
What is the predominant taste of kapha?
What do these tastes do to kapha?
Sweet
Salty
They increase kapha
Kapha molecules are ___ (growth promoting) and ___(tendency to coagulate or fall together to the center)
Anabolic, centrifugal
Kapha molecules adhere together creating what?
Bigger and bigger molecules
Kapha is ___ and can therefore be easily seen.
Gross
All ___, ___ &___ are composed of kapha, so kapha is represented by ___structures in the body
Cells, tissues, and organs
Substantial structures
Kapha is predominately present in the ___ and blood as ___
Lymph, plasma
Plasma contains what percent water?
90%
What is the primary site of kapha?
Where else is it present in the body?
Lungs & respiratory tract
Also present in the: Semen Muscles Fat Connective tissue Brain
What color is kapha?
Where do you see examples of this color representative of kapha in the body?
White
Lymph Semen Plasma Certain muscles Myelin sheath White matter of the brain White blood cells Anything white
What are the ten primary sites of kapha?
Lungs Stomach Pancreas White matter of brain Cerebrospinal fluid Plasma Joints Sinuses Nose (organ of smell) Tongue (organ of taste)
What is phuphusa?
Lungs
What is āmāshaya?
Stomach
What is kloma?
Pancreas
What is shira?
White matter of the brain
What is shushumna jala?
Cerebrospinal fluid
What is rasa?
Plasma
What is sandhi?
Joints
What is gandha?
Sinuses
What is nasā?
Nose (organ of smell)
What is jihva?
Tongue (organ of taste)
If kapha is depleted by pitta or vāta it will undergo ___ due to ___ effects of excess pitta, and ___ effects of vāta?
Emaciation
Hypermetabolic effects of excess pitta
Catabolic acts of excess vāta
If kapha accumulates to create a compact mass, what might it form?
A tumor
Fibrocystic changes in the breasts
If pitta burns the kapha molecules of the myelin sheath what conditions might result?
Optic neuritis
Auditory neuritis
Multiple sclerosis (MS)
What is optic neuritis?
Inflammation of the optic nerve. It may cause sudden, reduced vision in the affected eye.
A kapha disorder, where pitta burns the kapha molecules of the myelin sheath.
What is auditory neuritis?
A variety of hearing loss in which the outer hair cells within the cochlea are present and functional, but sound information is not faithfully transmitted to the auditory nerve and brain properly.
A kapha disorder, where pitta burns the kapha molecules of the myelin sheath
What is multiple sclerosis?
What are common symptoms of MS, which dosha are these symptoms an expression of?
A demyelinating disorder where pitta burns the myelin sheath (kapha), creating space for vāta to enter the lesion
Vāta symptoms: Weakness Fatigue Exhaustion Tremors
Pitta symptom:
No tolerance for heat
MS is a demyelination disorder caused by ___, exacerbated by ___, and affecting ___.
Caused by pitta
Exacerbated by vāta
Affecting kapha
What are the many functions of kapha?
Lubrication Nourishment Support and stability Groundedness Growth Gaseous exchange in the lungs Gastric secretions (liquid medium) Water electrolyte balance Fat regulation Strength and stamina Energy Sleep Repair and regeneration Memory retention Taste perception Olfactory perception
What are some positive emotions associated with kapha?
Contentment
Forgiveness
Compasssion
Is the vitreous humor or aqueous humor kapha?
What subtype does the other humor belong to?
Vitreous humor is kapha
Aqueous humor is ālochaka pitta
If the aqueous humor becomes clouded by kapha what does a person develop?
Cataracts
Describe the spinal meninges.
The three connective tissue membranes covering and protecting the brain and spinal cord:
Dura mater (outer meningeal layer)
Arachnoid (middle meningeal layer)
Pia mater (inner meningeal layer)
Where is kapha present in the digestive system?
Saliva
Gastric secretions
Where is kapha present in the heart and lungs?
Pleural space (the potential space between the two pleura (visceral and parietal) of the lungs)
Around the heart
Where is kapha present in the spine?
Spinal meninges
Cerebrospinal fluid
Where is kapha present in the eyes?
Vitreous humor
Kapha maintains both ___ fluid and ___ fluid in relation to the cells.
Intracellular fluid
Extracellular fluid
Where is kapha present in the brain?
The water component of the grey matter of the brain.
The grey matter of the brain is about 80-85% water
Which qualities of kapha create lubrication of the joints and muscle tendons?
Oily & liquid
Which qualities of kapha lubricates the space between the cells and organs?
Lubrication relieves ___.
Oily
Slimy
Friction
Kapha’s anabolic changes ate responsible for what?
Growth Development of the body Healing wounds Creation of new cells Repair of damaged cells
If a man has abundant kapha molecules in his semen, what is the result?
Abundant sperm and fertility
What are the five types of kapha?
Kledaka Avalambaka Bodhaka Tarpaka Shleshaka
