Ayurveda Glossary
Plain-language definitions of the Ayurvedic terms behind diabetes-aware care — Madhumeha, Prameha, agni, the doshas, dinacharya and herbs such as guduchi and gurmar.
Core concepts
- Agni
- Agni is the Ayurvedic concept of digestive and metabolic fire — the capacity to digest food and transform it into nourishment for the body's tissues.
- Ama
- Ama is the Ayurvedic term for the heavy, sticky residue believed to form when food is not fully digested because agni is weak.
- Madhumeha
- Madhumeha is the classical Ayurvedic term for the pattern of metabolic imbalance that closely corresponds to what is diagnosed today as type-2 diabetes.
- Prakriti
- Prakriti is a person's individual Ayurvedic constitution — the natural proportion of Vata, Pitta and Kapha they are born with.
- Prameha
- Prameha is the Ayurvedic name for a group of twenty metabolic and urinary disorders; Madhumeha, the counterpart of diabetes, is one of them.
- Rasayana
- Rasayana is the branch of Ayurveda concerned with rejuvenation — herbs, foods and habits traditionally used to support vitality, resilience and healthy ageing.
- Shad Rasa
- Shad Rasa are Ayurveda's six tastes — sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter and astringent — each believed to affect the doshas and digestion differently.
Doshas
- Dosha
- Doshas are the three functional energies of Ayurveda — Vata, Pitta and Kapha — whose balance is believed to govern every process in the body and mind.
- Kapha
- Kapha is the Ayurvedic dosha of structure and stability, made of earth and water, that governs strength, lubrication and the body's tissues.
- Pitta
- Pitta is the Ayurvedic dosha of transformation, made of fire and water, that governs digestion, metabolism, body heat and sharpness of mind.
- Vata
- Vata is the Ayurvedic dosha of movement, made of air and space, that governs breathing, circulation, nerve impulses and elimination.
Daily practices
- Abhyanga
- Abhyanga is the Ayurvedic practice of massaging the whole body with warm oil, traditionally done in the morning as part of the daily routine.
- Dinacharya
- Dinacharya is the Ayurvedic daily routine: regular times for waking, meals, activity and sleep, meant to keep the body in step with natural rhythms.
Herbs & foods
- Guduchi (Giloy)
- Guduchi, or giloy (Tinospora cordifolia), is a climbing vine whose stem is a prized Ayurvedic rasayana, traditionally used for immunity and metabolic balance.
- Gurmar
- Gurmar (Gymnema sylvestre) is a climbing plant whose name means 'sugar destroyer', because chewing its leaf briefly dulls the taste of sweetness.
- Karela
- Karela (bitter gourd, Momordica charantia) is a vegetable Ayurveda values for its strong bitter taste, traditionally believed to balance Kapha.
- Triphala
- Triphala is a classical Ayurvedic blend of three dried fruits — amla, haritaki and bibhitaki — traditionally used to support digestion and regular elimination.
- Vijaysar
- Vijaysar (Pterocarpus marsupium) is a tree whose heartwood is traditionally valued in Ayurveda for metabolic balance and used in classical Prameha care.
Talk to an Ayurvedic doctor
Guduchi Ayurveda's BAMS-qualified physicians offer online and in-clinic consultations, working alongside your existing treatment.
Medical disclaimer: This page is for general education and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Ayurveda is described here as a supportive, complementary system. Do not stop or change any prescribed medication without consulting your treating physician.