Changes

The primary objective of understanding koshtha is the administration of diet, medicines, and therapeutic procedures. [A.Hr.Sutra Sthana 18/15]<ref name=Hridaya/> In general, the guideline for quantity of food that is healthy for everyone has been recommended based on his or her appetite and the capacity of koshtha. The time for food intake is decided based on symptoms indicating digestion of previous meal. The ideal mealtime is when the bowel and bladder has been evacuated, the chest is clear, the [[dosha]]s are optimum, the belching does not reflect any undigested food, sequentially followed by hunger, [[vata]] is in its normal direction, when the [[agni]] is well kindled, the senses are intact and open to perception, and lightness is perceived in the body. [A.Hr.Sutra Sthana 8/55]<ref name=Hridaya/>

The primary objective of understanding koshtha is the administration of diet, medicines, and therapeutic procedures. [A.Hr.Sutra Sthana 18/15]<ref name=Hridaya/> In general, the guideline for quantity of food that is healthy for everyone has been recommended based on his or her appetite and the capacity of koshtha. The time for food intake is decided based on symptoms indicating digestion of previous meal. The ideal mealtime is when the bowel and bladder has been evacuated, the chest is clear, the [[dosha]]s are optimum, the belching does not reflect any undigested food, sequentially followed by hunger, [[vata]] is in its normal direction, when the [[agni]] is well kindled, the senses are intact and open to perception, and lightness is perceived in the body. [A.Hr.Sutra Sthana 8/55]<ref name=Hridaya/>

In therapeutic purification procedures ([[panchakarma]]), the [[dosha]] are eliminated only when they are located or brought into koshtha. This is observed by the signs like fullness and distension of abdomen after oleation and sudation.[Cha.Sa.[[Sutra Sthana]] 15/11] Koshtha also plays a major role in deciding the dosage of medicines. Soft bowels (mridu koshtha) are easy to oleate and evacuate.[A.Hr.Sutra Sthana 18/35]<ref name=Hridaya/> These individuals usually attain the expected oleation by three days and purgated using mild laxatives like milk, jaggery, buttermilk, juices of sugarcane, grapes, and decoctions like that of Triphala (combination of Terminalia chebula, terminalia bellirica and Phyllanthus emblica). The person with hard bowels takes about seven days to oleate and are also very difficult to purgate.[Cha.Sa.[[Sutra Sthana]] 13/65-69] This is the reason why mild forms of oleation mixed with food and drinks (vicharana) are indicated in soft bowel individuals. [Cha.Sa.[[Sutra Sthana]] 13/82] Medications like oils, marrow, etc. are advised in hard bowel individuals. Some other specific indications with respect to koshtha include that of oil in gut infested with worms (krimi koshtha), and muscle fats (vasa) in gut pains (koshtha ruja).  

In therapeutic purification procedures ([[panchakarma]]), the [[dosha]] are eliminated only when they are located or brought into koshtha. This is observed by the signs like fullness and distension of abdomen after oleation and sudation.[Cha.Sa.[[Sutra Sthana]] 15/11] Koshtha also plays a major role in deciding the dosage of medicines. Soft bowels (mridu koshtha) are easy to oleate and evacuate.[A.Hr.Sutra Sthana 18/35]<ref name=Hridaya/> These individuals usually attain the expected oleation by three days and purgated using mild laxatives like milk, jaggery, buttermilk, juices of sugarcane, grapes, and decoctions like that of Triphala (combination of Terminalia chebula, Terminalia bellirica and Phyllanthus emblica). The person with hard bowels takes about seven days to oleate and are also very difficult to purgate.[Cha.Sa.[[Sutra Sthana]] 13/65-69] This is the reason why mild forms of oleation mixed with food and drinks (vicharana) are indicated in soft bowel individuals. [Cha.Sa.[[Sutra Sthana]] 13/82] Medications like oils, marrow, etc. are advised in hard bowel individuals. Some other specific indications with respect to koshtha include that of oil in gut infested with worms (krimi koshtha), and muscle fats (vasa) in gut pains (koshtha ruja).  

Sudation ([[swedana]]) is indicated mainly in hard bowel individuals (krura koshtha), especially in abdominal distension. It is not recommended in diseases arising due to [[pitta dosha]] with soft bowels (mridu koshtha). [Cha.Sa.[[Sutra Sthana]] 14/16,21] In koshtha, when [[vata]] afflicts the stomach (amashaya), initially dry sudation is to be done followed by unctuous sudation. When [[kapha dosha]] afflicts the large intestine (pakvashaya), the reverse order is to be followed. [Cha.Sa.[[Sutra Sthana]] 14/9]

Sudation ([[swedana]]) is indicated mainly in hard bowel individuals (krura koshtha), especially in abdominal distension. It is not recommended in diseases arising due to [[pitta dosha]] with soft bowels (mridu koshtha). [Cha.Sa.[[Sutra Sthana]] 14/16,21] In koshtha, when [[vata]] afflicts the stomach (amashaya), initially dry sudation is to be done followed by unctuous sudation. When [[kapha dosha]] afflicts the large intestine (pakvashaya), the reverse order is to be followed. [Cha.Sa.[[Sutra Sthana]] 14/9]