The human body is a wonderful complex system which has a number of ways to balance or eliminate the materials which could be harmful to the body. In order to facilitate the elimination of these substances, the body is equipped with urges that appear naturally. There are two type of natural urges:
• Non suppressible urges
• Suppressible urges
NON SUPPRESSIBLE URGES
According to Ayurveda, there are thirteen types of natural urges in the body which should not be suppressed. These are the natural calls from the body which a person must attend to, as and when they appear in order to maintain the balance in the body, and to eliminate the element that might create imbalance.
The thirteen non suppressible natural urges are:
• Urge to pass urine
• Urge to eliminate feces
• Urge to eliminate semen
• Urge to pass out flatus
• Urge to vomit
• Urge to sneeze
• Urge for eructation
• Urge to yawn
• Urge to eat (hunger)
• Urge to drink water (thirst)
• Urge to shed tears or cry
• Urge to sleep and
• Urge for heavy or fast breathing caused by over exertion
In our modern lifestyle we find ourselves actually suppressing some or most of the natural urges of the body – we forcefully suppress the urge to sneeze when sitting in a meeting, the urge to eat when busy with work, the urge to pass urine while watching a favourite show on television, or the urge to eliminate flatus (fart) or yawn while in public. These suppressed natural urges could be the cause of sickness. Below is a description of disorders caused by suppression of each natural urge.
URINE
Suppression of the urge to pass urine causes pain in bladder and phallus, dysuria, headache, bending of the body and distension of the lower abdomen.
FECES
If one holds the urge for defecation, it causes colic pain, headache, retention of feces, and distension of abdomen, wind formation (Vata prakopa) and cramps in the calf muscles.
SEMEN
One should not forcefully suppress the urge to discharge semen. Although Ayurveda promotes preservation of semen as it is a part of Shukra dhatu, is forceful suppression is not advised. Suppression of the urge to discharge semen causes pain in the phallus and testicles, malaise, cardiac pain and retention of urine.
FLATUS
If one suppresses the urge for passing flatus, it causes retention of feces, urine and flatus, distension of abdomen, pain in stomach and other abdominal disease caused by aggravation of vata.
VOMITING
The diseases caused by the suppression of the urge for vomiting are pruritis, urticaria, anorexia, black pigmentation of face, edema, anaemia, fever, skin diseases and nausea.
SNEEZE
Suppression of the urge to sneeze causes ailments like torticollis, headache, facial paralysis, and weakness of sense organs.
ERUCTATION OR BELCHING
Suppression of eructation causes hiccup, dyspnoea, lack of desire to eat, tremor, obstacles in the proper functioning of heart and lungs.
YAWN
Suppression of yawning causes convulsions, contractions, numbness, tremor and shaking of the body. All these are the diseases caused by aggravation of Vata. While yawning, the body expels the unwanted Vata from the body and of it is forcefully retained, it causes a number of Vata disorders.
HUNGER
By suppressing hunger, one subjects himself to emaciation, weakness change in bodily complexion , malaise and giddiness.
THIRST
Suppression of thirst causes dryness, of throat and mouth, deafness, exhaustion, weakness and cardiac pain.
TEARS
By suppressing tears, one may develop eye diseases, heart diseases, headache, Virtigo and giddiness. Holding back the tears also blocks the emotions and thisoukd lead o mental worry, depression and irritation.
SLEEP
Suppression of the urge to sleep causes yawning, malaise, drowsiness, constipation, body ache, headache and heaviness in the eyes.
BREATHLESSNESS DUE TO EXERTION
Suppression of this urge may lead to heart disorders, respiratory tract disorders and fainting.
According to Ayurveda, the first line of treatment in all diseases is “avoid the causes”. Therefore all the diseases that can be caused by the suppression of the various natural urges can be prevented simply by not suppressing any of them.