This fundamental assumption is at the core of Tibetan medicine. These five elements are not static, but fluctuate as they are affected by seasonal changes. From these five fundamental elements comes the three principles of life-energy within the human body, known as the Three Cosmic Humors. Imbalances of these three types of energies can be caused by diet, behavior, environment, age, or season. Imbalances may even occur as the result of karmic or spiritual causes.
Imbalances lead to illness and even to death.
Restoring health is accomplished through balancing of these three types of energies through a variety of modalities. The most common treatment are the use of the Tibetan herbal pills made from local herbs collected in the Himalayas. Other treatments include referral to an astrologer for astrological consultation or even referral to a Tibetan Lama for spiritual consultation. Wanting to know more about these enigmatic herb pills I arranged a meeting with Dr. Donden. He went to explain that the herbs are collected from the slopes of the Himalayas, dried and then undergo a lengthy process of cleaning and detoxifying before they are transformed into pills.