Like the seasons of the year, each stage of life is affected by a dosha : child hood is ruled by kapha, adulthood by pitta and old age by vata. The transitional years see the power of one dosha decline as the next come into ascendance. Keeping these energies and those of our own doshas in the balance allows us to move serenely through each stage with our natural beauty intact.

Transitions are always challenge, and after birth adolescence is the first big one. With depressive kapha and fiery pitta energies in conflict, our moods lurch from range to despair. Since blood is a pitta element the start of a period banishes premenstrual syndrome by reducing excessive pitta energy – but then hormonal changes make the skin erupt with acne and the hair turn lank. In Siddha terms, the last burst of kapha energy turns skin into an oil well, ready to be ignited by pitta’s fire. The body’s toxic load of ama builds up too, and can find way out except into the skin.

The skin blemishes that the disfigure the teenage years are caused by an excess of kapha and, especially, pitta energies. Kapha increases oiliness, leading to blackheads, while pitta energy causes inflammation and eruptions. These can be counteracted by avoiding the rich, fried and highly spiced foods that aggravated pitta and – to a lesser extent - the sweet or salty foods that do the same to kapha. To reduce ama, eat food as fresh and unprocessed as possible. Junk food breaks most of the laws of Siddha and has cruel effects on teenage skin. Chief Consultant of Deva Vidya Sri Prem Nath has learned and practicing the secrete therapy method called "Tripura Sundari Therapy " ( 500 years back this technique was developed by his ancestors ) which is considered to maintain nurture youthful vigour and vibrant health to sideline senility