The word Ayurveda is Sanskrit for “knowledge of life.” It is the ancient medicinal practice out of India that has been followed for 5,000 years. Unlike Western, or even modern Easter medicine, Ayurveda is a natural and holistic view of the human body and beyond. It takes into account a person’s physical, mental and spiritual characteristics. I find it fascinating that this is practiced still today and yet Western medicine leaves most of it out of their practice entirely. Imagine what would happen if East and West combined what they know and were able to treat people as a whole, rather than as simply a physical body with a problem.
When treating a person using Ayurvedic technique, your characteristics are broken down into three Doshas. Doshas are the combination of the elements, earth, fire, water and air. Your Dosha regulates creating, maintenance and elimination of tissue and waste. When these things become pronounced in one way or another, it creates imbalance. Everyone has some of all three Doshas, but one is your dominant Dosha and knowing what it is will reveal what the best foods are for you to eat, what kind of exercise is most beneficial, how much to sleep, etc… It also highlights what might be a known struggle associated with your Dosha so that you can keep it in mind instead of ignoring it and then presenting with a problem “out of nowhere.” Ayurveda maintains balance.
The Three Doshas
Vata- Ether, Air
Vata body frames tend to be thin, have a hard time gaining weight and have an irregular appetite. Their skin and hair tend to be thin, cold, dry and frizzy. A Vata may struggle with constipation and sweat minimally. They tend to have an energetic, indecisive, nervous and/or creative temperament while having the ability to learn quickly but forget easily. THey are talkative with possibly quick speech patterns. They can also be a bit scattered. They are active, restless and social, but dislike routine. Vata’s prefer cold, dry climates.
Pitta- Fire, Water
Pitta’s have a muscular build but tend to have a hard time maintaining and losing weight. They can have a very healthy appetite with regular, loose and commonly large evacuations (Poop). They sweat a lot and do not like heat and humidity. Their hair is straight, thin and may be prone to premature color loss. They may have oily skin, freckles, almond shaped, brightly colored eyes and may be prone to sunburn and acne. Pitta’s are intelligent, articulate, driven, decisive, funny, direct and possibly arrogant. They tend to be competitive and like organization and planning.
Kapha – Earth, Water
Kapha’s are strong and broad, but tend to have a hard time losing weight and easily gain. They tend towards a steady appetite and slow, regular bowel movement. They have cool, thick, soft skin that may be oily and large round eyes with thick lashes. Kapha’s sweat moderately, preferring cold, damp climates and may have thick, wavy and oily hair. They speak slowly and melodically, prefers leisurely activity and likes routine.
I would love to have a quiz here for you to find out what your Dosha is. It’s fun! However, I have taken quizzes on several websites and nearly always get a different answer. I just took one that said my dominant Dosha is Pitta. I am NOT a Pitta. I lean heavily toward Kapha with Vata coming in second. I think that it is important for you to read and categorize yourself based on the characteristics that you see in yourself.