A Beginner’s Guide To Ayurveda & Balancing Your 3 Doshas – Vata, Pitta, Kapha
What is Ayurveda?
AYURVEDA has become a very trendy word these days that is associated with everything from elaborate spa treatments with exotic herbal concoctions, to dry brushing your body and scraping your tongue to menus involving sprouted mung beans and dishes called Kitchari.
In it’s simplest form Ayurveda is the natural science of living a balanced life. What is not often know is that, Yoga and Ayurveda a go together as ‘sister sciences.’ •Yoga and Ayurveda are two distinct sciences, but they go hand in hand as they both stem from the same Vedic system of wellness that has been passed down first orally, then written in Sanskrit, for over 5000 years..
Ayurvedic theory says that all parts of a person’s life affect their health. Since all parts of a person’s life affect their health, it makes sense that the Vedas cover a wide range of topics, such as health and healthcare techniques, astrology, spirituality, government and politics, art, and how people act.
The Goal of Ayurveda
Ayurveda is essentially about how the mind and body work together to live in balance and health.
The main goal of Ayurveda is to help people stay healthy. It is based on the idea that overall health and wellness depend on maintaining balance. If you’ve been looking for a way to take care of your health as a wholistic way, the core principles behind Ayurveda can offer a way to work with what your mind and body enjoy to achieve this. Ayurveda can help us live well by teaching us how to change and adapt our lives in any given moment and situation.
Ayurvedic medicine focuses on health and wellness as a whole. It’s the opposite of a “one-size-fits-all” approach. It uses a wide range of methods, each of which has its own benefits.
What are the Ayurvedic Doshas?
Ayurveda is based on the principle that the world is made of five elements: aakash (space), jala (water), prithvi (earth), teja (fire), and vayu (air)
When each element is mixed together, it makes three ‘mind/body types’, or doshas, which are called vata, kapha, and pitta. In Ayurveda these doshas are in charge of a person’s physical, mental, and emotional health.
Ayurveda says that everyone has all three doshas, but has a different amount of each dosha, and usually one is more dominant than the others. For instance, one person may have more pitta than vata, while another may have more vata than pitta.
The ratio of vata, pitta, and kapha in a person’s body is believed to define their Ayurvedic Constitution, which then can be worked with to create a balance which then leads to the best possible health.
What is each dosha like?
Determining your dosha is a lot more complex than just looking at your body size and weight, as is commonly suggested. It’s good to keep in mind, when trying to identify your dosha, that as much emphasis is put on our emotional and energetic states. Also that you can present as one type of dominant dosha,while actually being ‘out of balance’.
An Ayurvedic practitioner can figure out a person’s exact dosha combination by looking in depth at their physical, emotional, mental, and behavioural traits.
Here is a simple overview at each dosha.
Vata
Vata is mostly made up of the two elements air and space (also called ether), and it is usually described as cold, light, dry, rough, flowing, and spacious. Autumn represents vata for its cool, crisp days.
Most of the time, people with the vata dosha are said to be slim, active, and creative. They are known for thinking outside the box, but it’s easy for them to get off track. Also, their mood is heavily affected by the weather, the people around them, and the foods they eat.
Strengths: learns quickly, is very creative, can do many things at once, is kind, flexible, “on the go,” and usually has light bone structure.
Weaknesses: forgetful, anxious, moody, easily overwhelmed, very sensitive to cold, has trouble sleeping, erratic eating and drinking habits, prone to digestive problems and gas, and poor circulation (cold hands and feet).
Vata Tips: Ayurveda says that a vata dominant person should have a regular daily schedule, deal with stress through meditation and other calming activities, and keep their body temperature up by staying out of the cold and eating and drinking warm things.
Pitta
The pitta dosha is made up of fire and water. It is linked to people who are determined. People usually say that it is hot, light, sharp, oily, liquid, and moveable. Summer is called pitta season because the days are sunny and hot.
People with pitta are said to be strong leaders, have a muscular build, and be very athletic. They are very goal-oriented, driven, and competitive. Still, some people don’t like how assertive and intense these types can be when pitta becomes imbalanced
Strengths: smart, determined, quick to learn, self-motivated, easy to master skills, strong desire to succeed, strong, natural leaders, fast metabolism, good circulation, healthy skin and hair.
Weaknesses: impatient, prone to argue, always hungry, mood swings when hungry, prone to acne and inflammation, and sensitive to hot temperatures.
Pitta Tips: Those with a pitta dominant dosha should try to find a balance between work and life and stay away from extreme heat (e.g., weather, spicy food)
Kapha
Kapha is made up of earth and water. It is steady, stable, heavy, slow, cold, and soft. Spring is called kapha season since many places slowly come out of hibernation.
People with this dosha are said to be strong, have thick bone structure, and care about other people. People know them as people who keep things together and help others. Kapha dominant people don’t get angry very often, think before they act, and move slowly and deliberately through life.
Strengths: caring, trusting, patient, calm, wise, happy, romantic, strong bones and joints, and a healthy immune system.
Weaknesses: slow metabolism so are prone to weight gain, sluggishness, oversleeping, breathing problems (asthma, allergies), higher risk of heart disease, mucus buildup, prone to depression, needs regular motivation and encouragement.
Kapha Tips: For good health, a kapha dominant person should focus on regular exercise, a healthy diet, maintaining a warm body temperature (by, for example, sitting in a sauna or eating warm food), and establishing a regular sleep routine.
Diet and the Doshas
When a person feels out of balance, they should stay away from foods that match their dosha. Also, a person’s diet may need to change with the seasons. For example, in the winter, they may need to eat more warm foods.
Even though most of the foods on the diet, like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and foods with little processing, are good for your health
Kapha
Foods to eat: foods that are hot, spicy, sour, and filling (e.g., most fruits and vegetables, whole grains, eggs, low fat cheese, unprocessed meats, hot spices)
Foods to Avoid: Heavy, “fatty” foods should be avoided (e.g., fats, oils, processed foods, nuts, seeds)
Vata
Foods to eat:Warm, “moist,” and soft foods are good to eat (e.g., berries, bananas, peaches, cooked vegetables, oats, brown rice, lean meat, eggs, dairy)
Foods to Avoid: Bitter, dry, and cold (e.g., raw vegetables, cold desserts, dried fruit, nuts, seeds)
Pitta
Foods to eat: foods that are light, cold, sweet, and fill you up (e.g., fruits, non-starchy vegetables, oats, eggs)
Foods to Avoid: Heavy, spicy, and sour foods (e.g., red meat, potatoes, hot spices)
Exercise for Your Dosha Type
Certain types of exercise can over or under stimulate a dosha, or help bring it into balance.
Vata.
Vata-dominant doshas should focus on activities that keep them moving, like cycling, running, walking, yoga, tai chi, etc., because they are always on the go.
Kapha.
Kapha doshas should work out with a friend and do a mix of cardio and weight-resistance exercises to keep themselves interested and motivated. Any kind of activity is good for this group.
Pitta.
Pitta doshas tend to try too hard and shouldn’t work out when it’s hot. Team sports are a great way for pitta people to stay active and satisfy their natural desire to be successful.
Most research on exercise and Ayurveda is about slow, gentle movements like yoga and tai chi. Studies have shown that these exercises are good for your health in many ways, like improving your quality of life, getting fit, and dealing with stress.
Lifestyle practices
Ayurvedic medicine encourages healing of the whole body, including the mind and emotions. This can include things like yoga, meditation, mindful eating, good sleep hygiene, spending time alone and with other people, and figuring out how to balance your work and personal life.
Particularly, it’s best to have a daily routine that includes all of these healthy habits. Ayurveda says that having a routine keeps you in tune with the elements and helps you stay healthy.
One study found that vata dominant people were more likely to say they didn’t get enough sleep, while kapha-dominant people were more likely to sleep too much and take naps.
Beyond this, there is no research to back up the other parts and practices of Ayurveda. But having a daily routine and planning your day ahead of time is linked to healthier habits like exercise, healthy eating, and better sleep.
Mindfulness and meditation have also been shown to reduce stress and improve quality of life, creativity, and the ability to make decisions.
Even though there is no proof that your lifestyle should be based on your doshas, it is still a good idea to follow these healthy habits.
Even though it makes sense in theory to choose types of exercise based on your personality and sensitivities,
Top 3 Benefits of Ayurveda
There are so many benefits to integrating Ayurvedic principles into your life, here are just a few you may experience:
It can reduce inflammation.
You may already know that inflammation is a part of many diseases. It can be caused by not getting enough sleep (or getting bad sleep), digestive problems, and bad eating habits. Focusing on nutrition, sleep, and mindfulness, as Ayurveda does, could help reduce inflammation by getting to its root causes. One study even shows that Ayurvedic herbs like turmeric can help treat inflammatory conditions like metabolic syndrome, arthritis, and anxiety. On our retreats we provide a daily tumeric tonic called Jamu that has so many health benefits.
It can improve sleep.
Some of the vices of modern life that can make it hard to sleep are processed snacks, caffeine, alcohol, and electronics that are always around. Ayurveda’s more balanced and time-tested approach to healthy eating and mindfulness may help you sleep better. Besides that, simple things like rubbing your temples with an Ayurvedic oil like jasmine or coconut can help you relax and fall asleep.
It can promote natural weight loss and weight maintenance.
Even though dieting isn’t the main focus of Ayurvedic medicine, it can help you get to and stay at a healthy weight. Some Ayurvedic herbs have been linked to weight loss, and but more useful is mindful eating and exercise like yoga that can help you live a healthier life in general that is sustainable without feeling deprived.
Ayurvedic medicine is still used a lot today because it focuses on working in harmony with your body, mind and spirit to naturally bring it back into balance, so even just following the main guidelines will help align with a generally healthy lifestyle using common sense ideas that are accesible to everyone.
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