Vata, pitta and kapha are the three doshas or types of energy that form the backbone of Ayurveda , an ancient system of natural medicine. All them are found in everyone, but the proportion of each one varies within each person. Most people have dominant doshas. Read on to discover more.
What is a dosha?
Dosha basics
The doshas – or Ayurveda body types – are qualities that influence all of the body’s functions, from biological processes to thoughts and feelings. Understanding your make up is empowering as it gives you an insight into who you are, how you should live, what foods you should eat and how to get the most out of life.
They are based on the five Ayurvedic elements; space (akasha), air (vayu), fire (tejas), water (jala), and earth (prithvi). Each one is made up of two of the five elements which gives the dosha its characteristics.
Doshas and your body
We all contain vata, pitta and kapha, but it is their particular combination that makes us who we are. The division between the doshas is the keystone to helping us determine and manage our genetic constitution, or “prakriti”.
Doshas, although present from birth, are not inert. They can change according to a variety of circumstances, such as what food we eat, whether the weather is hot or cold, how happy we are feeling, how late we go to bed. When circumstances cause a particular dosha to become aggravated, it can result in emotional and physical discomfort, like stress and inflammation.
It is common to be a combination of constitutional types: some people are pure vata, pitta or kapha, but many are vata-pitta, vata-kapha or pitta-kapha (the dominant quality is listed first). Or – more rarely – an equal balance of all three, vata-pitta-kapha.
Read on to learn about the dosha types, which genetic constitution (prakriti) you have and how to balance them all for ultimate health. You can even take our easy quiz to quickly find your dosha.
Vata dosha
The Vata body type’s elements are space (akasha) and air (vayu). Vata regulates the nervous and immune systems and overseeing the input-output functions in our body. It is responsible for all movement in the body: the flow of breath, the expression of speech, circulation of blood, elimination of wastes, menstruation and giving birth. It moves the diaphragm, muscles and limbs and also stimulates the intellect. Vata is the wind element that is held within the vast expanse of space, such as our atmosphere, a hollow cave or our intestines.
Vata body type
Slender and/or tall Often cold with icy hands and feet Prone to dry skin and dry hair Loathsome of cold climates Vata mind
Creative Excitable, lively and fun Irregular in daily routine Fearful and worried when stressed Vata symptoms
You’ll be able to tell if there’s an excess of vata if you lose weight, experience piercing pains or spasms, rigidity, numbness, cracking joints, dry skin, dehydration, an astringent taste in the mouth, dark discolourations of the skin and bodily excretions, dizziness, painful or scanty periods and insomnia. Too little vata and you may feel sluggish and lazy. More extremely, you might suffer from confusion, deliriousness and loss of consciousness.
While vata types can have natural creative flair, too much vata can make you increasingly fearful, anxious, nervous, lonely and depressed. Not enough vata can create a lack of enthusiasm or the desire to speak.
The dosha’s light, scatty and erratic nature means that vata types need to be wary of circumstances, places and people that make them feel insecure and frightened.
How to balance vata
You can balance vata’s cold, airy tendencies by increasing its opposing qualities: more warmth, moisture and earthiness, and reducing those experiences that are light, cold or dry. Include an oil massage, using sesame oil make sure you have a daily routine, learn relaxation techniques and practise positive thinking.
Pitta dosha
Pitta controls digestion and metabolism, as well as overseeing the cellular generation of energy. It’s made up of the qualities of fire (tejas) and water (jala), which are the regulatory elements in nature. This seemingly contradictory combination actually works in harmony: pitta exists as water or oil in the body, preserving the tissues from the destructive aspect of fire. Just think of the moist lining in the stomach protecting it from fiery and potentially corrosive digestive juices.
Pitta body type
A medium physique, strong and well-built Prone to physical problems such as rashes or inflammations of the skin Fair in skin type, often reddish with freckles and sunburns easily Uncomfortable in the sun or hot weather Pitta mind
Good at concentrating Orderly, focused and self-confident Passionate and romantic A good public speaker Aggressive, demanding and pushy Competitive Subject to temper tantrums, impatience, and anger Pitta symptoms
If pitta is high you can feel hot and burn with hunger. It is the force of metabolic activity in the body, controlling the heartbeat, hormone levels, body temperature, visual perception, hunger, thirst and skin quality. Pitta is also responsible for the function of the liver, the secretion of bile and digestion in the stomach and small intestine.
Signs of an increase in pitta include an aversion to heat, a sour or bitter taste in the mouth, loose stools and red eyes and skin. You may have heartburn, high blood pressure, a fever, skin rashes, hot flushes and suffer from fainting.
Too little pitta results in increased signs of vata and kapha, poor digestion, pallor and coldness. Pitta imbalances tend to increase with the onset of puberty and carry on through mid-life, resulting in acne, menstrual or hormonal irregularities, hyperacidity, heart problems or inflammations.
Emotionally, an imbalanced pitta body type manifests as anger, frustration and irritation. Pitta people are critics, quick to judge others but quietly harshest on themselves.
How to balance pitta
To balance the ‘intense’ nature of pitta, try to find opposing qualities of calm, coolness, compassion and moderation. Taking on qualities found in vita dosha. Use natural, mild laxatives and blood- cleansing herbs such as amla and neem leaf.
When in balance, you experience a healthy appetite and thirst, balanced production of hormones and enzymes, intelligence, courage, flexibility, a healthy complexion and strong eyesight. Pitta people are charming and charismatic leaders who love to be the centre of attention.
Kapha dosha
Kapha is made up of water (jala) and earth (prithvi) elements. Just as earth is moistened by reviving water, kapha literally holds the body together by moistening the ‘earthen’ structures of the tissues and skin. It takes charge of the storage of the energy that vata has brought in and that pitta has managed, in the form of fats in the cell membrane and carbohydrates in the cell wall. This helps to give lubrication, structure and form to the whole body.
Kapha body type
Physically strong and with a sturdy, heavier build Sluggish in digestion with a tendency to be overweight Often ill with colds, congestion, sinus headaches and respiratory problems including asthma Soft hair and skin with large eyes and a low, soft voice Kapha mind
Easygoing, relaxed and slow-paced Affectionate and loving Forgiving and compassionate with a nonjudgmental nature Slower in speech Not easily upset and can be a point of stability for others Kapha symptoms
Signs of too much kapha include excess mucus and salivation, coldness, heaviness, scysts, tumours, dull pain, sluggish digestion, excessive desire to sleep, and thick and white discharges.
Too little kapha and there will be signs of vata increase, for example, cracking joints, dryness, dizziness and weight loss. Kapha problems, such as coughs and glue ear, often develop in childhood, a time of growth.
How to balance kapha
To balance some of this dosha’s tendency to ‘hold on’, kapha types can try to let go of more in life, increase the amount of movement they do, undertake more stimulating activities, share more and clear out their cupboards more regularly. Use expectorants such as pippali, ginger or black pepper with warming herbs such as ashwagandha and cinnamon.
When in balance, kapha gives strength, solidity, protection and endurance. You can always rely on a kapha body type in a time of need, they are very solid and give great hugs!
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Glynis Barber
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