Health With Ayurveda

What's Your Dosha -

When first learning Ayurveda it can seem very confusing. The first step in this beautiful holistic living is finding your Dosha or body type. I will give you a basic description of each one.

Ayurveda is a Sanskrit word in Hindi, meaning "the science of life." It's been in practice for thousands of years and has become popular in the West. The basic principles of Ayurveda and its indisputable health advantages have played a fundamental reason why it has become popular.

Ayurveda recognizes the uniqueness of the individual and considers all aspects of the person, including the body, mind, and spirit. It offers natural ways to treat disease, prevention, and promote good health and longevity. It gives the person the power to control their health, lifestyle, and overall well-being.

Whereas in the West, doctors look mainly to the physical body for answers to disease and isolate different organs for diagnosis, Ayurveda looks to the whole body and how every organ is related and works in unison. Ayurveda also recognizes that it is not just the physical body that can cause disease but how the mind and spirit can contribute to creating an imbalance leading to physical and emotional ailments.

Ayurveda uses three names to describe the different body types: Pitta, Vata, and Kapha. Each person has a dominant 'Dosha' that rules the body, and the remaining two follow it. Everyone is slightly different in their order of body types, and it is important to focus mainly on your strongest one.

Here is a basic description of all three. Pitta Dosha is responsible for mental functions like intelligence, confidence, and organization. Pitta is also responsible for emotions such as joy, happiness, anger, and jealousy. It controls all digestive functions and enzymes and rules the body's absorption and assimilation of the foods eaten. It regulates body heat and sweating and controls the metabolism of the individual. Pitta's essential elements are fire and water and have hot, moist, sour-smelling, light, and sharp qualities. Pitta individuals, when in balance, are brilliant and quick thinkers, and their digestion is good. When out of balance, they can have fiery tempers, acne, hot flashes, bad breath, and extreme digestive irritations such as ulcers, heartburn, and increased thirst.

Vata Dosha includes the individual's intuition, sensitivity, and imagination. It is responsible for the function of the nervous system, endocrine system, sense organs, and movement inside the body, including the intestines, heart, colon, and lungs. The fundamental elements for the Vata Dosha are wind and space. When the Vata Dosha is in balance, they are very communicative, creative, and resilient. The Vata Dosha can experience fear, doubt, and insecurity when out of balance. They can suffer from intestine and bowel problems, including gas and constipation. They will also suffer from weight loss, chapped, dry skin, constipation, and gas.

The Kapha Dosha includes mental functions like memory, tranquility, and emotions such as devotion, faith, and sympathy. The physical aspects of this Dosha are the muscles and skeletal system, including the body frame. This can affect the joints, muscles, and tissue building.
The Kapha Dosha is strong, calm, and patient when in balance. They show healthy signs of love and forgiveness. Have clear lungs and are free of congestion and allergies. The fundamental elements for Kapha are earth and water. When out of balance, they can suffer from greed, mental dullness, and lack of motivation. They will have trouble controlling their weight, become lethargic, and become easily depressed and over possessive.

Each Dosha rules different aspects of the body, mind, and spirit, and together when in balance, a person is a happy, content, and healthy. When any Doshas becomes out of balance, the person will suffer physically and mentally—keeping all three Doshas in balance by listening to your body's needs and desires.

If you are unfamiliar with Ayurveda and wish to study more, there are many websites with free information, and some even have basic questionnaires you can take to get you started on this beautiful way of living. I have been practicing Ayurveda for over ten years, and it is a lovely way to create a healthy lifestyle. Namaste