Ayurveda: Know Your Dosha or Body Type

by Seema Sahani

Health is an ongoing process of achieving and maintaining a dynamic balance in all the aspects of life — this is what Ayurveda teaches. Through the means of comprehensive natural therapies customized to suit the individual’s body and their mind constitution. It’s current balance is also of great importance.

We all have a place of balance, our basic nature or constitution, which in Ayurveda is called Prakriti.  It is determined at the time of conception. By knowing your prakriti, obtaining perfect health is possible. Knowing your dosha or body type, an Ayurvedic practitioner can tell which diet, herbal preparations, lifestyle changes, massages, yoga asanas and other Ayurvedic medical therapies can help you.

These three primary life forces – Vata, Pitta and Kapha are the doshas that bind the five elements (space, air, fire, water and earth) down into a living flesh.

Vata, pitta and kapha are the fundamental principles governing the physiological process. When imbalanced, they afflict the body.  They act as basic constituents and protective barriers for the body in its normal physiological condition and when out of balance, they contribute to disease.

Vata means wind or “that which moves things.” It represents the force that governs biological activity.

Pitta means fire or “that which digests things.” It represents the fire that digests all activity and experiences.

Kapha means phlegm or “that which holds things together.” It represents the physical and emotional home in which we reside.

Vata women are thin and either tall or short. Weight gain is to the minimal and they might have little to no fat tissue. Their hair is dry and their skin tends to be on the dry side as well. Eyes are brown or dark, as their complexion is darkish. Immune system tends to be weak, as does the circulation and menstruation is often irregular with little flow and sharp pain or cramps.

Pitta women are medium in size and in height. They don’t tend to gain much weight. Their hair is slightly oily and tends to turn gray at a younger age. Skin tends to be oily too and prone to pimples and infections and their complexion may be fair or reddish. Their immune system is normally good but menstruation is often profuse — dark, red blood and sometimes accompanied by pain.

Kapha women are larger in size and can be either taller or shorter but do have thicker bones. Physically they are the strongest but can be overweight in size. They tend to put on weight easily and have difficulty taking it off. They have the best quality in hair and their complexion is fair and lustrous. They often have poor circulation but the strongest immune system. Menstruation for kapha women is very regular, with medium flow and with little to no pain.

What’s your dosha?
You can email me at AyurvedaForLifeNYC@Gmail.com
www.SeemaSahani.com