Explained: What is your Ayurveda dosha type? Expert decodes Vata, Kapha, and Pitta

One of the world's oldest and most holistic studies of medicine, Ayurveda is based on mind-body balance through self-care. Its principles are based on five natural elements of air, fire, water, ether, and earth. A unique combination of these elements invokes the three doshas. According to Ayurveda, doshas control the psychological as well as functional aspects of the human anatomy like bodily tissues and elimination of waste.

Ayurveda states that the well-being of a person lies in the three dosha categories of Vata, Pitta & Kapha. Any imbalance in these three segments symbolise the presence of an internal disorder or underlying disease. To achieve the optimum mind-body equilibrium, all three doshas have to work according to the underlying principle of Ayurveda.

"Even before we attempt to understand Vata, Pitta, and Kapha, we need to understand ‘Prapancha' or a biome that is made of the five elements. Everything that is manifested in this universe is made up of the ‘Panchamahabhootas', namely earth, water, wind, fire, and space" reveals Radhika Iyer Talati, founder of Anahata Organic, and a yogini by passion. She decodes the five elements which form the base of dosha types:

Earth or ‘Bhoomi' represents mass and inertia
Water or ‘Aapaha' represents fluidity or movement
Fire or ‘Agni' stands for heat and warmth
Wind or ‘Vayu' represents instability and force
The fifth element is Space or ‘Akasha' which represents occupancy

Ayurved and Doshas
According to Ayurveda, the human body is known to contain in it, these very elements of ‘Prapancha' in varying proportions that interact with each other to perform various bodily functions. While all three are present in everyone, Ayurveda proposes that we have a dominant dosha that we are born with and the other two interact with the main one in varying proportions.

‘Tridoshas' are the three humors or forces of the body that bring health when in balance, and give birth to diseases when out of balance. For a healthy life, Ayurveda prescribes rituals based on the cycles of nature, seasons, time of day, and our body's circadian rhythms. Several parameters identify your dosha like physical traits, food habits, personality traits, etc.

"It is said that the dosha, once inherited, cannot be changed", says Iyer. Ayurveda lays down a total of 8 characteristics that one can inherit with the combination of the three primary doshas:

1. Vata dominant
2. Pitta dominant
3. Kapha dominant
4. Vata-Kapha dominant
5. Kapha-Pitta dominant
6. Pitta-Vata dominant
7. Vata-Pitta-Kapha balance
8. Vata-Pitta-Kapha imbalance

Let us take a close look at some popular rituals recommended by Ayurveda to improve your dosha type:

Vata Dominant Dosha
Iyer shares that if you are a Vata-dominant person, you may experience issues like chapped lips, dry skin, weakness in the body, constipation, etc. depending on the severity of the imbalance. Most Vata-dominant people are known to be restless, feel unusually cold, and go through muscle spasms, constrictions, and unusual pains. They experience roughness of skin and lips and have very disturbed sleep on most days.

Ayurveda rituals to balance Vata Dosha
(Practice these three rituals at least 4 to 5 days a week)

1. Wake up between 6:00 - 7:30 am every day and detoxify your internal organs by drinking a warm glass of water soon after. Remember to add a few drops of lemon and a teaspoon of organic honey to this. Once done, sit silently with your spine erect for at least 15 minutes. Practicing this ritual will allow you to channelise your inner self towards more positivity and calmness.

2. Eat your lunch every day by 12:30 pm to aid proper digestion. For a Vata-dominant body, assimilation of nutrients into your body happens best at this time. Do not eat food items that are filled with preservatives and artificial agents. After eating, walk 100 steps and then sit in silence for 10 minutes.

3. A light dinner is highly recommended for people with Vata dosha. Warm soups, fresh seasonal salads, and fibrous items will do well to balance this dosha. A warm bath after two hours of the meal will calm the internal Vayu and allow for a peaceful night's sleep. Before bed practice navel oiling every day where the gut lining is facilitated.

Pitta Dominant Dosha
A Pitta-dominant individual is known to be passionate, intellectual, happy, conscientious, and driven by nature. But an excess of this dosha can result in having a bad temperament, intolerance, aggression, and stubbornness. These traits then become a major cause of chronic health issues such as skin defects, hypertension, and indigestion which will further lead to complicated health problems.

A Pitta balancing routine can help balance the internal heat that will keep the mental and physical body healthy. Here are six rituals or routines that a Pitta-dominant individual can practice:

Ayurveda rituals to balance Pitta Dosha
(Practice these three rituals at least 4 to 5 days a week)

1. A Pitta body type must wake up 1.5 hours before sunrise. They are advised to drink a large glass of warm water for cleansing and purification of the body. It is helpful to step into the early morning sun for at least 20 minutes daily. The penetration of Vitamin D happens flawlessly during this process which in turn regulates the absorption of calcium in the body.

2. Taking a bath with cold water is recommended for Pitta Dosha. You can make it a personalised ritual by using natural fragrances like sandalwood or vetiver in normal tap water.

3. Your eating habits must consist of fresh, healthy, and organic foods. Finish breakfast by 9am, lunch by 1pm, and dinner by 7pm.

4. Watch your breathing. Pitta-dominant individuals experience stressful conditions throughout the day. Hence, practicing deep breathing techniques can help a lot. Get into the habit of slowing down your activities and consciously breathing at least three times a day.

5. Drink a lot of warm water throughout the day. This will reduce a lot of anxiety, irritation, and sorrow, try deep breathing and drink lots of water.

6. The process of excretion is very important to keep Pitta dosha at bay. Herbs like Triphala are laxative and thus highly recommended to purify the colon. Pitta-dominant persons must consume a teaspoon of triphala before going to bed. Sleeping by 10pm will also ease the pitta inside allowing for a fresh and healthy start the next day.

Kapha Dominant Dosha
Kapha dominant person is usually endowed with a strong built and high stamina. These individuals are good-looking with smooth skin and thick hair. However, when their dosha builds in excess, they tend to gain sudden weight and their bodies bloat because of fluid retention. They also experience skin allergies more often.

If neglected, this condition may lead to one becoming overweight with sleep disorders leading to insomnia and respiratory illnesses like bronchitis and asthma. Kapha-dominant persons are also known to suffer from lifestyle diseases like thyroid malfunction, diabetes and depression. Here are six rituals or routines that you can follow if you are a Kapha-dominant person.

Ayurveda rituals to balance Kapha Dosha
(Practice these three rituals at least 4 to 5 days a week)

1. Ayurveda recommends that one inflicted with Kapha dosha, should wake up between 3 - 6 am every day and drink a glass of warm water immediately. Gargling with warm water and salt must become a ritual for people with this dosha type. Performing nasal cleansing can help remove congestion of any kind from the lungs thus strengthening the respiratory tract.

2. Avoiding a solid breakfast and consuming fresh fruits with loads of coconut water before 9:30 am is recommended for balancing this dosha.

3. Practicing yoga asanas every day, combined with pranayama and dhyana can work wonders to help regulate metabolism and maintain strong immunity.

4. An ideal kapha diet is intended to fill you up with energy and vigour. Ayurveda recommends eating at a designated time and adding freshly prepared seasonal foods to their diet.

5. Sleeping before 11pm is suggested along with nasal oiling as a night ritual to balance this dosha type.

In addition, staying close to nature, eating pesticide-free foods, avoiding excess alcohol or caffeine, reducing smoking, sleeping, and waking up on time are habits that can help any dosha remain in balance.

Also Read: Low-fat diet may prolong life, diet low in carbs can raise death risk: Study