Ayurveda recognises that all living things are composed of the five elements : Air, space, fire, water and earth. Without a single one of these elements we would not be able to exist. Each of these elements play a fundamental role in influencing everything from our pattern of health, to our temperament, our character, our mental and emotional tendencies, our abilities, our gifts, as well as our perception of reality and how we respond to life’s challenges whenever they arise. Ayurveda explains that there are three energy patterns (life-energies) that exist within all humans and sentient beings, and these energy patterns are referred to as the three doshas : Vata, pitta and kapha. Each of the doshas are composed of two of the five elements, and each of them are in charge of different processes in the body and the mind. Each of us possess all three doshas but one or more dominates our constitution, giving birth to very individual characteristics and our inherent nature. Ayurveda identifies these three basic types of energy of functional principles that exist in everyone and everything. These three energy patterns exist within every tissue, every cell and even every organ in our body and they influence everything from our bodily functions to our thoughts, emotional tendencies and our personality. The doshas can not be seen by the naked eye, and if a surgeon was to do an autopsy they certainly wouldn’t be able to view them within the human body. But their effects on the body and mind can not be missed. Each of the doshas commands a specific force in the body and each is associated with certain sensory qualities.

Our particular constitution determines and influences everything from your personality, to your body type, to your emotional tendencies and even your innate gifts, abilities and strengths. Our inherent constitution is established at birth and remains the same throughout our lifetime. For example, if we are born with a more sensitive digestion, or perhaps the tendency to suffer from overwhelm, anxiety, insomnia and burn out during times of stress, then this will be our lifelong pattern and tendency, and in order to bring ourselves back into balance, we need to remain mindful and aware of when our tendencies begin to override and negatively affect our wellbeing, so we can take a step back and take time for rest, nurture and realignment. Just as everyone has a unique iris or fingerprint, each person is born with a particular pattern of energy that is a combination of physical, mental and emotional characteristics, and goes out of balance, or returns to balance as a result of very individual factors which are unique to our own experience.

The concept of constitution is central to Ayurveda. It is what determines our mind-body type. With this understanding we can learn of the foods, spices, herbal medicines, experiences, thought patterns, climates, atmospheres, colours, sounds, forms of movement that either move us towards or away from balance. Ayurveda understands that every living being has an inherent tendency to move in the direction of self-healing and balance. When we move towards balance we move towards our prakriti - our unique proportions of vata, pitta and kapha that we inherit at birth.

All of us are born with what is known as our ‘Prakriti’, which translates as original creation - Who we are at birth in a state of balance and as our most authentic self. Ayurveda describes our prakriti as the following : A person’s prakruti is the inherent balance of the three doshas at the moment of their creation. It is at this moment that a person’s physiological and psychological tendencies become fixed. Prakriti is our unique psychophysiology and determines our unique inherent proportions of vata, pitta, and kapha which in turn create our mind body type.

We tend to experience imbalances and misalignment as a result of our ‘Vikriti’, which translates as after creation - Who we are as a consequence of interacting and being exposed to the external world : Who we are due to environment, upbringing, culture, and the interference of outside factors that have typically disturbed our natural balance and alignment as an individual. Our current state of health is a reflection of all the choices we've made up until now, as well as a result of how we have responded to the events in our lives. Therefore, a person's current state of health is not a true reflection of their natural constitution. Once we address any imbalances at the mind-body level, we begin helping a person return to their 'prakriti', who they are in their natural state of balance with full access to the depth of their potential.

Although we are born as this authentic being in a state of balance, each one of us has a weakness or a tendency towards experiencing certain imbalances. This is based on multiple factors including genetics, our own parents' health during our time of conception, and the health of our mother during our development in the womb. However, the greatest factor that will determine the state of our health are based on the choices we make throughout our lifetime.

Vata’s are usually slim, bony, and have straight body shapes. They have a tendency to gain weight in the middle. Their skin is typically fine and dry and they have tremendous sensitivity to the cold and have difficult sweating. Vata types are prone to feeling stressed and anxious and may tire come later afternoon. They have irregular and erratic appetites and struggle to keep a consistent routine since their hunger and thirst is irregular. In Ayurveda, they are known as the creative type, full of enthusiasm, ideas, curiosity when in balance, and can be sometimes considered eccentric, unconventional and outlandish. They are highly sensitive to their environment, and the energy of others, and need to take extra care to ground and restore in nature so as not to absorb unwanted energy. Their high sensitivity makes them gifted healers, film directors, designers, artists, musicians, actors, chefs, yoga teachers, small creative business owners, and any other area of work that permits a healthy amount of unstructured experimentation and exploration so that their ever expansive outlook and creativity can thrive. Although vata types prefer to work in environments that allow them to work at their own pace and on their own schedule, they are excellent collaborators when in balance and inspiring and enlightening individuals to be around. They tend to be at their best when surrounded by those who understand their sensitive nature and their need for alone time in order to regather their energy and return to work anew. Vatas can have ten projects all on the go, but have trouble bringing them to fruition. Out of balance Vatas especially have this tendency due to the lack of pitta (fire) to propel them forward, and the lack of kapha (earth) to help them feel grounded and stable as they embark on new projects.

Despite not having a great memory, Vata types are quick to learn, spiritually introspective, and are at their happiest when outdoors in nature and engaged in creativity activities. In being sensitive and conscious to their surroundings, they have a heightened sense of what looks and feels good, and an appreciation for beauty, and tend to have a million thoughts to express and so you might recognise a vata when you come across someone who seems as if they have their heads in the clouds and are talking at a million miles per hour. The qualities of vata are light, dry, rough, clear, active, cold and mobile, and pungent, bitter and astringent in taste. Therefore, when we are looking at how to balance vata, we need to choose more of the qualities or characteristics in food and our lifestyle choices which have the opposite qualities - for example foods that are heavy, moist, smooth, warm and sweet are particularly good for Balancing vata types. In consuming foods with these qualities, we are taking in more of the earth element into our bodies and helping to ground vata, and reduce the air quality that creates this feeling of anxiousness and instability. The more we take in the earth element, the more we reduce excess vata, bringing it back into equilibrium and thus, experiencing more of the positive qualities of vata. Vatas also benefit from grounding activities in which they can engage their bodies, hands and get out of their head. Gardening, art therapy, spending time in nature and around animals and small groups of friends, being near elements that recharge (fire and water), and practising grounding techniques are very balancing for vata types.

In balance, Vata personalities are vivacious, joyful, friendly, open-minded creative, free-spirited, adventurous, embrace change and learn easily, are clear and alert, engaged with the outside world, socialise with ease, sleep long and lightly and have balanced digestion, good circulation and an even body temperature.

Out of balance, Vata personalities can be tired, fatigued, forgetful, spaced-out, anxious, frazzled, nervous, lacking focus, and having difficult falling asleep, suffering occasional constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, bloating and indigestion.

Because of their creative nature, similarly to pittas they have the ability to re-invent themselves and emerge from challenges and struggles transformed. It might aid imbalanced vatas to consider healing modalities such as massage, reiki, acupuncture, aromatherapy, yin yoga, and anything else that calms the mind and helps the spirit to ground back into the body.

Avoid foods that are: Astringent, bitter, or pungent as these increase vata. Raw foods are also not good for vata types because it is more difficult to digest. Avoid sour fruits such as apples, pears, pomegranates, dried fruits. And vegetables such as lettuce, potatoes, tomatoes and raw onions, and grains such as buckwheat, barely ,millet and corn.

Consume more: Eggs, fish, seafood, chicken, and other white meat.

Fruits such as bananas, coconut, apples, figs, grapes, mangos, melons, oranges, papayas, peaches, pineapple, plums, berries, cherries, apricots, avocados. Vegetables should be cooked or steamed and green beans, carrots, okra, beetroot, celeriac, asparagus and sweet potatoes are the best for vata types.

PITTA TYPE Pittas are distinguished by their powerful intellect and ambition. They are born leaders brimming with energy and strength and tend to be perfectionists. They’re extremely passionate and their aim is to thrive in their careers and leave a significant mark. They are constantly working to improve and develop themselves and they are the type of individuals that will successfully finish one project and immediately leap into the next creation, finding it hard to relax or slow down because of their thirst for challenge and achievement. Pittas are the most hot blooded and hot headed of the three doshas, and can become quite obsessive and caught up in their desire to achieve so much. They can struggle to slow down, expand their interests beyond their work goals and are prone to burn out. Pitta types usually have a moderate to athletic physique. They gain weight evenly and can build muscle more easily than the other doshas. They have soft, lustrous, warm skin and heat up easily. Because the fire element is what pitta is composed of, pitta types tend to have strong digestion, strong metabolism, a good and consistent appetite and the drive and energy to get things done. Pitta types are determined, intense, ambitious, competitive, highly intelligent, sharp, have keen discrimination, and will work tirelessly reach their aspirations. Because of their high energy levels and competence, they make great lawyers, accountants, leaders, company owners, doctors, anything related to politics, law, finance and headship roles. Pittas need to do work that is goal oriented and structured.

They handle pressure and intensity well, and need to be challenged in order to stay engaged. Similarly to vatas, they like to innovate, create their own path and do things their way, which makes them strong and influential leaders. However unlike vatas, pittas tend to be better at starting projecting and seeing them through. They have a strong appetite for competition, and are very good planners, organisers and good decision makers. Because of their thirst to achieve, they can easily experience burn-out, and in order to stay in balance, or burn away excess fire, high intensity exercise, weight training, challenging forms of yoga, running, swimming and kick-boxing. Regular meditation, Qi gong, mental challenges, sufficient relaxation, and at least seven hours of sleep are all crucial for balancing pitta. It is important to note that even if your personality type expresses strong pitta characteristics, you could in actual fact be more vata constitutionally speaking, but conditioned to work like a pitta, and this could be working against you if that is the case. Culturally, we tend to favour pitta type qualities and characteristics because it aligns with the masculine paradigm of “work, hustle, achieve, keep achieving, and don’t take days off’ - Even for pitta types who are naturally very fiery and love to achieve, this is a dysfunctional narrative that can fuel unhealthy patterns such as work addiction, obsessiveness, competitiveness, jealousy and aggression. As a society, we are generally more pitta imbalanced than anything else because of our excessive desire and hunger to accumulate more, rather than appreciate what we already have. Therefore it is important for those who identify as ‘pitta’ to question as to whether this is naturally how they operate, or whether they have acquired and absorbed unhealthy cultural conditioning around needing to constantly be productive in order to have value. The beauty of Ayurveda is that, in helping you understand your dominant dosha type, it can also help you align with a way of working and being that actually supports you to be even more productive and efficient whilst making less effort and experiencing greater ease and flow as you now organise and go about your day in a way that aligns with your natural state of being, oppose to trying to fit yourself into a system and a way of operating that goes against your inherent blueprint.

In balance, Pittas are driven, full of energy, corporative, vivacious, organised, driven, focused, ambitious, productive, passionate, great leaders, fun to be around, out-going, reliable, innovative, strong digestion and high tolerance for a large variety of foods.

Out of balance, pittas can be Aggressive, self-obsessed, lacking consideration towards others, selfish, domineering, irritable, impatient, aggressive, hot-tempered, unable to see alternative perspectives, workaholics, burnout, excessive sweating, stomach upset, heartburn, diarrhoea, hyperacidity, skin inflammation such as acne eczema, and rashes, and a tendency towards headaches and migraines.

Because the fire element dominates pitta, in order to pacify pitta and keep it in balance, a person with pitta as their dominant dosha needs foods that contain more of the vata and kapha qualities. Foods that are sweet, bitter, cooling, astringent, and contain cold flavours all help to pacify pitta.

Avoid foods that are: Stimulating, spicy, pungent, sour, salty or too hot because these aggravate pittas. This includes foods such as sour fruits like apples, grapefruit, lemons and fried fruit, vegetables such as aubergine, garlic, radishes, tomatoes, and onions. Grains such as buckwheat, millet and corn and fats such as almond, corn, sesame, honey or treacle should be avoided as much as possible. Eggs are ok in moderation, but other meat and fish products should be minimised, including the over-consumption of alcohol which can have a heating effect and exacerbate the negative characteristics that pitta types tend to possess.

Consume more: Bananas, pears, plums, figs, pomegranates, cherries, mangoes, melons, grapes, astringent veg such as leafy greens, green beans, broccoli, peas, cucumber, potatoes, cabbage, squash, mushrooms, lettuce, celeriac, asparagus and courgette, and grains such as barley, cooked oat, rice and wheat which are all very good for reducing pitta. Milk products such as unsalted butter, ghee, goat’s milk and cow’s milk are very cooling, and spices such as coriander, cinnamon, turmeric, cardamon and fennel help to balance digestion and calm inflammation along with sweet juices, fennel tea, aniseed and caraway tea.

KAPHA TYPE

Kaphas tend to have well-developed bodies, broad shoulders, denser bones, well-developed muscles, and soft oily lustrous skin. Kapha types enjoy a regular appetite with a relatively slow-burning digestion. Because Kapha represents the earth element, they tend to be the most grounded personality types out of the three dosha. They are deep sleepers, patience, stable, caring, loyal, understanding, and good listeners who are at their happiest when supporting/giving to others, and being nurtured in return. Kapha types love to be surrounded by the comforts and luxuries of life and have a talent for creating environments in which others feel at ease and supported. The qualities of kapha are cold, moist, dense, heavy, dull, static, smooth, oily, soft, sweet, sour and astringent in taste. Therefore choosing qualities in food and lifestyle choices which have the opposite qualities such as the hot, dry, salty, sharp qualities of pitta, help to balance kapha and reduce any excess kapha in the body. Kapha types do best with jobs that allow them to establish a sense of security, consistency, stability, and comfort for themselves, family and community. People who have a lot of kapha in their constitution tend to operate in a manner that is consistent, stable, structured and thorough. They tend to move at a much slower pace than fiery pitta and excitable vata, and can appear rather slow or ponderous at times to other people. But this is part of what gives them tremendous endurance and strength, and of all the dosha types, kapha tends to have the most robust health because they are more likely to honour the need for rest, and the need to work at their own pace. Kaphas are very fond of food, and so they tend to have a lifelong tendency of being overweight or struggling to lose weight. They prioritise inner tranquility, peace and harmony above all else, and they are tend to notice and enjoy the little things in life and are easily fulfilled by small pleasure, In partnership, they are stable and loyal much like the earth, often acting as the structure in the family that holds things together, and building a family and strong friendships gives them the uttermost satisfaction. While kaphas might be slower to learn, their memory is very strong. Because of their incredible endurance, kaphas are well suited to physically demanding jobs. Their nurturing disposition allows them to excel as caregivers, nurses, healers, successful business owners, leaders in their profession, teachers, writers, artists, or anything that allows them to regularly connect with the earth such as a career in horticulture for garden design. Kaphas have a heightened sense of taste and smell which enables them to excel in any career dependent upon either of these senses. They have a knack for working with their hands and working with nature. Their stability makes them very patient and consistent, lending itself well to work that is detail oriented.

In balance, kaphas have a stable temperament, strong long-term memory, patient, sympathetic, courageous, tolerant, generous, romantic, excellent strength and stamina, a healthy and robust physiology, are stable, steady and consistent in presence, and are very compassionate, affectionate and loving. Out of balance, they tend to gain weight easily and have a slow, sluggish digestion. They may be prone to sinus and respiratory problems, swelling, water retention, stagnation, constipation, diabetes, feel lethargic, feel resistant to change, over-eating or comfort eating during times of stress, experiencing bouts of depression, mental bogginess, inflexibility, inability to let go, lack of motivation and drive and feelings of apathy and ‘what’s the point?’ type thoughts. Because Kapha represents water and earth and the qualities of water and earth are heavy, cold, dense, dry and cold and moist, introducing foods with the pitta quality helps increase the fire that will give kaphas the push they need when feeling sluggish, heavy, complacent, tired, stagnant, or overly-indulgent, as well as introducing foods with qualities that are light, dry and pungent to help stimulate digestion and increase circulation. Avoid foods that are: sour, salty, sweet, oily or high in protein. Do not overindulge with fruits such as pineapple, bananas, dates, or generally very sweet and sour fruits. Do not consume excess sweet vegetables such as squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, courgettes or grains such as white and brown rice or wheat. Try to avoid oils such as butter, coconut oil, and all sorts of sugar.

Consume foods such as: Chicken or turkey, apples, apricots, berries, pears, dried fruit, pomegranates, cherries, cranberries and raisins. Vegetables such as artichoke, aubergine, lettuce, broccoli, chicory, peas, fennel, carrots, garlic, cabbage, peppers, mushrooms, radishes, beetroot, celeriac, asparagus, bean sprouts and onions, grains such as quinoa, millet, buckwheat, barely, oats and couscous, spices such as cayenne pepper, pepper, horseradish, garlic, ginger, turmeric, cloves, cardamon, cinnamon, coriander, caraway, fenugreek, nutmeg, fennel, mint. Drink herbal teas with cinnamon, ginger, or bitter substances.

Bi-doshic:

Most of us have one or two doshas that make up our mind-body type (and therefore several elements that dominate our nature). For example, you could be a vata, a pitta or a kapha, or you could be bi-doshic. With bi-doshic people, there are two doshas that dominate their constitution. If this is the case for you, then you could be a, vata-pitta a vata-kapha, or a pitta-kapha. Both doshas can manifest in either the body or the mind in varying amounts, or equal amounts, influencing your patterns of health accordingly. Since each dosha is composed of two fundamental elements, these elements will manifest through our health tendencies, personality and the activities and habits we gravitate towards as a consequence. Your dominant dosha will be reflected in your physical structure and mental and emotional tendencies. How one vata-pitta persons behaves and expresses themselves will be very different to how another vata-pitta person behaves, because even if both individuals have patterns of thinking that are predominantly governed by vata, and physical patterns of health which are predominant of pitta, the two will still have very unique and individual experiences of their health based on many factor including the quality of their parent’s health during their time of conception, their upbringing, their eating habits, their thought-patterns, and multiple other influences which have contributed to their unique mind-body make up, along with their own individual personalities. So as an Ayurvedic practitioner, we can not compare one vata-pitta with another. Each individual has their own life experience, and their health is a direct reflection of their life experience and must be treated accordingly in order to aid them in returning to balance so they can reap the positive qualities and strengths of their dominant doshas.

Discover your dosha