Ayurveda - Body Type and Foods
Ayurveda is an age-old medicinal science, popularly known as an alternative mode of healing the human body. The benefits of Ayurvedic healing have been hailed by many since it deals with the body from the inside and aims to tackle the cause of the ailment rather than the symptoms.
From the goal of identifying what essentially constitutes the body, came the two key concepts of doshas and gunas. Ayurvedic science teaches that our bodies are made up of two essentials - the body itself and the mind. In other words, the physical attributes and the mental make-up. The combination of both constitutes our prakriti or nature.
Hence, it is important to know our physical nature, so that we are able to nurture ourselves in the best possible manner. The doshas or the body types in Ayurveda are divided into three, as identified by their characteristics. The science decrees that one should eat according to his/her body type to balance all the elements of the body and keep them functioning in harmony. That is the sign of good health.
So let us take a look at these doshas or body types to help you understand your body better and take care of it in a natural and holistic way.
1. The vata type People born with vata body type display the characteristics associated with the element vayu or the air. Like the wind, they are light on their feet, active, free-flowing, and energetic. They usually have high metabolic rate that naturally lends them a thin and slender frame. They have thin skin too, making their veins clearly visible, and it tends to be dry and rough.
Habits: Their eating and sleeping habits are unpredictable and erratic. They don't have a regular appetite or sleeping pattern. They are also light sleepers, often waking up at the slightest disturbance. Some may even suffer from insomnia. Since they are active and restless, they talk and move fast. The vata people do not like cold and windy environments. They are quick to feel the cold and shiver easily. This is because their pulse is fast, light, and irregular.
Nature: Often loners and non-conformists, they do not like big crowds. Their mental and emotional faculties are fast and they are very much in touch with their emotions and opinions. Although intellectual, vatas are not very good in money matters. They are creative and sensitive but can't handle worldly matters. It makes them shy and jittery, leaving them worried and stressed out.
How to balance vata dosh: You should eat warm, heavy, sweet, and moist foods, avoiding the opposite like cold, dry, and bitter foods.
Good for vata: Avocado, beet, carrot, eggplant, olive, pumpkin, radish, sweet potato, spinach, apricot, banana, cherry, peach, citrus fruits, date, mango, papaya, grape, berries, pineapple, plum, rice, oat, wheat, warm drink, herbal or spiced tea, warm milk, fruit and vegetable juice without ice.
Bad for vata: Raw or frozen vegetables, pea, cauliflower, cabbage, cucumber, mushroom, potato, dried fruits, apple, pear, pomegranate, melon, barley, rye, corn, rice cake, carbonated drink, cold or iced drink, coffee, tea, alcohol, and ice cream.
2. The pitta type The pitta type is almost the opposite of the vata in the sense pitta people are fire people. Body wise, they have a medium build with much muscle definition. As they have a lot of body heat, they tend to perspire profusely and their skin is soft, warm, and moist. It flushes easily and is prone to acne, rashes, and sunburn. The skin also has a good sprinkling of moles and freckles. They have thin, reddish-brown hair, which is prone to premature falling and graying.
Habits: The pitta people have strong habits. They sleep soundly and eat well for their appetite. Their sex drive is also strong. Pittas are very passionate in whatever they do - so they are usually loud talkers and tend to dominate situations. Since they possess more of fire element, they are averse to hot weather and sunlight.
Nature: The pitta people are forceful personalities, meant for leadership positions. They like to be around people and love attention. They are also very good with money and investments. Although not very emotionally demonstrative, they do tend to get angry or annoyed when stressed. They are intelligent and competitive, and hence, enjoy playing and watching sports.
How to balance pitta dosh: You should eat cool and juicy foods to counter the heat and avoid hot, bitter, and acidic foods.
Good for pitta: Bell pepper, cabbage, cauliflower, cucumber, lettuce, mushroom, pea, potato, salad, apple, banana, date, coconut, grape, lychee, melon, pomegranate, barley, oat, rice, wheat, unsalted butter, ghee, milk, soft cheese, buttermilk, sweet lassi, cool drink, milk, water, coconut milk, fruit, and vegetable juice.
Bad for pitta: Beet, carrot, chili, eggplant, olive, onion, pickles, radish, spinach, tomato, turnip, apricot, berries, cherry, citrus fruits, papaya, peach, pineapple, plum, corn, rye, sour cream, yogurt, hard cheese, sour buttermilk, carbonated drink, hot drink, coffee, tea, and alcohol.
3. The kapha type The kapha people represent the water element. They have a strong and large build, and they are heavy-set. They also have smooth, clear, and fair complexion with thick, oily, and wavy hair.
Habits: They have slow metabolism and, therefore, have moderate-to-low appetite. But they enjoy eating rich and gourmet foods. They are the typical foodies who like to buy different varieties of food and cook gourmet dishes. They are slow and prone to laziness. Although hard to motivate, they are also extremely methodical. They sleep a lot and sleep heavily. Their pulse is slow, but steady and regular.
Nature: The kapha people can't cope well with uncertainties and unfamiliar surroundings. They are calm and composed people who are slow to learn, but have high retention rate and sharp memory. They are money-hoarders and hence, make for ideal partners as providers. They like to be surrounded with family, friends, and the people they know. They are quite tolerant and forgiving, and err on the side of being too emotional and romantic.
How to balance kapha dosh: To balance the water properties, these people should eat dry, light, and spicy foods while avoiding moist, cold, sweet, and sour foods.
Good for kapha: Beet, cabbage, carrot, pea, eggplant, radish, spinach, apple, apricot, pear, berries, cherry, peach, dried fruits, papaya, cranberry, pomegranate, barley, corn, skimmed milk, butter milk, goat milk, warm drinks, herbal and spice tea, fruit and vegetable juice.
Bad for kapha: Cauliflower, corn, cucumber, mushroom, potato, pumpkin, banana, citrus, date, coconut, grape, mango, melon, pineapple, plum, strawberry, oat, rice, wheat, carbonated drink, cold or iced drink, coffee, tea, and alcohol. more
From the goal of identifying what essentially constitutes the body, came the two key concepts of doshas and gunas. Ayurvedic science teaches that our bodies are made up of two essentials - the body itself and the mind. In other words, the physical attributes and the mental make-up. The combination of both constitutes our prakriti or nature.
Hence, it is important to know our physical nature, so that we are able to nurture ourselves in the best possible manner. The doshas or the body types in Ayurveda are divided into three, as identified by their characteristics. The science decrees that one should eat according to his/her body type to balance all the elements of the body and keep them functioning in harmony. That is the sign of good health.
So let us take a look at these doshas or body types to help you understand your body better and take care of it in a natural and holistic way.
1. The vata type People born with vata body type display the characteristics associated with the element vayu or the air. Like the wind, they are light on their feet, active, free-flowing, and energetic. They usually have high metabolic rate that naturally lends them a thin and slender frame. They have thin skin too, making their veins clearly visible, and it tends to be dry and rough.
Habits: Their eating and sleeping habits are unpredictable and erratic. They don't have a regular appetite or sleeping pattern. They are also light sleepers, often waking up at the slightest disturbance. Some may even suffer from insomnia. Since they are active and restless, they talk and move fast. The vata people do not like cold and windy environments. They are quick to feel the cold and shiver easily. This is because their pulse is fast, light, and irregular.
Nature: Often loners and non-conformists, they do not like big crowds. Their mental and emotional faculties are fast and they are very much in touch with their emotions and opinions. Although intellectual, vatas are not very good in money matters. They are creative and sensitive but can't handle worldly matters. It makes them shy and jittery, leaving them worried and stressed out.
How to balance vata dosh: You should eat warm, heavy, sweet, and moist foods, avoiding the opposite like cold, dry, and bitter foods.
Good for vata: Avocado, beet, carrot, eggplant, olive, pumpkin, radish, sweet potato, spinach, apricot, banana, cherry, peach, citrus fruits, date, mango, papaya, grape, berries, pineapple, plum, rice, oat, wheat, warm drink, herbal or spiced tea, warm milk, fruit and vegetable juice without ice.
Bad for vata: Raw or frozen vegetables, pea, cauliflower, cabbage, cucumber, mushroom, potato, dried fruits, apple, pear, pomegranate, melon, barley, rye, corn, rice cake, carbonated drink, cold or iced drink, coffee, tea, alcohol, and ice cream.
2. The pitta type The pitta type is almost the opposite of the vata in the sense pitta people are fire people. Body wise, they have a medium build with much muscle definition. As they have a lot of body heat, they tend to perspire profusely and their skin is soft, warm, and moist. It flushes easily and is prone to acne, rashes, and sunburn. The skin also has a good sprinkling of moles and freckles. They have thin, reddish-brown hair, which is prone to premature falling and graying.
Habits: The pitta people have strong habits. They sleep soundly and eat well for their appetite. Their sex drive is also strong. Pittas are very passionate in whatever they do - so they are usually loud talkers and tend to dominate situations. Since they possess more of fire element, they are averse to hot weather and sunlight.
Nature: The pitta people are forceful personalities, meant for leadership positions. They like to be around people and love attention. They are also very good with money and investments. Although not very emotionally demonstrative, they do tend to get angry or annoyed when stressed. They are intelligent and competitive, and hence, enjoy playing and watching sports.
How to balance pitta dosh: You should eat cool and juicy foods to counter the heat and avoid hot, bitter, and acidic foods.
Good for pitta: Bell pepper, cabbage, cauliflower, cucumber, lettuce, mushroom, pea, potato, salad, apple, banana, date, coconut, grape, lychee, melon, pomegranate, barley, oat, rice, wheat, unsalted butter, ghee, milk, soft cheese, buttermilk, sweet lassi, cool drink, milk, water, coconut milk, fruit, and vegetable juice.
Bad for pitta: Beet, carrot, chili, eggplant, olive, onion, pickles, radish, spinach, tomato, turnip, apricot, berries, cherry, citrus fruits, papaya, peach, pineapple, plum, corn, rye, sour cream, yogurt, hard cheese, sour buttermilk, carbonated drink, hot drink, coffee, tea, and alcohol.
3. The kapha type The kapha people represent the water element. They have a strong and large build, and they are heavy-set. They also have smooth, clear, and fair complexion with thick, oily, and wavy hair.
Habits: They have slow metabolism and, therefore, have moderate-to-low appetite. But they enjoy eating rich and gourmet foods. They are the typical foodies who like to buy different varieties of food and cook gourmet dishes. They are slow and prone to laziness. Although hard to motivate, they are also extremely methodical. They sleep a lot and sleep heavily. Their pulse is slow, but steady and regular.
Nature: The kapha people can't cope well with uncertainties and unfamiliar surroundings. They are calm and composed people who are slow to learn, but have high retention rate and sharp memory. They are money-hoarders and hence, make for ideal partners as providers. They like to be surrounded with family, friends, and the people they know. They are quite tolerant and forgiving, and err on the side of being too emotional and romantic.
How to balance kapha dosh: To balance the water properties, these people should eat dry, light, and spicy foods while avoiding moist, cold, sweet, and sour foods.
Good for kapha: Beet, cabbage, carrot, pea, eggplant, radish, spinach, apple, apricot, pear, berries, cherry, peach, dried fruits, papaya, cranberry, pomegranate, barley, corn, skimmed milk, butter milk, goat milk, warm drinks, herbal and spice tea, fruit and vegetable juice.
Bad for kapha: Cauliflower, corn, cucumber, mushroom, potato, pumpkin, banana, citrus, date, coconut, grape, mango, melon, pineapple, plum, strawberry, oat, rice, wheat, carbonated drink, cold or iced drink, coffee, tea, and alcohol. more
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A good definitional analysis of human "pravrattis".....however, in how far the diet do's and don'ts are "practical" may be something to think about. Also, mr Durga prasad has raised a very valid question..... more
Jun 12
Vatta person has high metabolic rate and Kapha person has low metabolism rate. Whether metabolism rate of pitta person is high , low or very high? Similarly, what are other signs / symptoms, based on which a person can be classified into vatta, pitta or kapha? more
Jun 11
