The Beginner’s Guide to Ayurveda

The three doshas

In Ayurveda, dosha defines psychosomatic attributes of a person. Mind, doshas and associated gunas (properties) of a person describes the person’s body type, personality, disorders and health.

All the five elements combine to build doshas. There are three doshas which define prakrati (true nature) of a person. If the doshas are imbalanced the person develops diseases.

Doshas

There are three doshas - vata, pitta and kapha

All of us are some combinations of these 3 doshas. There can be a dominant dosha in a person. Everyone is unique and there is no “ideal” dosha. Our doshas should be close to our prakrati. The diet and lifestyle, age and seasons affect dosha. Certain activities can cause imbalance in doshas. Ayurveda helps in balancing these doshas by recommending

Vata – Air + Space

It controls movement. The qualities are Dry, Light, Cold, Rough, Quick, Moving. This is responsible for circulation, respiration, elimination, speech. The people who have dominant vata have strong mental alertness, enthusiasm, creativity, lighter frame and crackling joints. They are quick to learn new things and quick to forget. They like to to complete task quickly. The signs of imbalance are dryness, feeling too cold, bloating, gas, cramps, anxiety and insomnia. The cause of imbalance are excess intake of light, dry, cold or stale food, exposure to cold and wind, too much loud noise or screen time, irregular sleep time, wake up time or work time, fasting, excessive exercise or excessive travel.

Pitta - Fire & Water

Pitta controls digestion, transformation, metabolism. The qualities are Hot, Sharp, Flowing, Sour, Liquid. It is responsible for digestion of food and thoughts, hunger, thirst. People who are pitta dominant have strong concentration, strong digestion, sharp intellect; ‘natural leaders’, lustrous complexion with reddish tint, good energy level, good communication and medium frame. The signs of imbalance are acidity, sensations of heat, irritability, bitter taste in the mouth, yellowing of eyes, urine, stools, loose and smelly stools, inflammation, redness. The causes of imbalance are hot climate, excessive intake of sour, salty, pungent or junk food, tobacco or alcohol use, excessive competition or excessive mental stimulation.

Kapha - Water & Earth

Kapha has the qualities of Oily, Heavy, Cool, Slow, Stable, Sticky, Dull. It controls fluidity and structure. It is responsible for lubrication, mucous production, tissue formation. People with dominant kapha have strong muscles, joints and bones. They have strong immunity. They are calm, generous. lower to learn but retain information the best. They are slow to anger. They have large eyes, thick hair and solid frame. If kapha is imbalanced, there is sluggish digestion, lethargy, paleness, heavy limbs/head – feeling heavy, swelling – water retention. Causes of kapha imbalance are excessive sweet, sour, salty foods or junk food, ingestion of large volumes of food or drink, cold, heavy foods, lack of physical activity, oversleeping, daytime napping.

An Ayurvedic counselor or practitioner examines these doshas in a person to find if any dosha is imbalanced based on the person’s prakrati. The remedies are personalized accordingly. Many diseases are eliminated when the person is close to person’s prakrati. Ayurveda also sees if the disease has caused major damage to the tissues or not. In case of major damage to tissues it is difficult to bring the person back to their prakrati. It is always advisable to prevent major damage. As soon as you find minor discomforts daily like bloating, flatulence, frequent infections etc., it is better to treat those in the early stages. These are the signs that dosha is being imbalanced.

In Ayurveda, it is believed that our bodies follow the circadian rhythm of nature. If we don’t follow that a lot of diseases and discomforts develop. An Ayurvedic counselor can help you understand the ayurvedic lifestyle that should be followed during the year and also address minor health problems. An Ayurvedic practitioner or doctor is trained to address more complex health problems.