Āyurveda, the ancient Indian study of life, uses the tridosha theory to explain human makeup and behavior. It is considered by the ancient seers that man’s psychological and physical makeup may be classified as belonging to a specific type of constitution called prakṛiti, the underlying or inherent nature of one’s being. It is nature that determines how we behave, what we desire, what we enjoy, our physical constitution and how we respond to all of the stresses of living. It further determines our physical, psychological, social and religious patterns of behavior.§
The prakṛiti is divided into three main doshas or forces that help to bind the five elemental forces into living flesh. These doshas are vāta, pitta and kapha representing the philosophical elements air, fire and water, respectively. If we know our prakṛiti and are well versed in the foods and activities that are natural to or that aggravate the doshas, we can maintain a more peaceful and healthy body and mind.§
Very few of us have a pure prakṛiti of only one dosha, most of us have combinations. That is, we all have all three doshas within our makeup, but there is usually a prominence of one or two. For perfect health the goal is to have all of the doshas balanced within our prakṛiti.§
There are seven possibilities of constitutional types: V, VP, P, PK, K, VK, VPK balanced (equal force from each dosha). What causes these constitutional types? They are determined at the time of conception and depend upon many factors, such as the spiritual state of the parents at conception, the astrology of the moment, physiology, genetics, and the physical health of the parents. Once the constitutional type is set, it is maintained for the balance of one’s life.§
It is possible by studying the various types to analyze one’s own type from the similarities and dissimilarities with the characteristic patterns and varying categories. The difficulty with this is that we have a tendency to choose characteristics that seem to be “better” or of a “higher type.”§
It is more accurate to learn one’s prakṛiti through the āyurvedic pulse diagnosis. Those who are trained in the method are able to determine which is the basic type and also able to determine if there are any imbalances. It is said that the real masters of this art are able to tell you about your entire past medical history, even to the extent of what surgery has been performed, as well as your present state of balance of the doshas.§
In order to simplify this rather complex theory, we speak of the prakṛiti as a structura; the basis upon which we (in all of our facets) are structured. We also speak of each dosha as though it were a truly separate and concrete form of energy with usual effects upon our being. The extensive study of the prakṛiti and the doshas is only a small part of the vast field of āyurveda.§
Āyurveda has studied the natural construction of man and his behavior in order to bring his very being into a closer natural harmony with nature. The very ancient science has a great deal to offer to the health of the world today. §
In order to be healthy, according to the āyurvedic system of medicine, we must have some knowledge of the character of each dosha and how to maintain a balance between them. Balance is attained by varying the diet and activities according to the climate, time of day and the individual’s nature.§
Vāta is the dosha that is the base or driver of all motion within the body. It is the nature of the air/ether elements. It governs all biological movement such as breathing, muscular contraction, heartbeats and movement of single pulses through the nerves. It determines metabolism through the motion of the cell substances and controls the thoughts by leading the mind to constant, desirable objects rather than determined ones. Vāta is the root cause of the sense of hearing and stimulates the body fire for appetite. It causes the elimination of urine and feces. It distributes pitta and kapha in the body. It maintains the health and function of the body depending upon its balance. It also governs emotions such as pain, fear, nervousness, anxiety, tremors, and muscle spasms. Vāta’s physical properties are dry, expanding, light, cold, penetrating, subtle, rough and dispersing. Vāta dominates the fall season and is also most prominent between 2AM to 6AM and 2PM to 6PM. During these times, it is not wise to do or ingest anything that may bring about an imbalance of the vāta force. It is this time dominance that suggests that we rise from sleep each day before sunrise. Vāta is also dominant in the old-age period, that is, “life over fifty.”§
Vāta’s natural seat is in the colon, pelvic cavity, bones, skin, ears and thighs. Imbalance will cause an accumulation of vāta in these areas with resulting diseases such as skin rashes and growths, constipation, abundant flatulence, bloating, bone and joint changes, decreasing mobility, impaired hearing, increased fear and memory loss and often confusion. In the fall we are still geared to a preponderance of pitta, so the changes in weather, although pleasant, may aggravate the vāta dosha, especially if we have a strong vāta constitution. §
In order to counteract or attempt to balance this, we should always keep warm and protect ourselves from the strong winds and draft. We must avoid cold foods and drinks, supplementing our diet with warmer, heavier and moister foods but decreasing the vāta-aggravating foods such as beans, raw foods such as apples and anything from the cabbage family. Decrease pungent, bitter and astringent tastes as these aggravate vāta: increase the sweet, salty and sour tastes, as they tend to balance vāta. Dairy products are good to take in moderate amounts.§
It is advisable to follow very closely to a routine, which may be boring, for this tends to balance or ground vāta. Long air travel tends to aggravate vāta, and this can be remedied by keeping warm and quiet and by good deep meditation. Alcohol aggravates vāta, especially in the artificial atmosphere of air travel. Sure ways to imbalance vāta are to worry, eat on the run, get too little sleep, eat dry, frozen or left-over foods, keep on the move or work at night. §
Vāta dosha has to do with energy in motion. Pitta is the force that balances the kinetic energy of vāta and the potential energy of kapha. Pitta is of fire/water energy, is dominant in July to October and peaks at noon and midnight. It governs metabolism, the enzymatic and endocrine systems, and has great influence on the mental activities. Pitta dosha’s function is pigmentation, digestion, heat, intelligence, sight, hunger, thirst, softness and radiance of the body, cheerfulness and courage. The physical properties of pitta are lightly viscid, non-sticky, active, hot to touch and bitter to taste. It is a combination of elemental fire and water. The normal seat is the duodenum (first section of the small intestine), liver and spleen. It also resides in the heart, eyes and skin and accounts for the skin’s radiant heat and health. §
Deranged or unbalanced pitta may bring about changes in sight, digestion and inflammations of the skin. There is a tendency to be overheated and very thirsty. Ulcers, colitis, migraine headaches, hepatitis, allergies and hyperthyroidism are typical pitta diseases. Pitta people are of medium build and usually thin. They may have many moles or freckles or other skin blemishes. The skin is soft and warm; the hair is thin and silken. Normally these people have a strong digestion and huge appetites. They crave sweet, bitter, astringent tastes and cold drinks. They do not tolerate sun or heat well, as their body temperature is elevated. They are intelligent and sharp and like to be leaders. They are ambitious and have emotional tendencies toward anger, hate and jealousy. §
In order to balance pitta, one must keep cool by avoiding heat and the warmer parts of the day, as well as the warmer climates. Avoid oils, fried foods, caffeine, salt, alcohol and hot spices. Plenty of grains and moderate dairy products tend to balance pitta, as do sweet, bitter and astringent tastes. Lots of fresh air is advised. Remaining calm and serene helps the pitta person to remain balanced. The important thing is to keep cool physically and mentally with such aids as cool, shady spots and cooling rinses after showers. §
Hot spices and heavy, oily, fried foods aggravate pitta. Hard cheeses, sour cream, buttermilk and yogurt are to be used in very small portions, if at all. The cooling spices such as cumin, coriander, saffron, dill, mint and parsley are valuable in the pitta diet. Garlic is very aggravating to this constitution, and thus must sadly be avoided. Deranging the pitta constitution is easily accomplished—but hardly recommended—by the following: drink plenty of alcohol, eat spicy foods, especially tomatoes, chilies, raw onions and highly salted foods. Engage in frustrating activities, use drugs, especially cocaine, speed or marijuana, and wear tight, hot clothes. Avoid cool, fresh, peaceful places. Repress your feelings and eat as much red meat and salted fish as possible. These unhealthy forces are highly reactive and must be routinely excreted from the body. Vāta is eliminated from the body as gas and muscular or nervous energy. Pitta is eliminated from the body through acid, bile and perspiration. §
The last of the tridosha forces is kapha, active during March to June and early morning and early evening. Breakfast should be eaten by pitta and vāta people between 6 and 7AM. However, this is kapha time, so kapha people should not eat then, as it would increase the kapha within the body. kapha is not mucus but produces mucus to eliminate its forces.§
kapha dosha’s main function is viscidity, nourishment, binding of the joints, solidarity, fortitude, forbearance, patience and abstinence. Its physical properties are: motionless, viscid, sticky, heavy, sweet, inert, cold, soft, white and tamasic. kapha is a combination of the earth and water elements. The challenge of a kaphic person is to overcome inertia and the desire to have and hold on to everything, even old outgrown attitudes and reactions. The natural site of kapha dosha is above the diaphragm. Unbalanced kapha produces heaviness in the body, drowsiness, numbness, feeling of old age, dyspepsia, sweet taste in the mouth, loss of memory, decrease in sensations and general debility. If the kapha is depleted, there is dryness, weakness, thirst and feeling of internal heat and emptiness.§
Activities that imbalance kapha are: taking long naps after eating, eating lots of fat and oils, overeating, letting inertia take over your body and mind, not exercising, using drugs (especially sedatives and tranquilizers), never skipping desserts (especially ice cream and gooey, sticky ones), enjoying the sedentary TV life daily and interrupting viewing only by eating large meals and excessive snacking of salty and gooey foods. §
In order to balance the kapha dosha: exercise daily, reduce fatty foods, eliminate iced drinks and foods and excessive amounts of bread and pastries. Also, eat warm, light and dry foods and have a lot of variety in the menus with vegetables, peppers, ginger, garlic, and turmeric. Keep salt consumption low. Most seeds and all nuts should be eliminated from the diet. Popcorn with no fat or salt is excellent.§
The diseases common to kaphic constitution are: coughs, excess mucus, bronchitis, rheumatic fever, aching joints, pleurisy, pericarditis, sinusitis, nasal congestion, accentuation of greedy tendencies (holding onto things such as repressions, body wastes), lethargy and sloth.§
By careful attention to diet, varying it according to the season of the year and the time of the day with special reference to one’s constitutional dosha, we are able to balance the doshas. This balance is the first step to a healthy and disease-free life. If there is such an upset of the doshic balance that a disease process is present, treatments using prāṇāyāma, massage, cleansing, aromatherapy, herbals, gems and other techniques are available to the āyurvedic physician. Remember that mental balance and a balanced diet according to one’s constitution are the basis of health.§