What is Ayurveda?
Ayurvedic medicine, often simply called Ayurveda (which, when translated, means “knowledge of life“), involves the whole body and is known to be the 4,000 year old philosophy of the ancient medical system of India. Within it is a diet designed specifically for each body type, or dosha. Following the careful directions from this holistic approach as applied to each body type is said to result in optimal physical, emotional and mental well-being. (Some may erroneously utilize the Ayurvedic diet in an attempt to lose weight, but this is not ideal. It should be regarded as a mind-body approach to bring the whole self into equilibrium.)
The three basic doshas
The three basic Ayurvedic body types include the Pitta, the Kapha and the Vata types, each comprised of its own unique set of characteristics. One is to eat and behave according to what’s best for the dosha is approached from a long-term, preventative perspective. Ayurvedic physicians are the best experts at ascertaining which body type you are by investigating your background and providing a thorough physical examination. However, if you don’t have access to such a physician, a simple quiz may sometimes suffice. Many people have body types comprised of more than one dosha, but there will usually be one that is most dominant.
Certain foods and even lifestyle habits can be helpful to bring each dosha back into its proper balance
Once you’ve discovered your own unique body type, there are lists of foods to consume or avoid to prevent irritating the dosha. The “balancing foods” are suggested as beneficial, and offered in thorough lists according to each body type here, broken down into categories of fruit, vegetables, grains, legumes/nuts, meat, dairy, and herbs/spices/condiments.
The Kapha Dosha
According to neurologist Kulweet Chaudhary of the Dr. Oz website, the Kapha Dosha is explained to be considered the largest body frame of the three, with a hearty constitution. The hair will normally be thick, hips and shoulders are wide-set, and they are often described as very grounded in relationships. When “out of balance”, the Kapha body type person will experience congestion, digestion and circulation difficulties, which can benefit from garlic intake, certain types of massage, vigorous exercise, and metabolism boosting herbal supplements. Dietary suggestions include the avoidance of heavy oils, fats, sweets and sugars in favor of heavily spiced foods, veggies and foods containing large amounts of fiber.
The Pitta Dosha
The Pitta Dosha is usually comprised of a medium-sized frame with reddish skin tones, lots of energy, and excellent digestive capacities. They may grey earlier than others, and appear highly focused and passionate with superb mental alertness. When they’ve fallen “out of balance”, you may find the Pitta people are prone to develop rashes, irritability, anger, headaches, digestion issues like ulcers, and excessive working. Pittas benefit from aloe vera and pomegranate juices in the morning, increased cool vegetables like cucumbers and melon, and abstaining from coffee and alcohol, heavy spices or highly acidic foods.
The Vata Dosha
Finally, the Vata dosha is frequently slender with dry hair and skin, normally find it difficult to “warm up” and possess very little muscle tone and predominantly “bony” features. They are most happy when being creative, changing, or moving, are able to learn quickly but also forget easily, and are known as enthusiastic and occasionally prone to become anxious. When the Vata folks find themselves to be “out of balance,” they may experience dry nasal passages, insomnia, fatigue, be prone to catching colds, and have trouble with digestion. To assist them back into equilibrium, Vata need to establish a routine, avoid cold, crunchy and raw foods, eliminate soda pops or other carbonated beverages, and opt for hot, prepared “soul foods” like soups or stews, cooked cereals, hot milk, cooked veggies, and clarified butter.
Additionally, Ayurveda tends to focus on creating meals comprised of the six tastes: salty, bitter, sweet, sour, astringent, and pungent. When all six of these tastes are present in the meal, it is likely that all food groups are covered and you are consuming the proper nutritional content. Each taste has a food that is known to bring it forth such as: Sweet — grains, dairy, meats, sugar, honey and molasses; salty — fish, soy sauce, seaweed; bitter — dark green veggies, tonic water and chicory; astringent — green apples, cauliflower, pomegranates, tea and dried beans; pungent — garlic, onion, peppers, cayenne, cloves, ginger, salsa and mustard; and sour — yogurts, cheese, vinegar, pickled foods, tomatoes, berries, and citrus fruit.
