Understanding Your Ayurvedic Body Type

Ayurveda maintains that the five elements of space, air, earth, fire and water make up everything in the universe. These elements combine in different ways to generate three body types: Vata (airy), Pitta (fiery), and Kapha (earthy). If you know your Ayurvedic type, you can understand the lifestyle elements that are in tune with your type, and the one that disrupt it. An Ayurvedic doctor can most accurately identify your Ayurvedic type. If you are unable to locate one, you can take an online quiz. The following two sites allow you to take the quiz without that annoying up-front registration process.

http://www.naturdoctor.com/Chapters/Quiz/AyurvedicQuiz.html

http://altmedicine.about.com/library/quiz/bl_quiz_ayurveda1.htm

Once you know your Ayurvedic type you can then better tend to your mental, physical, and spiritual needs according to what works best for your Ayurvedic type. Most people will be a combination of types with one type more prominent than the rest, thus any of the three Ayurvedic types can be out of balance.

The Three Ayurvedic Types

Here are the three Ayurvedic types along with their characteristics. See if you can determine your type.

Vata

Physical - Vatas are thin, physically underdeveloped, brown complexion, cold dry skin, sleep less, and perspire less than other types

Health - Typical health problems include headaches, high blood pressure, anxiety, arthritis, and most neurological problems

Mental/Emotional - A Vata understands things quickly, but may then forget. A Vata is lively and full of joy, but is prone to anxiety and money trouble.

Imbalance is caused by travel, especially by plane, overstimulation, and loud noises, sugar, alcohol, and cold climates.

Balance is helped by moderate exercise, particularly yoga.

Diet should include heavy, warm, cooked foods with sweet, sour, or salty tastes. Larger portions are fine. Fruits should be sweet, sour and juicy. Vegetables
should be cooked and eaten in moderation - avoid uncooked vegetables, cabbage, and sprouts. Chicken, turkey, and seafood are ideal main course choices.

Pitta

Physical - Pittas are medium height, slender with moderate muscle development, yellowish or red complexion, warm soft skin, and can have prematurely gray hair. They require moderate sleep and perspire more than other types.

Health - Typical health problems include heart disease, eye problems, stomach troubles, and liver disease.

Mental/Emotional - A Pitta is ambitious and likes to lead. A Pitta is also highly intelligent, tends to be well-off financially and enjoys possessions, but is prone to jealousy.

Imbalance is caused by hot climates, humidity, a lot of activity, excess caffeine and oil in diet.

Balance is helped by engaging in moderate exercise such as walking and bicycling.

Diet should include cool or warm foods, sweet, bitter, and astringent tastes in moderate portions, sweet, ripe fruits, all vegetables except beets, carrots, onion, spinach, and tomato. Main course choices include chicken, egg whites, turkey, and shrimp.

Kapha

Physical - Kaphas are well developed with expanded chests, tendency to put on weight, fair complexion, soft oily skin, and thick dark hair. Kaphas sleep soundly and perspire moderately.

Health - Typical health problems include colds and congestion, depression, allergies, and atherosclerosis.

Mental/Emotional - A Kapha is slower to learn, but never forgets. Kaphas are stable, calm, and loyal, but can tend toward possessiveness.

Imbalance is caused by lack of challenge and variety, dairy products, and not enough movement or exercise.

Balancing is helped by regular and vigorous exercise.

Diet should include light, dry, warm, cooked foods with pungent, bitter, and astringent tastes in small potions. Light, dry fruits are fine as well as all vegetables except cucumber, sweet potato, and tomato. Main courses should include white meat poultry and fish except shellfish.

Remember, if you are out of balance emotionally, physically, or spiritually, check to see if any of your Ayurvedic elements need balancing.