The Three Doshas Written by John Joseph Immel, Asheville, NC

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The three doshas are vata, pitta, and kapha. The doshas are three general body types. On a simple level vata, pitta, and kapha mean small, medium and large. More deeply dosha indicates three basic patterns of how we use energy. Vata spends energy. Pitta manages it. Kapha stores it.

Vata tends to be deficient, mobile and dry. Pitta tends to get hot, sour and inflamed. Kapha people are stable, gain weight easily and have congestion. Understanding the pattern or dosha helps us to understand what's happening from a broad or holistic point of view. Doshas are often a starting point for understanding imbalance.

Constitution

Constitution describes the essential nature of your body physically, mentally and spiritually. Every person has a different constitution and perfect health is different for every person. In the early morning you can feel your constitution just to the right of the heart as a wish. In a consultation an Ayurvedic practitioner can help you understand your constitution.

Body type is a combination of doshas that Ayurveda uses to understand and approximate a person's constitution. If a person has a vata body type they have the gifts of vata but also the tendency to get vata type illnesses.

Buffering Change

Every day, our body must react to change. In Ayurveda, a disease is any change from "normal" in the body. The body uses various mechanisms to buffer changes. These mechanisms leave behind chemical and metabolic residues which Ayurveda calls "aggravated" dosha. Dosha is therefore the body's preventative medicine. Doshas and qualities accumulate in the body until they begin to overwhelm tissues and cause symptoms. For example vata has the quality of dryness and includes the mechanisms used to defend the body against the dryness. Drinking less water, skipping a meal, and exercise all cause dryness and thus Vata to accumulate.

The natural changes required to accomdation seasonal climate leave behind residues and accumulation of dosha. These residues eventually weaken the body. Ayurveda recommends a seasonal cleanse to remove all residue.

Balancing the Doshas

Ayurveda helps people heal by balancing the doshas. When the doshas are balanced, the body is in homeostasis (a state of zero change) and that is a state of perfect health. When the body is healthy it automatically repairs and protects itself.

Generally to balance dosha Ayurveda uses opposites. If the body is cold Ayurveda recommends heating foods. Ayurveda also uses the six tastes to balance the doshas. In a consultation you'll learn techniques to find your state of perfect health.

Vata is the principle of movement, often described as a 'wind'. Vata is a subtle dosha that goes out of balance easily. Vata people often suffer from deficiency of some type. Vata is the element of ether and air in the body. Ether has a spacey quality, and air has movement. Vata senses are hearing and touch. Light body weight Talk & walk quickly Creative and imaginative Anxiety Irregular schedule & appetite Gas, bloating & constipation Dry skin Colon disorders including constipation Dryness including dry skin Underweight Arthritis Nervous system disorders, worry, anxiety and stress. And many others... Routine sleeping and eating schedule Keeping warm and comfortable Avoid raw foods & too much cleansing Increase sweet, sour, salty and pungent taste. Daily self massage with vata oil Stay hydrated Keep the colon clean (triphala) Review and try Ashwagandha, haritaki, ginger, ghee, dashamula, and licorice root Vata comes at the end of digestion, the end of the day, the end of the year, and the end of a person's life. Vata naturally increases during the following times: Autumn - Vata gets high in the autumn due to cold, dry and mobile qualities. Autumn is mobile because the weather is irregular and windy. Before sunrise and sunset - In the late afternoon, before sunset, vata is high because the body is weary and deficient from a long day's work. In the early morning before sunrise, vata is high because the nervous system stimulates the body to wakeup. 5-6 hours after a meal - Five to six hours after a meal vata rises when blood sugar levels dip and the body gets hungry. After 50 - Vata is deficiency and the body becomes deficient in later years of life. Colon - The body reabsorbs moisture from feces before elimination in the colon. When the body is dry, the body struggles to absorb more water, leading to dryness in the colon. The signs of dryness are gas and constipation. Waist & Lower Half of the Body - When vata is high, the body becomes more mobile and the mind more active. We tend to forget about the lower half of the body. Bones - In Ayurveda, the colon is the site of mineral reabsorption. Mineral deficiencies show up as white spots on the nails, hair loss, or arthritis. Problems with bones, nails or hair are due to high vata. Skin - When ama from the colon vitiates the blood, the kidneys try to eliminate the toxins through the urinary tract. The result is excess loss of fluids leading to dry skin. Vata is also the dosha of touch. Ears - Ringing in the ears is due to high vata. When the quality of the blood is poor due to ama, the sense organs get stimulated. The ears are especially sensitive. Many vata people are musicians. Mind - When vata is high, the mind becomes stimulated, anxious, or afraid. Vata people often experience racing, disjointed thoughts. They are highly imaginitive, quick to understand but also quick to forget. Pitta is principle of heat, digestion and all transformation in the body. Pitta is the acid secretion from the stomach, bile from the liver, and inflammation. Pitta sweat is sour causing body odor. Pitta is the color of the eyes and pitta people dream in color. Pitta also colors the skin and makes freckles and red hair. In the body, the element of fire always comes with water. Pitta is both. Pitta sense is vision but pitta also has a strong sense of smell. Sharp, intelligent mind Bright, colorful eyes Rosy cheeks Judgmental, Critical Ambitious, Workaholic Yellow or Red Eyes Body Odor, Acid Reflux Hair Loss Ulcer or acid reflux Bleeds or bruises easily Nearsighted, sensitive to light, migraines Judgemental, critical Any inflammation or sharp pain. High Blood Pressure Sleep before 10pm Increasing bitter, astringent or sweet taste. Avoid heating foods. Avoid pungent spices. Pitta happens in the middle. Pitta is naturally increased during the middle of life, the year, the day, and the middle of digestion. Adulthood (Puberty - 50s) - Rebellious teenagers with acne are a book picture of high pitta. With adulthood come responsibility, ambition, and organization. Summer - Pitta gets high in the summer due to heat and bright light of the sun. The blood vessels become dilated and the skin sweats. Noon and Midnight - Two hours before and after 12:00, pitta becomes high in the stomach leading to increased acid secretions. At midnight the liver also becomes active for cleansing. This "second wind" is for our organs, but many pitta people steal the second wind for their mind. 2-4 hours after a meal - In the sour phase of digestion, pitta people will notice a slight stinging in the eyes. Many people crave dessert during the sour phase because high acidity in the body makes them uncomfortable. Small Intestine - The small intestine holds food until it has been fully dugested. If digestion is slow or weak, metabolic wastes from growing colonies of bacteria cause buildup of acidity. The body responds by increasing pitta dosha. Stomach - Hydrochloric acid is sharp, breaking up food particles. If the mucous lining of the stomach is too thin, an ulcer can develop. Sweat and sebaceous glands - Body odor is pitta and a sign of poor digestion. When digestion is strong, body odor and bad breath disappear. Blood - When pitta is high in the small intestine, it gets absorbed through the lining of the GI tract into the blood. Pitta in the blood causes rashes, fever and irritability, Eye - When pitta enters the blood or the liver is weakened, eyesight deteriorates. Many pitta types wear glasses. Other signs are inflamed or yellow eyes. Skin - Pitta in the blood causes a rash, eczema and psoriasis. Clearing the blood and the liver is a classic Ayurvedic remedy. Mind - When the liver and blood are toxic, the mind gets irritable and concentrated. Pitta people love to study after midnight. But concentration is exclusionary. Concentration takes effort. But awareness is inclusive, effortless and open. It receives everything without judgment. It is simply a witness to 'what is.' Pitta people cannot tolerate disorder. They love to clean. The spices are arranged by name and the socks by color. Kapha is growth of tissue, production of mucous and fat, and retention of fluids. Kapha is the stable, relaxed dosha. Kapha people are great homemakers. Kapha is water and earth element. Kapha is white in color. Kapha senses are taste and smell. Heavier, likes comfort and food. Steady, calm, healthy, strong Sweet, loving, kind, loyal, supportive Lack of motivation, bored, tired Slow to change, difficulty learning but good memory Food cravings, possessive Overweight, diabetes, edema High cholesterol, blood pressure Depression Congestion, colds, hay Fever Wake up early & exercise Avoid meat, wheat and dairy after sundown Avoid salty & sweet taste Avoid fatty, fried foods Kapha happens in the beginning of life, the year, the day, the night, and digestion. Kapha is thus naturally increased during the following times: Childhood - Children are reknown for colds, congestion, and mucous. Children love to sleep late and eat sweet heavy foods. They love to play and hate to work. They are loving and innocent. Late winter and spring - During winter, Kapha fat rises to protect the body from coldness, driving the heat of the body inward. As the sun heats the air in late winter, the body sheds the layer of protective fat causing releasing kapha into the blood stream. Melting kapha is the ayurvedic cause of Hay Fever congestion. After sunrise and sunset - For the two hours after sunrise and sunset, the person feels relaxed. Kapha people will enjoy staying in bed past sunrise and after dinner laziness. If kapha is high, there will be congestion during these times. First two hours after a meal - After eating the body feels calm and content due to rising blood sugar level, which is Kapha. Congestion also increases immediately after eating unless the food is spicy! Stomach - Mucous buildup in the stomach from slow digestion is the root of increased kapha throughout the body. Mouth - Many Kapha individuals experience strong food cravings. Lacking the metabolism to process strong emotions, Kapha people also tend to suppress emotions and agitation with food.. Lymph - Kapha people have high blood sugar and cholesterol levels in the blood, leading to the slimy and oily quality clogging the blood vessels. Poor circulation deprives extremeties of oxygen and kapha indlviduals feel cold in the extremeties. Slimy and oily quality manifest topically on the skin. Lungs, Throat, Sinsuses, and Nose - Excess water and hyperglycemia lead to a thick layer of mucous in the lungs and GI tract. The result is congestion and improper circulation of lymph. Thick mucous reduces absorption of oxygen in the lungs. To compensate, the body lowers metabolism (low thyroid) and kapha becomes psychologically overwhelmed and depressed. To balance, dry the body, avoid heavy guna and sweet taste. Favor bitter and pungent. Breasts - Kapha in the lymphatic system leads to larger breasts and stagnation of lymph in mastic tissue. The breasts may be lumpy. Pancreas - Hyperglycemia and anoxia together lead to insulin resistance in the cells, eventually wearing out the pancreas causing diabetes. Mind - Sugary blood and and good absorption makes kapha content and peaceful. When the blood is too thick, circulation is affected and the mind becomes dull and depressed.

 

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