You’ve probably heard the word “dosha” in relation to Ayurveda being thrown around a bunch. I’m going to dive into the doshas a little bit as they relate to food (lifestyle, and exercise will come later).

As an ancient system of healing, Ayurveda (the sister science to Yoga) examines ways to preserve our health by maintaining a balanced mind-body state, centering its philosophy on five elements: earth, fire, water, air and space. It’s very similar to Traditional Chinese Medicine, just in another language. Ayurveda bases its practice on the principles of three doshas—vata (air and space), pitta (fire) and kapha (earth and water). Doshas are energies that perform different physiological functions in the body, which, in turn, influence our overall personal well-being.

You may want to go take this dosha (prakriti) quiz and then come back and read the rest of this post - https://www.banyanbotanicals.com/info/prakriti-quiz/

According to Ayurveda, when we’re balanced, we crave foods that are good for us. However, if our mind, body or spirit is out of sync, our connection to our body’s inner intelligence goes haywire. You may notice after taking the quiz that you are drawn to foods that throw you out of balance. Like increases like! As we move through life, the proportion of each of the three doshas constantly fluctuates due to things like our environment, diet, age and the climate. As they move in and out of balance, the doshas can affect our health, energy level and general mood. I like to retake this quiz about once a year to see if there are changes.

Foods are linked to doshas both in their composition and in the types of biological reactions they cause in the body. If you are high in a dosha, avoid the foods related to it. For example, if you are predominantly pitta, it might be best for you to decrease spicy burrito’s and jalapeno margaritas and drink more aloe juice. If you are predominantly kapha, increase light crunchy vegetables and decrease heavy foods such as rice and grains. If you are predominantly vata, increase ginger tea and decrease crackers, chips, and cold smoothies.

Pitta: Food/drinks that are spicy and cause fire-based, energy-consuming reactions. If your Pitta is high, avoid Pitta foods, such as caffeine, spicy food, garlic and ginger.

Kapha: Foods that are heavier in nature and earth-based. Kapha foods come from the earth, like grains, rice, flour and starchy vegetables.

Vata:  Foods have an airy nature and cause air-based reactions, such as belching. Includes: popcorn, crackers, nuts, raw vegetables, fruits, melons, milk, yogurt and coconut water.

Food should provide energy and clarity. A "good" diet may appear very different from person to person. However, determining if a certain diet is working well for you can be proven by a simple universal truth: when you feel energized, sleep well and have strong digestion supported rather than depleted as you go through everyday life. It’s all about experimenting with what works best for you and BALANCE.

The truth is that most people are not solely one type of dosha, but in fact are a blend of at least two types. I’m actually equally all 3! Knowing your dosha(s) can help you maintain balance for lasting health and peace of mind. That being said, it's important we find a personal balance of foods to suit our own unique constitution. As you learn about and apply the foods that fit your personal dosha(s), you’ll craft a food system that best supports your mind-body balance.

Each dosha body type thrives on different kinds of foods to support its overall function. Focus on adding these foods to bring yourself back into balance:

Vata types need grounding foods like oils and grains.

Pitta types are supported by cooling foods, such as salads and sweet fruits.

Kapha types benefit from heating and invigorating foods, such as cayenne and other hot peppers.

In the practice of Ayurveda, diet and lifestyle routines are the most important medicines for fostering our physical, emotional, and spiritual health. Start by choosing foods that help you balance your doshas, and then see what feels good in your body both as you eat them and long after the meal is over. Pay attention to patterns in your digestion, sleep cycle, breathing and energy level after eating. A food diary can be helpful tool for tracking these patterns. If you're feeling unhealthy or unbalanced at any time, review your diary and consider what you've been eating that could be triggering the problems. Next, adjust your eating habits until you begin to feel improvements.

There is SO much information about Ayurveda and doshas so I’m just skimming the surface here. I wanted to share a few basics to help you get started on your path, if that’s something you’re interested in doing. I offer nutritional, physical, spiritual support through one-on-one coaching with your dosha in mind. I’m happy to answer any questions you may have! Just leave a comment below or send me a private message at info@natashawellness.com. Click here to set up a free consultation to see if health coaching is right for you.

If you want to get yourself dosha-specific massage oils check out my shop page. You can also find a link on there to purchase a Kitchari kit on Amazon. A great value so you don't have to go searching for all the ingredients separately!

Sources:
Image borrowed from http://www.ayurvedanice.com/en/the-doshas/