My whole life I thought I was the fat kid. In elementary school, I definitely was. I thought this had carried over into middle and high school as well. When I learned about the doshas, I automatically assumed I was a Kapha.
I may have done some vague online quiz or something that possibly had told me the same thing. It was years ago and I don’t remember the details. I do know, though, that this was my belief until recently.
When I discovered Ayurveda and the doshas I was mesmerized for about a month. Learned some basic basics and then moved on with my life. Only in the last year to have fallen deeply down the rabbit hole. I’m learning that I both know nothing of who I am and have always known who I am. Such is the case with most introspection. The deeper you search for yourself the more you find you’ve always known but have simply been shrouded in masks.
I’ve been walking around thinking I was a kapha because of an old self image imposed on me by bullies and well meaning family. When in fact, Kapha is what I have the least of and what I need more of if I am to be balanced. My true doshic imbalances were not at all the perception I had.
Know Thy Doshic Truth
After discovering Sahara Rose and her modern approach to Ayurveda, I became obsessed. My prakriti, which means my dosha constitution, is Pitta-Vata. This makes sense in a hundred different ways. My family is full of Pitta-Vatas. I was the only “Kapha” amongst them. Which, in hind sight, should have been a heavy clue that I was wrong.
If you want to know your doshic constitution truly, head on over to the quiz on Sahara Rose’s website and find out. You can only begin to understand yourself and trek down the path of healing once you’re sure of which way to go. Otherwise, you’ll only be causing more harm that good.
If I had started actively using Ayurveda based on being a Kapha, I would have made my Vata imbalances worse than they already are. My anxiety would have been heightened instead of calmed. My digestive issues worsened instead of eased and my dry skin roughened instead of softened. Knowing your prakriti is essential to the healing process.
I know my dosha. Let’s go.
This part can be a bit confusing but I’m going to try and make it as simple as I can. Whatever your dosha is, is where your imbalances are. For example, my dosha registers as Pitta-Vata because of the traits I experience such as rash prone dry skin, anxiety, airy digestion and so on. This means I need to work to increase my Kapha and decrease my Vata.
Work where your imbalances are. The beautiful thing about Sahara Rose’s doshic quiz is that it tells you what percentage of each one you are so you can more easily figure out what needs increasing and decreasing. The goal is tridoshic balance.
When you figure out what needs balancing, you’ll want to adjust your diet accordingly and partake in dosha increasing activities where applicable. Let’s explore each one.
Vata Doshic Imbalances
Vata is air and ether. It’s creative and whispy, dry and thin. A Vata imbalance shows up as excess air in the mind and body. This means anxiety, dryness, gassy indigestion and a whole host of things really. You’ll find that once you understand the doshas themselves, knowing what ailment goes to which one is really quite intuitive.
Food that increases Vata is light and airy like leafy greens, juices, smoothies, spirulina, raw and dry food. Think: Food that has Vata characteristics. Most processed food is Vata increasing food.
To increase Vata through activities, engage in things that stimulate the mind and creativity. High energy things and meditation. Get in touch with the elements of air and ether in however you see fit. This energy is busy, spiritual and chaotic.
To decrease Vata, limit these things and focus on increasing their counterparts where you lack doshic energy. Avoid dry and cold foods and opt for more cooked, warming and wholesome foods like root vegetables and grains. Vatas do best with sweets of the three doshas.
Pitta Doshic Imbalances
Pitta is fire and water. It’s hot, organized, powerful and fluid. Pitta is all about transformation. Pitta people are athletic and often found in positions of leadership. Imbalances here manifest as anger, ego, impatience, skin rashes or skin oiliness, “fiery” digestion which looks like heartburn or loose stools.
To increase Pitta focus on hot and sour foods and spices.
- Peppers
- Lemons
- Grapefruit
- Cinnamon
- Garlic
- Onions
- Tomatoes
- Eggplant
Activities to increase Pitta are organizational, sporty and productive. Make your to-do list and focus on it. Get some work done, exercise, clean your house. Get moving and get things done. This can be particularly hard for Kapha types but they benefit the most from it.
To decrease Pitta, replace the above foods with cooling and calming ones such as coconut, fruit, leafy greens, sweet vegetables and grains. Pittas are particularly vulnerable to toxicity so focus on clean, organic eating.
Kapha Doshic Imbalances
Kapha is earth and water (no relation). It’s steady and stable. Motherly, nurturing and Kind. Kapha imbalances look like weight gain, attachment to people or things, depression, heaviness, lethargy, mucus build up and sinus issues.
To increase Kapha, eat root vedgetables, sweet foods like fruit and sweet potatoes, nuts and grains.
Increasing Kapha activities are slow, calming and grounding. Rest and relax, meditate to slow down, take a break and tune into the element of earth. Reach out to others and do something kind and caring.
To decrease Kapha, replace heavy, sweet foods with light and airy foods. Legumes are great for Kapha as well as all vegetables that aren’t roots or squashes. Avoid oil and raw foods, opting to lightly saute or make a soup.
Kaphas retain everything so they can greatly benefit from intermittent fasting and light meals.
If this seems confusing or you’d like a consult, message me anytime and we can work through your doshic imbalances together.
A few notes
Keep your diet as clean and organic as possible. Tridoshic eating, meaning food that keeps all the doshas balanced, is seasonal and local eating. Eat what is in season where you live. Your body has adapted to YOUR environment and so have the foods that grow there. Tune yourself to this.
Our doshas ebb and flow with the seasons of the year and of life. What you are at one point in your life may be different from what you are in another. This is normal. Stay in tune with your body and pay attention to what it’s trying to tell you.
So very few of us are tridoshic with complete balance. Don’t worry too much about it. Ayurvedic healing is simple and intuitive. Don’t let it stress you out. Start a food journal to help you keep track of how each meal makes you feel, grocery lists and new recipes to try.
Drop any questions in the comments below! Where do you think your doshic imbalances lie?
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Author
S.S.Blake; Spiritual Life Coach, Yoga + Meditation Teacher and Founder of Earth and Water
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