Ayurveda is the traditional medicine of India, which dates back approximately 5,000 years. It categorises 3 basic body/energy types and believes that through examining our own body type we can help to re-establish balance in the body through following an Ayurveda diet.
These 3 characteristics are known as doshas. they are:
Vata — energy that controls bodily functions associated with motion, including blood circulation, breathing, blinking, and heartbeat. When vata energy is balanced, there is creativity and vitality. Out of balance, vata produces fear and anxiety.
The qualities of this dosha are cold, dry, light, hard and rough.
Foods which should be had should be moist, heavy, soft and oily. They should also be sweet, sour and salty. Some of the examples are ghee, dairy products, wheat, rice, bananas, etc. Vegetables should include beetroot, carrot, green beans, okra, onions, garlic, etc. Fruits that should be had are bananas, coconut, mangoes, etc. Grains include wheat, rice and oats.
The foods that should be avoided are raw vegetables, frozen food, alcohol, sugar, tea, cabbage, aubergine, potatoes, etc.
Pitta — energy that controls the body's metabolic systems, including digestion, absorption, nutrition, and temperature. In balance, pitta leads to contentment and intelligence. Out of balance, pitta can cause ulcers and arouse anger.
The qualities are hot, sharp, oily and light.
The balancing foods include those that are cool, dry, heavy and mildly sweet. Milk, rice, beans, cooked vegetables and fruits are best for this dosha. Vegetables of almost all varieties can be had and so are fruits. Rice, wheat, oats and barley are good grains.
The ones that should be avoided are spicy and oiled foods like curries. Garlic, ginger, onion, etc should be kept at bay. Alcohol, pickles, coffee, fried foods, curd, mustard oil will aggravate the dosha. The vegetables which should not be included are aubergine, carrot, beets, tomatoes, etc and fruits like bananas, grapes, apricot, etc are best avoided.
Kapha — energy that controls growth in the body. It supplies water to all body parts, moisturizes the skin, and maintains the immune system. In balance, kapha is expressed as love and forgiveness. Out of balance, kapha leads to insecurity and envy.
Anyone can be a mix of all three characteristics but if any one or two are dominant this will cause the body to lose it's balance. This imbalance can be caused by things such as stress, the weather and diet.
In Ayurveda, the five elements of space, air, earth, fire and water make up everything in the universe including the human body. If air and space were the predominant energies present during your birth then you are Vata in nature, if water and earth were predominant, you are Kapha and if fire and water were predominant then you are Pitta.
The qualities are cold, heavy, liquid and unctuous.
People of this constitution should have food in smaller amounts. Warm light food should be had which is cooked without using much water. Butter, oil sugar should not be used. Spices like ginger, turmeric and chili are good for such people. Almost all vegetables can be had and if you are suffering from diseases such as congestion, asthma, obesity, etc, all sweet and juicy vegetables should not be had.
Dairy products and sweet and juicy fruits are the aggravators.
If you can identify your dosha, you can then follow the Ayurveda diet and lifestyle most suitable for you. The best way to identify your dosher is to visit an Ayurvedic doctor but you can check the table here and see if that helps you.
