Ayurveda 3 Body Types | What´s Your Dosha?

Ayurveda 3 Body Types | What´s Your Dosha?

Ayurveda is the holistic and ancient traditional medicine of India. When you go visit an Ayurveda Practitioner, the first thing they do is check which of the Ayurveda 3 body types you are.

The Ayurveda Consultation

In General, experienced Ayurveda practitioners can tell your constitution or body type (dosha combination) simply by looking at your:

  • body frame and weight
  • complexion
  • colour of eyes and hair
  • skin type
  • body temperature
  • posture
  • movements and behavior

Traditional Ayurveda doctors usually check your pulse, your eyes, tongue, and nails. Then, they will make you fill in a form or else ask you several questions related to your health and habits to be able to identify your physical and emotional state of being.

three_doshasAyurveda 3 body types

When you take the Ayurveda test, you are expected to reply based on how your constitution has been most of your life, and not on how you feel or in what shape or state you are in today.

This is because the Ayurvedic Constitution or Prakruti that you were born with does not change. With factors like stress, age and life change the Prakruti gets unbalanced and becomes Vikruti, and what Ayurveda does, is recommend health and lifestyle solutions to balance the doshas and prevent future disorders or diseases.

The Ayurveda Doctor

ayurveda 3 body types-ayurveda_doctor

The Ayurveda treatment consists of the intake of herbs, massages, dietary changes, and other body-mind practices like meditation, yoga, and breathing exercises.

Since Ayurveda is a holistic science, it treats the body, mind, and spirit on equal terms, as they are intertwined and when the doshas are balanced, you are deemed to be in GOOD HEALTH.

In the below information you will learn about

  • what are the 3 doshas?
  • why is the Prakruti important?
  • the qualities and functions of each and every dosha and
  • how the imbalances impact your body and mind

===== TO FIND YOUR BODY CONSTITUTION TYPE, TAKE YOUR DOSHA TEST HERE

The 3 Doshas Explained

The three main doshas or body energies are called Vata, Pitta, and Kapha.

You find people who are dominant in one or mono dosha type; Vata, Pitta, or Kapha, but a combination of 2 or dual dosha types is more common; Vata-Kapha, Vata-Pitta, Kapha-Pitta, and there also exists the 3 or tridosha type Vata-Pitta-Kapha type which is uncommon.

Despite the fact of having two people of the same dual dosha type ex Vata-Kapha, Ayurveda considers and treats each and every person as a unique being, as it is assumed that no person is exactly the same as any other one.

The single dosha dominant type tends to have less but more serious health issues whereas the dual and tridosha types have more but treatable health issues.

So what are the 3 doshas?

In Ayurveda, it is believed that man is part of nature, and there are 5 fundamental elements of nature (mahabhootas) that make up the doshas as follows;

ayurveda 3 body types-vata_pitta_kapha

Vata is based on air & ether (space), Pitta is based on fire, and Kapha is based on water & earth.

These five elements are represented in all material on this earth and thus the tridoshas are also represented in us, the human body. One or two doshas are usually predominant. These forces of nature are also present in the environment, the time of day, the seasons, and the stage of human life.

No dosha is better than the other as the 3 doshas do complement each other, and together they control the function of the human being. Each dosha has its particular impact on the mental, body, and biological activities of an individual.

Why is the Prakruti Important?

  • to initially determine the body constitution and mental activity of an individual.
  • to discover which typical disease every individual is prone to.
  • diet and patterns of behavior are decided depending on one´s Prakruti.
  • projection of any disease depends on Prakruti.
  • consequently, medicine is also prescribed according to Prakruti.

===== DISCOVER YOUR DOSHA TYPE, TAKE THE TEST

Characteristics Of The Doshas (Prakruti)

ayurveda 3 body types_vata_pita_kapha

Qualities, Functions, and Imbalances

Here is a list for your quick reference.

Qualities of the 3 Doshas
VataPittaKapha
coldstrongcold
dryhotheavy
lightlightslow
roughslightly oilysoft
mobilewarmoily
irregularirritablesteady
thinmedium builtwell-built
Functions
VataPittaKapha
imaginativedecisivestable
creativeimpatientloyal
activequickconservative
restlesscompetitiveroutine lover
nervouspassionategood listeners
mental agilityargumentativegood memory
   
Common Imbalances
VataPittaKapha
insomniainflammationObesity or heaviness
constipationFever and increased body temperatureLaziness or depression
Poor digestionindigestionweak digestion
Feeling of exhaustionskin diseasesexcessive sleep

 

===== HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR DOSHA IS? TAKE THE TEST HERE

Wrapping Up & My Dosha Type

I hope it is a bit clear on what are the Ayurveda 3 body types, and the importance of knowing what´s your dosha?

Once you have determined which is your body constitution then the next step is to start learning about which food can aggravate or pacify your imbalanced dosha, what activity you should do or avoid and at what time, how to control your emotions, breathing exercises and other techniques to be able to live a healthier and happier life.

I, for example, am a Vata-Kapha type with nearly equal proportions but dominant in Vata. I am active, imaginative and an extrovert which are qualities of Vata and at the same time I like to have a routine, sleeping and am a good listener (qualities of Kapha). When it comes to imbalances I have the tendency to suffer from constipation and respiratory infections. However, because I have learned about prevention from Ayurveda, I select food and include spices that favour my doshas. I make sure to enhance my immune system before the colder season and also try to avoid any arguments and excess worries.

I hope you find the above article interesting and that you will take the test to find out what is your dosha type. Please do let me know what you think and what´s your secret to keep calm and cope with the daily stress.

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14 thoughts on “Ayurveda 3 Body Types | What´s Your Dosha?

  1. This is some interesting stuff and I plan to show my wife this information. We’re very much interested in holistic medicine rather than having to take a pill for everything and then have to take two pills for every pill we take. We’ve found that a lot of stuff like this isn’t covered in our insurance network. Can you recommend the best way to go about finding local Ayurveda Doctors?

    1. Hi Flynn, I hate drugs and any kind of pills, because as you say, they resolve one problem and create another, and that is why I am happy to have discovered Ayurveda years back. 

      You can contact Ayurveda Medical Association and they will redirect you to a local Ayurveda Practitioner. I tend to like Indians best, but I have been to consultation in Sri Lanka also and they are also very good. In the West there are many good Ayurvedic doctors if you prefer. Luckily in some countries in Europe, holistic medicine is included in medical insurance. 

      Hope you and your wife will manage to get involved in Ayurveda, as it is a lifestyle that helps with everyday stress and can help prevent the common auto immune diseases

      Thank you for your interest. Best. Marisa 

  2. Marisa, I think I am a combination dosha, namely Vata Pitta type. I would really like to know more about the understanding of Ayurveda, the properties of these doshas and how I can eat to get the best results. I would also like to know about how this lifestyle relates to physical activity. This article has some good information for me and I think if I can understand how my body type functions I ought to have improvements in my health. Thank you

    1. Hi JJ, oh! So you did take the Ayurveda test to find out. Great! It is important to learn how our body functions to be able to deal with it the proper way. We are unique beings and we have to learn to care and love ourselves better. 

      Thank you for writing.  

  3. Hi, I enjoyed reading about this very interesting topic. 

    I myself am a fire symbol, so that means I am a Pitta.   I enjoyed reading about the Pitta and the qualities that you mention I can relate with. I am definitely impatient, decisive, and I am passionate.

    It is interesting that someones personality can be so predictable just due to their earth symbol. For example, I always wondered why some people do not have the passion I have or things like that. It is likely due to their earth element.

    Thanks and nice work.

    1. Hi Jake, Basically in Ayurveda it is all entwined with nature and the way we react is very similar to the natural elements. 

      Thank you for reading my article and for writing. 

  4. Sorry that you suffer from constipation. I’ve been looking into what my doshas are but I have no idea because there are no Ayurveda doctors anywhere near me. Is there a way to test myself and determine by myself whether my doshas are balanced or not? Thanks for any advice you can offer me, I need it lol.

  5. Wow, this is the first time I’m reading about Ayurveda and it’s practices, its really interesting to read about it. With no doubt, it is known that India is one of the most ancient home of historical medicine, this makes most of the treatments that comes from there more holistic and relatively effective. Also, knowing about the  three body types is good. I’ve gained a lot from this article, thanks for sharing.

    1. Hi, I’m so glad this post made you learn a little something about Ayurveda. Ayurveda is very practical for the locals in India, as they apply it in their everyday life and benefit from it health wise. Thank you for writing. 

  6. Hello Marisa,

    I enjoyed reading the article on the Dosha because it has been awhile since my last exposure.

    This is knowledge i will gladly share with my sisters and my spouse to get acquainted with the benefits of knowing their Dosha types. I will encourage them to the the test you recommend. Thank you

    1. Hi, I’m glad you liked the information and hope you will benefit from Ayurveda healthy lifestyle. Have a good day. Marisa

  7. Ayurveda Prakruti is reflected into the three doshas and each of this three into the 5 elements of nature. Each has a unique function which play a very important rule in human life as discussed in this topic and each dosha determines the attitude and behavior of each individual and in some cases the three types can be found in one individual which is very rare to find, it is good for every one to learn about their Prakruti so that they can maintain balance easily and to avoid health break down.

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