Discover Your Doshic Balance

Dosha is a sanskrit word for human constitution; taken literally it means "that which changes". Ayurveda states that there are three basic types of human constitution or dosha: Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Each of us contains elements of all 3 energies, and this mix is constantly changing based on age, lifestyle choices and external influences. Finding and maintaining the right balance of energies is Ayurveda's secret to both health and beauty.

Find out what your doshic tendencies are by reviewing the attributes that apply to you. The column in which you have the most attributes is your primary doshic tendency. Most people are a mix of 2 primary tendencies (e.g. Vata-Pitta). In rare instances, people can be "tridoshic," having equal tendencies of all doshas.

	VATA (air & ether)	PITTA (fire & water)	KAPHA (earth & water)
Skin	dry	blemish-prone	oily
Hair	rough, wiry hair	fine hair, prone to grey early	thick, wavy, slightly oily hair
Tanning	can tan easily	skin sunburns easily	tan slowly and evenly
Nails	brittle	strong, flexible	strong, thick
Perspiration	cold hands & feet	tend to perspire profusely	moderate perspiration
Build	thin	medium	generous
Weight	difficult to gain weight	can gain or lose weight easily	difficult to lose weight
Temperment	nervous, anxious	moody, irritable	calm, placid
Environment	prefer warm, sunny climate	prefer shade, cool climate	dislike humidity
Metabolism	fast	strong	sluggish
Health	prone to poor digestion, pains	prone to fevers, rashes	prone to excess fluid retention
Traits	artistic, creative	ambitious, passionate	steady, reliable, easy going

Vata

Here are a few tips to stay in balance if you are primarily a VATA:

• avoid extreme cold
• use warming herbs (e.g. cinnamon, clove, ylang ylang)
• use soothing botanicals to relieve nervous tension (e.g. lavender, sandalwood)
• create a nurturing environment around yourself - a warm, safe haven<
• develop a routine to help ground yourself
• take hot baths and use warm oil massage (especially during early morning and early evening)
• eat primarily cooked food (hot soups, stews)
• drink warming herbal teas (e.g. ginger, almond, cinnamon etc.)
• moisturize, moisturize, moisturize

Lemon, eucalyptus, lemongrass, orange, rosemary, & ylang ylang essential oils are excellent for this dosha.

Your doshic tendencies will fluctuate with the seasons, your diet, and other lifestyle factors. Meditation and conscious breathing helps all doshas.

This is a simple guide. For a full diagnosis, please see a licensed Ayurvedic Physician.

Pitta

Here are a few tips to stay in balance if you are primarily a PITTA:

• keep cool, seek shade - escape hot summers and the sun at noon; wear a hat
• avoid saunas; hot tubs; long, steamy showers
• drink lots of water
• try a cool rinse after a warm bath and/or shower
• use cooling herbs (eg. jasmine, mint) and soothing botanicals to fight moodiness, irritability
• eat lots of raw food; avoid oily food, caffeine and other stimulants
• use only the gentlest possible skin and hair care
• give yourself a scalp massage as often as possible
• try meditation to control stress and mood swings
• swimming is great for exercise

Lemon, Lemongrass, & peppermint essential oils are excellent for this dosha.

Your doshic tendencies will fluctuate with the seasons, your diet, and other lifestyle factors. Meditation and conscious breathing helps all doshas.

This is a simple guide. For a full diagnosis, please see a licensed Ayurvedic Physician.

Kapha

Here are a few tips to stay in balance if you are primarily a KAPHA:

• exercise frequently
• use circulation-boosting herbs (eg. rosemary, bergamot, grapefruit, cinnamon)
• use steam therapy with stimulating oils (eg. peppermint, eucalyptus)
• choose warm, high fiber foods (spicy vegetables, beans); not cold, fatty foods (no ice cream!)
• avoid humidity - choose warm, dry climates
• shake up your routine - don't get stuck in a rut!
• dance to increase your energy level
• frequent full body massage is not just an indulgence - for kaphas, it is a must!

Bergamot, eucalyptus, peppermint , orange, rosemary, & ylang ylang essential oils are excellent for this dosha.

Your doshic tendencies will fluctuate with the seasons, your diet, and other lifestyle factors. Meditation and conscious breathing helps all doshas.

This is a simple guide. For a full diagnosis, please see a licensed Ayurvedic Physician.

Pitta-Vata

Here are a few tips to stay in balance if you are a combination of a Pitta & a Vata:

PITTA:

• keep cool, seek shade - escape hot summers and the sun at noon; wear a hat
• avoid saunas; hot tubs; long, steamy showers
• drink lots of water
• try a cool rinse after a warm bath and/or shower
• use cooling herbs (eg. jasmine, mint) and soothing botanicals to fight moodiness, irritability
• eat lots of raw food; avoid oily food, caffeine and other stimulants
• use only the gentlest possible skin and hair care
• give yourself a scalp massage as often as possible

VATA:

• avoid extreme cold
• use warming herbs (e.g. cinnamon, clove, ylang ylang)
• use soothing botanicals to relieve nervous tension (e.g. lavender, sandalwood)
• create a nurturing environment around yourself - a warm, safe haven
• develop a routine to help ground yourself
• take hot baths and use warm oil massage (especially during early morning and early evening)
• eat primarily cooked food (hot soups, stews)
• drink warming herbal teas (e.g. ginger, almond, cinnamon etc.)
• moisturize, moisturize, moisturize

Lemon, eucalyptus, lemongrass, orange, rosemary, ylang ylang & peppermint essential oils are excellent for this combination dosha.

Your doshic tendencies will fluctuate with the seasons, your diet, and other lifestyle factors. Meditation and conscious breathing helps all doshas.

This is a simple guide. For a full diagnosis, please see a licensed Ayurvedic Physician.

Kapha-Vata

Here are a few tips to stay in balance if you are a combination of a Kapha & a Vata:

KAPHA:

• exercise frequently
• use circulation-boosting herbs (eg. rosemary, bergamot, grapefruit, cinnamon)
• use steam therapy with stimulating oils (eg. peppermint, eucalyptus)
• choose warm, high fiber foods (spicy vegetables, beans); not cold, fatty foods (no ice cream!)
• avoid humidity - choose warm, dry climates
• shake up your routine - don't get stuck in a rut!
• frequent full body massage is not just an indulgence - for kaphas, it is a must!

VATA:

• avoid extreme cold
• use warming herbs (e.g. cinnamon, clove, ylang ylang)
• use soothing botanicals to relieve nervous tension (e.g. lavender, sandalwood)
• create a nurturing environment around yourself - a warm, safe haven
• develop a routine to help ground yourself
• take hot baths and use warm oil massage (especially during early morning and early evening)
• eat primarily cooked food (hot soups, stews)
• drink warming herbal teas (e.g. ginger, almond, cinnamon etc.)
• moisturize, moisturize, moisturize

Lemon, eucalyptus, lemongrass, orange, rosemary, ylang ylang , Bergamot, & peppermint essential oils are excellent for this combination dosha.

Your doshic tendencies will fluctuate with the seasons, your diet, and other lifestyle factors. Meditation and conscious breathing helps all doshas.

This is a simple guide. For a full diagnosis, please see a licensed Ayurvedic Physician.

Pitta-Kapha

Here are a few tips to stay in balance if you are a combination of a Pitta & Kapha:

PITTA:

• keep cool, seek shade - escape hot summers and the sun at noon; wear a hat
• avoid saunas; hot tubs; long, steamy showers
• drink lots of water
• try a cool rinse after a warm bath and/or shower
• use cooling herbs (eg. jasmine, mint) and soothing botanicals to fight moodiness, irritability
• eat lots of raw food; avoid oily food, caffeine and other stimulants
• use only the gentlest possible skin and hair care
• give yourself a scalp massage as often as possible

KAPHA:

• exercise frequently
• use circulation-boosting herbs (eg. rosemary, bergamot, grapefruit, cinnamon)
• use steam therapy with stimulating oils (eg. peppermint, eucalyptus)
• choose warm, high fiber foods (spicy vegetables, beans); not cold, fatty foods (no ice cream!)
• avoid humidity - choose warm, dry climates
• shake up your routine - don't get stuck in a rut!
• frequent full body massage is not just an indulgence - for kaphas, it is a must!