Know Your Ayurvedic Constitutional Type
What is Ayurveda?
Ayurveda is one of the oldest forms of holistic medicine that is still used today in most parts of the world. It combines psychological, spiritual, and psychological aspects to provide whole-body healing to help patients restore their wellness and health. Ayurveda depends on a delicate balance between the mind, spirit, and body for the best results.
Common Constitutional Type
What is one’s constitutional type or Dosha? The traditional Indian medicine defines a person’s constitution as the balance between the three Doshas (the biological forces that control the human body) inherent within an individual. The three basic constitutions are:
Vata
People with this constitution are more predominant with mobility, dryness, light, and cold. These people easily suffer from cold and often have to wear warm clothes to protect themselves. They complain about cold rooms and are often the last to turn their air conditioning on. Other common characteristics of people with the Vata constitution include:
Use extra blankets
Have lower body weight
Mostly experience dry skin, colon, and eyes, which often lead to constipation and gas
Their fast speech patterns highlight their mobile nature
They are easily scattered and overwhelmed
They have problems with remaining focused
Pitta
As opposed to the people of the Vata constitution, the people of Pitta are usually hot. They are usually the first to turn their air conditioning on and the last to put them off. People of Pitta have a lot of internal heat; light clothes fit them more. Their other common characteristics include:
They have softer and looser stools because of the heat that builds up in their internal parts, their intestines specifically.
Have moderate body builds
They may have red rashes or acne because of their oily skins
Often have a passionate and intense disposition
Patience is not their strong suit, especially for people who do not have the same focus as them
Kapha
The people of Kapha are naturally calm, moist, slow, and heavy; they have a stocky body build. However, these descriptions do not necessarily mean that people of the Kapha constitution are obese; they have a denser body than people of the other constitutions. Their main characteristics include:
They are slow and easy-going
They have a sweet and gentle disposition
They may have shorter and thicker fingers
Most of their challenges revolve around motivation — they are not easily motivated. They also cannot easily change their made-up minds
Determining your constitution is the first step in any Ayurvedic treatment plan. Your constitution helps the practitioner understand what you attract and what makes you sick, out of balance, or diseased. It can also determine your most optimal diet and how you relate to your environment. After additional assessments performed by Ayurvedic practitioner, a treatment plan is established. Ayurvedic treatment can involve internal purification process, special diet, yoga, meditation, herbal remedies and massage therapy.
