The Dish on Doshas
Your body/personality type, and what helps or hinders
I am currently taking a course in Ayurveda at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health. It’s a foundational class, no degree earned here, but it’s still super intense. I have found that following Ayurvedic principles based on my dosha imbalances during my benzodiazepine withdrawal and detox has been enormously transformative.
Huh? What? WTF are you talking about, Bridget?
I’m no expert, but I can give you a quick blanket overview of just a few of the basics, and I think you’ll find it as fascinating as I do.
So, according to Ayurveda, which is an ancient form of alternative natural medicine, there are five elements which comprise the entire universe and our bodies. They are ether (or space), air, fire, water, and earth. Space in our bodies can be defined as the space in every cell, just to keep it simple.
There are three types of doshas, or energies that define our mind-body, made up of these elements. Most people have a preponderance of one, with a little of the others thrown in for good measure.
Again, this is a very simplified look at this complex and rewarding philosophy.
VATA (“that which blows”) is identified as ether and air.
Body type: very tall with long bones, or very small, almost bird-like, eats like a bird. Fast moving but tires easily. Smallish eyes, thin lips. Dry, rough, and brittle are a few of vata’s qualities.
Personality: Quick thinking, creative, energetic, amusing, friendly, charming, social butterfly.
Famous (mostly) vatas: Audrey Hepburn, Michael Jackson, Woody Allen, Gwyneth Paltrow, Will Smith. And me, obvi.
Out of balance (too much vata): Constipation, brittle hair and nails, cracking or painful joints, forgetful, anxious, insomnia, tremors.
PITTA (“that which cooks”) is identified as fire and water.
Body type: proportional, sturdy. Moves with ease and focus. Clear eyes, rosy complexion, healthy appetite. Pitta qualities include hot, light, and liquid.
Personality: A born leader, focused and direct. Loves detail-oriented tasks, and is passionate about causes, friends, and family.
Famous (mostly) pittas: Julianne Moore, Jennifer Aniston, Martha Stewart, Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Madonna.
Out of balance (too much pitta): Indigestion, diarrhea, acne, rashes, feverish, angry, argumentative, irritable.
KAPHA (“that which sticks”) is identified as water and earth.
Body type: Strong and hardy. Lustrous skin and thick hair. Moves with slow determination. Large eyes and full lips. Kapha qualities include smooth, cool, and dense.
Personality: Nurturing, loyal, consistent. Loves to take care of people and animals, able to relish the small things in life.
Famous (mostly) kaphas: Angelina Jolie, Beyoncé, Oprah, George Clooney, Tom Hanks, Placido Domingo.
Out of balance (too much kapha): Overweight, sluggish, lethargic, depressed, stubborn, territorial.
A lot to handle, ya? A little hard to grasp? Now imagine this flighty vata woman trying to absorb this shit in fricking Sanskrit. ‘Cause that’s what I’m doing.
Anyway, a lot of this is common sense. For example, which season do you think is most Vata (cold, airy, brittle)? Or Kapha (cool, moist, earthy)? Pitta (hot, intense)? I’m not even going to tell you, because you already know.
How about what foods would be good for someone who has a Vata imbalance? (Like this lady right here!) You want to counter their anxious and dry state with things like oatmeal with butter, stews, soups, things that grow in the ground. Roasted veggies with oil…yes! And maybe a little foot rub by the fire.
Pitta out of balance has too much fire, so you want them to eat cooling things, like salads and mint and watermelon and lots of water. Just leave the food and back out of the room before they engage you in a debate about something.
Kapha, imbalanced, needs to get off their ass. Time to UberEats some Mexican or Indian food for this couch potato, stat!
So, what’s your dosha? And if you are out of balance (spoiler alert: we all are), what are you going to do about it today?
I am so glad that I read this today! Now I have lots if thinking to do. But first I am off the couch and heading out for Mexican food!
It's amazing how yoga has proliferated in America since we were youngsters. Indians themselves are finally picking it up, Western-style yoga studio popping up like mushrooms there, too; it was very much the practice of religious ascetics until quite recently. As far as I know, in New York 30 years ago there was only the original Crunch on 13th Street, which had "Power Yoga" classes that I loved. That was before they installed a proper gym, when it was only classes. I would practice every day when I was in India; they thought it was quite exotic. I also had Rodney Yee's VHS tapes — it was much more prevalent on the West Coast and Hawaii back then.