Ayurveda – 3 Doshas, 5 Elements & More

“Your body is precious. It is our vehicle for awakening. Treat it with care”

– Lord Buddha

Ayurveda one of the oldest medical systems which originated more than 5000 years ago in India. In Sanskrit, Ayurveda means knowledge of life which is a combination of Ayus(life) and Veda (knowledge).

Unlike Western medicine, Ayurveda is designed to promote good health rather than fight a disease. It aims to treat the root cause of an illness. This traditional science was found by sages and rishis through deep meditation. This knowledge was passed on orally before Charaka and Sushruta transcribed this knowledge into written text around 1000 BC. These texts were called Charaka Samhita and Sushruta Samhita. Samhita in Sanskrit means “union/joined/put together/a collection”.

Ayurveda is considered the fifth Veda after the four vedas : Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda and Atharva Veda.

The principles of many of the natural healing systems now familiar in the West have their roots in Ayurveda including Homeopathy.

How Does Ayurveda Work?

Practitioners of Ayurveda believe that your body, mind and consciousness are connected. If the three of them are in harmony with the universe, your body is healthy.

It uses diet and nutrition, lifestyle changes, natural remedies, breathing and meditation, detoxification and rejuvenation processes, spiritual counseling to treat a patient.

[Source : Detox Your Body – Ayurveda Way]

It is based on the principle that the body is made of 5 elements – Air, water, earth, fire and space. They are known as panchbhoota in Sanskrit where panch means 5 and bhoota means elements.

According to Yoga and Ayurveda, panch bhootha is associated with overall health of a human being.

5 Elements in the Body

1. Space

It is the subtlest element in which everything happens. It is omnipresent and allows all the elements to interact. It is the contributing element to It Vata Dosha.

In the body, space relates to the below:

• Heart
• Abdomen
• Bladder
• Mouth
• Nostrils

2. Air

It is the dynamic element that is responsible for everything related to movement, change, and actions in the body. This is the main element that gives rise to Vata Dosha.

In the body, air relates to the below parts:

• Muscular and tissue functions
• Breathing
• Blood circulation
• Blinking
• Heart Pulse

3. Fire

It represents everything that requires digestion and transformation. It it the main element that gives rise to Pittas Dosha.

In the body, fire relates to the below:

• Body Temperature
• Digestion
• Assimilation
• Nutrition
• Metabolism

4. Water

It represents to liquid that flows throughout the body. It Is a contributing element to Pittas Dosha. In the body , water relates to the below:

• Blood
• Saliva
• Mucus

5. Earth

It represents all the visible solid matter. Earth gives your body structure and form. It glues together the cells , formed from Earth and Water. It is the main element that gives rise to Kapha Dosha, In the body, Earth relates to the below:

• Bones
• Teeth
• Muscle
• Skin
• Hair
• Organs
• Tendons

The combination of the 5 elements determines our unique mind/body type, habits, personalities and vulnerability to certain health issues.

If any of these elements go out of balance, this means there is a health disorder.

These Panchbhootha combine in the human body to form life energies or doshas.

Energy as taught to us in basic biology is required to create movement so that fluids and nutrients get into the cell enabling proper functioning of the cell. Similarly in Ayurveda, there are 3 types of Life energies or Doshas and they make you what you are.

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3 Doshas of Ayurveda

Our physical characteristics and personality are born from the doshas. Typically every human being comprises of these 3 doshas and the same 5 elements. It is the different combinations of these elements which gives rise to a different body type and personality.

The 3 Doshas of Ayurveda are :

1. Vata – Movement and regulation
2. Pitta – Heat and transformation
3. Kapha – Structure and Growth

In the modern Medicine, the 3 doshas can be correlated as :

1. Vata – Activity of the nervous or muscular system
2. Pitta – All the chemical processes that take place in the body eg Hormone release and Digestion
3. Kapha – Physical mass and skeletal system

To know which Dosha you belong to , take this Dosha Test which is absolutely Free!

1.Vata

Vata essentially refers to movement in body. Vata is such an important dosha that very often when you visit an Ayurvedic practitioner, the first steps will include calming the vata dosha. Managing vata alone can mostly be enough to calm many health symptoms, despite being of another dosha.

On an annual basis , vata is prominent during Fall season. This is the time you need to be very careful about lifestyle and diet.

Vata Physical Characteristics

1. Naturally slim frame
2. Tall or short in height
3. Small eyes, brown or grey in color
4. Dry, Dark, and curly hair that can be brittle
5. Long face with a receding chin
6. Asymmetrical nose
7. Irregular teeth, small and thin lips
8. Dry skin
9. Cold hands and feet
10. In women, menstrual cycles tend to be irregular and often have pain
11. Variable digestion. Can digest well one day and not so well the next day

Vata Personality

1. Talk , walk and think fast, act fast
2. Bursts of energy
3. Less willpower, boldness, tolerance to changes than other types
4. Craves new experiences and adventure
5. Creative, excitable, enthusiastic
6. Vibrant imagination
7. Engaging conversationalists

Vata When Out of Balance

1. Worry, anxious, fear
2. Difficult focusing when stressed
3. Difficulty in sleeping
4. Constipation
5. Irregular digestion
6. Weight loss
7. Indecisive Attitude
8. Dry throat/lips/scalp/skin
9. Poor circulation
10. Tired easily
11. Body aches
12. Irregular appetite

Vata Aggravating Factors

1. Generally aggravates as we enter our later life (55 years +)
2. Prominent during fall season
3. Afternoon time between 2pm and 6pm
4. By Travel
5. Loud noises
6. Cold and windy weather

Vata Diet

1. Warming and well-cooked foods
2. One should have small meals 3 or 4 times a day and may snack as needed maintaining a 2-hour gap between each meal
3. Regularity is meals
4. All nuts and seeds are good but best used as butter or milk
5. Spices like turmeric, ginger, garlic, and asafoetida(hing) helps in Vata being in balance
6. Sweet and ripe fruits are favored as they nourish Vata
7. Fruits should always be eaten on an empty stomach
8. Vatas can use more oil in their cooking when compared to the other 2 doshas
9. Limit intake of raw food
10. Limit dry and excessively hot dried spices like chilies, raw onions, horse radishes.
11. Limit gas-forming vegetables like Brussel sprouts, cauliflowers, cabbage, sprouts. Best to have them cooked, spiced, and eaten hot.

2. Pitta

Pitta is a combination of 2 elements Fire and Water with the former being more pronounced. It regulates all the metabolic processes in the body like hormone balance and temperature.

Pitta Physical Characteristics

1. Average structure
2. Medium-sized eyes and a deep gaze
3. Muscular
4. Thin and pointed nose
5. Delicate skin, prone to freckles and moles
6. Good digestion, strong hunger
7. Perspires and feels hot easily
8. Likes cold climates
9. Tends to grow bald early, fine hair, premature greying
10. Regular menstruation and can be heavy, long-lasting

Pitta Personality

1. Loves orderliness, routine and cleanliness
2. Likes competitive sport
3. Loves to exercise outdoors
4. Precise Memory
5. Gums tend to bleed, and their teeth are more yellowish than white
6. Perfectionist and impatient
7. Witty and outspoken
8. Natural born leaders

Pitta When Out of Balance

1. Hate,anger, jealous
2. Bad breath
3. Hyperacidity, gastritis,ulcers in mouth and stomach
4. Excessive hunger and thirst
5. Workaholic
6. Tendency to have loose motions and diarrhoea
7. Loud and Dominating, inability to listen to others
8. Sore throat, tonsilitis, bronchitis

Pitta Aggravating Factors

1. Going to bed late at night
2. Summer aggravates Pitta
3. Reading thrillers
4. Watching TV late at night
5. Overworking
6. Excessively competitive
7. Overambitious

Pitta Diet

1. Have 3 regulated and satisfying meals. Don’t skip meals
2. All-natural sweet-tasting foods favoured
3. Avoid sour, citrus fruits.
4. Favour root vegetables, most grains, milk and ghee
5. Incorporate bitter foods like neem, cumin, turmeric, bitter melon, dark chocolate
6. Avoid radishes, raw onions and chillies
7. Reduce salt intake
8. Highly favour bitter, sweet and cooling vegetables
9. Limit heating oils like sesame, almond, corn, safflower and vegetable oil as they are heating in nature and can aggravate Pitta

3. Kapha Dosha

These individuals are very calm, relaxed and content. They are enjoyable and people love to be in touch with Kapha personalities for their nature. Kaphas are generally understanding and patient. They make the ideal managers who can handle issues calmly without over reacting.

Kaphas are the combination of Earth and Water elements which make them stable. This means that susceptibility to illness is lower than Vata and Pitta.

Kapha Physical Characteristics

1. Broad,curvy with heavy bones
2. Big beautiful eyes
3. Well shaped mouth
4. Oily and smooth skin
5. Snow-white teeth
6. Thick hair
7. Slow and graceful movement
8. Calm and relaxed voice
9. Good stamina and ability
10. Moderate appetite and hunger, with possibly a slow digestion
11. Capable of great long-distance runners
12. Fertile women

Kapha Personality

1. Calm and relaxed
2. Patient
3. Rarely complains
4. Disciplined
5. Intelligent but can take a while to grasp concepts. Once grasped, never forgets
6. Warm and compassionate

Kapha Aggravating Factors

1. Sedentary lifestyle
2. Aggravates in between 6 am and 10am and 6p.m and 10p.m
3. Winters
4. Adolescent growth
5. Oversleeping. Avoid sleeping during the day and especially after food

Kapha Diet

1. Less sweet, sour and salty food
2. Light fruits like apple, pears and pomegranates can be taken
3. Limited dry fruits can be a good option for snacking if necessary
4. Cooked vegetables to be taken
5. Dairy should be reduced.
6. Incorporate warm stuff like hot herbal tea made using fennel, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon
7. Limit Meats
8. Lentils should be eaten warm and spiced
9. Limit nuts and seeds (although sunflower and pumpkin seeds can be taken in moderation)
10. Light oils such as sunflower oil can be taken

Conclusion

Finally, we have seen the different elements that make up the physical body and the 3 doshas ruling it.  Using the elements and their characteristics in this way, we have a clearer understanding of the different Dosha. By now, you would have gotten a hang of the type of Dosha you are by taking the quiz.

Remember one thing, you are in charge of your own health and if everything is done right, you will be disease free!