वायुः पित्तं कफश्चेति त्रयो दोषाः समासतः॥
विकृताविकृता देहं घ्नन्ति ते वर्तयन्ति च ।
ते व्यापिनोऽपि हृन्नाभ्योरधोमध्योर्ध्वसंश्रयाः॥
Literally meaning, Vata, Pitta, and Kapha are the three Doshas of the body. When imbalanced (vikṛtāḥ), they cause disease; when balanced (avikṛtāḥ), they sustain life. Though present throughout the body, they primarily reside below the navel (Vata), between the heart and navel (Pitta), and above the heart (Kapha).
Ayurveda, one of the world’s oldest systems for holistic health and wellness, has been practiced for more than 5000 years and is still widely used. Ayurveda emphasizes on the balance of physical, mental and spiritual health which can be attained by a unique combination of Vata-Pitta-Kapha Dosha.
Why are they called 'Doshas'? Are they really some deficiency in the body?
Don’t worry on seeing the word 'dosha'. Dosha is not any kind of deficiency in the body, it only means “that which can go out of balance” and when it goes “out of balance” - either aggravated or depleted, can vitiate tissues and lead to physical or mental illness- Hence, the name 'dosha'. Seeing this, it becomes very important to maintain balance of these functional energies and maintain health.
Doshas explained
As per Ayurveda, it is believed that the world is made up of 5 elements- earth, space, air, fire, water. A combination of each of these elements result in 3 doshas i.e. Vata, Pitta & Kapha.
|
|
Vata Dosha (Air+ Space) |
Pitta Dosha (Fire + Water) |
Kapha Dosha (Earth + Water) |
|
What they control |
Movement & Communication |
Digestion, Metabolism & Transformation |
Structure & Immunity |
|
What if balanced |
Energy, Clarity |
Confidence, focus & Strong Digestion |
Immunity, Stamina & Emotional well being |
|
What if not balanced |
Anxiety, gut issues, pain, skin problems, restless |
Acidity, Irritability, Inflammation, Rashes |
Weight gain, lazy, digestion issues, low immunity |
Balancing doshas does not mean they have to be at certain level. It simply means maintaining harmony of one’s body. Maintaining doshas would mean improved digestion, stable metabolism, better immunity, hormonal & emotional balance, hence overall vitality and longevity.
Modern lifestyle leading to dosha imbalance
In the modern world, with long working hours, sedentary lifestyle, stress and rise in consumption of packaged food/ ready to eat food etc., people are suffering from all types of diseases due to significant increase in dosha imbalance.
Vata Dosha is imbalance due to irregular routines, late nights, screen time, multi-tasking which leads to anxiety, poor sleep, digestive issues, dry skin and burn-out.
On the other hand, high stress, consumption of fats-foods, long working hours, excessive intake of caffeine and alcohol causes increase in Pitta resulting in problems like acidity, inflammation, anger, hormonal imbalance, premature aging to name a few.
A sedentary lifestyle, overeating, lack of exercise, consuming highly processed foods imbalances Kapha dosha in the body leading to disturbed metabolism, weight gain, laziness, low motivation and energy etc.
It is due to the imbalance of these dosha that lead to increase in Ama, accumulation of toxins in the body and weakened digestive fire aka Agni. Ama accumulation and weakened agni are the root causes of lifestyle diseases like high cholesterol, diabetes, hyper tension, anxiety, PCOS, cardiovascular issues etc.
Recommended Diet:
To help us keep Vata-Pitta-Kapha in balance, Ayurveda recommends avoiding food that are similar to one’s dosha/ body type.
The following is the chart of some food recommendations i.e. what to eat and what not.
|
Dosha |
Food to eat |
Food to avoid |
|
Vata |
Warm, moist, soft foods |
Bitter, dry, cold foods |
|
Pitta |
Spicy, acidic, filling foods |
Heavy, fatty foods |
|
Kapha |
Light, cold, sweet, energizing foods |
Heavy, spicy, sour foods |
In addition to this, consuming diet based on the season is also highly recommended like eating warm, nourishing, and unctuous foods in late winters.
Lifestyle Practices
Although most exercise and practices, in Ayurveda, are considered to be slow and not showing instant result, these gentle movements and lifestyle practices work on root cause to bring the body back to the balance. If ayurvedic practices are done regularly as a way of life not just for short duration, one can experience numerous health benefits such as better management of stress, improved quality of life, emotional balance etc. These practices may include
Yoga
Meditation
Mindful eating
Managing work life balance etc.
These practices are believed to bring the body in harmony with elements within and without and promote good health.
The key take away:
Ayurveda emphasizes on the importance of daily routine i.e. dincharya, food and lifestyle practices which in turn heal the whole body from deep within not just provide symptomatic treatment. It may sometimes seem to be working slow, however, it brings the doshas in balance and promote long-term wellness – even in this modern world.
