Mama, Are you vata, pitta, or kapha?
Mama, do you sometimes wonder why certain foods simply just don’t sit well with you?
You have tried multiple diets, perhaps seen a nutritionist, or simply have given up?
Well, let me introduce you to Ayurveda.
Ayurveda is an ancient belief that health and wellness include a balance between the mind, body, and spirit. It was developed thousands of years ago in India and is still practiced today.
Ayurveda brings a more holistic approach to health and disease compared to western medicine. It helps identify the imbalances in your body and avoid disease through proper nutrition, yoga, meditation, lifestyle, and daily routines.
It looks at the 5 elements of life - ether, air, water, earth, and fire. According to Ayurveda, we all have the doshas - Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. However, there’s one that may your primary or a combination of all 3.
By balancing your mind, body, and spirit you will increase your overall wellbeing and achieve optimal health.
So how do you find your DOSHA? I like using Deepak Chopra’s Dosha quiz. Take 10 minutes to find your dosha.
Now that you have an idea of what your dosha is…let’s dive in deeper.
If your primary dosha is Vata, here are a few things to know about your dosha.
Vata’s elements are ether and air, which means you are all about movement. The primary characteristics include lightness, dryness, mobility, subtleness, coolness, roughness, clarity, and inconsistency.
Vata is associated with astringent and salty tastes, so here are a few foods you can include in your diet: apricots, avocados, bananas, coconut, grapes, berries, fresh figs, cooked vegetables, carrots, garlic, beets, asparagus, cooked oats, rice, wheat, and beef, chicken, and eggs.
Avoid dried fruits (unless you soak them first), pears, cranberries, watermelon, pomegranate, raw vegetables, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, lettuce, mushrooms, cabbage, spinach, tomatoes, barley, corn, buckwheat, lamb, pork, or venison.
You will want to include warm, light, slightly oily foods in order to aid your digestion.
If your primary dosha is Pitta, here are a few things to know about your dosha.
Pitta’s elements are fire and water, which means it governs your enzymes, hormone reactions, and your metabolic system. The primary characteristics include sharp, hot, liquid, strong-smelling, and slightly oily.
Pitta is associated with pungent and sour tastes, so here are a few foods you can include in your diet: apples, avocado, coconut, figs, mango, melons, pears, broccoli, cucumber, lettuce, cauliflower, asparagus, mushrooms, cabbage, cooked oats, wheat, rice (basmati/white), barley, chicken (white meat), and egg whites.
Avoid sour fruits, berries, bananas, grapefruit, papaya, peaches, pungent vegetables, carrots, onions, garlic, spinach, tomatoes, corn, rice (brown), rye, beef, lamb, and egg yolks.
You will want to include naturally sweet, bitter, and astringent foods in order to keep a balanced constitution.
If your primary dosha is Kapha, here are a few things to know about your dosha.
Kapha’s elements are water and earth, which means it is responsible for lubricating the skin and producing bodily fluids for the cells and spinal cord. The primary characteristics include hard, sticky, cloudy, soft, static, slow, heavy, liquid, oily, and cold.
Kapha is associated with sweet, sour, and salty tastes, so here are a few foods you can include in your diet: apples, berries, apricots, cherries, figs (dry), mango, peaches, pomegranate, pungent and bitter vegetables, carrots, eggplant, lettuce, mushrooms, cabbage, mushrooms, onions, beets, corn, barley, oats (dry), rice (basmati), chicken, eggs (not fried/scrambled), and turkey.
Avoid sweet and sour fruits, avocado, coconut, figs, grapefruit, lemons, melons, oranges, bananas, cucumber, tomatoes, zucchini, oats (cooked), rice (white/brown), wheat, beef, lamb, pork, and seafood.
You will want to avoid high-calorie foods and stick to low-calorie choices instead to keep your constitution balanced.
This is a brief breakdown of foods you can include and avoid in your diet. Try including these foods into your diet for a couple of weeks and see how you feel.
My primary dosha is Vata. Although I enjoy salads, I have been avoiding them most recently during my time in Guatemala. Instead, I have indulged in fresh fruit, cooked veggies, and used certain spices that have increased my digestion. I’ve included certain daily habits, such as yoga, meditation, and morning/evening routine to feel the most optimal, but I’ll tell you more in another post!
