Ayurveda? Doshas? What are these strange words? How do they relate to my health and overall well being?

Ayurveda includes five elements Earth, Space (ether), Air, Water, Fire

Ayurveda means “the science of life”, some call it the art of living. It is one of India’s most ancient systems of healing.

Learning about and understanding Ayurveda and doshas is one avenue to investigate on your healthy journey. It helps give insight into your body, lifestyle and wellness.

Vata, Pitta and Kapha are the three doshas.

Vata- Earth and Air

Pitta- Fire and Water

Kapha- Earth and Water

There are seven possible dosha combinations. The rarest combinations is all three (tri-doshic) Vata/Pitta/Kapha. The next three are the most common (bi-doshic). Vata/Pitta, Pitta/Kapha, and Vata/Kapha.

Usually you are a combination of doshas, some folks are super dominant in just one though which is the last three, Vata, Pitta or Kapha.

Image courtesy of Veda Bars

Here is a quick quiz to give you some insight into your own dosha:

 Click here for QUIZ

I happen to be Vata/Pitta.

Depending on what dosha constitution you have you may want to avoid certain foods and amp up other foods, here is an extensive Ayurvedic food chart.

Learning what your dominant dosha is can help guide your diet and lifestyle choices. You want your dosha to thrive!

Does it all feel a bit like Astrology? That’s how I felt at first. Taking a quiz to find out my dosha? Then depending on your sign you should eat a certain way? I was not buying what they were selling. And then…….I tried it! It actually fell in line with a lot of the functional medicine ideas I was already trying. Interesting, the investigator in me was on the case and the evidence I was finding was surprising me!

I’m drawn to Ayurveda because I believe you can heal yourself through diet and lifestyle changes. The ME, MYSELF. I have the power to impact positively or negatively my own wellness journey.

There are many practices and choices I do and make daily to live my most vibrant, fulfilling life.

Here is another chart that illustrates balance and imbalance of dosha constitutions.

Image courtesy of Surchange.com

Find an Ayurvedic Practitioner near you and have a consultation. It helped give a perspective into my health that I hadn’t thought of or even knew existed.

If you’re in the Southern California area I highly recommend the Chopra Center. They have at least one Ayurvedic/Functional Medicine doctor on hand. They will do a more in-depth dosha quiz and give you techniques on your first visit that will get you started on living a healthier life for you.