Improving your Quality of Life through Ayurveda
We live in challenging times. Upwards of 45% of U.S. Americans are living with a chronic disease and the numbers are increasing. Some of the biggest on the list include cancer, diabetes, hypertension, stroke, heart disease, respiratory disease, arthritis, oral diseases, gut health issues, anxiety, depression and countless other physical and mental health issues. Up to 80% of some chronic diseases are completely preventable or treatable through wise use of food, stress reduction and movement.
What is ayurveda?
Enter one of the world’s oldest systems of healthcare – Ayurveda. This system teaches us how to cultivate habits that make us feel better, no matter our state of health.
Many people today have heard of Ayurveda, especially those with a Yoga practice or those involved in the world of holistic wellness. For anyone completely unfamiliar with Ayurveda, it is a health science stemming from Ancient India’s Vedic culture. For this reason, it is often considered the “sister science” of Yoga. And while the Yogic tradition focuses on practices for spiritual enlightenment, Ayurveda, which translates from Sanskrit to “knowledge of life,” focuses on the everyday art and science of finding balance and living a healthy and inspired life.
Ayurveda is based on many principles that modern science is finally discovering” – namely, the beneficial health effects of mindfulness practices, the importance of the mind-gut connection, and the value of precision medicine tailored to each individual’s specific body, needs and circumstances. One of Ayurveda’s main approaches to understanding the unique needs of each person’s body is the use of archetypes – or “doshas.”
We are all born with a constitution, or our own personal blend of all three doshas. Many of us have a one or two doshas that are most prevalent in our constitution throughout our lifetimes. The three Ayurvedic doshas are Vata, Pitta and Kapha.
Fantastic Doshas and where to find them
The Vata dosha is most related to the wind element. Just like the wind, the Vata dosha is related to the principle of movement in your body, you know, fancy things like your circulation, breath, muscle contraction, peristalsis and the electrical impulses moving about your nervous system at any given moment. Because Vata is the key to movement, Vata is related to any disease pattern of depletion in the body.
When Vata goes out of balance, someone tends to feel cold easily, have dry skin, hair, nails and cuticles or feel a dry and mouth, have a very fast-moving, restless mind and body and have a light frame or struggle to put on weight. They may even suffer from insomnia, either having difficulty falling asleep due to an active mind and restless body, or may wake up between 2am – 6am with their minds racing. These are all related to depletion of energy or resources in your body.
Vata folks also tend towards irregular schedules and routines. Vata tends to make us be “up in our heads” often. If you feel like your energy is being spread thin all over the place and your mind is racing most of the time, Vata is the culprit.
That also goes for Vata digestion. These are the folks who can “forget” meals. If you ask someone with a Vata imbalance what they had for lunch they may even say, “Oh I was so caught up with work that I totally forgot to eat today.” They may not get hungry, and if they do, it tends to be at erratic times. If any of the above sounds like you, Vata may be the most prevalent dosha in your constitution.
– The Pitta dosha is most related to the fire element. For your body this most relates to the principle of transformation. Think of how your body can transform something like a crunchy Autumn apple into cells with your DNA. If you’re looking for Pitta, you’ll find it in all things warm or fiery in the body that keeps you fueled up and going – namely digestion and metabolism.
All heat originating in your body is from your cells and tissues “burning” energy. You can thank Pitta’s heat generation and Vata’s circulation for your stable body temperature. Yet, just like a fever or the red, itchy hives that accompany an allergic reaction, Pitta is related to disease patterns of inflammation.
When Pitta is out of balance, someone will get hot easily, get redness in the skin often, and may even feel a lot of heat in our gut or behind our eyes. Their skin tends to get oily and is generally sensitive or prone to rashes and outbreaks. Pitta can show up in the mind when someone is prone to being hot-headed, sharp, critical and reactive. A Pitta person will generally feel their body is in need of some form of intense exercise.
With active minds and bodies with generally high metabolisms, Pitta folks tend to have a very strong appetite. If they don’t get food in time, they are often the classic definition of people who get “hangry” (hungry plus angry). Because of this, they tend to have a fairly regular schedule including their meal times. If you raised your hand to many of these points, Pitta may be the main dosha in your constitution.
The Kapha dosha is most related to earth and water, meaning Kapha is responsible for providing structure and lubrication in your body. Think of your bones and the muscles and that plaster them, giving your body its form. Your lubricated joints allow them to move. Due to Kapha, your organs hold their shape and you may be lucky enough to have fat stores and mucus membranes to protect them. Being so related to structure and stability, Kapha is related to disease patterns of accumulation and stagnation.
When Kapha gets out of balance, we can have cold and clammy skin, or just well moisturized skin, hair and nails when in balance. If you get mucus congestion often or have difficulty feeling like you can take a deep breath, this is likely due to a Kapha imbalance. Folks with a Kapha imbalance will often feel lethargic, tired or unmotivated. A body that naturally has a lot of Kapha is one that tends to gain weight easily or simply has a sturdy frame.
Kapha-type digestion is slow, especially after eating processed foods, wheat, sugar or meat. Just think of how you feel after a big, hearty meal. When out of balance, Kapha may have someone feeling like food is just sitting in the GI tract. When you have a Kapha imbalance, you may have little appetite for long periods and may even eat out of habit, boredom, social cueing or emotion instead of hunger. If you can relate to any of the above, you may have mostly Kapha in your constitution.
The True Essence of Healing
Now that you are armed with some basic Ayurvedic knowledge of your dosha and further awareness of the patterns in your body, I encourage you to go deeper! If you are called to learning to incorporate Ayurveda into your everyday life, drop me a line! You may be surprised, however, how much you can improve your quality of life by simply tuning in to your body before turning outward for further answers.
Perhaps one of Ayurveda’s greatest pieces of wisdom is that you are your own best source of knowledge. No matter your current state of health, you can always support your wellbeing by discovering foods and lifestyle habits that help you feel better. In the healing spirit of Ayurveda, I encourage you to incorporate practices that help you build a trusting relationship with your body. You receive countless information all the time about what your body needs to heal, thrive and feel your best. Perhaps the more important question is, what are you doing about it?
About Author
Andrew Dowdy is an Ayurvedic Health Counselor and Certified Yoga Teacher based in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Having struggled like so many of us to create a healthy relationship with food, stress and his body, Andrew stumbled upon Ayurveda’s life-changing approach to health and wellness. After beginning his Ayurveda studies, Andrew took another leap of faith to become a Yoga instructor.
Through teaching Yoga and Ayurveda, Andrew looks to share the sense of vitality and connection he experiences through weaving this ancient wisdom into his modern life. In hopes of being of greater service and challenging the status quo around health and wellness, Andrew founded Ayurvedic Activism to help more people heal their relationship with their bodies, celebrate their life, and embody a new definition of what it means to thrive.
