Ayurveda Types - What's Your Dosha?
 Ayurveda is one of the oldest forms of Eastern medicine that is still practiced today. It follows many of the same principles of other types of Eastern practices, such as the importance of maintaining a balance of body energies in order to avoid illness. However, unlike other medicine practices found in the East, there are several different ayurveda categories into which people are classified based on the predominant elements at the time of birth. Practitioners of ayurveda believe that elements like space, earth, fire, and water make up everything in the universe, including the human body, and must be kept in a fine balance.
Called doshas, these ayurveda types are different for everyone. They are believed to play a part in every aspect of an individual's life, playing a role in everything from body type and stress levels to what kinds of foods and herbs they should include in their diets, and even which kinds of activities they should incorporate into their lifestylse and what their weight is.
There are three main ayurveda types that practitioners of the medicine believe everyone falls under:
- Vata - air and space are predominant at birth
- Kapha - water and earth are predominant at birth
- Pitta- fire and water are predominant at birth
- Combination - some people are a combination of these three doshas
While there are many indicators for which ayurveda types apply to a person, only an experienced ayurvedic doctor is believed to be able to ascertain which dosha an individual is. It is recommended you seek the guidance of an experienced ayurvedic practitioner, as well as consult with your primary care provider if you want more information on this ancient practice. |
