Ayurveda: test to discover your dosha and adapt your diet

What is ayurveda? Ayurveda is a gentle health science that helps every person make lifestyle decisions taking individual trends into account.

It is based on the idea that the energies of the five elements (air, space or ether, fire, earth and water) and the three gunas (sattvagoodness, rajaspassion and tamasignorance) are translated in the human being into three basic constitutional types dominated by the doshas: vata, pitta and kapha.

So, according to AyurvedaWe are all born with a unique physical and mental makeup, dominated by a doshawhich does not change, but tends to become unbalanced.

This leads us to understand why each of us processes emotions, food and situations differently.

That is why Ayurveda does not establish, for example, a correct way of eating the same for everyone. The selection of foods, when to take them and how to prepare them depends on the energy balance of each person.

In this article you will find A test to discover your dosha and adapt your diet according to Ayurveda.

What is Ayurveda based on?

ayur– means “life” and closed-, “knowledge”. It can be translated as “knowledge of life”.

Ayurveda offers many possibilities of treatment and self care through food,massages, the use of plants, purifying cures, breathing techniques, meditation or yoga.

The goal of Ayurveda is to achievebalance through life in harmony with nature.

The first Ayurvedic physicians were mystics and his main objective was that his patients had a healthy body and a long life so that his soul could develop as he passed through the world.

This vision fills us with responsibility: taking care of health is also taking care of our mental well-being and spirituality.

The oldest writings on Ayurveda date from the V-III century BC. C., when Sushruta and Charaka compiled the first treatises. But healing methods probably date back 4,000 years.

discover your dosha

The first step is to find out what trend dominates you, but keep in mind that what you perceive of yourself now may be different from your true essence.

It is the imbalance that may be speaking for you

. In other words, you can be pitta by nature, but perhaps right now you feel more vata because you are clueless, confused, scattered, insecure, constipated or with a mind that won’t stop…

The most important is meet the current trend (vikruti) and from there start a new path return to your essenceprakruti).

Self-care is about achieving a balance between internal and external energies.

To help you be more precise with what you need now in your life, I am going to show you some tendencies and you yourself will feel with total clarity. to which point do you lean more.

Keep in mind that we all have a part of each dosha, so it’s normal to feel like you have a little of each. In that case you will put focus on the one that is most dominant.

IF YOU ARE VATA…

Personality:

to the vatas they are dominated by the elements air and space or etherwhich can lead to imbalance.

They are artists by nature. enthusiastic, fun, spontaneous, creativeThey love to feel free and go their own way, never better said, given their energetic qualities.

They tend to get confused, their memory is like a fish and when they are nervous tend to insomnia or slow to fall asleep.

Their minds won’t stop stillto the point of feeling surrendered to the barrage of thoughts that invades them.

They are not friends of routines and commitments; that’s why they tend to procrastinate in their tasks.

They often struggle with the idea of ​​being brave and more self-confident, but their fears and feelings of inferiority they play tricks on them.

Constitution:

Frequently may lose weight, have cold extremities and the joints like an old door that creaks and needs oil. They prefer warm weather and hot meals.

Feeding:

Regarding digestion, they can be bloated or constipated easily, they love to snack between hours.

to vata A moderate amount of sweet and salty foods is convenient for you, and avoid excessive bitterness..

Oils and spices indicated are olive oil, ghee, saffron, bay leaf and oregano.

The secret of breathing:

to vata people Breathing exercises helpas nadi shodhana. It consists of breathing alternately through each nostril, inhaling through one and exhaling through the other. Inhale through one nostril for four seconds, hold your breath for four seconds, and exhale through the other nostril for four seconds. Practice in the meditation position, with your back straight.

Discover in this video how to adapt your diet if you are vata:

If you’re pitta…

Personality:

Pitta people have gift of speechare coherent, determined, strategic, concise, intense and with an accent towards perfectionism and things well done.

Is that friend who seems to be able to handle everything. They love to guide, they are idealists, fighters for causes or movements that defend what they believe in.

They often push themselves too hard and that leads them to be intolerant with them and with others. Often they get frustrated for not reaching everything.

Constitution:

They are not too strong and not too thinwith fine, delicate and slightly oily or neutral skin.

They need to release muscle tension and the jaw or remain petrified.

Feeding:

Generally enjoy good digestionalthough they love to eat quickly.

pitta le It is convenient to moderate the spiciness and the acid.

You should not abuse the oil and benefits from fennel, turmeric, dandelion, and stevia.

Cultivate acceptance:

It is good for Pitta people to work on tolerance (towards themselves and towards others), acceptance and selflessness.

The key to success on a day-to-day basis is moderation. Because of his fiery character, pitta should strive to be more relaxed.

Discover in this video how to adapt your diet if you are pitta:

IF YOU ARE KAPHA…

Personality:

People with a kapha predominance are persevering, friendly and stable. Robust, routine, solid, loyal, honest, enjoyable and affectionate.

It is that friend who listens to you and always has his arms open to understand and accept you with love and calm. they love one couch and movie afternoon.

they feel attached to objects, foods, habits, memories and people. Frequently they believe they need the other to feel safe.

Constitution:

Their digestion is usually slow and even heavy to the point of being stuck in the sofa after eating.

Having a tendency of water and earth, your body gains weight easily even when they barely eat.

His lungs accumulate dissatisfactions which are often saved so as not to hurt others, as a consequence, suffer from mucus and sadness that comes and goes

Feeding:

It is advisable who avoids the sweet taste and prefers the spicy and bitter.

are advisable light meals seasoned with peppers, mustard, curry, basil or ginger.

A kapha can skip breakfast or have a chai. The midday meal is the main one, although it is not convenient for them to exceed nor take a nap afterwards.

It is worth getting up early

Kaphas do well to get up early and activate immediately. Waking up around six in the morning can help you feel more energetic throughout the day.

Even more if they exercise: an intense yoga session, a walk at a good pace or half an hour in the gym.

Discover in this video how to adapt your diet if you are kapha:

Test: What is your Dosha according to Ayurveda?

Choose in each question if the answer is 1, 2 or 3. Each number corresponds to a dosha.

SmallMediumLargeI’m thin or very thinI’m usually at my weightI have a few extra kilosSmallMedium size LargeHow are your joints?A little stiffThey don’t usually give me problemsThey work wellHow do you have your muscles?Strong, underdevelopedMore or less strongBulky, a little flabbyNo, I sweat very littleI sweat a lotI sweat once in a whileWhat kind of weather do you like?I prefer hotI prefer cool climatesI don’t like cold or dampDry, cold, fine, roughSmooth, warm, a little oily, rather pinkSmooth, cool, paleHow would you describe your nose? Curious, irregularStraight, a little redFlat, rounded Dry, split, fineRed, mediumFatty, soft, meatyAngularProminentRoundedLong, thinNeither short nor longThickNarrow, a little sunkenNormal, proportionedWide, largeNarrow, slimProportionedWide, largeHow is your digestion?I tend to have gasI digest well, but sometimes I have heartburnI have a heavy digestionSometimes I feel confusedI make my decisionsI wait to see how the situation evolvesMy head is racing, sometimes I am overwhelmedI think a lot about workI reflect, meditate calmlyWhich of these behaviors are most familiar to you?I tend to be nervousSometimes I get angryI am attached to my thingsWhat is your state of mind?RestlessnessDecisionPauseOf these, which emotion is most familiar to you?FearHatredThe desire to accumulateTravel, esotericismPolitics, luxuryFood, the quiet life

RESULT

more than 13 questions with a 1 indicates that your dosha is vata. The same goes for 2 (pitta) and 3 (kapha).

If a number reaches 8-13 answersis your main dosha, but nuanced by the following.

If no dosha reaches 8 responses, you are tridosha, very neutral.

The advice is not to achieve a balance between the doshas, ​​but not accentuate the dominant trend.

The test indicates your state at this precise moment. For further analysis of your nature it would be necessary to consult with an expert in ayurveda.

To know more you can also read youTransform your health with the Arturveda methodby Arturo Castillo (Zenith Editorial).

How to adapt the diet according to the dosha

Not all pitta are the same, nor are vata or kapha, but some useful ideas can be offered to improve the assimilation of food. Take into account your personal tastes.

vata

An hour after getting up, a Energetic, hearty and hot breakfast.Between 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. good time for foodand between 19 and 21 for dinner. One nutmeg infusion helps you sleep. Your ideal diet It must contain 50% carbohydrates, 15% vegetables, 15% fruit and 20% protein.

pitta

It is recommended a light breakfast (for example, toast with blueberry compote) and eat something mid-morning and mid-afternoon. You are interested in Eat early (at 1:30 p.m. for example) and have dinner before 9:00 p.m..His ideal diet contains 30% carbohydrates, 25% vegetables, 20% fruit and 25% protein.

kapha

If you wake up without an appetite you can skip breakfast, which can be light. An infusion of chai is enough to clear your head. meal more copious can be taken between 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.and dinner between 19 and 20 hours. It is not convenient for you to snack between meals.The indicative composition of meals is 25% carbohydrates, 40% vegetables, 5-10% fruit and 20-25% protein, preferably…