Dosha or Disease

Self-Healing by Alternate Natural Remedies utilises Stars, Yog and Ayurveda.

Word ‘Ayurveda’ is made of two words “Ayush + Veda”. Ayush means life and Veda means Knowledge.

Ayurveda is Science of living Healthy Life. This Self-Healing System includes Yoga, Meditation, Pranayama, Marma, Stars and  Ayurveda which treat the disease from its roots without any side-effects and also unfolds the way to live a healthy life.

This precise and comprehensive healing bestows optimal health, energy and vitality to our body and mind besides spiritual growth and overall wellbeing.

The 3 Doshas or Diseases described in Ayurveda i.e. Vata (Air), Pita (Bile) and Kapha are responsible for physiological and psychological processes going on in our body and mind.

The central concept of Ayurvedic medicine is the theory that health exists when there is a balance between three fundamental bodily bio-elements or doshas called Vata, Pitta and Kapha. We are prone to imbalances or diseases (dis-ease) on three levels i.e. physical, mental and spiritual.

The diseases are caused due to violations of laws of nature resulting in imbalance (increase or decrease) in our body of five basic elements of nature – Air, Ether (space), water, fire and earth.

These are called adhi-bhautik diseases which includes diseases from snake and scorpion bites.

Diseases resulting from self-abuse are adhtyamika (spiritual) and genetic diseases are due to pasta deeds (Karmas). Alternate Natural Remedies provides permanent remedy from all the diseases.

Increase or decrease of these doshas is linked to the cycle of time.

1. Vata Dosha (Air & Ether) from 2am to 6am (sunrise) and also 2pm to 6pm (sun set)

It combines movement of the air and ether elements. It works as a catalyst for all functions in the body and responsible for all motion related processes in the body including blood circulating through veins to breathing, digestion and nerve impulses running from the brain.

Vata-nature persons are generally thin & slender frame, prominent joints and weak muscles, tend to extremes either tall or small, sleep lightly and thrive in warm climates.

Other 2 doshas i.e. Pitta and Kapha cannot work without involvement of Vata.

Calmness of mind and attainment of divinity: Morning time from 2am to 6 am is the time of Kalpa (Air & Ether – space and pure fresh air) so responsible for life-force or breath.

Yoga Kriyas and Asanas practised in the open nature in the morning at Brahma-Muhurta (1 hour & 36 minutes before sun rises or 4 ghatis) strengthens the body and calms the mind.

Yoga practice is under the guidance of Shiva who is the First Yogi for attainment of divinity or holistic health.

This early morning Vata phase of 1 hour and 36 minutes before the sun-rise is the best time for stilling mind by way of Meditation which allows the soul to shine.

Vata is elemental composition of air & space. Its characteristic are light, minute, cold, dry, movement, changing, irregular and rough. They tend to always be on the go, with an energetic and creative mind.

As long as Vata is in balance, you will be lively and enthusiastic, with a lean body. Vata controls and balances other two Doshas in the body.

Those with a predominance of Vata dosha usually have a thin, light frame and excellent agility. Their energy comes in bursts and they are likely to experience sudden bouts of fatigue.

Vatas typically have dry skin and hair and cold hands and feet. They sleep lightly and their digestion can be sensitive. Vatas love excitement and new experiences. They are quick to anger but also to forgive.

When Vatas are in balance, they are energetic, creative, and flexible. They also take initiative and are lively conversationalists. 

The main locations of Vata in the body are the colon, thighs, bones, joints, ears, skin, brain, and nerve tissues.

Physiologically, Vata governs anything related to movement, such as breathing, talking, nerve impulses, movements in the muscles and tissues, circulation, assimilation of food, elimination, urination, and menstruation.

Psychologically, Vata governs communication, creativity, flexibility, and quickness of thought.

When the Vata dosha becomes imbalanced, it manifests in the body as weight loss, constipation, hypertension, arthritis, weakness, restlessness, and digestive challenges.

They are prone to worry and anxiousness and often suffer from insomnia. When they feel overwhelmed or stressed, their response is, “What did I do wrong?” You may start skipping meals, resulting in unintended weight loss, and your digestion may become irregular.

If you notice these early symptoms of a Vata imbalance, slow down, take time to meditate, don’t skip meals, and get to bed earlier.

A regular lifestyle routine helps ground Vata so you’re not carried away into the ethers.

To balance Vata, make choices that bring warmth, stability, and consistency to your life.

Try to get to bed early, wake up early and eat your meals at regular times. Message your body with warmer and heavier oils like sesame and almond oil. Do light exercise like yoga, dance and aerobatics.

Since Vata is drying, cooling and light, you should favor foods that are oily, warming, or heavy.

The best tastes to pacify Vata are sweet, salty, and sour. Minimize foods that are pungent, bitter, or astringent. Use up to three teaspoons daily of ghee or extra virgin olive oil. Milk is easier to digest when warm or heated.

2. Pitta Dosha (Fire & Water) from 10am to 2pm and also 10pm to 2am

The Pitta Dosha stands for the energy principle and its main function is transformation.

It regulates body heat through transformation of food to energy, controlling enzymes and even neurotransmitters.

Pitta physical constitution is average proportions between the light Vata and the heavy Kapha type.

They are known for a good digestive fire and strong appetite, for sweets and cold drinks and hardly gain or loose much weight.

Pitta people enjoy physical activity but go out of balance easily with too much heat and prefer cooler climates.

Pita is elemental composition of fire & water.

Its characteristic are thinner, medium physique, strong, well-built, sharper and longer, medium breadth, sharp mind, aggressive, demanding, pushy when out of balance, competitive, enjoy challenges, good concentration powers, orderly, focused, assertive, self-confident, passionate and romantic, strong digestion and strong appetite.

They are generally less fat than kapha but not skinny like vata, physically active than the vata or kapha types, more sensitive to sensory stimuli than kapha, especially light, heat and sound.

They have coordinated, quick and efficient movement, sometimes aggressive, act with determination and purpose.

The skin is often quite ruddy and there is a general tendency to excessive heat.

Pitta governs joy, courage, willpower, anger, jealousy, and mental perception.

It also provides the radiant light of the intellect.

The body is of average build, with a well-developed musculature. Warm temperatures and hot climates are poorly tolerated.

There is a tendency to excessive bile production and gastrointestinal secretions, loose bowel movements, and more frequent urination.

They have strong metabolism, strong digestion and a general tendency to mild inflammatory states.

It governs important digestive fires of the body. It is a stage of decreased acid.

It also governs all heat, metabolism and transformation in the mind and body. It controls how we digest foods, how we metabolize our sensory perceptions, and how we discriminate between right and wrong.

The main locations of Pitta in the body are the small intestine, stomach, liver, spleen, pancreas, blood, eyes, and sweat.

Physiologically, Pitta provides the body with heat and energy through the breakdown of complex food molecules.

It governs all processes related to conversion and transformation throughout the mind and body.

Pitta becomes imbalanced due to eating Pitta-aggravating food, eating while angry, drinking coffee, black tea, or alcohol, smoking cigarettes, over-working and being overly competitive.

Early signs of pitta imbalance in the digestive system include intense hunger, excessive thirst, and a sense of insatiability.

As pitta accumulates further, it can cause nausea, vomiting, hiccups, acid reflux, heartburn, loose stools, diarrhoea, low blood sugar, and sensitivity to spicy and/or fried foods.

Excess pitta in the blood can result in breakouts on the skin such as hives, acne, and red rashes.

Cleansing the body, particularly the liver and blood, through diet and herbs can result in clear, radiant skin and more balanced pitta-dosha. To stay cool, calm and hydrated need to eat more foods that are sweet, bitter, astringent / cold, heavy, oily such as salads, steamed vegetables, fruit and coconut oil.

Eat less foods that are pungent (spicy), sour, salty / hot, light, dry such as coffee, chips and salsa and spicy foods.

Do light exercise like yoga, swimming and walking.

3. Kapha Dosha (Earth & Water) from 6am to 10am and also 6pm to 10pm

It represents the structure principle i.e. embraces cells, tissues and organs and ensures their integrity by lubricating, moisturising and nourishing them.

Kapha-nature persons are of a solid frame with broad shoulders and wide hips tending to be ether tall and strong or small and sturdy, have a good stamina, usually face difficulties in loosing weight due to their slow metabolism, sleep long & sound.

Kapha Is elemental composition of earth & water.

Its characteristics are heavy, dull, soft, sticky, cold, moist and static.

A Kapha individual will display physical and mental characteristics that reflect these qualities in both a balanced and imbalanced state.

It is the energy of building and lubrication that provides the body with physical form, structure, and the smooth functioning of all its parts.

Kapha can be thought of as the essential cement, glue, and lubrication of the body in one.

The main locations of Kapha in the body are the chest, throat, lungs, head, lymph, fatty tissue, connective tissue, ligaments, and tendons.

Physiologically, Kapha moistens food, gives bulk to our tissues, lubricates joints, stores energy, and relates to cool bodily fluids such as water, mucous, and lymph.

Psychologically, Kapha governs love, patience, forgiveness, greed, attachment, and mental inertia.

With its earthly makeup, Kapha grounds Vata and Pitta and helps offset imbalances related to these doshas.

Just as a nourishing rainstorm may turn into a rampant flood, the fluids of the body may flood the bodily tissues, contributing to a heavy dampness that weighs down the body and clouds the mind.

This dense, cold, and swampy environment becomes the breeding ground for a number of bodily disorders such as obesity, sinus congestion, and anything related to mucous.

Mentally, the loving and calm disposition of the Kapha individual may transform into lethargy, attachment, and depression. Kapha becomes Imbalanced due to overeating of food, eating to offset emotions (like indulging in sweets when depressed), spending too much time in cool, damp climates, not engaging in physical activity, spending most of one’s time indoors especially on the couch watching TV and avoiding intellectual challenges.

To balance Kapha eat in a loving environment, avoid a luxurious, leisurely lifestyle, focus on detachment in daily life, do emotional housekeeping regularly, make time for introspective activities like meditation and writing, make a distinction between being nice and being taken advantage of and go to bed early and rise early with no daytime naps.

Vata or Vayu Dosha regulates all functions of other Doshas as self-rejuvenating force:

A balanced proportion of these three facilitates proper body functions, but if there is excess of one and shortage of another, ailments develop due to overheating or not enough heat in the body.

So, before commencing breathing techniques or Pranayama, any imbalance in the doshas should be removed.

Vata (Vayu or wind) is main dosha as its element air is present in all three doshas and therefore it regulates all the functions of other doshas.

Prana is a self-rejuvenating force. Breath fans and fuses the two opposing elements of nature i.e. fire and water resulting in production of Prana.

Pranayama stores Prana in Energy Centres or Chakras of the spine and astral tubes for discharging and utilising when urgently required to meet the difficult situations of life.

Pranayama clears the blockages in thinking and guides into intelligence and wisdom.

Thus Pranayama in itself is an overall balancing activity for the complete health of body, brain and conscious.

It is interesting that each Planet has control on various diseases or Doshas.

 

Five elements and Dosha or Five-Fold Universe, may be seen from the small table below:

Element	Ether	Air	Fire	Water	Earth
Sense Quality	Ether-sabda	Air-sparsha	Sight-roop	Taste-rasha	Smell-gandha
Sense Organ	Ears	Skin	Eyes	Tongue	Nose
Motor Organ	Voice	Hands	Feet	Urinogenital	Anus
Dosha	Vata	Vata	Pitta	Kapha	Kapha
Planet	Jupiter	Saturn & Rahu	Mars, Sun, Ketu	Moon & Venus	Mercury

Ayurveda Dosha Test

Stars, Yoga & Ayurveda as healing science of is based upon constitution of each individual’s nature or prakriti’ which needs to be essentially understood.

All disease or Doshas come under 3 categories, given below with their time-cycles:

To ascertain which type a person is classified, two factors are relevant i.e. Prana Life-Force and their expressions.

Knowing your personal mind-body-constitution is crucial to make Ayurveda work for you since its effectiveness is based on treating people individually.

You see, every person is influenced by all three Doshas, but they manifest differently in everyone of us.

This Ayurveda Test will give you a hint about your “Prakriti” (also called Prakruti in many places) — your birth constitution that doesn’t change throughout your life.

It is made up from your parents’ disposition and determines your main physical characteristics and emotional behaviour.

So, knowing your ayurvedic type will help you figuring out a diet and lifestyle that are perfect for you personally and how to find the remedies that work for you.

It will also help you understanding yourself better; why you are the way you are and act the way you act.

However online tests can never give you perfectly accurate results, so once you know your Doshas keep observing yourself to deepen your knowledge about your Prakriti.

	Vata	Pitta	Kapha
	Physical Constitution
Frame	thin, lanky, boney and taller or shorter than average	average build and size, weight centered in middle	heavy, stocky, broad and either very tall or very short
Weight	low, difficulties in gaining weight	moderate, no difficulties in gaining or loosing weight	heavy, difficulties in loosing weight
Appetite	unpredictable, irregular, variable	strong, cannot skip meals and will have to eat again after 3 or 4 hours	constant but can skip meals easily and tolerate hunger and thirst
Amount of Food	very variable, sometimes a lot, sometimes a little	usually a lot, can eat large quantities at once	usually not much, can feel full with a little
Skin Texture	thin and dry, cool to touch, rough	smooth and warm, oily T-zone	thick and moist/greasy, cold
Complexion	dark, tans easily	fair with freckles, moles, prone to sunburn	pale and hardly tans
Hair	dry, brittle and curly/frizzy	soft, straight and fine	thick and weavy, tends to get greasy
Eyes	small and dry, blink a lot	penetrating gaze, reddish sclerae	large and moist, white sclerae
Lips	thin and dry, often chapped	pink and soft	full and smooth
Teeth	crooked, irregular with receding gums	yellowish, gums easily bleed	large, white and straight
Fingers & Nails	delicate, small and long fingers with chipped nails	regular fingers with pink and soft nails	wide, angular fingers with large and hard nails
Voice	low volume, hoarse and cracking	loud and sharp	pleasant, harmonious, low pitch
Body Temperature	feels colder than others; cold feet and hands	feels hotter that others; palms, feet and face warm or hot	normal, palms and feet cool
Perspiration	scanty with little odour	intense during physical activities or when it gets hot, sharp smell	constant and moderate, sweet smell
Sleep	light sleeper, awakes easily and may have difficulties falling asleep	sleeps deep and even, hardly needs more than 8 hours sleep	long and sound sleeper, has difficulties awakening even after long hours of sleep
Walk	fast with a light step	average speed, determined step	slow pace, steady step
Weather	prefers warm climates, dislikes windy dry and cold days	prefers cooler climates, dislikes heat	adaptable to most climates but can’t stand cold and rainy days
	Mental Constitution
Temperament	lively and enthusiastic, likes to change	purposeful and intense, likes to convince	easy going and accepting, likes to support
Social	independent but insecure, nervous in new situations	outgoing, assertive, accessible, leader nature	follower, good listener, accommodating, lots of friends
Negative Traits	uncertain and jumpy	furious and bossy	greedy and possessive
Under Stress	becomes anxious and worried	becomes irritable and aggressive	becomes withdrawn and passive
Talk	very talkative; fast, diffused speaking	talkative, good speaker, good at arguments	slow, steady speaker, limited speech, cautious
Memory	short attention span, forgets things easily	moderate, remembers details clearly and forgets rather slowly	excellent long-term memory, hardly forgets anything
Learning Type	mainly verbal, might have difficulties in truly understanding	lots of visual imagery, learns efficiently	feelings and emotions involved, usually grasping late but ultimately understanding well
Dreams	flying, searching, restless, prone to nightmares	fighting, violent, passionate and colorful	few, sentimental, romantic, watery, sad
Love	falls in and out of love easily	intense, passionate love affairs	long term relationships full of affection and love
Creativity	distinct and detailed ideas in many areas	inventive in technical or scientific areas	creative when dealing with business things
Decisions	making decisions often feels like a problematic and difficult process	makes decisions quickly and determined	take their time to think things through
Interests	travelling, dancing, arts	sports, politics, luxury	business, food, literature
Finances	spends easily, doesn’t save much and often feels poor	spends money on certain chosen things, luxury	saves money, spends freely on food and entertainment
Activity	hyperactive, restless	active, enjoys exercise and competition	somewhat lethargic
Sex Drive	extreme or none at all	passionate and dominating	constant and loyal
Beliefs	erratic, rebel, changing	determined, strong principles	permanent, doesn’t change easily
Lifestyle	erratic, free and unattached	bustling, well planned	regular, gets into a rut easily