Week 1: Kapha Dosha
The Ancient healing art of Ayuveda has been a practice in India for over 3000 years and is one of the oldest forms of holistic medicine. Combining physical, psychological, and spiritual health, Ayurveda focuses on whole-body healing and states that a person’s dosha is the dynamic principle that determines their personality and health.
Ayurvedic medicine is based on the idea that the world is made up of five elements: aakash (space), jala (water), prithvi (earth), teja (fire), and vayu (air). The combination of these elements creates what is known as the doshas.
Keeping the three doshas—vata, pitta, and kapha—in check is an essential part of creating harmony in the body. We all tend to have more of one or two doshas in our body and need to offset the characteristics of those doshas to get back to middle ground.
Based on centuries of Ayurvedic practice, an Ayurvedic practitioner can determine one’s dosha based on physical, emotional, mental, and behavioral characteristics. We will now look into each dosha through the next few weeks and explain these traits and ways to help balance these energies.
Kapha
The Kapha dosha is made up of the elements Prithvi (earth) and jala (water). In Sanskrit, kapha translates to ‘that which binds things,’ as the dosha provides lots of structure and stability in the body. The primary function of kapha is protection and makes up our bones, muscle, fat and sinew.
Qualities of kapha:
- Heavy
- Slow
- Steady
- Solid
- Cold
- Oily
- Soft
Kapha types have a strong build and excellent stamina. Large, soft eyes; smooth, radiant skin; and thick hair are also important Kapha characteristics. Those who are predominantly Kapha sleep soundly and have regular digestion. But when Kapha builds to excess, weight gain, fluid retention, and allergies manifest in the body.
When they’re out of balance, Kapha types may become overweight, sleep excessively, and suffer from asthma, diabetes, and depression. Kaphas are naturally calm, thoughtful, and loving. They have an inherent ability to enjoy life and are comfortable with routine. When in balance, Kaphas are strong, loyal, patient, steady, and supportive.
People with an excess of Kapha tend to hold on to things, jobs, and relationships long after they are no longer nourishing or necessary. Excess Kapha in the mind manifests as resistance to change and stubbornness.
Signs of Imbalanced Kapha:
- You feel sluggish, tired, and slightly sad for reasons you can’t quite pinpoint.
- It’s harder to digest food and your stool is loose.
- You have strong food cravings.
- Your seasonal allergies act up and you have more mucus than normal.
- You get brain fog and feel especially stubborn or sentimental.
Ways to balance Kapha Dosha:
Seek stimulation and go do something new! New sights, sounds and experiences will help shake up the routine-based lifestyle of a Kapha predominant person.
Follow a regular sleep schedule and wake up before 6am daily to get all of the tasks of the day done but also take time for yourself and sleep at a decent time! Avoid taking naps during the day as it will create a disruption in your sleep throughout the night.
Stay warm and avoid dampness as a common concern for Kapha individuals is congestion. Use a heating pad or dry heat to help with any discomfort from nasal issues to bodily aches.
Come get a Garshana Service! This will help create lymphatic movement and stimulation to the body! Just exactly what Kapha needs to be in balance.
Use a neti pot for congestion issues and clear those nasal passages.
Clear your space as a clean space can help with a clear mind aiding Kapha people to have more clarity to perform their best!
Get Regular Exercise and focus on building endurance. This will help move stagnating energy and the accumulation of toxins in the body. Make time for mindful stretching, too. Stretching is good for kaphas because their joints and ligaments tend to be less elastic and more rigid than other doshic types.
Fill your home with stimulating aromas. Burn incense sticks or light candles that will give your living space an expressive and vibrant feeling that will combat any cold or slowing vibes. Eucalyptus, lavender, grapefruit, rosemary, sage, and mustard are all phenomenal options!
Stimulate with color by surround yourself with warm, bright colors like red, yellow, orange, and green.
According to Ayurveda, it’s important to eat foods that have a balancing effect on the dominant dosha or that will stabilize a dosha that has become excessive or aggravated. Kapha being heavy, oily and cold, those wishing to balance should favor light, dry or warm foods.
Kapha Diet Tips:
Try a liquid fast one day per week and ingest only fresh vegetables, fruit juices, and pureed vegetable soup.
Reduce dairy intake and adjust to using ghee, low fat milk and low fat yogurt for your dairy needs!
Avoid Sweeteners as they can increase the kapha dosha issues. The only sweetener that aids in harmonoizing the kapha dosha is honey.
Drink Ginger Tea with food to help aid with digestion and helps sharpen taste buds. Drink 2-3 cups daily.
Eat Beans to help with energy levels as a kapha prominent person. Although avoid soy beans and soy products as they can cause a disruption in kapha energy.
Favor light fruits such as apples, pears, pomegranates, cranberries, and apricots.
Eat vegetables low in sugar and avoid sweet potatoes, tomatoes and zucchini.
Add spice not salt as all spices except salt help pacify kapha energy. Use pungent spices like pepper, cayenne, mustard seed, and ginger freely in your diet.
Limit consumption of red meat try eatingfresh, organic white meat chicken, turkey, eggs, and seafood instead.
A Kapha diet should be lively and full of energy to help spark the digestive and metabolic systems. Eat your largest meal at lunchtime and a smaller meal at dinnertime. Allow at least three hours for digestion before bedtime.
Kapha predominate people are known for keeping things together and being a support system for others. They rarely get upset, think before acting, and go through life in a slow, deliberate manner. It is important for them to pay attention to their physical and mental health. They must give themselves the self-care they need to avoid any issues that can arise and create harmony for a full life! As the saying goes, Slow and Steady wins the race!
