"Dosha" is a term used in Ayurvedic medicine, the Indian holistic medical tradition that maintains that balancing your mind, body and spirit can heal mental and physical ailments. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine--NCCAM--uses the phrase "life force" to describe dosha. Dosha is a force or energy that controls how your body works or how you react to certain situations in life. The three doshas in Ayurveda are kapha, vata and pitta, each with its own characteristics.
Kapha Dosha
If you have a kapha dosha, you are easy-going. Kaphas are not easily upset or stressed out, instead they tend to be loving, emotionally stable, calm, patient and self-sufficient, yet sometimes jealousy rears its head. Physically, the kapha dosha is characterized by strength. Though she may move slowly and deliberately, a kapha person does not fall ill often, has more than adequate muscle development and broad features. Some people in the kapha dosha category are overweight and have a tendency to gain weight easily.
Vata Dosha
People in the vata dosha, in contrast to their kapha counterparts, may not look like the picture of health. Physical characteristics include a lack in development, dry skin, brittle hair and nails and a variety of potential health issues, ranging from heart arrhythmia to gastrointestinal unrest and neurological disorders. Energy tends to be high, accompanied with fast, efficient movements like walking, and a slight build. Mentally, the vata dosha person makes up for all that he may lack physically. Those of the vata dosha constitution are very sharp mentally, experience high levels of joy in life and participate in a life full of creativity. A vata person also succumbs to a significant amount of stress and anxiety.
Pitta Dosha
The constitution and characteristics of the pitta dosha is somewhat middle of the road when compared to either extreme of the kapha or vata doshas. People in this grouping are usually of a medium physical build, with fair hair, warm skin tone and soft features. Metabolism and appetite are both good, and physical ailments tend toward skin rashes and stomach problems related to indigestion. Mentally, the pitta dosha type is smart, ambitious and a born leader, who unfortunately, also has a touch of negativity, including strong emotions like hate, jealousy and bossiness.
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