In this article, as promised in the previous article, I’m going to explore a little bit about each dosha.

These are not the person himself/herself, but the manifestation of certain elements in that person, and this depends on the circumstances of his/her past and present life. For example: if a person is experiencing a situation that causes him/her anxiety, in that precise moment his/her Vata dosha will be exacerbated, and therefore out of balance; if it happens in a family situation, in which you feel comfortable, this doesn’t occur.

Vata Dosha (Ether and Air)
The influence of this dosha on human being can be compared to the influence of the wind in Nature. The air gives movement to the body and the ether offers space. This dosha tends to be cold, dry, light and always moving, and people with Vata predominance tend to show these same characteristics.
— Joana Silva, Nurse, Therapist, Blogger, Terapias D’Alma

 

Some of the general characteristics that can be found in people with predominance of Vata are:

• Constituição física leve e magra, estrutura frágil
• Light and thin physical constitution, fragile structure
• Skin tends to be dry, thin and cold; dry, rough and brittle dry hair; brittle and fragile nails.
• Hands and feet are usually cold
• They don’t gain weight easily
• Speak quickly
• Hunger and digestion are irregular
• They tend to suffer from insomnia
• When in balance, people Vata predominance are enthusiastic, lively and very creative
• They learn new information quickly, but they forget it quickly too.
• Appetite is irregular
• They walk at a fast pace, light steps
• They like changes and adapt to them easily
• Emotional crises don’t last a long time
• They are aerial people by nature
• They don’t tolerate cold, they prefer hot climates.

When Vata is out of balance:

• The person manifests fear and anxiety
• Vata diseases are mostly nervous, such as depression with feelings of impotence
• They have some difficulties in managing stress, in focusing, and in making decisions
• They tend to have constipation and abdominal crampings, as well as autoimmune diseases.

Pitta Dosha (Fire and Air)
Pitta, through the element of fire, governs transformation in body and mind, such as digestion and assimilation, both at the level of food and ideas. This dosha tends to be warm, intense and acidic.

— Joana Silva, Nurse, Therapist, Blogger, Terapias D’Alma

Some of the general characteristics that can be found in people Pitta predominance are:

• Average physical constitution, as well as its resistance and strength
• Light or pinkish skin, slightly oily, with the possibility to have many moles
• They tend to get angry and irritated when under stress
• Intense hunger and thirst, very fast and regular digestion
• Precise and articulate speech, good at argumentation
• They don’t like hot climates
• They don’t tolerate hot and spicy foods. They prefer ice cream and other cold foods and drinks
• They have an entrepreneurial character, they like challenges, and are ambitious
• They have a keen intellect, are systematized and perfectionists, and learn better through experience
• They don’t tolerate jumping meals or postpone them, as they get hungry and they may feel bad or get irritated
• They walk in a specific way
• They like to take control of situations
• Sleep is not disrupted easily
• Hands and feet tend to be always warm
• They get angry easily, but when in balance they also forget easily.

When Pitta is out of balance:

• They tend to have physical or emotional inflammations, feelings of anger and possessiveness, and can become jealous
• Assertiveness, which is one of their typical characteristics, turns into aggressiveness
• In case of depression, they tend to blame on others or something external
• They tend to have digestive problems, burning feeling in the chest, burns and stings feeling on the skin, urticaria.

Kapha Dosha (Earth and Water)
Kapha is formed by the elements of Earth and Water, making it heavy, stable, firm, cold, oily, slow, inert and soft, and Kapha people show this type of characteristics. Water is lubrication and structures junction, Earth is structuring.
— Joana Silva, Nurse, Therapist, Blogger, Terapias D’Alma

 

Some Kapha characteristics:

• Strong mental and physical structure
• Skin is thick, oily, pale, smooth, soft
• Kapha person is patient, serene, kind and generous
• Speech is slow, monotonous
• Heavy constitution, with curves
• The torso is wide and expanded, muscles are strong and bones are heavy
• They don’t like cloudy and stuffy weather
• Digestion is slow. They eat for comfort and pleasure, with regular appetite
• Normally they have little thirst
• They like doing things methodically, following instructions or having a routine
• They enjoy calm and rest, they like relaxing at home
• They need some time to learn new things, but they have great memory, and once learned something, they don’t forget easily
• Sleep is deep and prolonged. They normally have calm dreams
• They have difficulties in losing weight
• Spiritual faith is deep, lasting, and it’s difficult to make them change their minds about their ideals.

When Kapha is out of balance:

• They tend to have respiratory tract disorders involving mucus, such as nasal congestion, flu, bronchitis, and sinusitis. Fluid retention and headache are also common.
• They tend to gain weight, and this situation can lead to obesity. They may also develop problems such as diabetes, hypertension and binge eating.
• On an emotional level, the imbalance appears through avarice, lust, envy, attachment. It can also lead to negative thoughts, or depression with lethargy.
• There is a sense of exhaustion, everything is very difficult, and there is a lack of initiative. They always feels sleepy.

In the next post I will give some tips to balance each dosha.