Ayurveda Dosha

And another one from balancephysioandhealth:

Catherine Zeta-Jones
Jennifer Lopez
Angelina Jolie
Nigella Lawson
Queen Latifah
Lisa Marie Presley
Liv Tyler
Kelly Osbourne
Beyonce
Kim Cattrall
Oprah Winfrey

Antonio Banderas
George Clooney
Wolfgang Puck
Shaquille O’Neal
Placido Domingo
Tom Hanks
Dan Rather
Harrison Ford
Alfred Molina
Jerry O’Connell
Kevin Kline 

Find out your Ayurveda Type

Interesting list from balancephysioandhealth:

Julianne Moore
Sharon Stone
Debra Messing
Britney Spears
Susan Sarandon
Jennifer Aniston
Madonna
Hilary Duff
Lindsay Lohan
Mia Hamm
Martha Stewart

Brad Pitt
Tom Cruise
Matt Damon
Justin Timberlake
Denzel Washington
Steve Martin
Donald Trump
Bill Clinton
Kobe Bryant
Lance Armstrong
Simon Cowell

Find out your Ayurveda Type

I’m currently working on an info graphic about how the daily cycle is influenced by the doshas (will post here as soon as it’s finished). So according to the recommendations, one should go to bed before 10pm and rise with the sun or earlier to make use of the Vata time of the day. If one sleeps longer, it’s getting into Kapha time, meaning this Dosha accumulates and makes it hard to get up and running in the morning and you’ll feel slow and lazy… Well; that’s what I usually experience; to me it just feels way easier to work late into the night (probably using the energetic Pitta time around midnight badly) than waking up in the morning.

But if you do so; maybe like me working late into the Vata hours (starting around 3am, depending on sunrise and -set) – which should be a time of awakening, not going to sleep – you’ll experience the unbalanced side of Vata: difficulties focussing and easy confusion for pretty much the whole day. Only 3 to 4 hours sleep each night for weeks and energy drinks as quick fix don’t help either, little surprise… That’s what my days and nights look like at the moment and although I’ve got an awful lot to do (trying to build a business next to my full-time job) and feel like I just don’t have the luxury of sleeping I sense this is not the way to go. Of course you’d know, your body knows and screams out loud enough for you to be aware of it so it’s “just” a matter of listening instead of ignoring.

Doing changes slowly so they don’t seem as hard and make you give up I aimed for going to bed at midnight and getting up at 5 in the morning. Well it’s 0:45am at my place now, so at least I’m close and considering the time I usually go to bed (4am or later & getting up at 7am) this is still a huge improvement. If I’m more productive in the morning this is certainly worth it!

Did you know? Great list from balancephysioandhealth:

• Cameron Diaz
• Nicole Kidman
• Uma Thurman
• Penelope Cruz
• Kate Hudson
• Halle Berry
• Jennifer Garner
• Keira Knightley
• Mischa Barton
• Courteney Cox
• Gwyneth Paltrow
• Jim Carrey
• Noah Wyle
• Prince William
• Ben Affleck
• David Duchovny
• Will Smith
• Ashton Kutcher
• Orlando Bloom
• Quentin Tarantino

Find out your Ayurveda Type

Kapha combines the qualities of earth and water and thus is heavy, wet and cold. It lives in the stomach and is responsible for nourishing the mucus membranes, bones, joints, heart and memory and binding the whole body together. When in balance it creates love and compassion.

If you’re a Kapha type you probably have a solid frame and gentle nature. You have a good stamina and sleep long and sound. The Kapha Dosha can be brought out of balance by overconsumption of fatty, sweet and ice-cold foods. Since all people are influenced by all Doshas (in different combinations to different impacts) this can happen to everyone. The following are signs that the Kapha Dosha might have an overly strong influence on you:

• you’re gaining weight easily without an obvious reason
• you’re constantly feeling tired and have difficulties waking up, even after a good night’s sleep
• you feel quite lethargic after meals
• you have difficulties dealing with change tend to dwell in the past
• you’re prone to bronchitis, asthma, pneumonia, cough or cold

If this sounds like you why not try and get the Kapha Dosha influence back to balance? Your first aid is staying active both physically and mentally by varying your routine as much as possible. Light and pungent foods (the spicy choices) will also help you overcome the Kapha excess.

Read more about Kapha Dosha balancing remedies >

Pitta is comprised of water and fire. It is hot, wet and light and its main site is the small intestine. Pitta is responsible for the metabolic processes of the body. When in balance, Pitta creates clarity and energy.

If you’re a Pitta type you probably have a good digestion and a bright mind. You easily keep your weight and prefer cooler climates. The Pitta Dosha is easily brought out of balance by too much hot foods or exposure to sun and heat. Since all people are influenced by all Doshas (in different combinations to different impacts) this can happen to everyone. The following are signs that the Pitta Dosha might have an overly strong influence on you:

• you tend to be overly critical or irritable and have a low tolerance of annoying situations or other people’s behaviour
• you find it difficult to wind down from a project or work
• you often feel frustrated or have unnecessary temper outbursts
• you tend to be sarcastic and/or get into arguments easily
• you regularly suffer from acidity and heart burn

If this sounds like you why not try and get the Pitta Dosha influence back to balance? Your first aid is cooling down; physically and mentally by cold showers (or cooling your wrists with cold water for a few minutes) and staying away from difficult situations. Fresh, cold food with a slightly bitter or astringent taste (like salads) will also help you overcome the Pitta excess.

Read more about Pitta Dosha balancing remedies >

Vata is made from space and air and as such is light, dry and cold. It lives in the large intestine and is responsible for all movements in the body including those in the nervous system, muscles, heart and mind. When in balance it creates inspirational creativity and flexibility.

If you’re a Vata type you probably have a slender frame and a quick mind. You sleep lightly and love warm climates. The Vata Dosha can be brought out of balance by too much dry or raw foods or exposure to windy and cold weather. Since all people are influenced by all Doshas (in different combinations to different impacts) this can happen to everyone. The following are signs that the Vata Dosha might have an overly strong influence on you:you often feel anxious, worried or overwhelmed

• you are tired but unable to rest and relax
• you often have negative thoughts and an indecisive attitude
• you have a short attention span and find it hard to focus
• you often suffer from things like constipation, bloating and gases or a poor circulation

If this sounds like you why not try and get the Vata Dosha influence back to balance? Your first aid is staying warm, e.g. by layered clothing and always wearing a hat and scarf in cold weather. Salty foods (and to an extent sour and sweet ones as well), preferably heavy, warm and oily will also help you overcome the Vata excess.

Read more about Vata Dosha balancing remedies >

Doshas in Ayurveda are the three vital energies Vata (Air), Pitta (Fire), Kapha (Water). In fact they are not three different energies but three sides of the one all-embracing energy of life. In its different forms it is responsible for all the processes within our body and mind. Knowing the Doshas and how they influence you at certain times of the year, day, with certain weather or with the food you eat will help you a lot if you want to lead a balanced lifestyle.

Read more about the TriDosha Theory >

#6 Take it easy.

Don’t try to be perfect. Don’t start categorizing foods in good and bad drawers — Ayurveda is not about excelling in a healthy diet and/or lifestyle. It’s about living in harmony with yourself and your environment. There will always be something more to master and something to adjust but don’t end up stressed in details and lose the vision for the big picture.

Just continue listening to your body, it will tell you what needs to be adjusted.

#5 Fine-tune:

At some stage you’ll have attained a pretty good comprehension of the general things that agree with you, support you, give you an energetic and positive feeling you could start and try fine-tuning your diet so that it provides for your personal type as well. You can achieve this by sensibly spicing your foods in line with your Doshas, finding or creating recipes specially for your type or simply adjusting the things you eat a bit more to include more of what’s good for you personally.

#4 Discover yourself:

To address you more subtle imbalances it’s often helpful to get counsel from an Ayurvedic practitioner. However although Ayurveda is spreading quickly at present there might be countries and regions where it’s hard to find one near. In this situation you can only understand more about yourself by observation: yourself should know what is best for you but you probably have to learn how to listen to your body. (That’s where an Ayurvedic practitioner can help you should you have difficulty with this concept.)
You could start by doing a test to find out your Dosha which can give you an idea, but this should really only be a starting point.
Whilst discovering Ayurveda you’ll see that many of the principles are categorised for the sake of learning, but always remember that in reality everything is interrelated and the transitions between one state and another are seamless.