Summary of Body/Mind types & functions of the doshas

The primary use of this information is to reveal your health tendencies, and what preventive diet, lifestyle, herbs you should use to stay healthy. The column with the highest number will usually reveal your primary dosha; the next lowest number is your secondary dosha. Some people may be tri-doshic (have an equal count from all three columns).

Vata:

In the body/mind, Vata is the force behind all movement, oxygenation, catabolism, the movement and change that result from the breakdown of matter into energy. The seat of Vata is the colon, it's responsible for the action of the nervous system.

If your primary nature is Vata, you have a lean and thin body structure, like to move and be active, like change, you're creative, inventive, initiate action, talkative, like to be spontaneous and tend to irregular eating & sleeping habits. When out of balance, you may have a tendency to constipation, spaciness, more aches & pains, tendency to experience fear and anxiety. Imbalances associated with Vata primarily are arthritis, brittle bones, asthma, gas, pain, accidents, Alzheimer's.

Pitta:

Pitta is the force behind all transformative processes, metabolism, digestion (on cellular and gross level). Heat, energy, acidity are the byproduct of Pita processes.

If your primary nature is Pitta: you have a sharp intelligence (like to learn), strong will-power, feel you are "always right," have strong 'gut feelings", your hunger is sharp and urgent. You are a good organizer, manager, and may have issues of control. When Pitta is out of balance, you may experience a tendency to anger and irritability, be hot-headed, have a tendency to acid indigestion, loose bowels. Imbalances associated with Pitta primarily are skin, heart, blood, liver problems, acid indigestion.

Kapha:

Kapha is the force behind the process of liquification & solidification; all secretions & form are the byproduct of Kapha processes. It is anabolic, storing energy in matter.

If your primary nature is Kapha: you have a strong, sturdy physical structure, are slower to move and talk, have good long-term memory but may be slow to learn, like regularity, can miss meals without losing energy, eat less, don't like to exercise, don't like change, accumulate (weight, wealth), are fertile, compassionate. When Kapha is out of balance, you may experience a tendency toward attachment, or getting "stuck" to the point of depression. Imbalances associated with Kapha are: obesity, depression, tumors, cysts, asthma, diabetes (there are V, P &K types of most diseases, including diabetes; all three doshas are usually out of balance during diseases).

Quick Constitution (Prakriti) Checklist

For each category in each row, put an X in the column to the left of the quality you feel describes you most. Put a mark next to the column which describes you best as you are (or were) when feeling most healthy (your nature) not when you are ill (unbalanced). You may choose one or two in each row; if you choose three, don't mark it at all and go on to the next row.



Add up your total count from each column.

Column Totals: ___ Total ___Total ___Total.