I use selected elements of the ancient Indian healing system of Ayurveda to help you reconnect with your body. Ayurvedic medicine originated in India more than 5,000 years ago, and is considered by many scholars to be the oldest healing science.
Ayurveda
In Sanskrit Ayurveda means ‘science of life.’ Now, many people might consider ayurveda not to be a true science because it uses simple lifestyle practices such as massage, diet, and herbs to prevent and treat illness. It doesn’t look like a science because its practitioners don’t wear lab coats, use fancy equipment, or prescribe expensive drugs. But the more I learn about Ayurveda the more I’m impressed by the depth of its knowledge of the human being.
Even more impressive is the simplicity and clarity in which this knowledge is conveyed. Science is defined as the systematic study of the structure and behavior of the world through observation and experiment. And this is exactly what we are going to do over the next three days but with the element of fun added.
To get you started here is a quick quiz. In under 30 seconds see if you can answer the following six questions about a cup of raw broccoli.
Part One
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How much vitamin A: 560 or 960 IU
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How much magnesium: 19 or 91 mg
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How many calories: 31 or 3 kJ
Part Two
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Is broccoli bitter or sweet?
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Is it dry or oily?
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Is it hard or soft?
The correct answer for all the questions is the first choice, so for example, broccoli contains 560 IU and not 960 IU of vitamin A. Was part one or two of the quiz easier for you? My guess is the first part was more challenging because it required abstract measurements that you would only know if you looked them up. The second part was probably easier because you used your senses.
We are going to throw out abstractions such as calorie count and vitamin content, and instead we are going to take a more heart centered approach. pay attention to the sensual qualities of food like taste and texture.
The Doshas
According to Ayurvedic philosophy every person is made of five basic elements found in the universe: ether, air, fire, water, and earth. These combine in the human body to form three life energies, called doshas: Vata is made up of ether and air, Pitta of fire and water, and Kapha of water and earth. Everyone inherits a unique mix of the three doshas with one being stronger than the others.
Vata Dosha
A balanced vata person is alert, enthusiastic, and creative, with a slim body and a slightly cool and dry skin. When out of balance he or she might suffer from anxiety, restlessness, fatigue, constipation, insomnia, headaches, or excess dryness. Vata is cool, dry, rough, and light, so it’s balanced by foods that are warm, moist, smooth, and grounding.
Warm over cool
Favor warm foods like soups, stews, and porridges served hot and spiced with warming herbs like ginger, cinnamon, cumin, and nutmeg. Avoid cold salads, ice cream, and leftovers from the fridge.
Moist over dry
Vata thrives on juicy fruits like melons and berries, moist cooked vegetables, and hydrating dishes such as broths. Healthy fats such as avocado, ghee, butter, and olive oil help offset dryness. Limit overly dry foods like popcorn, crackers, and dried fruit.
Grounding over light
Solid, grounding foods like root vegetables, cooked grains, dairy, and spiced milk are stabilizing. Highly processed foods, coffee, and stimulants disturb vata’s already scattered energy.
Smooth over rough
Raw vegetables can feel too harsh for vata digestion. Instead, enjoy them well cooked with oil or cream. Favor smooth foods like bananas, oatmeal, puréed soups, and rice pudding.
Flavors for Vata
Sweet (grains, milk, nuts, root vegetables) grounds and nourishes.
Sour (lemon, yogurt, fermented foods) awakens digestion.
Salty (sea salt, savory foods) helps retain moisture and supports elimination.
Limit pungent, bitter, and astringent foods like chilies, bitter greens, raw onions, and beans, which increase vata’s dryness and lightness.
Pitta Dosha
By nature, pitta is oily, sharp, hot, light, spreading, and liquid, so to neutralize these qualities eat foods that are dry, mild, cooling, grounding, stabilizing, and dense.
Cool over Warm
Favor cooling foods like cucumbers, melons, leafy greens, coconut, and mint. Fresh raw foods, especially in summer, are well tolerated by pitta. Limit spicy dishes, alcohol, and fried or oily meals, all of which add heat.
Grounding over light
Sweet-tasting foods such as grains, milk, squashes, and root vegetables are stabilizing and nourishing. Be mindful not to overeat, as pitta appetites can be strong.
Dry over oily
Since pitta tends toward excess oil, dry or astringent foods—beans, oats, popcorn—are helpful. Use oils sparingly, choosing coconut or sunflower oil over heavy or heating oils.
Mild over sharp
Replace sharp flavors (vinegar, pickles, aged cheese, coffee) with gentler tastes—apples, cucumbers, fresh herbs, and soft cheeses. Stimulants like alcohol and caffeine quickly disturb pitta’s equilibrium.
Flavors for Pitta
Sweet (fruits, grains, milk) soothes inflammation and thirst.
Bitter (greens, turmeric, cumin, saffron) reduces heat and clears toxins.
Astringent (beans, apples, cranberries, pomegranate) provides dryness and balance.
Limit pungent, sour, and salty tastes—chilies, vinegar, alcohol, and overly salty foods—as they intensify pitta’s fire.
Kapha Dosha
By nature, kapha is heavy, cool, oily, and smooth, so eat light, warm, dry, and rough foods to help to balance excess kapha.
Light over heavy
Build meals around fresh fruits, vegetables, beans, and lighter grains. Avoid heavy foods like fried meals, red meat, cheese, and pastries.
Warm over cool
Favor cooked foods with warming spices like ginger, cloves, and turmeric. Drink hot water or tea instead of cold beverages. Minimize iced drinks and foods straight from the fridge.
Dry over oily
Choose beans, rice cakes, dried fruits, and popcorn to counter kapha’s oiliness. Use little oil in cooking and avoid excess dairy, fried eggs, or oily foods like avocados and olives.
Rough over smooth
Fibrous vegetables, leafy greens, and legumes help clear kapha’s heaviness. Limit smooth, heavy foods like bananas, rice pudding, or creamy desserts.
Flavors for Kapha
Pungent (spices, onions, garlic, chilies) stimulates digestion and clears congestion.
Bitter (greens, bitter melon, dark chocolate, turmeric) dries and lightens.
Astringent (beans, pomegranate, cranberries, artichokes) reduces excess fluid.
Limit sweet, sour, and salty foods, which encourage heaviness and water retention.
Finding Your Balance
In practice, very few people are purely one dosha. Most of us show traits from two, sometimes even three. When patients fill out a dosha questionnaire, the results almost always suggest a mixed type. Many books and websites offer guidelines for these combinations, but I’ve found them to be too watered down to make a real difference.
What works better is to look deeper, identify the dominant dosha, and follow that path. If you are primarily pitta with some kapha influence, the pitta guidelines will usually serve you best. Fine-tuning can come later, but the foundation should always be based on your strongest constitutional energy.
Dosha Quiz
Take the quiz below and select A, B or C. If you are mostly ‘A’ you are Vata, if you are mostly ‘B’ you are Pitta, and if you are mostly ‘C’ you are Kapha.
I’m Dr. Rodger Douglas, DMH, a South African-born homeopath now based in Osaka, Japan. With a psychology degree from Nelson Mandela University and a diploma from the Hahnemann College of Heilkunst, I specialize in holistic care for fibromyalgia. I serve clients by phone or video across the US, Canada, the UK, and beyond, shipping remedies directly from Japan.