Discover your unique Ayurveda Body Type at AmrtaSiddhi Ayurvedic Resort

Your unique Ayurveda body type or individual constitution (Prakriti) is one of the most important concepts of Ayurvedic medicine.

According to the Ayurvedic doctrine, we all have a very unique constitution that determines how we “tick” or function metabolically and how we tend to respond to stimuli from the environment.

Why, for example, do some people always feel cold while others can tolerate cold easily? Why do some people gain weight fast while others struggle to do so? Why do some people always worry while others tend to be calm and balanced? Why are certain people prone to certain illnesses while others tend to suffer from totally different problems?

The answer according to Ayurveda lies in our unique constitution, or “Prakriti”. The better we understand our individual constitution and the factors that negatively and positively influence our unique state of health, the better we can prevent imbalances from developing. These imbalances, when left untreated, are the basis for the development of diseases.

Ayurveda clearly urges us to not wait for a disease to develop but to actively engage in creating a lifestyle that is in itself healthy, balanced and harmonious. For us in order to succeed in doing so, we need to take into consideration (1) our individual constitution or Prakriti – which is our unique makeup, including our physiological, mental and emotional tendencies, (2) our Vikriti – which are our current imbalances, (3) our lifestyle – which includes our diet, our thoughts and emotions and all other activities that we choose to engage in, and (4) the impact of the seasons on our body. All the above aspects influence us either towards a state of health and balance or away from it and they all have individually or in conjunction the power to bring our body-mind-spirit unit into imbalance. In other words: they have the potential to form the ground on which diseases can begin to grow.

Our individual constitution is nothing but an expression of a combination of the 5 great elements:  earth, water, fire, air and ether (space). These elements are the building blocks of life and they exist in varying degrees in all organic and inorganic matter. In the human body, permutations of always 2 out of these 5 elements form 1 dosha. In Ayurveda, we distinguish between 3 doshas: Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Your constitution is made up of a single dosha, a combination of 2 doshas or 3 doshas. The doshas are the basic, vital bio-energetic regulatory principles of Ayurvedic medicine and they affect our anatomy physiology, and psychology, including emotional tendencies and proclivities to certain types of illnesses.

No! The composition of the individual elements varies from person to person and thus we all are equipped with a unique constitution. The elements air and ether constitute the Vata dosha; water and fire the pitta dosha; earth and water the Kapha dosha. Note that each of us carries all three doshas but in different strengths or prominence. This means that some dosha or doshas will be dominant and this dosha or these doshas form our Prakriti.

There are some useful online dosha assessments but if you want to be certain about your individual constitution from an Ayurvedic perspective, it is best to consult an Ayurvedic Physician who is trained to diagnose you correctly.

We distinguish between three different main Ayurvedic body types, which are named after the three doshas: Vata, Pitta and Kapha. As mentioned before, the Ayurvedic body type is always derived from the dominant dosha or doshas.

Vata types are characterized by a slim and lightweight physique. They tend to have pronounced physical features like protruding bones or crooked teeth and they like to stay in motion. These people are fast thinkers. However, Vata types also tend to forget things fast, change their minds often and have a tendency to react anxiously to uncertainty or threats. According to Ayurveda, Vata types often suffer from indigestion and are underweight. It is therefore particularly important for this Ayurvedic body type to eat nutritious and warm food regularly and rather smaller portions more frequently than bigger portions. In addition, Vata types should avoid cold and carbonated drinks and aim for hot drinks instead.

The Pitta type is characterized by an average build. They are often muscular and athletic and have good agility. These people are particularly keen to make decisions and like to take the lead. They also love to compete, argue and fight. In addition, Pitta types also have the tendency to be impatient and can quickly lose their temper. This hot-headed behaviour is also reflected in the eating behaviour of this Ayurvedic type. Pitta people are prone to cravings and addictions and they should therefore be careful not to eat too much food. Pitta types tolerate both hot and cold food but should avoid fried food, excessive spicy or oily food and alcohol.

Kapha types have a rather strong physique and tend to have a calm, gentle and patient character. They do not lose their temper easily and a hectic pace is a foreign concept for Kapha types. They are slow learners but retain information very well. While the Pitta type tends to be choleric, the Kapha type tends to be phlegmatic. However, due to their tendency to stay idle, they gain weight easily. This Ayurvedic body type also has slower digestion than the other two types, thus further contributing to easily becoming overweight. It is important for Kapha types to stay physically active and avoid heavy and oily food, milk products and meat as much as possible. This Ayurvedic type does best with light food that can be easily digested.

At our Ayurvedic Health Centre, we offer Ayurvedic treatments and programs that are tailored to the different Ayurvedic body types. The treatment plans include a food menu that is specially adapted to your constitution and imbalances, relaxing wellness treatments, yoga exercises and many authentic Ayurvedic treatments.