Here is the good thing: in comparison to mono-doshic and dual-doshic constitutions, there are no specific guidelines that you need to follow. It is important though that you are aware of Ayurveda’s general lifestyle recommendations, which include seasonal routines, daily activities and information on nutrition, and follow them as closely as possible to stay in good health and maintain your equilibrium. These are some of the recommendations we have for you:
- Keep your diet balanced
Just as every dosha has its unique qualities, so does every herb and every ingredient that you eat or use for cooking. Sticking to a balanced diet means that you cover all 6 tastes (bitter, salty, astringent, sweet, pungent, sour) in your diet without giving preference to any particular one. If you, for example, eat a lot of spicy (pungent) and oily food over a prolonged period of time, you would most likely increase Pitta in your body. If unchecked and untreated, the imbalance will manifest in the form of symptoms and can develop into a disease. The Pitta imbalance might later on also affect the other 2 doshas of your constitution and bring these out of balance as well.
- Eat only when hungry
Hunger is a natural urge that should be always respected and satisfied by all Ayurvedic constitutional types, whether mono-doshic (Vata; Pitta; Kapha), dual-doshic (Pitta-Vata; Kapha-Pitta; Vata-Kapha) or tri-doshic. Your Kapha aspect will forgive you for skipping a meal here and there but neither your Vata nor your Pitta part of your constitution is happy with this. For Pitta, it is particularly important to eat when you are hungry because your digestive fire, which is directly connected to Pitta, is very active at this point in time and needs to be pacified with food. This explains why people with a Pitta dominant constitution are difficult to be around when they are hungry. They are impatient and get angry easily since their Pitta, like a fire, is looking for something to consume. Vata, too, has some objections if you skip meals frequently and its qualities will increase over time, leading to a Vata imbalance.
- Exercise 4-5 times per week
Exercising is a good way to remove mental and emotional stress and reduce body heat. It will satisfy Pitta’s natural tendency for competition, counter Kapha’s tendency for stagnancy and allow Vata to express its natural desire for movement. So go out and exercise and alter the intensity from moderately to sometimes high intensity!
- Adjust your diet and daily routine to the seasons
Our grandmothers already knew that it is important to adapt our eating habits to the climate we live in and to the change of the seasons. Since our physiology is influenced by the climate we live in and since food likewise affects our body and mind, we should always choose food items and ingredients that neutralize or counter-balance the negative influences the climate has on us. For example, during hot summer days, we should focus on eating light food that cools the body, like fruits and salads, and stay away from heavy food and drinks and spices that increase body heat. Our body reacts (compensates) to external heat by reducing digestive functions (it slows down Agni). That is why your appetite is generally reduced during the hot season and heavy food should be consumed only in moderation. The opposite is the case during winter. Here, the body naturally balances the coldness from the environment through an increase in digestive functions. This means a stronger Agni and more heat in the body. While it is good to eat heavier, warming food during this time and consume products that increase circulation, it is not recommended to eat food items that increase phlegm and stagnation. So avoid cold drinks, milk products and raw food during this time and stay physically active. Alcohol in moderation is beneficial in winter, especially red wine.
- Wake up at sunrise and go to bed before 11 pm
As you probably know, sleep is very important for our physical and mental well-being. While we sleep, our body repairs tissues, restores energy levels, builds hormones and other substances, repairs cells and does many more essential things to maintain our health on a physiological as well as psychological level. On a mental level, sleep increases concentration and memory, the ability to think, decide, discriminate, analyse and it reduces stress levels. The time from 11 pm onwards to about 2 am in the morning is what Ayurveda has long ago identified as “Pitta time”. Pitta, with its transformative power, is extremely active during this period and will, if allowed, drive essential processes that are related to repair, detoxification and rejuvenation. And the way we allow it to do its job properly is by being passive (sleep). If we do go against this natural rhythm, Pitta’s energy will turn against us and show its destructive side. While your tri-doshic nature protects you somewhat from the destructive processes that get triggered when you go to bed late, you should avoid it as much as possible.
- Fasting once a month
Fasting once a month will give your digestive system a temporary rest and will allow your body to complete unfinished digestive processes. Depending on your body type and strength, we recommend either dry-fasting or fasting just on water, vegetable broth, or clear vegetable soups. Ayurveda recommends fasting particularly on the 11th day of the Hindu calendar (Ekadashi).
