Doshas and Gunas since starting — “Om—the sound that contained all the sounds. And the first to form was the Maha Tattva or the primordial element from which originated the three gunas or the three attributes. Sattva Guna denoting preserving, Rajas Guna denoting action, and Tamas Guna denoting destruction. The interplay of these three gunas brought forth the Pancha Tattva, or the five physical elements. Air. Water. Earth. Fire. Ether. Together, they made Prakriti, or nature, manifest.”
[“Mahagatha: 100 Tales From the Puranas”- Satyarth Nayak]
The Science of Doshas and Gunas
For up to 1700s, western medicinal sciences were dominated by variations of the theory of humors. Not only were these humors believed to determine a person’s doshas and gunas or temperament but the cause of illness was identified as an imbalance in these very humors.
We find similar currents in Ayurveda, which is rooted in the notion of the Universe being created from a unification of five elements—Air, Water, Earth, Fire, and Ether. The interplay of these five elements creates different combinations or ‘humors’ known as Doshas. The three doshas identified in Ayurveda are- Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Depending on the different levels and combinations of the five elements, the Doshas give us our unique body profiles or constitutions (‘Prakriti’). The doshas are dynamic as the interaction between the five elements continues to be influenced by our environment, lifestyle choices, the food we consume, and other such factors. Just like the humors, an imbalance in the doshas is what is thought to account for all illnesses.
Dosha Imbalance: Common Culprits
If you fail to feel energized even after a hearty meal that you thoroughly enjoyed or waking up after a good night’s rest, face chronic problems with your digestion, feel an unexplained heaviness in your body, you might consider looking into your Doshas. Newton’s third law of motion states—“Every action has an equal and opposite reaction”. When applied to our bodies and health, every lifestyle choice we make comes with certain repercussions, even the ones we might overlook as inconsequential. For instance, sleeping late can lead to insufficient sleep which further affects our mood, energy levels, digestion, memory retention, and the ability to concentrate. Some other factors that could be the cause of your Dosha imbalance include: excessive or lack of exercise, consumption of salty, hot, and spicy foods, fasting or insufficient food intake, irregular sleeping patterns, unregulated screen time, and the like.
The tables below discuss some common manifestations of Dosha imbalances.
| VATA DOSHA | ||||||||
| Physical | Bloating, Joint Pain, Constipation or Diarrhea, Dry Skin | |||||||
| Mental | Anxiety, Confusion, Erratic Sleep Patterns | |||||||
| Respiratory/Cardiac | Chronic Cough, Palpitations, Yawning | |||||||
| KAPHA DOSHA | |
| Physical | Loss of Appetite and Taste, Oily or Patchy Skin, Feeling Cold, Nausea, Unexplained Weight Gain, |
| Mental | Lethargy, Drowsiness |
| Respiratory | Mucous Production, Cough |
| PITTA DOSHA | |
| Physical | Excessive Sweating, Increased Appetite, Bad Breath, Yellowing of Nails, Skin, and Eyes, Burning Sensation, Skin Rashes |
| Mental | Anger, Difficulty Sleeping, Impatience, Irritability |
| Respiratory | Inflammation of the respiratory tract |
Balancing Doshas and Gunas
All this talk of the doshas, body constitution, and science making you perplexed? Worry not! We’re here with easy fixes to the problem. Now that you know what doshas are and the common culprits that might be aggregating an imbalance, we can move onto simple changes you can introduce in your lifestyle and diet to alleviate symptoms and improve your overall well-being.
The key to balancing the doshas and gunas is channeling opposite energies to cancel out the excess. For instance, Vata is associated with the qualities of flow, coolness, dryness, variability, and the like. To stay balanced, Vata requires calmness, warmth, moisture, and stability. Let’s take a closer look at strategies to balance each of the three doshas.
Vata: Vata diet comprises warm, well-seasoned meals that are rich in proteins and fats. Although the airy quality of vata requires dense foods to neutralize it, avoid eating huge portions in one sitting—schedule your meals into small portions throughout the day. Balance of the Vata Dosha can be further restored by incorporating grounding activities into your daily routine, such as yoga and meditation. Follow a proper sleep schedule and ensure that you are consuming warm, nourishing meals.
Kapha: Kapha is characterized by a heaviness and earthiness. Cutting down your intake of dense carbs and oily foods should be the goal. Focus on light foods such as seasonal veggies and fruits, hot (or room temperature) water and teas (green or black), and fiber-rich options. Practicing breathing exercises such as pranayam is also recommended.
Pitta: Unlike Vata, Pitta requires cooling foods to neutralize it. Since raw foods tend to be cooler than cooked meals, you can incorporate fresh fruits and vegetables into your diet to combat the internal heat attributed to Pitta dosha. Avoid processed or overly spicy and hot foods.
| Vata | Pitta | Kapha | |||||||
| Vegetables | Avocado, cilantro, cooked spinach, pumpkin, garlic | Cucumber, kale, mushrooms, potatoes, bell peppers | Cabbage, celery, corn, eggplant, peas, cooked tomatoes, | ||||||
| Fruits | Ripe bananas, kiwi, mango, peaches, oranges | Coconut, papaya, pears, watermelon, pomegranate | Raspberries, persimmon, limes and lemons, dry figs, apricots | ||||||
| Dairy, Eggs & Meat | Chicken, eggs, fish | Butter, cheese, ghee, yogurt, goat’s milk | Buttermilk, cottage cheese, yogurt | ||||||
| Sweet Treats | Date sugar, honey, jaggery | ||||||||
| Nuts & Seeds | Almonds, pecans, walnuts, cashews, pumpkin, sesame, and sunflower seeds | Soaked almonds, flaxseeds | Chia seeds, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds | ||||||
| Grains | Rice, wheat, amaranth, cooked oats | Couscous, oats, dry cereal | Barley, millet, quinoa, | ||||||
The ultimate goal of following these different doshas and gunas -balancing diets is to help you be more self-aware and mindful of the choices you make, not to impose more restrictions on your lifestyle. Making conscious choices for your health and lifestyle will help you derive more contentment from whatever you do. Your health is the greatest asset you possess. Remember, that self-care is a holistic process that might not be as easy as fancy skincare products, retail therapy, and vacations at all times—sometimes you’ll need to introspect deeper and make choices that might seem tough in the present.
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