What's Your Constitution?
Dosha Quiz
Ayurveda is the Science of Self-Healing
There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all diet that fits all. Something as small as a daily hot coffee, or serving of blueberries is beneficial for overcoming imbalance for some people, yet not as good for others. The following quiz will assist you in understanding your body’s constitution, or dosha.
According to Ayurveda, knowing your constitution is a prerequisite to understanding which Seasonal Ayurvedic Food Guidelines, the foods, beverages, herbs and spices, that would bring balance to your constitution, and why.
Taking the quiz below will give you a breakdown of your proportion of each of the three doshas—Vata, Pitta, and Kapha—within your unique mind-body constitution, and how they play a role in your mind-body physiology.
As you’ve probably noticed, we’re using a few Sanskrit words, such as Vata, Pitta and Kapha (VPK). This is necessary because there are no single words in English to convey the same meanings.
Ayurveda teaches that these energies: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha, are what we need to decrease, calm or pacify—to stay in balance, return to balance, and encourage our bodies to heal all parts of us.
VATA
Vata moves things.
PITTA
Pitta digests things.
KAPHA
Kapha holds things together.
Dosha Quiz—Discover Your Constitution
Each question has buttons to answer YES or NO. As you read the descriptions, more than one choice may resonate with you. However, rather than thinking back to when you were a child, only indicate yes or no to what resonates with you now. Work quickly. Don’t spend too much time on any one question. Follow your gut and go with your first instinct. The whole questionnaire shouldn’t take more than a few minutes. Be sure not to omit any questions. There are no right or wrong answers, and this isn’t a test of intelligence or ability. It's simply a measure of the way you feel today:
Ayurveda as a Blueprint
Understanding VPK is important because Ayurveda provides blueprints and optimal food lists designed to bring balance to Vata, Pitta or Kapha. These food lists are not restrictive, written in stone, or fad diets. They are guidelines that simplify bringing your unique nature, or constitution, into balance.
Ayurveda is the Science of Opposites
There is a great deal we can begin doing (and stop doing) to overcome the imbalances handed down to us through our constitution. When we’re cold, we build a fire, put on a sweater; we treat mobility with stability.
My commitment to you is to provide insights about Ayurveda’s optimal food lists and guidelines to bring balance to your constitution so you can feel fully equipped to select the foods and beverages best for you. Once you integrate Ayurveda’s optimal food list into your daily diet, with Eastern and Western nutrition, plus what you know about yourself, you’ll feel you’ve returned to center; you’ve come back into balance. Bodies heal themselves when they are in balance.
Every individual is unique. What brings my (or your) constitution into balance is not necessarily going to return another individual to center. Foods that will bring balance to one person’s constitution, doesn’t mean it will bring balance to yours.
Dosha Quiz Reference Guide
After taking the Dosha Quiz, please refer to the information below to understand your connection to each dosha.
VATA
When your Vata is in balance, your creativity flows.
However, when it is out of balance, you're fearful.
During winter, the qualities of vata are intensified. Typically, vatas are quick in their thoughts and actions. It is the energy of movement. Change is a constant part of life.
When your vata is in check, or balanced, you are enthusiastic, and lively. You can travel with ease. But when vata becomes excessive, you may have a challenging time traveling through time zones. You experience poor digestion, bloating, gas, dryness and constipation, a lack of stamina, anxiety, trembling and insomnia.
Vata types tend to have a variable appetite, digestion and schedule, yet feel better when they eat on time. When you notice symptoms of a vata imbalance, create more structure in your life. Slow down and stay out of the wind, especially when it’s cold. Take time to meditate. Eat your meals on time, and do whatever necessary to go to bed by 10 p.m. You need more rest than the other types.
To pacify vata and achieve balance, the majority of your food needs to be cooked, warm, moist, slightly oily, nourishing and calming, not too dry, soothing, and rich. For these reasons, it’s best to avoid frozen and dried fruits and vegetables.
PITTA
When your pitta is balanced, you're an effective leader.
However, when it is out of balance, you tend to feel agitated.
Pitta are able to tolerate raw foods the best of all three doshas. Pitta is expressed in the summer. In Sanskrit, pitta is Agni, digestive fire.
Pitta’s have a medium body frame, and when they are at their ideal weight their weight is medium. They have good muscle definition, their eyes are sensitive to light, and the physical qualities they possess are hot, wet, oily, light and intense.
When overheated, pittas perspire easily and may have the desire to cool off in the pool, shower or tub more than once a day. When pitta is in balanced, a person is warm, friendly, disciplined, and a good speaker.
When pitta is out of balance, the same person tends to be compulsive, irritable and may suffer from indigestion or an inflammatory condition. You may feel penetrating and get angry as your first response. When balanced, however, you are naturally smart, determined, calm and a good leader.
If you are a pitta type you tend to enjoy hot spices and cold drinks, yet feel better and release excess weight more easily when you stay cool. Exercise during the cooler part of the day and avoid salt and chilies. Avoid meat and eggs, poultry and fish. However, you will still stay in balance including sweet dairy products – ghee (purified butter), nonfat milk and unsalted soft cheese. Yogurt can also be included when mixed with spices and water.
Pittas do well eating sweet and bitter vegetables – artichoke, asparagus, leafy greens, cucumber, green beans – while avoiding spicy veggies, raw beets, fresh corn, spinach, tomatoes, turnips.
Coffee and tobacco aggravate pitta. When in the process of coming back to center, when it’s spring or winter, and the weather is cooler or cold, it’s wise for pittas to avoid sour fruit. Strawberries and pineapple works well for pitas, and they’re delicious.
KAPHA
When your Kapha is balanced, you move freely.
However, when it is out of balance, you're sluggish.
The energy of kapha is spring. People whose constitution is predominantly kapha do well on a diet that’s approximately 70 to 80 percent raw. In spring the world is slowly coming out of hibernation. An excessive amount of kapha can lead to congestion and phlegm in the system. To understand the energy of kapha, think about combining water with earth and the mud that would result. Excess kapha can slow digestion, cause lethargy, dullness, depression, allergies and respiratory problems. When in balance, kapha people are stable, sweet, supportive and calm. They are kind, loyal, and accept change. Generally speaking, when in balance kaphas are stable, and enjoy being calm, steady and grounded. Kapha people tend to have larger bones and a heavy frame with thick skin and well-developed muscles.
But when kapha is out of balance, the same person may experience weight gain and sinus congestion. When there’s excess kapha, you feel stuck. You resist change, move more leisurely, and gain weight easily. You have the desire to recline and take naps. You may avoid exercise and prefer sleeping late. If we ignore our kapha imbalance, we’re in effect putting our body into danger and asking to be overweight.
The excessive phlegm for kaphas is the result of consuming too much refined flour, milk and cheese products. Eating too much sweet, sour, and salty food also aggravates kapha, along with excessive meats, fatty fried foods, and drinking too many cold drinks.