Welcome to this intro to Ayurveda and how it relates to healthy aging! In this article, we’ll dive into what Ayurveda is, so if you’re unfamiliar with it, no worries. We’ll be sure to introduce this ancient ⚕️ health system in a way that can be easily understood in modern language before discussing its relationship to healthy aging! If that sounds like something that you’re interested in, then keep reading as we explore the relationship between healthy aging and Ayurveda!
What IS Ayurveda?
What IS Ayurveda*?! The first thing to know is that Ayurveda is a sister science 👨🏾🔬 to yoga that developed over 3,000 years ago. It literally means ‘the science of life’ in Sanskrit and is a very thorough branch 🕊️ of holistic medicine still practiced today. Based on years of observation 👀, Ayurveda has identified three main constitution types using the elements of ether🎇, air 💨, water 💦, fire 🔥, and earth 🌍 as defining characteristics of each one. To illustrate this, here is a brief description of each of the 3 constitutions, known as doshas, in Ayurveda:
💨 Vata – characterized by air and ether (dry, light, expansive)
🔥 Pitta – characterized by water and fire (wet, hot, fiery)
🌎 Kapha – characterized by water and earth (wet, heavy, slow)
The Three Doshas
One important note about the doshas is that every one of us is a unique blend of all three doshas with usually one or two being dominant. Vata dominant types are characterized by the elements of air 💨 and ether and will share similar traits to those elements. Pitta types portray the elements of fire and water 💦 in various manifestations while Kapha types, made up of earth 🌎 and water qualities, exude those particular characteristics.
We will go into further detail of each dosha in the following sections.
“The more you let Ayurveda and Yoga become the basis for your living,
the easier living gets.”
--Myra Lewin
What’s Your Dosha?
Vata | Pitta | Kapha |
|---|---|---|
Air and Ether | Fire and Water | Earth and Water |
Light, Dry, Flighty | Medium, Fiery, Organized | Heavy, Nurturing, Reliable |
Prone to anxiety | Prone to irritability | Prone to laziness |
Look over the Ayurveda chart ⬆️ and identify which of these traits most describe you.
Just for fun, share in the comments below 👇 what your individual dosha type is! Mine is Pitta-Kapha, with pitta being just slightly higher in concentration than my kapha qualities. Ever since I first discovered Ayurveda ‘mumble-mumble’ 🤫 years ago, I’ve noticed aspects of each type in myself. And the more I’ve learned about Ayurveda over the years, the more I spot doshic qualities in others as well. It’s fascinating…and fun!
Ok, So…Now What?
Once you’ve identified 🔎 your dominant dosha(s), there’s so much you can do with that information! As they say, ‘knowledge is power’ and this saying definitely applies here! Within Ayurveda 🌿, there are many lifestyle recommendations for optimal health and vitality. To stay in balance ⚖️, each dosha must engage in practices recommended for their specific constitutions in areas such as sleep 😴, diet 🥗, exercise 🚴, etc.
As one example, a kapha-dominant person will probably be drawn to yin yoga 🧘🏻♀️ because it feels slow and calm, just like their own nature. Like attracts like. However, slow, calm activities like yin yoga actually increase kapha–which they already have in abundance–so they would be better off choosing a more vigorous type of yoga/exercise to maintain balance.
As another example, a vata type is more likely to be a regular coffee ☕️ drinker but this actually gives them even MORE nervous energy than they already have, leading to an inability to rest and will likely exacerbate their dosha. Coffee can also be dehydrating and since vatas tend toward dryness, this will throw them even further out of balance.
These are just two examples to demonstrate the doshas and their relationship to our unique lifestyles. We’ll go into a little more specific information for each type in the following sections.
Vata
Characterized by air 💨 and ether, vata-dominant types share the light, dry and flighty characteristics associated with these elements. This means that physically, they tend towards small frames, dry skin and hair and are prone to creaky joints. Mentally and emotionally, they are very creative 🧑🎨, but easily distracted, types who tend to jump from one activity to the next. Since they love staying busy, they often end up overscheduling 📆 themselves. They tend to start projects without completing them and may even skip meals without noticing as well.
When in balance, vatas are full of energy and ideas 💡 . They are the creators, the artists 🎨, the dreamers, with limitless potential. However, if not kept in balance, an excess amount of vata can manifest as restlessness, anxiety or insomnia to name just a few potential issues.
To stay in balance, vata types need to incorporate more of the opposing elements into their daily schedules. Warm, moist and heavy things will keep cold, dry and flighty vatas feeling safe and grounded. Think warm, moist foods 🥮, structure in the daily schedule and a self-massage 💆🏼♀️ before bed for instance.
Pitta
Fire 🔥 and water are the dominant elements present in pitta types and this manifests in various ways. Pittas are usually of medium frame with lighter hair/skin 🧑🦰 and prone to inflammatory conditions. Mentally/emotionally, pittas are organized, they like structure and often possess leadership tendencies.
When in balance, pittas are strong, capable members of society. They are the leaders 👨💼, the organizers, the go-getters and the doers. When imbalanced by excess pitta, they can become impatient, hot-tempered 😡 and irritable.
Since pittas are largely hot-natured, they do well with cooling foods 🥒 and cooling activities 🏊🏻♀️. Whereas they may be tempted by spicy foods 🌶️ and hot yoga, they would benefit more by eating cooling foods and enjoying a yin yoga class, for example, to keep their bodies balanced. There are many ways to balance excess pitta in the body.
Kapha
Kaphas are represented by the earth 🌎 and water elements and, as such, are larger and heavier physically than the other two dosha types. Because of this, they tend to be gentle creatures, slow by nature 🐢 and very nurturing.
When in proper balance, kapha types are content and full of compassion 💗. They are the nurturers, the caregivers 👩🍼, the dependable, reliable ones. When this type is disrupted with too much kapha, they can easily become lethargic and depressed.
Since kaphas are heavy and sluggish by nature, they need to be balanced with lightness and energy. Spicy foods 🥵 and a hot yoga class may be just the thing to keep them in check.
Healthy Aging Benefits
So, how does all this apply to healthy aging? Let’s note 📝 here that healthy aging is more than just preventing wrinkles, although that certainly applies as well. It’s just not the ONLY thing that it means. Healthy aging also means managing stress levels, maintaining healthy digestion, getting adequate sleep 💤 , eating a healthy, well-balanced diet 🥙 for your type, staying properly hydrated 🚰, etc., All of these things keep the body in optimal health which slows down the aging process, allowing you to live a longer, healthier and happier life.
Conclusion
I hope this information has made the ancient health science of Ayurveda 🌿 easy to understand! Maybe it’s piqued your interest enough to want to explore a bit further and see how you can better understand your unique dosha so that you can begin to apply the healthy aging principles discussed here. Thanks for joining me on this healthy aging journey! Until next time…🤗
*Ayurveda as a science is still undergoing modern scrutiny to determine its safety and efficacy. It is not meant as a substitute for current health recommendations.
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