Ayurveda teaches that health is maintained by the balancing of the three Doshas, Vatha, Pitta and Kapha. According to ayurveda, the five fundamental elements that make up the universe, space (akasha), air (vayu), fire (agni), water (apu) and earth (prithvi) also make up the human physiology. Vata dosha is made up of space and air. Pitta dosha is a combination of fire and water. Kapha dosha is made up of water and earth.
How to self assess your Dosha:
The Dosha can be correctly diagnosed in the early morning, 20 minutes after waking.
For men the right, women the left wrist, take pulse with the ring, middle and index fingers.
To begin watch the breath until it calms to a normal 66 breaths per minute.
1) PULSE : per minute
Kapha Dosha 60 to 70
Pitta Dosha 70 to 80
Vata Dosha 80 to 90
2) FINGER : Note the pulse with ring, middle and index fingers and sense in which finger the pulse is strong or predominant.
Kapha Ring,
Pitta Middle,
Vata Index
3) NATURE : Observe the nature of the pulse:
Kapha – Strong, regular, warm, broad, slow;
Pitta – Jumping, regular, hot, moderate, speed;
Vata – Weak, cool, thin, irregular, fast
Do not read the pulse after massage, eating, sun bathing, sitting by fire, hard physical labour, while bathing or when hungry as it will not reflect your normal pulse.
| ITEMS | V A T A | P I T T A | K A P H A | |||
| NO | YES | NO | YES | NO | YES | |
| FRUITS | Apples | Sweet Fruits | Sour Fruits | Sweet Fruits | Sweet & Sour Fruits | Apples |
| Cranberries | Apricots | Apricots | Apples | Avocado | Apricots | |
| Dried Fruits | Avocado | Banana | Avocado | Bananas | Berries | |
| Pomegranate | Bananas | Berries | Coconut | Coconut | Cherries | |
| Pears | Berries | Cherries | Figs | Figs (Fresh) | Cranberries | |
| Watermelon | Cherries | Cranberries | Grapes (dark) | Grapefruit | Figs (dry) | |
| Coconut | Grapefruit | Mango | Grapes | Mango | ||
| Figs (Fresh) | Grapes (Green) | Melons | Lemons | Peaches | ||
| Grapefruit | Lemons | Oranges (Sweet) | Melons | Pears | ||
| Grapes | Papaya | Plums (Sweet) | Oranges | Pomegranate | ||
| Lemons | Peaches | Pomegranate | Papaya | Prunes | ||
| Mango | Pineapple (Sour) | Prunes | Pineapples | Raisins | ||
| Melons (Sweet) | Plums (Sour) | Raisins | Plums | |||
| Oranges | ||||||
| Papaya | ||||||
| Peaches | ||||||
| Pineapples | ||||||
| Plums | ||||||
| VEGETABLES | Raw Vegetables | Cooked Vegetables | Pungent Vegetables | Sweet&Bitter Vegetables | Sweet&Juicy Vegetables | Pungent& Bitter Vegetables |
| Broccoli | Asparagus | Beets | Asparagus | Cucumber | Asparagus | |
| Brussels (Sprouts) | Beets | Carrots | Brussels (Sprouts) | Potato (Sweet) | Brussels (Sprouts) | |
| Cabbage | Carrots | Eggplant | Broccoli | Tomatoes | Broccoli | |
| Cauliflower | Cucumber | Garlic | Cabbage | Zucchini | Beets | |
| Eggplant | Garlic | Onions | Cauliflower | Cabbage | ||
| Leafy Greens * | Green Beans | Peppers (Hot) | Cucumber | Carrots | ||
| Lettuce * | Okra (Cooked) | Radishes | Green Beans | Cauliflower | ||
| Mushrooms | Onion (Cooked) | Spinach | Leafy Greens | Eggplant | ||
| Onions (raw) | Potato (Sweet) | Tomatoes | Lettuce | Garlic | ||
| Parsley * | Radishes | Mushrooms | Leafy Greens | |||
| Potatoe (White) | Zucchini | Okra | Lettuce | |||
| Spinach * | Parsley | Mushrooms | ||||
| Sprouts * | Peas | Okra | ||||
| Tomatoes | Peppers(green) | Onions | ||||
| Potatoes | Parsley | |||||
| Sprouts | Peas | |||||
| Zucchini | Peppers | |||||
| Potatoes White | ||||||
| Radishes | ||||||
| Spinach | ||||||
| Sprouts | ||||||
| * These vegetables are OK in moderation, without dressing | ||||||
| GRAINS | Barley | Oats (Cooked) | Buckwheat | Barley | Oats (Cooked) | Barley |
| Buck wheat | Rice | Corn | Oats (Cooked) | Rice (Brown) | Corn | |
| Corn | Wheat | Millets | Rice (Basmati) | Rice (White) | Millets | |
| Millets | Oats(dry) | Rice (White) | Wheat | Oats (Dry) | ||
| Oats (Dry) | Rice (Brown) | Wheat | Rice (Basmati small amount ) | |||
| Rye | Rye | Rye | ||||
| ANIMAL FOODS | Lamb | Beef | Beef | Chicken / Turkey (White meat) | Beef | Chicken / Turkey (Dark meat) |
| Pork | Chicken / Turkey (White meat) | Eggs (Yolk) | Eggs (White) | Lamb | Eggs (not fried / Scrambled) | |
| Rabbit | Eggs( fried Scrambled) | Lamb | Rabbit | Pork | Rabbit | |
| Venison | Sea Food | Pork | Sea Food | Shrimp | ||
| Sea Food | Shrimp Small amt | Venison | ||||
| Venison | ||||||
| LEGUMES | No Legumes except Mung Beans, Tofu, Black & Red Leatils | All Legumes OK except Lentils | All Legumes are good except Kidney Beans, Soy Beans, Black Lentils & Mung Beans | |||
| NUTS | All Nuts are OK in Small amounts | No Nuts except Coconut | No Nuts at all | |||
| SEEDS | All Seeds are OK (in moderation) | No Seeds except Sunflower and Pumpkin | No Seeds except Sunflower and Pumpkin | |||
| SWEETENERS | All Sweeteners are OK except White Sugar | All Sweeteners are OK except Molasses & Honey | No Sweeteners except Raw Honey | |||
| CONDIMENTS | All Spices are Good | No Spices except Coriander, Cinnamon, Cardamom, Fennel, Turmeric & small amount of Black Pepper | All Spices are Good except Salt | |||
| DAIRY | All Dairy Products are OK (in moderation) | Buttermilk | Butter Unsalted | No Dairy Products except Ghee and Goat Milk | ||
| Cheese | Cottage Cheese | |||||
| Sour Cream | Ghee | |||||
| Yogurt | Milk | |||||
| OILS | All Oils are good | Almond | Coconut | No Oils except Almond, Corn or Sunflower in small amounts | ||
| Corn | Olive | |||||
| Safflower | Sunflower | |||||
| Sesame | Soy | |||||
These are suggested diets to help to deal with common health problems as discussed in the workshops. For further advice or clarification please email us through the contact page. (Please note that we do not recommend these as a replacement for conventional medicine, please consult your doctor as usual).
A one month intensive yoga teacher training course with Kumar in Hyderabad, South India.Dates: 25th January to 25th FebruaryDuration: The course involves 10 hours practice and theory per day. 5 hours will...
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