Of the three body humors elicited in ayurveda, ‘kapha’ may be the last one, but it is equally important like the other two discussed earlier. ‘Kapha’, a combination of water and earth elements, governs the somatic stability of the body and holds the structural integrity of all its cellular components. Besides imparting immunity and maintaining cohesion between the organs, it regulates the sense of taste, controls the lymphatic system, nourishes the joints, forms all mucous secretions and maintains the fluid balance of the body. Psychological phenomena of emotional constancy, tolerance and calmness are also governed by this body humor.
Acharya Charaka, while discussing the qualities of ‘kapha’ has described it as static, slow, dense, cold, unctuous and heavy. In our day-to-day life it is, not difficult to identify a ‘kapha’ personality. ‘Kapha’ people have a stout, heavy and well-developed physique and their bones and joints are well-covered with muscles and fats. With a thick, cold, moist, soft and smooth skin, they have abundant, wavy and lustrous hair. Their appetite is constant and they are known for their craving for sweet and oily desserts. ‘Kapha’ people are endowed with a voice and speech that is deep, slow and clear.
A dominant kapha prakriti also reflects a mental frame of a slow, steady, witty and easy-going person. Mostly ‘kapha’ people are thoughtful, compassionate and compromising, but are also unhurried to take initiatives and seem to be calm and content in all circumstances. With a sound and deep sleep pattern, they appear to be more sluggish in the morning. They like warmth, sunshine and comfort, but still are not strongly affected by weather changes. The ‘rajasic’ and ‘tamsic’ tendencies can make them inclined towards a luxurious lifestyle, lethargy and stubbornness, thus making way for insensitivity, stupor, dullness and slowness of comprehension in place of other good qualities of the ‘kapha’ personality.
The ‘kapha’ people unlike the ‘vata’ and ‘pitta’ dominated persons have good immunity and endurance. But their disease pattern typically revolves around the qualities of ‘kapha’ as a body humor. They are prone to be phlegmatic and easily catch diseases related to the respiratory tract. Since obesity is their characteristic feature, ‘kapha’ people also face problems with the weight-bearing joints of the body. Their inclination towards inactivity and sedentary lifestyle coupled with the weakness for eating heavy and oily diet give rise to many other health anomalies like a high cholesterol level, fat deposition in arteries, edema and glandular swellings.
Ayurveda specifically advises ‘kapha’ people to adopt a diet plan which is conducive to their health. Sweet, sour and salty tastes increase ‘kapha’ by adding to bulk and moisture in the body. It is the pungent, bitter and astringent, tastes which have qualities opposite to those of ‘kapha’ and their use helps to reduce its excessive accumulation. A diet that is warm, light and dry in nature rather than cold, heavy and oily is best suited to such persons. Less of rice, bananas, milk, butter, ghee and desserts and more of green vegetables, lentils other than urad and eatables and spices like clove, black pepper, garlic, turmeric and cumin are recommended to them.
The ideal environment for ‘kapha’ people is warm and dry. The best medicine for them is activity and it is worth the effort to persuade them to go out for walks, jogging and other exercises matching their strong endurance capacity. They should also be advised not sleep during the day-time. Regular or intermittent use of one gm powder of black peeper (kali mirch), dry ginger (sonth) and long pepper (magh) all mixed in an equal quantity helps their system to work more efficiently.
P.S. Many readers have queried which is good or bad prakriti. Ayurveda believes that all personalities have their pleasant and unpleasant traits. What is important is that to live a healthy and purposeful life one should not only understand one’s body constitution and its appropriateness but should assess mental capabilities also. It is the positive or negative loading of the body and mind which makes any personality good or bad.
Centuries ago, Acharya Vagabhatta, one of the leading lights of ayurveda, while compiling the principles and practices of this ancient system, wrote the famous line, “tatra ruksho laghu sheetah, khara suksmo chalo anilah”. This Sanskrit verse lists the main qualities of vata as dry, light, cool, rough, subtle and mobile. A combination of air and space elements, vata is the most important of the three body humors.
According to ayurvedic physiology, vata is the psychosomatic force of initiation and transmission. It supports mind, heart, the nervous system, sense organs and intelligence and governs the process of respiration. Besides regulating enthusiasm, it initiates the thought process and sends impulses to body organs. As a symbol of kinetic energy, vata is also responsible for body movements, transportation of food even to the minutest cell. It also segregates and expels wastes from the body.
Vata prakriti means that the qualities of vata are predominantly expressed in the mental and physical make-up of a person. Vata people are usually light and lean individuals with thin, dry and cold skin and prominent veins. They have thin, dry and cracking joints and tend to have a variable and erratic appetite. The cold quality of vata manifests itself in making them feel cold more easily with a craving for warmth. Talkativeness, inconsistency and low endurance are their other hallmarks.
The vata mental frame also typically represents its qualities. However, three gunas — satva, rajas and tamas — give good and bad bent to these qualities. Generally, vata people are mentally changeable, enthusiastic, excitable and indecisive. They are quick both at attachment and detachment and are fast at getting emotional and revealing secrets. They also have a light sleep pattern with flying, moving and restless dreams. With a good but selective memory and subtle thought process, they make good artists, critics and writers. The mobile quality of vata makes them to weave many fantasies, besides giving them an impulse to do a hundred jobs at a single time. Due to the lack of courage and consistency and a tendency towards cowardice, vata people do not make good leaders.
Vata persons are easily exposed to diseases which are identical to the qualities of vata as a body humor. Their most problems revolve around constipation and abdominal gas. However, vata people are more prone to getting dryness of the skin, migraine, arthritis, brittleness of bones, weakness of limbs, palpitation, sleeplessness and exhaustion. Vata ladies experience irregularity of the menstrual cycle with frequent body cramps. The majority of vata personalities also suffer from anxiety, restlessness and nervousness. Stress easily catches on them and adds to other allied problems.
Ayurveda, while discussing regimes and routines for each body type, has elaborated a specific diet plan and lifestyle modifications for the vata people. They are advised to prefer food items having sweet, sour and salty tastes and should take less of the eatables having pungent, bitter and astringent tastes. Vata individuals do well to have a warm, unctuous and freshly cooked food and can use butter or ghee in moderation. To avoid constipation, they are advised to choose whole meal cereals and fibre-rich diet , but should shun food which is sticky or dry. It is usually seen that fruits rather than fruit juice suit them. Ashwagandha, amla, sonth and triphla powder are best recommended herbs for the system of vata people.
Since vata persons have a low stamina and a weak immune system, they are advised not to overindulge in any activity which may leave them drained and exhausted. Going for a small walk or doing a mild exercise or adopting easy yoga postures followed by a body massage with sesame oil is the best way to start their day. Irregularity of routine and late night engagements should always be avoided as these activities create rebound vitiation of the vata humor in them. They should practice to control their emotions by not over-reacting to situations.
OILY, sharp, hot, light, fleshy-smelling, spreading and liquid; that is how pitta, the second body humor, has been described in ayurveda. A combination of fire and water elements, it controls all types of energy in the body and mind. An array of complex physiological functions like digestion, metabolism and hormonal system also fall under the realm of pitta. Besides regulating the normal temperature of the body, “pitta” helps in blood formation and generates natural urges like hunger and thirst. It also provides complexion to skin, maintains vision and supports mental phenomena like intellectual comprehension, conviction, courage and valour.
“Pitta prakriti” denotes a person overwhelmingly reflecting the qualities of “pitta” humor. They are medium-built persons with moderately developed physique and have warm and moist skin which is prone to moles and freckles. “Pitta” persons usually have moderate, fine and soft hair but also have a tendency to get premature graying of them or even becoming bald. Their appetite is strong and sharp whereas profuse sweating and a strong body odor is their another characteristic feature. Usually, their speech is argumentative and convincing.
With a sharp and clear memory, “pitta” people are courageous, competitive, intelligent, penetrating and critical. They easily tend towards fiery emotions like irritability and anger but are also articulate, self-righteous and possess a strong will helping to make them good warriors, guides and leaders. Persons with “pitta” dominant character more often choose power, fame and influence as their aim in life. Most of the time they are helpful to friends but unforgiving to opponents. Ayurveda believes that due to “rajasic guna” these qualities can incline towards aggressiveness, pride and impulsiveness whereas if “tamasic guna” supercedes, it can pervert them to the negative realm of destruction, hate, vindictiveness, crime and violence.
Persons with dominant “pitta” qualities are usually prone to the diseases reflecting typical features of “pitta” as a body humor. With an excessive urge for food and thirst, they are susceptible to digestive upsets like hyperacidity and diarhoea. They feel very uncomfortable in hot and humid climate and are more prone to get diseases like rashes, boils, acne, pigmentation disorders and other problems associated with skin. Burning micturation, raised uric acid, stomatitis, ulcers, hemorrhagic tendencies and metabolic disorders are some of the other diseases which more often affect them. “Pitta” women tend to get profuse menstruation, which may be accompanied by loose bowels and mild cramps.
While discussing dietary planning and lifestyle guidelines, ayurveda advises that “pitta” persons should always choose food items which are cool and soothing in effect. Eatables with more of sweet, bitter and astringent tastes rather than ones having sour, salty and pungent taste should make a place in their diet. They should also avoid too much of fried, over-cooked and spicy food. Rice, wheat and barley among the grains, pomegranate, mango, melons, fresh coconut juice and apple from among the fruits and cardamom, mint and coriander are the spices best suited for “pitta” people. They are also advised to take less of red meat, dry fruits and nuts and should also cut the consumption of tea, coffee and alcohol.
The ideal environment for a “pitta” individual is cool and dry. Early morning exercise, swimming and taking cold shower help them to remain fresh . Excessive intake of water is their necessity and to satiate strong appetite, “pitta” people are advised to eat at regular intervals. Sandal, rose and khus are some of the sharbats which have a cooling and cleansing effect on their system. Since anger and animosity are the main negative psychological traits of a “pitta” personality, such people are best advised to adopt poise and peace in their temperament.