Ayurveda?
What’s
this all about?
If
you’ve been following my blogsite, you probably already have a good
understanding about Ayurveda.
Thank
you for reading! If you have not, I welcome you to explore it and learn a whole
new way of living!
The
best part is that Ayurveda is all about YOU.
The
focus of Ayurveda is that it seeks out the root cause of imbalance and heals the
individual person instead of just treating the disease. So based on who you
are, Ayurveda may help cure your problem from the core without using
medications as band aids.
To
learn more about the foundation of Ayurveda, please visit perfecthealthwecome2u.com.
This
article is focused on kapha, the energy of lubrication and structure.
Since
its kapha season, we might find ourselves yearning for a relaxing vacation or
maybe we’re inspired to clean out clutter in our homes and lives.
Perhaps
we embark on a lighter diet as fresh produce begins to come
Back
to season.
All
of this is because of kapha energy in
Nature.
Read
on to learn how it impacts YOU.
Kapha is the energy of lubrication and
structure
Elements: water and earth
Season: late winter through spring
Nature: moon
Qualities: wet, cold, heavy, static, dull, smooth
Locations: stomach, lungs, reproductive organs, joints,
mouth
Kapha
is the energy lubrication and structure which is responsible for keeping our
tissues strong and supple. It creates our physical building blocks and is the
reason
Behind
procreation.
Kapha
is increased by heavy emotions, material things, excess food and lack of
physical movement. To stay balanced, kaphas
Need
to stay dry, light, warm and they need to get
Moving!
Welcome
to kapha season!
During late winter and early spring,
snow that falls is a bit wetter and heavier
Than it was in early winter.
We are now blessed with extra rain so
that as nature unthaws, grass can grow, trees can bud and fl owers can bloom.
That is kapha’s job!
Kapha nourishes, nurtures, protects,
builds and creates, giving bounty and beauty to all of the surrounding nature
(and us!).
Kapha-type people are very strong, sweet
and structured in both mind and body.
They can be either tall or short but
their frame is large, strong
And their joints are large and tight.
They are the sturdiest of the three
doshas and therefore can handle a lot of work and have the patience of a saint.
Kaphas do not ride on the emotional
roller coaster like vatas do, nor do they get angry and heated
like pittas do.
They are emotionally even keeled and are
the people we go to for a strong hug, an empathetic ear, or a shoulder to cry
on.
Kaphas are wet, cold, heavy, sticky and
static (non-moving). One of the rules in Ayurveda is,
“Like increases like.”
So kaphas need to use the opposite
qualities in their diet and lifestyle to stay balanced. Kaphas biggest
challenges will be to establish a consistent exercise routine, not
overindulging in sugars and salts, and eating less in quantity.
Hands down, these are the three areas
where kaphas need to focus most. If they can balance these three, they will
feel like a million bucks and will continue gracing the world with their
positive energy, gentle demeanor and strong stamina.
Balanced kaphas are jolly, positive,
patient, nurturing and make the rest of
We feel totally at ease.
Their presence allows others to rest
easy because kaphas will never judge, they will always listen, and they rarely
get angry.
It’s not like we have to talk a mile a
minute to hold their attention because they are happy to listen.
Kaphas are happiest when they are in a
warm, dry climate and when they are doing light activities like gardening,
cooking, or knitting.
They love to take care of others. They
love to cook and host parties. They are also awesome singers (healthy lubrication
around the vocal chords makes them a natural).
Kaphas love to have people around them
and can get sad or depressed if they don’t have enough “people” time.
They are sticky beings and they like people to stick around them.
Being with
Others invigorates kapha—they feel lighter
and inspired when in the company of vivacious vatas
Or strategic-thinking pittas.
Kaphas do not like change and feel most
comfortable in their routine. Kaphas frequent the same restaurants and order
the same entrée over and over, and might not move far from their
Hometown.
Kaphas take a very long time to make a
decision. A little on the lazy side, they would rather someone else make
decisions so all they have to do is follow the lead.
Kaphas have strong endurance but can overextend
themselves, leaving nothing left to nourish themselves.
They are the ultimate people pleasers and
have a hard time saying “No.” They don’t like to upset others, create conflict,
or stir the pot, so they will often take on way too much just to keep the
peace.
However, if kaphas don’t ask for reprieve,
they might take on “poor me” syndrome. The best thing kaphas can do is ask for
what they need.
Others will always assume they are okay
because of their happy-go lucky nature, so kaphas need to ask!
Kaphas are prone to imbalances like weight
gain, lethargy, cloudiness of mind, cystic acne, allergies,
Mucus imbalances, water retention, and
depression.
Because they are the energy of lubrication and
structure, their minds and bodies are steady
And peaceful.
They do need to get their energy moving or
they can easy feel “stuck.”
Mind rules body.
Balanced kaphas are the healthiestOf the three doshas because their
mind is so sound.
How to Spot a Kapha
Large frame, big bones, Strong joints Round face, big eyes,
Lush lashes, button
nose(Face of an angel)
Strong nails,
Big knuckles
Skin is cool, moist and thick
Skin color is even,
Complexion is pure
Thick, wavy, oily hair
Often shy, quiet
Kapha's listen more than they talk
Strong endurance
Very patient, slow moving
Can be lazy or “Couch potato”
Would rather follow than lead
Put everyone else first
Often work in Hospitality or service jobs.
Secretaries, nurses,
Chefs, bakers,
Construction workers
Exercise
This is where kaphas need some motivation!
Kaphas are very still, slow beings and they
don’t like a lot of jostling around.
They would rather not exercise, but
exercising is exactly what kapha
Needs so they don’t get too heavy in the
body-mind.
The best exercises for kapha are of the
cardio variety. Brisk
Walks, jogs, elliptical trainer, dancing,
Zumba class or
Anything else that helps to break a sweat.
Kaphas need to move! If they want to just
sit still then at least they should
Do kapalbhati (pg.
11) and work up to 10 minutes a day—it’s a cardio workout while sitting still!
That said, the key to kaphas sticking to an
exercise routine is that it must be
Enjoyable. If they don’t love it, they
won’t do it. Since kaphas enjoy the company of others, having
Personal trainer or gym buddy will be an
excellent motivator for them.
Digestion
Kapha digestion is usually really good,
they poop like champs!
It’s their agni (digestive fire/metabolism) that is weak.
Kaphas do not have the gassy problems of
vata or heartburn of pitta, but they have
Sluggish Agni.
Since their fire is low, they are
encouraged to eat spicy foods (internal heat, baby!) and make sure that their
food is always warm.
Remember, kaphas are also cold, so they
need a little help stoking that fire in order to digest properly.
Kaphas will benefit from giving their
digestion a rest by skipping a meal once a week.
This will allow Agni to burn up any excess
food that is hanging around in the digestive tract.
If it is not burned up, it will be stored
as extra fat which will create weight gain and lethargy.
Kapha time
By now you know that late winter and spring
is kapha season, but did you know kapha energy also rules certain
times of day?
It does!* 6 a.m.–10 a.m. Kapha time starts when
the sun comes up so sleeping
Much past sunrise will give us a “kapha”
start to the day
Diet
Sturdy kaphas need a diet that keeps them
light on their feet!
Kaphas have slow metabolisms (Agni,
digestive fire) and need to avoid heavy, fried, and salty and sweet foods.
Kaphas can have sweets on occasion, but
should not make them a daily habit. They need to eat warm, light and spicy
foods to keep digestive fire strong while keeping their body-minds light and
energetic.
Kaphas tend to overeat and will feel better
with less food.
Because it takes kapha a while to digest
their food, they should fast (skip a dinner) once a week to let their Agni catch up.
When kaphas build their meals, the main
dish should be a healthy helping of warm and well-spicedveggies along with some light carbs (rice,
quinoa, barley, couscous) and a little protein.
The tastier kaphas can make their meals
with spices, the less they will need imbalancing additives like mayonnaise,
cream sauces, butter and oils.
Asian-inspired dishes are great for kapha!
They are light, spicy and really tasty
without heavy cream sauces, a lot of dairy or heavy meats.
Also favor spicy soups, lentils, and light whole-grains,
veggies of all kinds, onion, citrus fruits, pomegranate, berries, melon,
arugula, spinach and chard.
Kaphas should enjoy spices like garlic, ginger,
black pepper, chili flakes, turmeric, cinnamon, nutmeg, cumin and fennel.
Kaphas should limit dairy foods
(mucus-causing and cold), although
They might not particularly care for dairy
anyway.
Tip:
Kaphas, if you really love desserts, favor
lemony desserts. Lemon provides a balancing “zing” for kapha and will satisfy
your sweet tooth without being too heavy.
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