What it means to be a
Kapha
Your Overall Element Score
Kapha Characteristics
When You're In Balance
When you're in balance
- You are reliable, grounded and a loyal rock to your friends who look to you for support.
- You are empathic and a great listener.
- You are fun and easy going.
- You take your time to make a decision or take action, but when you do it's usually the right thing to do.
When You're Out Of Balance
When you're out of balance
- You keep the peace and make things at ease.
- Your ideal day is spent at home in the garden, or cooking something special for your friends or family.
Potential Careers
Potential Careers
In Ayurveda, Kapha Dosha is characterized by traits such as stability, loyalty, patience, and a tendency to be calm and grounded. If you are a Kapha Dosha individual looking for a career choice, you might consider the following options:
- Healthcare: Kapha Doshas have a natural ability to empathize with others and provide comfort and care, making them ideal candidates for careers in healthcare. They have to nurture personality and can be patient and calm in high-stress situations.
- Education: Kapha Doshas have a stable and consistent approach to learning, making them well-suited for careers in education. They enjoy teaching and can provide a calm and supportive environment for students.
- Culinary Arts: Kapha Doshas have a natural love of food and enjoy the process of cooking and creating nourishing meals. They have a strong sense of taste and can create delicious and healthy meals for themselves and others.
- Social Work Or Counseling: Kapha Doshas have a natural ability to listen and provide emotional support to others, making them well-suited for careers in social work or counseling. They can be patient and empathetic in challenging situations and provide a sense of stability and comfort.
- Environmental Or Conservation Work: Kapha Doshas have a deep appreciation for nature and the environment, making careers in environmental or conservation work a good fit. They have a natural ability to connect with nature and can be patient and consistent in their efforts to protect and preserve it.
Balance Excess Kapha
How To Balance Kapha
Healthy Kapha Dosha requires regular activity, a light and varied diet, plenty of rest, and cheerfulness. Below are some tips to help maintain a Kapha-balancing lifestyle.
- Eating Habits: Start your day with warm water and lemon juice, followed by a light, nutritious breakfast that is easy to digest, such as porridge with warm milk, fresh fruits and nuts. Choose fresh, seasonal and lightly cooked vegetables, with the exception of root vegetables, legumes and grains. Green leafy vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds are the most beneficial. Avoid heavy and processed foods, such as fried, fast foods and cold feel meals.
- Spices: Use spices and herbs to aid digestion and stimulate your body. Spices like ginger, black pepper and cinnamon improve digestion, aid metabolism, and reduce mucus and fluid retention.
- Exercise: Choose moderate forms of exercise such as swimming, walking or yoga. Aim for regular, daily exercise to keep your body active and your metabolism running smoothly. Be mindful not to overexert yourself or become more active than your body can handle.
- Sleep: Get plenty of rest. Aim for seven to nine hours of sleep each night. This will help to recharge your system and keep your metabolism running smoothly.
- Lifestyle: Follow a regular daily routine to reduce stress and balance the imbalances of a Kapha Dosha. This may include activities such as meditating, reading, journaling, or spending time in nature. Minimizing stress and emotional eating is important in balancing your doshas.
Nutrition + Diet
Perfect Nutrition + Diet
- Start your day with a warm cup of ginger or lemon tea. It helps stimulate digestion and pacifies Kapha.
- Enjoy meals with moderate portions of warm, cooked and lightly spiced foods like grains, vegetables and beans.
- Eat fresh fruits in smaller amounts.
- Avoid heavy, greasy and processed foods such as red meat, dairy, sugar, and deep-fried or greasy food.
- Increase your intake of foods that are bitter, pungent and astringent, such as "green" leafy vegetables, fenugreek, asafoetida and ginger.
- Spice up your food with ginger, black pepper and cardamom.
- Use ghee as a cooking oil whenever possible to increase the digestive fire.
- Drink 8-10 glasses of clean water per day.
- Regular physical activity is recommended to reduce the Kapha imbalance by stimulating the circulation and lymphatic system.
- Consider a light and regular practice of yoga, breathwork, and meditation to soothe the Kapha mind and relax the body.
- Avoid oily and large meals in the evening.
- Avoid damp and cold climates or environments as well as cold foods.
Disease Tendency
Disease Tendency
- Prone to congestion, sinus problems, and allergies
- May gain weight easily
- Tendency towards feeling heavy, congested, lethargic
- A tendency to have a slower metabolism
- Prone to feeling cold
- Can have water retention and edema
- Tendency towards dry or pale skin
- Prone to major health problems such as diabetes, asthma, and heart disease if Kapha accumulates and is not balanced
When Stressed Out
Your Mind Report
Mind Element Score
No Details Found
When Stressed Out
Kapha Body
You have a Kapha body type. You might be of medium to heavy build, with thick and lustrous hair, clear, soft, and oily skin, with visible veins below the skin on the back of your hands. Your bone structure is wide and stout, and your muscles are strong and well-defined.
Your Kapha body type is well adapted to cold environments, and your natural insulation allows you to brave the winter more easily than most. You possess a lot of endurance and your strong musculature makes you strong and capable, enabling you to take part in heavier physical activities. Your Kapha body type is also blessed with a strong immune system, allowing you to be more resistant to diseases than some other body types.
Your Kapha body type also gives you an appreciation and need for rest and relaxation, but you need to be careful not to let yourself become too sedentary. The balance between activity and rest keeps your mental and physical health in check. Your physical body prefers a balanced diet to maintain its strength, and achieve optimum health.
Your Kapha body type serves as a reminder that balance is key to maintaining a healthy and happy lifestyle. Being mindful of your physical body allows you to recognize when you need to rest and relax, or when you need to put more energy into your daily activities. Being in tune with your body grants you a more mindful relationship with yourself and an understanding of your physical needs.
Kapha Body When Stressed Out
Whether they realize it or not, stress can have a huge impact on a Kapha-dominant person's physical body. As a Kapha-dominant individual, you're naturally prone to sluggishness, lethargy, and sluggish digestion. When you feel overwhelmed and stressed, it can cause these overwhelmed feelings to amplify.
When you're stressed, your body may start to feel lethargic, weighed down, and exhausted. You might start to experience a dull ache in your joints and feel heavy all over. This is due to the heavy, moist qualities associated with Kapha, leading to an accumulation of fluids, toxins, and acidic waste in the body. Your digestion can slow down too, leading to poor food absorption, stiffness, and bloating.
When stressed, emotional and mental sluggishness may set in as well. Even normally uplifting activities, like morning walks or a cup of chai, may feel like a chore. You may sleep excessively as if you're trying to ignore the stress and escaping into a dreamland.
It's key to reframe your thoughts and approach your stress in a positive way. Staying mindful and relaxation techniques like yoga, deep breathing exercises, and gentle stretching can help you let go of the stress in your body and let yourself sink into a state of relaxation. Eating foods with sweeter, sour and astringent tastes are said to be helpful in pacifying Kapha, which can reduce feelings of heaviness and sluggishness. Kapha-balancing herbal teas, and teas made from fresh citrus fruit, like lemon or orange, can be especially beneficial in supporting relaxation.
Remember that you are strong, capable and resilient and no matter the challenge. You have the power inside you to tackle them head-on. Take it one step at a time and have patience with yourself.
Kapha Mind
You are a patient, gentle soul. You love to slow down, taking time to appreciate life's little joys. You are understanding, loyal, and supportive. Your great appreciation for the beauty of the world around you is unequaled. You take great joy in having a sense of security, comfort, and stability in life. Your grounded approach to life allows you to remain connected and in tune with the richness of life.
Kapha Mind When Stressed Out
When you're feeling overwhelmed and stressed, your Kapha personality can kick into high gear. You thrive on predictability and routine, so any change or disruption can quickly become unbearable.
When you feel pushed to the limit, your body and mind fall back on all the ways you cope with stress. You have a strong sense of comfort and security, so shutting yourself away in a safe and familiar spot - while allowing yourself a moment to breathe and relax - is how you best de-stress. The simple pleasure of indulging in comfort food or curling up with a movie can do wonders for your mind, but be careful not to overindulge.
Your ability to process and compartmentalize different emotions will protect you from getting caught up in stress. You are able to stay focused on the bigger picture and come up with plans on how to move forward.
You're great at recognizing that it's important to reach out to family and friends when stress levels become too high. Talking through your worries, or even just having someone to listen, can be a great relief.
Stress can play a powerful role in your life, but your Kapha personality should not fear it. When the pressure builds and stress creeps in, take a minute to reflect on the coping strategies that you can use to ground yourself. Embrace your need for a safe space, your practical problem-solving approach, and the comfort of friends and family. You are resilient and you can handle whatever challenge comes your way.
Your Imbalance Report
Your Primary Imbalance Is
0
Your Imbalance Level:
Your Imbalance Symptoms Are:
None
Balance Excess Vata
According to your report, you have excess Vata.
Here are recommendations on how to restore balance.
Diet + Lifestyle
Diet + Lifestyle
- Enjoy naturally sweet, warm and nourishing foods like steamed vegetables and cooked grains.
- Incorporate warm herbal teas, like chamomile, cinnamon or ginger, into your daily routine.
- Get some exercise every day, like walking or gentle yoga, to help balance your Vata Dosha.
- Spend some time outdoors in nature for a daily dose of grounding and calming energy.
- Incorporate some calming self-care rituals like oil massage and Abhyanga into your routine.
- Meditate or practice mindfulness to stay connected and keep stress levels low.
- Get enough sleep and rest to allow your mind, body and spirit to relax and recharge.
Elimination Diet For Vata
Elimination Diet For Vata
Vata-type elimination diet involves eating, drinking, or eliminating certain foods or activities from your routine. It may be beneficial for those with a Vata-predominant constitution, as it helps to balance Vata-related digestive issues and disrupt the cycle of aggravation of Vata in the body. Potential issues of an elimination diet could include becoming too cold, dehydrated, or undernourished which can add to the Vata imbalance.
Pranayama
Pranayama
- Surya Bhedana Pranayama (Right Nostril Breathing): This pranayama increases energy and circulation and helps to counter the effects of Vata.
- Viloma Pranayama (Interrupted Breathing): This type of pranayama is excellent for calming the body and mind.
- Ujjayi Pranayama (Victorious Breath): This pranayama helps to reduce stress and can counter the effects of Vata.
- Nadi Sodhana Pranayama (Alternate Nostril Breathing): This pranayama can reduce anxiety and balance the mind and body.
- Kapalabhati Pranayama (Skull Shining Breath): This pranayama helps to increase focus and clarity of the mind.
- Bhastrika Pranayama (Bellows Breath): This pranayama helps to improve circulation and warm the body, which can reduce Vata.
- Anuloma Viloma Pranayama (Alternate Nostril Breathing): This pranayama is excellent for calming the body and promoting harmony between body and mind.
Guidelines
Guidelines
- If you need to balance Vata, a fat-free diet is not for you. Cook foods with a little ghee (clarified butter) or include some olive oil in your diet every day. Olive oil cannot be heated to high temperatures without destroying its healing value, so drizzle olive oil over fresh soft flatbreads, cooked grains, or warm vegetable dishes. Ghee can be heated to high temperatures without affecting its nourishing, and healing qualities, so use ghee to sauté vegetables, spices, or other foods. Avoid too many dry foods such as crackers, dry cold cereal, and the like.
- Cooked foods, served hot or warm, are ideal for balancing Vata. Pureed soups, cooked fruit, hot cereal, rice pudding, and hot nourishing beverages such as nut milk or warm milk are excellent "comfort" foods and help pacify aggravated Vata. Avoid or minimize raw foods such as salads and raw sprouts.
- The three ayurvedic tastes that help balance Vata are sweet, sour, and salty, so include more of these tastes in your daily diet. Milk, citrus fruits, dried fruit, or salted toasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds make good snack choices. Eat less of the bitter, pungent, and astringent tastes.
- Nuts are wonderful Vata-pacifiers. Soak ten almonds overnight. Blanch and eat in the early morning for a healthy burst of energy. Walnuts, hazelnuts, and cashews make good Vata- pacifying snacks.
- Carrots, asparagus, tender leafy greens, beets, sweet potatoes, and summer squash such as zucchini and lauki squash are the best vegetable choices. They become more digestible when chopped and cooked with Vata-pacifying spices. Vegetables can be combined with grains or mung beans for satisfying one-dish meals. Avoid nightshades and larger beans.
- Basmati rice is ideal for balancing Vata. Cook it with a little salt and ghee for added flavor. Wheat is also good-fresh flatbreads made with whole wheat flour (called atta or chapatti flour and available at Indian grocery stores) and drizzled with a little melted ghee combine well with cooked vegetables or Vata-balancing chutneys.
- Most spices are warming and enhance digestion, so cook with a combination of spices that appeals to your taste buds and is appropriate for the dish you are making. Ayurvedic spices such as small quantities of turmeric, cumin, coriander, dried ginger, black pepper, and saffron offer flavor, aroma, and healing wisdom.
- Drink lots of warm water throughout the day.
- Vata types are the only dosha where meat and fish in the diet can be of great benefit, especially to bring balance to high Vata types. Red meat of all types is beneficial. However, chicken and eggs can be enough to provide grounding support. The issue is that you may carry stress over from a dead animal, so making sure you eat pasture-raised animals that are free from chemicals and hormones is important to keep both mind and body healthy.
Factors That Aggravate Vata
Factors That Aggravate Vata
- Stresses, even minor
- Changes, even positive
- Travel, especially by air
- Sensory overstimulation
- Being overscheduled
- Skipping meals
- Eating too many raw, cold foods
- Insufficient sleep
- Poor bedtime routine
- Erratic work hours
- Changing of the seasons
- Cold, dry climate
- Failure to express feelings of grief, loss, or fear
Food Choices
Food Choices
Grains: Rice, wheat, quinoa, oats, and amaranth, all cooked until tender. A low-grain diet is recommended for this dosha.
Vegetables: Asparagus, tender greens, carrots, peas, green beans, white daikon, zucchini, lauki squash, parsnips, sweet potatoes, all cooked.
Fruits: Avocado, pineapple, papaya, peaches, plums, grapes, mangoes, oranges, cherries, all kinds of berries, limes, and lemons, apples if stewed, coconut, fresh figs, raisins (soaked)
Lentils: Mung beans, urad dhal, mung dhal, masoor dhal, toor daal, and red lentils, all cooked until butter-soft
Dairy: Whole milk, cream, butter, fresh yogurt (cooked into foods), lassi, cottage cheese, fresh paneer cheese.
Oils: Ghee, olive oil, sesame oil, cold-pressed nut oils such as walnut.
Herbs: Fresh ginger root, cilantro, curry leaves, parsley, fresh basil, fresh fennel, mint
Nuts and Seeds: Almonds (soaked and blanched), cashews, walnuts (soaked), pistachios, hazelnuts, pecans (soaked), pine nuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds.
Spices: Ajwain, dried ginger, asafetida (hing) in small quantities, fenugreek, turmeric, cumin, clove, cardamom, coriander, fennel, black pepper, basil, Chinese cinnamon, nutmeg, mustard seed, mint, rosemary, thyme, lemon and orange zest, oregano, rock salt or sea salt, black salt, dried mango powder, pomegranate seeds or powder.
Other: Rice milk, soy milk, poppy seeds, sucanat, turbinado sugar, raw honey, and tofu in moderation (diced small and cooked with spices)
Meat/Fish: Vata is the only dosha type where meat and fish can be beneficial for strong Vata types. It can be grounding and nourishing for strongly dominant Vata types. However, you must stick to pasture-raised organic meat. It is also advisable to eat nose-to-tail (including organ meats) for a healthier choice of meat. Bone broth is also a great source of grounding nourishment, especially collagen which is useful for thin-framed Vata types you are more prone to bone and joint issues.
Balance Excess Pitta
According to your report, you have excess Pitta.
Here are recommendations on how to restore balance.
Diet + Lifestyle
Diet + Lifestyle
- Spend some time in nature: Take a gentle walk in nature or sit and enjoy the sunshine.
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of water throughout the day, and opt for warming and nourishing liquids like herbal tea.
- Avoid overheating: Stay away from aggravating spicy and sour foods, alcohol, and smoking.
- Take cooling or calming herbs: Gotu kola, Shatavari, hibiscus, licorice root tea, and chamomile can help to support a balanced pitta.
- Practice mindful activities: Take a few moments each day to meditate or jot down your thoughts in a journal.
- Get enough sleep: Aim for 7-9 hours of restful sleep every night.
- Take breaks throughout the day: Schedule some downtime for yourself, and take a few moments to catch your breath.
Elimination Diet For Pitta
Elimination Diet For Pitta
Pitta-type elimination diet involves eliminating certain foods or activities that can aggravate Pitta dosha and focusing more on cooling, calming foods and activities that help to support balance. An elimination diet in this way can help to bring down the heat and intensity of Pitta in the body while boosting mental clarity and digestion. Potential issues of elimination diet could come from overly restrictive dieting, or from not enough rest or nourishment, which can disrupt the balance of Pitta.
Pranayama
Pranayama
- Anuloma Viloma Pranayama (alternate nostril breathing): This technique helps maintain the balance between the left and right sides of your brain, reducing pitta and creating mental clarity.
- Siddhasana (seated pose): This powerful posture helps you stay connected to the Earth and its grounding energy, reducing pitta and promoting relaxation.
- Ujjayi Pranayama (victorious breath): This calming practice helps to soothe agitation, creating a relaxing and harmonious environment in your body.
- Nadi Shodhana Pranayama (Alternate Nostril Breath): This technique helps to bring balance to your nervous system and creates deep relaxation, reducing pitta in your body.
- Bhramari Pranayama (Bee Breath): This practice helps you release stored tension in your body, which is beneficial for reducing pitta.
- Kapalbhati Pranayama (Skull Shining Breath): This invigorating practice helps to clear the nasal passages and energize your body, reducing pitta.
- Shitali Pranayama (Cooling Breath): This cooling practice helps to reduce heat and inflammation in the body, which is often associated with an imbalance in pitta.
These pranayama techniques are powerful tools to help keep pitta in check and bring you back into balance. Practicing pranayama regularly can help keep a harmonious inner balance of your mind and body.
Guidelines
Guidelines
- If you need to balance Pitta, choose ghee, in moderate quantities, as your cooking medium. Ghee, according to the ancient ayurvedic texts, is cooling for both mind and body. Ghee can be heated to high temperatures without affecting its nourishing, and healing qualities, so use ghee to sauté vegetables, spices, or other foods.
- Cooling foods are wonderful for balancing Pitta dosha. Sweet juicy fruits, especially pears, can cool a fiery Pitta quickly. Milk, sweet rice pudding, coconut and coconut juice, and milkshakes made with ripe mangoes and almonds or dates are examples of soothing Pitta-pacifying foods.
- The three ayurvedic tastes that help balance Pitta are sweet, bitter, and astringent, so include more of these tastes in your daily diet. Milk, fully ripe sweet fruits, and soaked and blanched almonds make good snack choices. Eat less of the salty, pungent, and sour tastes.
- Dry cereal, crackers, granola and cereal bars, and rice cakes balance the liquid nature of Pitta dosha and can be eaten any time hunger pangs strike during the day. Although a low-grain diet is preferable for all dosha types, pitta has the best digestive capacity to handle them.
- Carrots, asparagus, bitter leafy greens, fennel, cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts, green beans, and bitter gourd (in very small quantities) are good vegetable choices. They become more digestible when chopped and cooked with Pitta- pacifying spices. Vegetables can be combined with grains or mung beans for satisfying one-dish meals. Avoid nightshades.
- Basmati rice is excellent for balancing Pitta. Wheat is also good--fresh flatbreads made with whole-wheat flour (called atta or chapatti flour and available at Indian grocery stores) combine well with cooked vegetables or Pitta-balancing chutneys. Oats and amaranth are other Pitta-balancing grains.
- Choose spices that are not too heating or pungent. Ayurvedic spices such as small quantities of turmeric, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cardamom, and fennel offer flavor, aroma, and healing wisdom.
- Drink sweet lassi with lunch to help enhance digestion and cool, not ice-cold, water to quench thirst.
Factors That Aggravate Pitta
Factors That Aggravate Pitta
- Ongoing or intense stress
- Pushing too hard at work
- Insufficient exercise
- Unrealistically high expectations of self or others
- Excessive stimulants
- Eating hot, spicy, or greasy foods
- Heat and humidity
Food Choices
Food Choices
The following list of suggested foods is by no means all-inclusive but offers starting guidelines if you are new to ayurvedic dietary principles. We will add to this list regularly, so please check back often!
Grains: Rice, wheat, barley, oats, amaranth, sago, all cooked until tender
Vegetables: Asparagus, tender and bitter greens, bitter gourd, carrots, fennel, peas, green beans, zucchini, lauki squash, artichoke, parsnips, okra, celery, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, beets, sweet potatoes, all cooked, small quantities of raw lettuce, carrots or cucumber.
Fruits: Avocado, pineapple, peaches, plums, grapes, mangoes, melons, pears, pomegranates, cherries, all kinds of berries, apples, coconut, dates, fresh and dried figs, raisins (soaked), all ripe and sweet.
Lentils: Mung beans, mung dhal, red or brown lentils, small portions of garbanzos, lima beans, and black beans, all cooked until butter-soft.
Dairy: Whole milk, cream, butter, fresh yogurt (cooked into foods), lassi, cottage cheese, fresh paneer cheese.
Oils: Ghee, olive oil, walnut oil.
Herbs: Cilantro, curry leaves, parsley, fresh basil, fresh fennel, fresh mint.
Nuts and Seeds: Almonds (soaked and blanched), sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds.
Spices: Turmeric, cumin, cardamom, coriander, fennel, small quantities of black pepper, Chinese cinnamon, mint, saffron, dill, sweet orange zest.
Other: Rice milk, soy milk, sucanat, turbinado sugar, date sugar, and tofu in moderation (diced small and cooked with spices)
Balance Excess Kapha
According to your report, you have excess Kapha.
Here are recommendations on how to restore balance.
Diet + Lifestyle
Diet + Lifestyle
- Eat a diet that is light and mostly made up of fresh fruits and vegetables. Avoid fried and heavy foods, as they can increase Kapha dosha.
- Engage in regular daily physical activities. Doing sports like running, cycling, yoga or aerobics can help to balance Kapha dosha.
- Take a brisk walk after meals, as this will help to aid digestion and benefit Kapha dosha.
- Spend time in the sunshine to help increase energy levels and reduce Kapha dosha.
- Avoid oversleeping and try to maintain a regular sleep schedule.
- Implement some Nasya treatment to help clear the nasal passages and reduce Kapha dosha.
- Use aromatherapy to reduce Kapha dosha, as fragrances like jasmine and citrus help clear the mind and reduce heaviness.
- Spend time with friends and family to help bring a sense of joy and contentment.
- Try to laugh more, as this will help reduce any stress and increase positivity.
- Listen to music that uplifts the soul and inspires you.
Elimination Diet For Kapha
Elimination Diet For Kapha
Kapha-type elimination diet involves reducing the amount of sweet and heavy foods and increasing the amount of light, dry and warm foods. This type of elimination diet may be beneficial for those with a Kapha-dominant constitution, as it helps to regulate Kapha-related congestion or stagnation in the body. Potential issues of elimination diet for a Kapha-person could become from not getting enough rest and support, as Kapha individuals are often energized by rest and nourishment.
Pranayama
Pranayama
- Ujjai Pranayama: This pranayama technique helps to reduce Kapha by stimulating the body's natural fire element. Inhale deeply and exhale slowly to energize and invigorate your body.
- Bhastrika Pranayama: This breath technique can help to reduce Kapha by stimulating the digestive system. Sit comfortably and take forceful and deep breaths, stressing the exhalation.
- Anulom Vilom Pranayama: This technique helps to balance the air element inside the body, which helps to reduce Kapha. Inhale and exhale through alternate nostrils for 15 minutes every morning.
- Kapalabhati Pranayama: This breathwork helps to quickly reduce Kapha. This powerful technique can help to remove toxins while energizing your system.
- Surya Bheda Pranayama: This technique helps to balance energy levels. Take deep inhalations on the right side of your nostril and exhale through the right.
- Sheetali Pranayama: This cooling breath technique can help to reduce excess Kapha. Inhale deeply through your mouth while rolling your tongue into a tube and exhale out of the nostrils.
- Bhramari Pranayama: This is a great pranayama to balance Kapha. Take deep and slow breaths while humming like a bee.
- Nadi Shodana Pranayama: This technique can help to reduce Kapha by balancing the energy channels of the body. Take deep breaths and switch between your nostrils.
- Bhramari Pranayama: This calming breath helps to reduce stress and bring balance to Kapha. Take deep and slow breaths while humming like a bee.
Guidelines
Guidelines
- If you need to balance Kapha, choose ghee, in very small quantities, as your cooking medium. Ghee can be heated to high temperatures without affecting its nourishing, healing qualities, so use ghee to sauté vegetables, spices or other foods. Steaming foods and then adding a mixture of spices sautéed in very little ghee is best. In general, avoid too many oily foods.
- Light, warming foods help balance Kapha. Clear vegetable soups with beans and diced vegetables, stews made with Kapha-balancing vegetables, bean casseroles, dhal soups and light grain/vegetable combinations are ideal for balancing Kapha, especially when combined with Kapha-balancing spices. Stay away from too much salt and instead infuse dishes with fresh herbs and spices for flavor.
- The three ayurvedic tastes that help balance Kapha are pungent, bitter and astringent, so include more of these tastes in your daily diet. Apples, and garbanzo beans cooked with Kapha- balancing spices or steamed broccoli or cauliflower with a light olive oil and spice mixture make healthy Kapha-pacifying snacks. Eat less of the salty, sweet and sour tastes.
- Dry cereal, salt-free crackers and rice cakes balance the liquid nature of Kapha dosha and make good snacks. However, eat snacks in moderation if you are trying to balance Kapha, and avoid sugary snacks. Honey in small quantities is the recommended sweetener.
- Carrots, asparagus, okra, bitter leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts, daikon radish and bitter gourd are good vegetable choices. They become more digestible when chopped and cooked with Kapha-pacifying spices.
- Vegetables can be combined with lighter grains or mung beans for satisfying one-dish meals. Avoid nightshades. Fresh green chili peppers and fresh ginger root add flavor while balancing Kapha.
- Choose lighter whole grains, and eat grains in moderation. Barley, buckwheat, millet and couscous are good choices. If you choose heavier grains, such as rice or wheat, eat very small quantities.
- Zesty warming spices are wonderful for balancing Kapha. Ayurvedic spices such as turmeric, cumin, coriander, cayenne, black pepper, dried ginger, asafetida (hing), cloves and fenugreek offer flavor, aroma and healing wisdom.
- Drink lassi infused with digestion-enhancing spices and herbs with lunch and lots of warm water throughout the day to help flush toxins from the body.
Factors That Aggravate Kapha
Factors That Aggravate Kapha
- Prolonged stress
- Dull job
- Lifeless marriage
- Lack of movement
- Excess sleep
- Overeating
- Too much sweet, salty, or fatty foods
- Taking sedatives, like alcohol or sleeping pills
- Relationships with excessive dependency and clinging
- Too little contact with others
- Cold and damp weather
- Lack of sunshine
Food Choices
Food Choices
The following list of suggested foods is by no means all-inclusive but offers starting guidelines if you are new to ayurvedic dietary principles. We will add to this list regularly, so please check back often!
Grains: Buckwheat, quinoa, barley, millet, oats, amaranth, sago, small portions of Basmati rice, all cooked until tender
Vegetables: Asparagus, all kinds of greens, bitter gourd, green beans, lauki squash, artichoke, celery, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, beets, kohlrabi, daikon, radish, cabbage, all Cooked
Fruits: Apricots, prunes, peaches, pears, cherries, berries, apples, lemons, limes, pomegranates, dried figs, raisins
Lentils: Mung beans, mung dhal, toor dhal, red or brown lentils, small portions of garbanzos, lima beans, and black beans, all cooked until butter-soft
Dairy: Whole milk diluted with water, lassi, small portions of cottage cheese or fresh paneer cheese.
Oils: Small portions of ghee and olive oil
Herbs: Cilantro, curry leaves, parsley, fresh basil, fresh mint, fresh oregano, fresh thyme, sage, neem leaves
Nuts and Seeds: Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds
Spices: Turmeric, cumin, cardamom, coriander, fennel, dried ginger, Chinese cinnamon, black pepper, Chinese cinnamon, mint, saffron, dill, lime zest, nutmeg, cayenne, fenugreek, mustard seed, oregano, marjoram, thyme, rosemary, paprika, mace, cloves
Other: Raw honey in moderation, unsalted unbuttered popcorn, crackers in moderation, cooked tofu in small quantities (diced small and cooked with spices)
Balance Excess Kapha
Here are recommendations on how to restore balance for Kapha.
Diet + Lifestyle
Diet + Lifestyle
- Eat a diet that is light and mostly made up of fresh fruits and vegetables. Avoid fried and heavy foods, as they can increase Kapha dosha.
- Engage in regular daily physical activities. Doing sports like running, cycling, yoga or aerobics can help to balance Kapha dosha.
- Take a brisk walk after meals, as this will help to aid digestion and benefit Kapha dosha.
- Spend time in the sunshine to help increase energy levels and reduce Kapha dosha.
- Avoid oversleeping and try to maintain a regular sleep schedule.
- Implement some Nasya treatment to help clear the nasal passages and reduce Kapha dosha.
- Use aromatherapy to reduce Kapha dosha, as fragrances like jasmine and citrus help clear the mind and reduce heaviness.
- Spend time with friends and family to help bring a sense of joy and contentment.
- Try to laugh more, as this will help reduce any stress and increase positivity.
- Listen to music that uplifts the soul and inspires you.
Fasting To Balance Kapha
Fasting To Balance Kapha
Kapha-type fasting involves reducing the amount of sweet and heavy foods and increasing the amount of light, dry and warm foods. This type of fasting may be beneficial for those with a Kapha-dominant constitution, as it helps to regulate Kapha-related congestion or stagnation in the body. Potential issues of fasting for a Kapha-person could become from not getting enough rest and support, as Kapha individuals are often energized by rest and nourishment.
Pranayama
Pranayama
- Ujjai Pranayama: This pranayama technique helps to reduce Kapha by stimulating the body's natural fire element. Inhale deeply and exhale slowly to energize and invigorate your body.
- Bhastrika Pranayama: This breath technique can help to reduce Kapha by stimulating the digestive system. Sit comfortably and take forceful and deep breaths, stressing the exhalation.
- Anulom Vilom Pranayama: This technique helps to balance the air element inside the body, which helps to reduce Kapha. Inhale and exhale through alternate nostrils for 15 minutes every morning.
- Kapalabhati Pranayama: This breathwork helps to quickly reduce Kapha. This powerful technique can help to remove toxins while energizing your system.
- Surya Bheda Pranayama: This technique helps to balance energy levels. Take deep inhalations on the right side of your nostril and exhale through the right.
- Sheetali Pranayama: This cooling breath technique can help to reduce excess Kapha. Inhale deeply through your mouth while rolling your tongue into a tube and exhale out of the nostrils.
- Bhramari Pranayama: This is a great pranayama to balance Kapha. Take deep and slow breaths while humming like a bee.
- Nadi Shodana Pranayama: This technique can help to reduce Kapha by balancing the energy channels of the body. Take deep breaths and switch between your nostrils.
- Bhramari Pranayama: This calming breath helps to reduce stress and bring balance to Kapha. Take deep and slow breaths while humming like a bee.
Guidelines
Guidelines
- If you need to balance Kapha, choose ghee, in very small quantities, as your cooking medium. Ghee can be heated to high temperatures without affecting its nourishing, healing qualities, so use ghee to sauté vegetables, spices or other foods. Steaming foods and then adding a mixture of spices sautéed in very little ghee is best. In general, avoid too many oily foods.
- Light, warming foods help balance Kapha. Clear vegetable soups with beans and diced vegetables, stews made with Kapha-balancing vegetables, bean casseroles, dhal soups and light grain/vegetable combinations are ideal for balancing Kapha, especially when combined with Kapha-balancing spices. Stay away from too much salt and instead infuse dishes with fresh herbs and spices for flavor.
- The three ayurvedic tastes that help balance Kapha are pungent, bitter and astringent, so include more of these tastes in your daily diet. Apples, and garbanzo beans cooked with Kapha- balancing spices or steamed broccoli or cauliflower with a light olive oil and spice mixture make healthy Kapha-pacifying snacks. Eat less of the salty, sweet and sour tastes.
- Dry cereal, salt-free crackers and rice cakes balance the liquid nature of Kapha dosha and make good snacks. However, eat snacks in moderation if you are trying to balance Kapha, and avoid sugary snacks. Honey in small quantities is the recommended sweetener.
- Carrots, asparagus, okra, bitter leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts, daikon radish and bitter gourd are good vegetable choices. They become more digestible when chopped and cooked with Kapha-pacifying spices.
- Vegetables can be combined with lighter grains or mung beans for satisfying one-dish meals. Avoid nightshades. Fresh green chili peppers and fresh ginger root add flavor while balancing Kapha.
- Choose lighter whole grains, and eat grains in moderation. Barley, buckwheat, millet and couscous are good choices. If you choose heavier grains, such as rice or wheat, eat very small quantities.
- Zesty warming spices are wonderful for balancing Kapha. Ayurvedic spices such as turmeric, cumin, coriander, cayenne, black pepper, dried ginger, asafetida (hing), cloves and fenugreek offer flavor, aroma and healing wisdom.
- Drink lassi infused with digestion-enhancing spices and herbs with lunch and lots of warm water throughout the day to help flush toxins from the body.
Factors That Aggravate Kapha
Factors That Aggravate Kapha
- Prolonged stress
- Dull job
- Lifeless marriage
- Lack of movement
- Excess sleep
- Overeating
- Too much sweet, salty, or fatty foods
- Taking sedatives, like alcohol or sleeping pills
- Relationships with excessive dependency and clinging
- Too little contact with others
- Cold and damp weather
- Lack of sunshine
Food Choices
Food Choices
The following list of suggested foods is by no means all-inclusive but offers starting guidelines if you are new to ayurvedic dietary principles. We will add to this list regularly, so please check back often!
Grains: Buckwheat, quinoa, barley, millet, oats, amaranth, sago, small portions of Basmati rice, all cooked until tender
Vegetables: Asparagus, all kinds of greens, bitter gourd, green beans, lauki squash, artichoke, celery, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, beets, kohlrabi, daikon, radish, cabbage, all Cooked
Fruits: Apricots, prunes, peaches, pears, cherries, berries, apples, lemons, limes, pomegranates, dried figs, raisins
Lentils: Mung beans, mung dhal, toor dhal, red or brown lentils, small portions of garbanzos, lima beans, and black beans, all cooked until butter-soft
Dairy: Whole milk diluted with water, lassi, small portions of cottage cheese or fresh paneer cheese.
Oils: Small portions of ghee and olive oil
Herbs: Cilantro, curry leaves, parsley, fresh basil, fresh mint, fresh oregano, fresh thyme, sage, neem leaves
Nuts and Seeds: Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds
Spices: Turmeric, cumin, cardamom, coriander, fennel, dried ginger, Chinese cinnamon, black pepper, Chinese cinnamon, mint, saffron, dill, lime zest, nutmeg, cayenne, fenugreek, mustard seed, oregano, marjoram, thyme, rosemary, paprika, mace, cloves
Other: Raw honey in moderation, unsalted unbuttered popcorn, crackers in moderation, cooked tofu in small quantities (diced small and cooked with spices)
Toxicity
Your Toxicity Symptoms:
Your Toxicity Level:
Looks like you've got toxicity going on, but the good news is that we've got some recommendations to help you restore balance. We suggest following some guidelines and a tailored fast and cleanse for your element type. And the best part? Our SOMA Breath transformational coaches are experts at delivering this program just for you. So, let's get started on feeling healthier and happier!
Golden Rules For All Elements
- Chew your food well, till it's liquid mashed in your mouth before swallowing. Count to 30 chews before swallowing. Remember your stomach does not have teeth!
- Eat what you love, but stick to a no factory diet, having a pure and balanced diet as much as possible. You will be naturally drawn to certain tastes and foods based on your dosha type.
- Eating till you are 80% full, and only when hungry, and before 8 pm is usually beneficial for every dosha type.
Let SOMA Breath Be Your Warm And Friendly Guide To A Healthy Balanced Life
With over 9573+ students enrolled in our programs and over 1979+ instructors, we have discovered the number one thing most people are looking for is peace of mind.
It doesn't matter if you are already successful and seem to have it all, or suffering from a health issue, or struggling to pay the bills, or going through a divorce, the question on most people's mind is 'how do I get peace of mind?
Interestingly one of the main aspirations of yoga is 'chitta vritti nirodha' which translates to 'bring tranquility to mind' and yoga is one of the key methods of restoring balance in traditional ayurveda.
SOMA Breath is based on the anxiety wisdom of traditional ayurveda, yoga however combined with modern science and proprietary music and brainwave technology.
When you find your element and live by it, you bring peace to your mind, and your life effortlessly flows.
A Soma Breath transformational coach is trained to help you do exactly that by identifying your predominant element, what needs to be brought back to balance and then creating a road map to discovering and getting exactly what you want.
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Recommended Courses
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Become a Transformational Coach
Make blissfulness your new normal with our exclusive membership program. It's like having your own SOMA Breath spa at a push of a button.. You can retreat, revive, and renew your body and mind within minutes-no matter where you are or how you feel!
You can also connect to a tribe of incredible likeminded people all with the same values, interests and aspirations, that will make you feel like this is home.
Scientific Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4012357/
Ayurvedic Healing - Dr David Frawley
Medical Understanding Of Yoga - Dr Prakash Malshe
Scientific Sources:
Ayurvedic Healing - Dr David Frawley
Medical Understanding Of Yoga - Dr Prakash Malshe