Continued from Vata type of last issue As explained in previous article related to Ayurvedic approach of understanding one’s body nature called “Prakriti” in Sanskrit or Hindi and Taseer in Urdu details of features of Vataj personalities and their general remedies were elaborated.

PITTA BODY TYPES: Like Vataj personalities another group in the society is of Pittaj personalities. As Vataj personalities are predominantly having Vata dosha in them made up of Vayu (Air) & Akash (space) element bonded with consciousness. Pitta personalities are having predominantly Pitta DOSHA in them made up of AGNI (Fire) & JAL (water) element bonded with consciousness.

Pittaj personalities are also having specific features. Unlike Vataj personalities whose body frame is thin, and they do not gain weight inspite of taking large quantities of food. Pittaj people have moderate and balanced body frames. They have reddish, coppery and yellowish tinged body complexion which turns more reddish or coppery after physical activities. Higher incidence of moles, freckles and acnes is a Pittaj personality feature. If we shake hand with these personalities we will feel warmth and boldness. These people have soft, fine, shiny hair with tendency of premature graying and baldness. Regarding bowl habits they have more tendency towards lose stools unlike Vataj personalities who have tendency for constipation. These people pass good quantity of stool and often more than once in a day.

On consuming dairy products, figs, raisins, pistachios, heavy and fried meals they have a tendency of producing lose stools. Because of brilliant digestive fire their appetite is strong and sharp. After taking morning bath or on lunch and dinner hours they turn impatient or restless if not served with food. Because of higher fire element in their body these personalities easily perspire and have liking for cold weather and love air conditioned rooms in summers. Sweating of face and scalp has been observed in some of the Pittaj personalities if their foods are spicy (chilly) hot and sour, even running of nose has been seen if they consume chillies in their foods.

Mentally Pitta people are innovative, they express their ideas boldly on logical grounds. During arguments they do not easily surrender and are some time aggressive in expressions to win a situation. They are creative, good actors, leaders, debaters, orators, researchers and having plenty of friends. In an organization they are good managers even in difficult situations and some how or other achieve their goals. Emotionally they are affectionate and easily express whatsoever is in their minds and can rarely keep secrets. These personalities organize well and wish plans to be followed seriously till targets are achieved. They spend wisely and prefer to pay themselves then to expect some one else to pay while in a group.

These personalities have carving for sweets and cold drinks but some times like sauces also. Sweet and cold potency foods like apples, pears, guavas, bananas, melons, almonds, cucumbers, pumpkin family vegetables, rice, corn flour etc. are recommended foods for them but hot potency foods like figs, dates, pistachios, walnuts, raisins and fruits like mangoes, kiwis, grapes, citric fruits should be avoided. They should sleep in ventilated normal temperature rooms, walking on beaches in cold breeze, dipping their feet in water and moon lit nights are virtually good for pacifying Pitta personalities.

Like Vataj personalities Pitta personalities have also severe moderate and mild forms. Forty diseases have been mentioned in Ayurveda classical texts which have more tendency of occurrence in Pittaj personalities some of them include bleeding tendencies, hyperacidity, gastric ulcers, boils, acnes, liver diseases, baldness etc. If we switch over to Pitta pacifying food (as mentioned in the table) and life style, we can easily win over most of the diseases.

KAPHA BODY TYPES: Kapha body type individuals have predominance of Kapha DOSHA in them which is made up of PRITHVI (earth) and JAL (water) element bonded with consciousness to become part of living organism. Earth & water element in Kaphaj personalities makes their bodies of large body frame, they easily gain weight and find it difficult to lose it with dieting. If same quantity of food is served to Vata, Pitta & Kapha people we will observe that Vata personalities will gain minimum or Pitta people will gain moderate and Kapha individuals will gain maximum weight. Their digestion is normal and they consume moderate quantities of food. If we shake hand with them we will find their hand quite soft and heavy like a cushion. Skin of such people is slightly oily thick and smooth to touch. Regarding teeth and tongue they have healthy strong, regular and fairly white coloured teeth which do not easily develop cavities, their tongue is also clear and rarely white coated. Their taste buds mostly express sweet taste to mouth, whereas Pitta personalities taste buds express sour or salty tastes by default, and in Vataj people it is astringent or dry.

Best food for Kapha personalities is light food which is easy to digest, heavy foods will adversely affect their digestive fire and will further add to their body weight. Barley, millet, oats, corns, cucumbers, melons, guava, papaya. Astringent, chilly and bitter tasting foods like peppers, garlic, ginger, asfoetida are good foods for such personalities. Milk, yogurt, cheese, butter, creams, oils, sweets, wheat, beans, berry, chilled water, soft drinks should be avoided by Kapha personalities. Regular exercise, long and swift walks will keep their bodies healthier, they should avoid napping. Warm climates are better than cold seasons for them. Regarding proneness to illness, such personalities are vulnerable to develop respiratory diseases, low digestive fire, obesity, diabetes and other weight related disorders. Regarding bowel habits they are slow in passing stools which are thick and oily in appearance.

These people sleep deeply and comparatively for prolonged duration in the day time also they can easily go to sleep. Regarding physical activity they are lethargic but do not easily get tired. Memory of these types of people is slow and takes longer time to understand, but once they understand they will not forget through out their life. Mathematics is the subject which they do not like. They are having nature of accumulating and saving money and not easily spending. During conversation they do not speak quickly or fast but express in slow and steady manner with low pitched voice. They do not easily start conversation and prefer to remain quite. With in family two Kapha personalities can be found not arguing or even talking for longer times, whereas two vata personalities can not virtually afford to remain without talking or discussing to any extent. Pitta personalities mostly talk moderately with a specific purpose but express generously or logical grounds. Emotionally these personalities are calm, greedy, having more liking for nature, flowers, sea, rivers and hills. They are honest in dealings and stable in behaviour. They do not easily turn angry and try to smile away the situation. Their friendships are everlasting.

Ayurveda the science of life based on traditional Indian wisdom in health and medicine deeply studies human behaviour, physical body and internal functioning of the body. In order to have a comparative view of proneness to develop disease point of view among three basic Ayurvedic body types it has been concluded that Vataj people are worst, Pittaj better and Kaphaj best personalities from health point of view. But luckily very small percentage of population is purely Vataj, Pittaj or Kaphaj and good percentage is having dual body nature whereas best nature will be to have all the three natures in equal proportionate. Also food habits, life style keeps on changing, improving or adversely affecting Tridosha i.e. Vata, Pitta and Kapha level in the life span of an individual.

Now the wisdom lies in keeping update of individuals Tridosha level and keeping it balanced with wisely selected food and natural life style with moderate exercise, sleep and stress management. A detailed information about suitability & compatibility of various food items has been given in table.

For more specific information a consultation with Ayurvedic physicians should be taken who ultimately balances the body and provide healthy and long life through food, life style management and herbal remedies. A concluding advise to readers is that Let Food be your medicine, Adopt natural life style in relation to various seasons, Worry, Curry and Hurry are main culprits for causing any disease.

What specific food should the taken by a particular body type person is being provided in a table form along with this article. Reader can evaluate their body nature from information provided through this article. These natures can be Vata, Pitta, Kapha, Vata Pitta, Vata Kapha, Pitta Kapha or balanced i.e. Vata Pitta Kapha.

Principal,

Dayanand Ayurvedic College, Mahatma Hans Raj Marg G. T. Road, Jalandhar-144008,

E-mail: rajkumarayurveda@yahoo.com, 098142-04443