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In his book Perfect Health: The Complete Mind Body Guide, Deepak Chopra writes, “There exists in every person a place that is free from disease, that never feels pain, that cannot age or die. When you go to this place, limitations which all of us accept cease to exist. They are not even entertained as a possibility. This is the place called perfect health.”

Perfect health, for Chopra and several other alternative health gurus, is one that relies heavily on the more than 5,000-year-old practice of Ayurveda. In the simplest of words, Ayurveda leans on principles that help an individual to find balance between environment, body mind and spirit.

Ayurveda establishes that there are three operating principles that make up the mind-body connection, and they are called “doshas.” They are: Vata, which represents wind and controls movement; Pitta, the maker of fire and controller of the metabolism; and Kapha, a representative of Earth and the regulator of structure. Each person has a dominant dosha that helps him or her to determine the principles that will help establish perfect health.

Following are the characteristics that identify each dosha, according to Chopra’s Perfect Health:

1. Vata. This dosha has a light, thin build and performs activity quickly. Vatas have irregular hunger, interrupted sleep that can sometimes lead to insomnia, they are enthusiastic, moody, anxious and worrisome, tire easily due to overexertion and have energy that comes in bursts. A Vata is known for his unpredictability, making this dosha’s theme “changeable.”
2. Pitta. People who fall in this dosha have a medium build and like challenge. They are sharply intellectual, have a tendency toward anger and stress and like to avoid the sun. Pittas typically have fair and/or ruddy skin, they do not do well when they skip meals, are always on time and walk with determination, making this dosha “intense.”
3. Kapha. Known for his or her solid and powerful build, the Kapha is known for his or her ability to maintain steady energy. Kaphas sleep heavily, have a tendency toward obesity, slow digestion, and an ability to be affectionate, tolerant and forgiving. This dosha is best defined as “relaxed.”

It’s important to understand that doshas are not always so clearly defined, and that some people are a mix of two. I, of example, am a Vata-Pitta, making me creative, quick, imaginative, chatty, passionate, irritable and direct – just to name a few. That sounds like me! Want to find out your dosha? Take this quiz on the Chopra Center Web site.

Next week, we’ll talk about how you can use your dosha to help define the way you approach fitness.

Recommended and Related

Perfect Health: The Complete Mind/Body Guide, by Deepak Chopra

Photo by ginsnob.