What is Ayurveda
The name “Ayurveda” is derived from two words in Sanskrit, “ayuh” meaning “life” or “longevity” and “veda” meaning “science” or “sacred knowledge.” Ayurveda’s definition therefore roughly translates as “the science of longevity” or “the sacred knowledge of life.” At its root, Ayurveda is a holistic tradition and way of living that can help each of us to claim and celebrate our capacity for wellness. Ayurveda can help us:
- Sync up with our truest inner nature
- Honor and develop our strengths
- Hone in on our challenge areas
- Maintain balance in the face of adversity
- Redirect detrimental tendencies
Ayurveda is an individualized system of medicine rooted in the idea that each of us is born with a personal blueprint for optimum health known as “your constitution”. The Three Doshas vata, pitta and kapha are present in everyone from the time of birth, but the ratio between them varies a great deal from one person to the next which is part of how we define a person’s constitution. No two constitutions are exactly alike, so no two humans require the same blueprint for optimal health. Everything is medicine and everything is poison; what might benefit one person could harm another
8 Health Benefits of Ayurveda
Integrating Ayurveda into your life can be immensely beneficial to your overall sense of wellness, There are eight distinct areas in which Ayurveda can improve your health.
At Ry's Table, we focus on #3 Diet & Food
- Prevention
- Daily Routine
- Ayurvedic Diet and Food Combining: Ayurveda has many diet and food combining suggestions to help maximize the agni, or digestive fire (gut health). Learning about your constitution and your personal state of balance will help you determine which dietary choices are right for you.
- Exercise: Ayurveda and Yoga
- Ayurvedic Herbal Support
- Ayurveda for Energy and Vitality
- Ayurveda for Beauty
- Ayurveda for Sleep
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Sweet (Madhura)
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Earth & Water
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Sour (Amla)
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Earth & Fire
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Salty (Lavana)
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Water & Fire
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Pungent (Katu)
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Fire & Air
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Bitter (Tikta)
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Air & Ether
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Astringent (Kashaya)
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Air & Earth
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DOSHA CHART
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Dosha |
Vata |
Pitta |
Kapha |
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Primary Elements |
Air + Earth |
Fire + Water |
Water + Earth |
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Qualities |
Dry, light, impulsive, rough, cold, creative, movement, transition, flow |
Hot, sharp, oily, goal-setting courage, appetite, ambition |
Heavy, slow, oily, dense, stable, grounding, strength |
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Signs of excess |
Fear, anxiety, depression, physical and emotional constriction, poor circulation, dry skin, tremors, ungroundedness, constipation, cracking joints, emaciation, insomnia, restless |
Anger, jealousy, acid reflux, inflammation, heartburn, loose stools, sharp hunger, migraines, rashes, bleeding disorders, overactive metabolism, gastric |
Over-attachment, greed, resistance to change, overly pensive, excess body weight, excess sleep, sluggishness, depression, tumors, mucus congestion, water retention, hardening of arteries |
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Pacifying diet (favor) |
Enjoy sweet, sour and salty taste. Warm freshly cooked foods, warm nut milks, warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cumin, ginger, natural sweets, generous amounts of ghee. Take time to sit & eat routinely. |
Enjoy sweet, bitter and astringent taste both fresh cooked and raw foods. Cooling foods and herbs, such as coriander, cilantro, fennel, cardamom, coconut, sunflower & beans. |
Enjoy pungent, bitter and astringent tastes. Warm cooked and heated foods such as chili, peppers, cayenne, ginger, cinnamon, cumin, honey, lots of veggies, dahl, light and dry foods. |
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Aggravating foods (avoid) |
Bitter, astringent and pungent flavors. Cold, raw, dry and light foods, soy, carbonated drinks, processed foods, caffeine, fried food, dry snacking, all alcohol. |
Pungent, sour and salty foods. Hot foods in temp and spice or chili, highly processed foods, fried, red meat, caffeine, spirits. |
Sweet, sour and salty foods. Heavy and oily foods such as dairy, sweets, nuts, processed food, carbonated, red meat, beer, grain, fried & overeating. |
Understanding Constitutions
As mentioned before, your constitution, prakriti or Ayurvedic body type, is established within you at conception and remains constant throughout your lifetime. It represents your natural state of equilibrium and your blueprint for perfect health. Ayurveda recognizes seven basic constitutional types:
- Vata-Type: A greater amount of vata, lesser amounts of pitta and kapha.
- Pitta-Type: A greater amount of pitta, lesser amounts of vata and kapha.
- Kapha-Type: A greater amount of kapha, lesser amounts of vata and pitta.
- Vata-Pitta-Type (or Pitta-Vata): Greater amounts of both vata and pitta, a lesser amount of kapha.
- Pitta-Kapha (or Kapha-Pitta): Greater amounts of both pitta and kapha, a lesser amount of vata.
- Kapha-Vata (or Vata-Kapha): Greater amounts of both vata and kapha, a lesser amount of pitta.
- Tridoshic (or Vata-Pitta-Kapha-Type): Equal amounts of all three doshas within the body.
Your constitution influences your physiology, your likes and dislikes, your tendencies and habits, your mental and emotional character, and your vulnerabilities toward imbalance and disease. Therefore, learning how to manage your constitution can be truly enlightening.