The Ayurveda Experience Blog
If you’re a Kapha body type, one of the three Ayurvedic body types, you may have experienced some Kapha dosha symptoms.
When the three Dosha are in balance they assist in the healthy nourishment, repair and growth of the body and mind. They are responsible for physical strength, complexion and a sense of joy. But if they are vitiated or out of balance, these dosha produce disease symptoms.
Functions Of Kapha Dosha In A Balanced State
Kapha confers stability, lubrication, compactness (firmness) of the joints. It is the cause for mental capacity to withstand or withhold emotions and strains. It is also cause for forgiveness.
Signs Of An Increase Of Kapha Dosha
Kapha when increased produces weak digestive activity, excess salivation, lassitude, laziness, a feeling of heaviness, white discoloration, coldness, looseness of the body parts, difficulty in breathing due to excess phlegm, cough, cold and an excess of sleep.
How To Pacify Kapha Dosha
Follow a Kapha pacifying diet. Use Astringent, pungent and bitter tastes in your diet. Use heating spices like pepper, ginger, allspice, turmeric, cinnamon, and a bit of saffron and nutmeg in food. Use mustard oil or olive oil for cooking. Use warm food and always take a warm (not cool or cold) bath.
Have Kapha balancing tea like ginger and tulsi tea or turmeric and honey tea. Never boil honey. Add it to tea after it’s cooled. Use herbs like triphala, long pepper powder, neem and terminalia chebula according to the advice of your practitioner. Take a powder called trikatu in a dose of ½ teaspoon mixed in 1 teaspoon of honey twice a day until symptoms disappear. Do exercise so that you sweat. Do dry fomentation on parts that are cold.
Signs Of Kapha Depletion
A decrease of Kapha causes dizziness, a feeling of emptiness, palpitations and looseness of the joints.
Take rest and use ghee, sugar and milk in your diet. Take sweet fruits and watery vegetables and cereals. Sleep for 8-10 hours.
