eir digestion is so strong. However, when out of balance, they are classic type-A personalities, prone to heartburn, ulcers, and heart attacks.

KAPHA: This is the slow, grounded, solid, relaxed dosha. Kapha types are earthy, heavy, with full, gently curving figures or powerful, muscular builds and great endurance; you can find yourself getting lost in their large wide eyes. They act and think methodically—they need a long time to digest information and food and are slow to get out of bed in the morning. When in balance, kaphas are calm, graceful, loving, nurturing, sympathetic, forgiving, and slow to anger. Kaphas, howeve

Dr. Vasant Lad, an eminent Ayurvedic clinician and author, offers this prakruti-in-a-nutshell story: Three people walk into an elevator. It gets stuck on the fourth floor. The vata type exclaims, "Oh my God!" and starts trying to force open the door, pressing all the buttons, calling for help. The pitta type yells, "STOP! I've got a plan; you do this, you do that, and I'll try this other thing." Meanwhile the kapha type just sits back and says,"Let's just wait and see what happens." Which reaction are you most likely to have?

You will also find it helpful to use the following profiles as a supplement to the characteristics provided in the tests to help you pinpoint your dominant dosha. Remember, everyone will exhibit some of the characteristics of each dosha at various times; what's important to focus on is what you are like most of the time.

VATA: Vatas are light, changeable, and unpredictable as the wind. They have a light, thin build; a restless mind and body, and are light sleepers. They move and think quickly, love excitement and change, go to sleep at different times every night, skip meals, and keep irregular habits in general. When in balance, they are cheerful, enthusiastic, resilient, charming, vibrant, vivacious, sensitive, full of imaginative ideas and creative energy, exhilarated and exhilarating to be around. Imbalanced vata types are worriers, prone to insomnia and constipation. They can be spaced-out, unfocused airheads. They go out of balance most easily and may have started becoming ill in childhood or adolescence.

Pitta: People in whom pitta predominates are intense and fiery, with a strong drive, self-control, and piercing eyes that burn right through you. Of medium build and strength, they exhibit sharp hunger and thirst (pittas get irritable and feel faint if they don't eat on time), and wilt in hot weather. Pitta people communicate through their skin—they blush and flush easily and are radiant when healthy and happy. When in balance, they are joyful, extremely creative, and have an enterprising character that en¬joys challenges; they have a sharp intellect and pre cise, articulate speech. They live by their watches and can't bear waiting or being delayed. Pittas are natural leaders and take command of a situation (or feel that they should). Imbalanced pittas can be annoyingly perfectionistic and overly demanding and critical of themselves and others, prone to sarcasm, sharp anger, and irritability under stress. Pittas generally enjoy good health, since their digestion is so strong. However, when out of balance, they are classic type-A personalities, prone to heartburn, ulcers, and heart attacks.

KAPHA: This is the slow, grounded, solid, relaxed dosha. Kapha types are earthy, heavy, with full, gently curving figures or powerful, muscular builds and great endurance; you can find yourself getting lost in their large wide eyes. They act and think methodically—they need a long time to digest information and food and are slow to get out of bed in the morning. When in balance, kaphas are calm, graceful, loving, nurturing, sympathetic, forgiving, and slow to anger. Kaphas, however

s provided in the tests to help you pinpoint your dominant dosha. Remember, everyone will exhibit some of the characteristics of each dosha at various times; what's important to focus on is what you are like most of the time.

VATA: Vatas are light, changeable, and unpredictable as the wind. They have a light, thin build; a restless mind and body, and are light sleepers. They move and think quickly, love excitement and change, go to sleep at different times every night, skip meals, and keep irregular habits in general. When in balance, they are cheerful, enthusiastic, resilient, charming, vibrant, vivacious, sensitive, full of imaginative ideas and creative energy, exhilarated and exhilarating to be around. Imbalanced vata types are worriers, prone to insomnia and constipation. They can be spaced-out, unfocused airheads. They go out of balance most easily and may have started becoming ill in childhood or adolescence.

Pitta: People in whom pitta predominates are intense and fiery, with a strong drive, self-control, and piercing eyes that burn right through you. Of medium build and strength, they exhibit sharp hunger and thirst (pittas get irritable and feel faint if they don't eat on time), and wilt in hot weather. Pitta people communicate through their skin—they blush and flush easily and are radiant when healthy and happy. When in balance, they are joyful, extremely creative, and have an enterprising character that en¬joys challenges; they have a sharp intellect and pre cise, articulate speech. They live by their watches and can't bear waiting or being delayed. Pittas are natural leaders and take command of a situation (or feel that they should). Imbalanced pittas can be annoyingly perfectionistic and overly demanding and critical of themselves and others, prone to sarcasm, sharp anger, and irritability under stress. Pittas generally enjoy good health, since their digestion is so strong. However, when out of balance, they are classic type-A personalities, prone to heartburn, ulcers, and heart attacks.

KAPHA: This is the slow, grounded, solid, relaxed dosha. Kapha types are earthy, heavy, with full, gently curving figures or powerful, muscular builds and great endurance; you can find yourself getting lost in their large wide eyes. They act and think methodically—they need a long time to digest information and food and are slow to get out of bed in the morning. When in balance, kaphas are calm, graceful, loving, nurturing, sympathetic, forgiving, and slow to anger. Kaphas, howeve

of imaginative ideas and creative energy, exhilarated and exhilarating to be around. Imbalanced vata types are worriers, prone to insomnia and constipation. They can be spaced-out, unfocused airheads. They go out of balance most easily and may have started becoming ill in childhood or adolescence.

Pitta: People in whom pitta predominates are intense and fiery, with a strong drive, self-control, and piercing eyes that burn right through you. Of medium build and strength, they exhibit sharp hunger and thirst (pittas get irritable and feel faint if they don't eat on time), and wilt in hot weather. Pitta people communicate through their skin—they blush and flush easily and are radiant when healthy and happy. When in balance, they are joyful, extremely creative, and have an enterprising character that en¬joys challenges; they have a sharp intellect and pre cise, articulate speech. They live by their watches and can't bear waiting or being delayed. Pittas are natural leaders and take command of a situation (or feel that they should). Imbalanced pittas can be annoyingly perfectionistic and overly demanding and critical of themselves and others, prone to sarcasm, sharp anger, and irritability under stress. Pittas generally enjoy good health, since their digestion is so strong. However, when out of balance, they are classic type-A personalities, prone to heartburn, ulcers, and heart attacks.

KAPHA: This is the slow, grounded, solid, relaxed dosha. Kapha types are earthy, heavy, with full, gently curving figures or powerful, muscular builds and great endurance; you can find yourself getting lost in their large wide eyes. They act and think methodically—they need a long time to digest information and food and are slow to get out of bed in the morning. When in balance, kaphas are calm, graceful, loving, nurturing, sympathetic, forgiving, and slow to anger. Kaphas, howeve

hrough their skin—they blush and flush easily and are radiant when healthy and happy. When in balance, they are joyful, extremely creative, and have an enterprising character that en¬joys challenges; they have a sharp intellect and pre cise, articulate speech. They live by their watches and can't bear waiting or being delayed. Pittas are natural leaders and take command of a situation (or feel that they should). Imbalanced pittas can be annoyingly perfectionistic and overly demanding and critical of themselves and others, prone to sarcasm, sharp anger, and irritability under stress. Pittas generally enjoy good health, since their digestion is so strong. However, when out of balance, they are classic type-A personalities, prone to heartburn, ulcers, and heart attacks.

KAPHA: This is the slow, grounded, solid, relaxed dosha. Kapha types are earthy, heavy, with full, gently curving figures or powerful, muscular builds and great endurance; you can find yourself getting lost in their large wide eyes. They act and think methodically—they need a long time to digest information and food and are slow to get out of bed in the morning. When in balance, kaphas are calm, graceful, loving, nurturing, sympathetic, forgiving, and slow to anger. Kaphas, howeve

eir digestion is so strong. However, when out of balance, they are classic type-A personalities, prone to heartburn, ulcers, and heart attacks.

KAPHA: This is the slow, grounded, solid, relaxed dosha. Kapha types are earthy, heavy, with full, gently curving figures or powerful, muscular builds and great endurance; you can find yourself getting lost in their large wide eyes. They act and think methodically—they need a long time to digest information and food and are slow to get out of bed in the morning. When in balance, kaphas are calm, graceful, loving, nurturing, sympathetic, forgiving, and slow to anger. Kaphas, however, seek comfort from eating and tend to obesity and may gain weight just by looking at chocolate cream pie. Their earthiness and steadiness can slide into heaviness of heart and spirit, and a rigid adherence to the status quo. This dosha most strongly feels the need for a strong morning espresso, and may be sluggish in general. Because of its steadiness and inertia, Kapha is least likely to go out of balance and cause ill health.

Copyright © Dr.Helen Thomas 2007. All rights reserved.