Personalities, body types and rose water

Ayurvedic medicine has always intrigued me. The practitioners of this traditional medicine believe in balance, where natural urges are not suppressed (they believe this can lead to illness). As you may know I'm a fan of moderation, never elimination. Have your (organic) cake and it eat it (mindfully) too.

Originating in India, Ayurveda translates as "science of life", it's a holistic healing practice. Now for us westerners, holistic is a recent buzz word that means looking at the whole body, mind and soul... but for ancient healing practices throughout Asia, holistic is a way of life. Always has been.

There are three doshas, or body types, in Ayurvedic medicine. You may relate to more than one, but there's always a dominant dosha for you. These are their main characteristics:

Vata - creative, imaginative, changeable moods, excitable, high energy in bursts; slender, quick walkers, cold hands and feet, dry skin. May suffer from worry, anxiety, headaches, constipation, sore throats, and back pain.
Kappa - calm, relaxed, affectionate, compassionate, faithful, graceful, self-sufficient, peaceful, possessive; soft hair, skin, eyes and voice. May suffer from colds, sinus congestion, obesity, allergies and depression.
Pitta - focused, confident, competitive, passionate, fiery; good metabolism (and, therefore, appetite) strong build, fair or reddish skin. May suffer from skin problems, ulcers, heartburn and arthritis.

Here's a rough guide to what's good for each type (a selection from Amadea Morningstar and Urmila Desai's The Ayurvedic Cookbook):

Vata - grounding and warming foods, like spices (ginger and cloves, anise, cayenne, cinnamon, garlic, horseradish, caraway, mint, mustard seeds, parsley, cooked onion, paprika, rose water, vanilla, tarragon, thyme and rosemary), sweet fruit (mangoes, nectarines, bananas, coconut, fresh figs, peaches, and strawberries), cooked grains (oatmeal, basmati rice, and brown rice),
Avoid too much raw food, sugar, ice-cold drinks, frozen and dried foods, alcohol or caffeine.
Try calming exercises such as tai chi, yoga and walking, sip warming herbal teas, sesame oil rubbed into shoulders in the morning.

Kappa - light foods, like low-fat meat (especially but not restricted to chicken and turkey), beans (not soy), vegetables (peppers, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, eggplant, lettuce, onions, potatoes, mushrooms, corn, peas and celery) and a variety of light, crispy foods.
Avoid excess fat and heavy protein, excess sugar, dairy and bread.
Try regular dry body massages, challenging yourself, vigorous exercises (tennis, aerobics, etc).

Pitta - cooling foods are best, try bitter green vegies (watercress, rocket, parsley), fruit (berries, apples, apricots, coconut, figs, mango, oranges, pineapples, plums, watermelon and pomegranates), dairy (milk, cottage cheese, soft cheese, ice cream), grains (barley, basmati rice, and wheat), plenty of protein, spices (coriander, cumin, mint, parsley, dill and fennel) and sweets (maple syrup and raw honey).
Avoid humidity, spicy foods, excess red meat, alcohol, caffeine and salt.
Try eating when you're hungry and also swimming and walking.

Now clearly I've only touched the tip of the wondrous mountain that is Ayurveda. And, as per usual, I focused only on the food. So predictable. If you want to know more, you can find a qualified therapist here (this I am not).

Illustration above is by me, Frankie Warhol, and is of Dhanvantari, the god of Ayurveda.