Kapha Dosha! What’s that?
You might have heard these words. They are linked to Ayurveda and Sanskrit words meaning phlegm.
As you might know, Ayurveda is an ancient universal healing science that originated in India thousands of years ago.
Ayurveda's foundations lie in the five elements:
Space, air, fire, water, and earth.
These elements have specific qualities. They also form the base of the three bodily constitutions:
Vata, Pitta, Kapha.
Vata combines the space and air elements, Pitta fire and water, and Kapha earth and water.
These three constitutional types are not unique to Ayurveda. Other cultures around the globe have also differentiated people into different types. In ancient Greece, Hippocrates defined the four humors, four bodily fluids which, through imbalance, caused different illnesses. In the 1950s, the American psychologist William Sheldon defined three body types which resemble very much the ayurvedic model: mesomorphs, who are athletically fit (Pitta type); endomorphs, who have strong and sturdy bodies (Kapha type); and ectomorphs, who are characterised by fragility and thinness (Vata type). The model was applied though to explain criminal behaviour. We are not delving into this side today 😊
What are the Doshas for?
From the Ayurvedic perspective, doshas are bio-energies. They are responsible for initiating and maintaining specific processes in the body.
For example, Pitta, with its fiery and watery qualities, governs all digestive, transformative, and metabolic processes, whether it be the food you eat, the movie you watch, the news you listen to, and so forth. With its space and airy qualities, Vata governs everything that moves, such as breathing, circulation, heartbeat, nervous impulses, and initiating processes of the other doshas. Kapha holds everything together with the viscous, sticky qualities of the earth and water elements.
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What does Kapha Dosha do?
Kapha dosha is the substance and the glue that holds it together. Its qualities are heavy, slow, cold, sticky, oily, and slimy.
Think of the ground after a good rain shower: slippery mud. When I take my dog out for a walk in the local marshes, I even get stuck in the mud after prolonged rainfalls. These are Kapha qualities in action: heavy, sticky mud.
It's the same inside your body. Kapha is the mucous that keeps your lungs, nasal passages, and sinuses hydrated. If too much mucous builds up, your chest and head feel heavy.
Apart from the mucous linings of lungs and sinuses, Kapha lines the inside and outside of the organs, for example, protecting the inside of the stomach from its acid. If the lining goes, ulcers develop.
Kapha also protects the inside of the joints with synovial fluids and fibrous cushioning covering the top of the bone on either side of the joints so that you can move with ease and pain-free. In the case of arthritis, this cushioning layer has been thinned or even disappeared. Hence, the bones rub against each other, leading to excruciating pain.
Kapha insulates the nerves, keeping them strong and resilient. This way, communication between the different parts and areas of the body and the brain is fast and effective. Just like with the joints, the thinning of the insulation around the nerves leads to pain, irritability, and a lack of resilience. Literally, everything gets on your nerves.
What are the physical characteristics of Kapha Dosha?
Because of the earth element, Kapha dosha's build is sturdy and robust. If Kapha dosha dominates your constitution, you have stamina and endurance.
You tend to put on weight quickly and find it hard to lose it.
Kapha dosha is all about symmetry. The face is round, with beautiful big brown eyes, full lips, a big broad smile showing even white teeth. The voice is deep and calming. Everyone loves to be in the presence of Kapha-dominant people.
The mental characteristics of Kapha Dosha
Understanding the doshas, you always go back to the qualities. The Kapha mind has slow qualities; it takes longer to learn, understand, and memorise information and content, but once it's processed, it stays with you, always ready in your excellent long-term memory.
The slow quality also keeps you in your tracks. If your mental makeup is Kapha dominant, you don't like surprises or changes. You love repeating your routine day in and day out and find changes rather stressful and unsettling.
You are a loyal friend and appreciated by your friends and family for that quality.
You think things thoroughly through and take your time, not letting others rush you.
You are happy to leave tasks and projects without completing them. You can go to bed without having finished all your daily tasks.
You are content and resilient to stress, hunger, thirst, and misfortune.
The Kapha Lifestyle
The above qualities show in all aspects of life. If you are a Kapha-dominant personality, your day will be structured the same way every day; that's what you like best.
You like to lie in and take plenty of rest during the day. After you have completed a task, you might stop for a cup of tea or coffee and a biscuit.
You eat three meals daily, whether you are hungry or not, but because it's time to eat.
You enjoy your day and love to have a good time.
What happens when Kapha gets imbalanced?
First, let's talk briefly about why imbalances occur; the principle below is the same for all doshas.
Same + Same = More of the Same.
Returning to the qualities of slow, heavy, cold, oily, sticky, and slimy.
Suppose you eat food with these qualities, for example, Weetabix with cold milk from the fridge. In that case, this will add more of the same attributes to the already existing one, so you end up with a blocked nose or a heavy chest.
How do imbalances show in the body?
Kapha imbalances are frequent colds, coughs, congestions of lungs and head, swellings, cold, moist feet and hands, puffiness of the eyes, oedema, allergy flare-ups, weak digestion, lack of appetite (but still eating), tiredness, too much sleep, sweet taste in the mouth, feeling cold, nausea, tickling in throat, too much saliva, feeling of heaviness, weight gain, low circulation, kidney stones, benign tumours.
On the mental level, excess Kapha manifests as possessiveness, an inability to let go, stubbornness, mental heaviness, feeling sluggish, and a lack of motivation.
What to do to Balance Kapha?
As imbalances appear when too many of the same qualities are added, to rebalance, you will need to apply the opposite qualities of fast, hot, light, and dry.
This means you best
eat cooked, warm food that is well seasoned with chili, ginger, and black pepper to stimulate a slow digestive fire.
daily, leafy greens and food with a bitter, pungent and astringent taste.
warm drinks, hot water, maybe ginger tea after your meals, and coffee are excellent for your Kapha constitution.
Fasting (ing) and skipping meals, particularly the evening meal, is very beneficial for rebalancing Kapha dosha. Vigorous exercise in the morning that makes you sweat and brings warmth into the body is also beneficial, as is fast-paced Surya Namaskar, backbends, and twists.
Go to a dry sauna regularly.
Seasonal Kapha Time
The doshas are also represented in the seasons, and the Kapha dosha is dominant during the spring season. After the dry winter months, snow starts melting, and moisture increases in the atmosphere and the earth. New growth shoots up.
The Kapha Time of the Day
The doshas are also active throughout the day and have their qualities.
The Kapha times of the day are 6.00 - 10.00 am and pm. During these times, your digestive fire is naturally weaker than during the Pitta time (10.00 - 12.00 am and pm). As breakfast falls into the Kapha time, it is best to eat a light and warm dish.
Ayurveda recommends getting up in the morning before 6 am, so we avoid the heavy and slow Kapha quality but tap into the light and mobile Vata qualities, which are active between 2.00 - 6.00 am (and pm).
Final Thoughts
When discussing Kapha dosha from the Ayurvedic perspective, think of it as the element in you that's like the earth and water combined. It's what gives you your stability and strength. It's why you might have a calm demeanour and a strong, enduring presence. This aspect of you, rooted in ancient wisdom, keeps everything in your body working smoothly, like the lubrication in your joints or the protective mucous in your lungs.
But, just like a garden that gets too much water, too much Kapha can bog you down, making you feel sluggish or causing you to catch colds more easily. The trick to keeping Kapha in check is simple. It's about balancing it out with its opposites. Think warmth, lightness, and movement. Spice up your meals, add a bit more activity to your routine, and keep things varied and stimulating. This isn't just about physical health; it's about feeling livelier and more energised in every part of your life. Ayurveda isn't just ancient theory; it's practical advice to help you find your best balance.
Have you learned something new? Can you see any of the qualities in your body or mind? Let me know. You can leave a message below, on Instagram, Facebook, or even in a good old email.
I love hearing from you!
Katja x
P.S. Remember, healthy eating habits are important to support Kapha’s damp and slow digestive fire.
