Kapha Dosha

The Kapha dosha is one of the three doshas in Ayurveda. Each dosha has physical, psychological, and emotional aspects that affect each person. If you possess an excessive amount of Kapha, you are more prone to developing Kapha diseases. By balancing your inner tri-dosha, illnesses of this nature may be prevented.

To balance these energies, you must know a little bit about your constitution.

People of the Kapha constitution tend to be built with larger frames and may be overweight. Their bodies are usually bigger than the people of the other constitutions.

Their skin and hair tend to be thick and oily. The skin also tends to be light or pale in color.

These people usually have a steady appetite but a slow metabolism Foods that are pungent, bitter, and astringent are usually enjoyed. Water consumption is scarce due to a lack of thirst.

Kapha people tend to be lethargic and don't enjoy physical activity. They often walk at a slow pace.

Their mind is calm and works slowly. They speak in a slow and monotonous voice.

These people are usually very calm. However, they can tend to get greedy and attached.

Their memory usually takes a while to stick but lasts forever when it does. If something is remembered, it'll last a lifetime.

Dreams tend to be filled with water. In or around oceans, lakes, or rivers, and involve swimming. They also tend to have romantic dreams. Their sleep is heavy and in large quantities.

People of this dosha often are good money savors. Even if they are wealthy, they will only spend their money on necessities.

You likely feel like you can relate to some of these more than others. Even if this is your dominant dosha, you will not agree with every aspect.

You may have an excessive amount of Kapha energy in most of these aspects. However, nobody is 100% one constitution.

If you most identify with the Kapha constitution, there are some food you'll agree with and some you won't. As you look at the foods that do and don't agree with your constitution, you may notice that many of the foods go along with your prior beliefs.

Some of the foods Kapha's should avoid may be foods that you already don't like. If they are foods you enjoy, you don't necessarily have to cut them out of your diet. Simply observe the effect it has on your body when consumed. If you notice your body disagrees with the food, consume it in small amounts.

This is by means meant to be an all inclusive list that you must follow. It is just meant to give you a guideline. 

Here is the list of foods to enjoy and foods to avoid:

Consume

• Apples
• Apricots
• Berries
• Cherries
• Cranberries
• Figs (dry)
• Mango
• Peaches
• Pears
• Persimmon
• Pomegranate
• Prunes
• Raisins

Avoid

• Sweet & sour fruits
• Avocado
• Bananas
• Coconut
• Figs (fresh)
• Grapefruit
• Grapes
• Lemons
• Melons
• Oranges
• Papaya
• Pineapples
• Plum

Vegetables

Consume

• Pungent & Bitter
• Vegetables
• Asparagus
• Beets
• Broccoli
• Brussels sprouts
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Celery
• Eggplant
• Garlic
• Leafy greens
• Lettuce
• Mushrooms
• Okra
• Onions
• Parsley
• Peas
• Peppers
• Potatoes (white)
• Radishes
• Spinach
• Sprouts

Avoid

• Sweet and Juicy Vegetables
• Cucumber
• Potatoes (sweet)
• Tomatoes
• Zucchini

Grains

Consume

• Barley
• Corn
• Millet
• Oats (dry)
• Rice (small amount of basmati)
• Rye

Avoid

• Oats (cooked)
• Rice (brown)
• Rice (white)
• Wheat

Animal Foods

Consume 

• Chicken or Turkey (dark meat)
• Eggs 
• Rabbit
• Shrimp
• Venison 

Avoid

• Beef
• Lamb
• Pork
• Seafood

Legumes

• All legumes are good except kidney bean, soy-beans, black lentils, and mung beans

Nuts

• No nuts

Seeds

• No seeds except sunflower and pumpkin

Sweeteners

• No sweeteners except for raw honey

Condiments

• All spices are good except salt

Dairy

• No dairy except ghee and goat milk

Oils

• No oils except almond, corn, or sunflower in small amounts. 

Knowing what is and isn't beneficial for your constitution is the first step to balancing your doshas. Everyone is different, and just because a food is or isn't supposed to agree with you, that doesn't mean it's true.

The important part is eating a diet that is right for you. This is meant to just be a guideline and is not exact for everyone. You should take what you learned here and form your own opinion.

Plus, there's so much more to Ayurveda and your constitution than what I included here. Now that you have a basic understanding, you can experiment and eventually come to understand the age old practice of Ayurveda.

To learn more about Ayurveda or other ways to balance your health click here.

If you wish to view items to help maintain your constitution, click here.