Pakriti is an inherited constitution or body type that you have had/been since birth. It’s extraordinarily important to assess/determine one’s constitution in order:

1) To maintain health of body and mind by following the diet and lifestyle according to one’s prakriti.

2) To understand the prognosis of disease.

3) To understand the effectiveness of medicine.

There are two types of constitutions:Physical/Bodily constitution (on the basis of predominance of doshas in the body) and Mental constitution (on the basis of mental components).

A person’s constitution is according to the three biological operating humors (dosha): the Vata, the Pitta and the Kapha. Thus, there are seven possible constitutions.

1. Vata Prakriti                                                   
2. Pitta Prakriti                                                     
3. Kapha Prakriti
4. Vata-Pitta Prakriti
5. Pitta– Kapha Prakriti 
6. Vata-Kapha Prakriti                                                      
7. Vata-Pitta-Kapha Prakriti

Constitution is determined on the basis of predominance of doshas in the body. There is rarely dominance of single dosha in our body, and a balanced state of all three biological humors is also very rare. So, the constitution of most of us is usually duel, i.e. vata-pitta or pitta –kapha or kapha –vata.

To determine your constitution, I recommend taking a written test. This website has a great and accurate quiz. In Nepal, I was diagnosed as Kapha-Pitta being Kapha dominant. This website got it right as well and asks the standard questions. I absolutely recommend doing it (takes about 3 minutes AND BE HONEST) then reading the rest of this post – much more interesting.

Since you have figured out your constitution already, let’s continue to what these dosha mean and stand for:

Vata Energy

– controls movement (kinetic energy),

– permeates the subtle body,

– dominated by Air and Space elements

 

Those who are Vata dominant usually have these CHARACTERISTICS:

– Are Enthusiastic & Vivacious by nature

– Thin physique – does not gain weight very easily

– Difficult in falling sleep or having sound sleep or easily interrupted while sleeping

– Mind very active, sometime restless, very imaginative

– Tend to be over exertive. Easily fatigued.

– Tend to be constipated

 

To maintain the Vata dosha in BALANCE:

– Keep a calming, regular routine,

– Go to bed early

– Eat meals at the same time every day

– Have regular elimination

– Keep warm in cold weather

– Drink plenty of warm liquids

– Avoid stimulants

– Favor sweet, sour and salty foods

 

Pitta energy

– controls metabolism,

– permeates mental status of the body,

– thermal energy,

– dominated by fire element

 

Those who are Pitta dominant usually have these CHARACTERISTICS:

– Activities: precise & orderly

– Irritable & angry easily and frustrated

– Skip/delay meals

– Fond of cold foods, ice creams, cold drinks

– Sharp intellect and articulate speech.

– Tend to be demanding

– Sensitive skin

– Do not tolerate hot weather

 

To maintain the Pitta dosha in BALANCE:

– Moderation is the key.

– Avoid excessive heat or exposure to the sun

– Abstain from alcohol and smoking

– Favor sweet, astringent and bitter foods

– Avoid excessive activities

– Finish work on time to avoid stressful deadlines

– Avoid skipping meals

– Avoid spicy, sour, or salty foods

 

Kapha Energy

– Controls structure,

– Permeates the physical status of the body,

– Cohesive energy,

– Dominated by Water and Earth elements

 

Those who are Kapha dominant usually have these CHARACTERISTICS:

– Gain weight easily more easily/ loose more slowly

– Calm disposition/feel complacent or dull

– Skin oily to normal

– Slow digestion

– Possessive and over attached

– Need more hours sleep

– Cool, damp weather bothers

– Very good stamina & physical endurance

– Steady level of energy

 

 

To maintain the Kapha dosha in BALANCE:

– Stimulation is the key to feel better

– Avoid excessive rest and over sleep

– Favor spicy, bitter and astringent foods

– Get plenty of exercise

– Seek out variety in life

– Don’t eat too much heavy and oily food.

– Keep warm in cold weather

 

The following charts and pictures will help demonstrate these theories better:

 

Characteristic	Vata	Pitta	Kapha
Body frame	Thin, irregular, very short or very tall	Medium, proportionate, toned	Heavy, broad, evenly proportioned
Weight	Hard to gain,easy to lose	Easy to gain,easy to lose	Easy to gain,hard to lose
Skin	Cold, dark, tans easily	Warm, light and reddish, sunburns easily	Cool, fair & oily tans easily
Hair	Dry, frizzy, thin, dark	Straight, fine, reddish, premature balding or graying	Oily, wavy, thick, blonde, black or dark brown
Eyes	Brown, gray, violet or unusual color, small	Green, hazel, light brown, almond shaped	Black, blue, dark brown, big, sensual
Nails	Dry, grayish, ridged	Clear, well formed, pliable	Square, white
Appetite	Irregular	Strong	Slow, Steady
Evacuation	Constipated, irregular, small quantity	Loose, regular, large quantity	Slow, regular, moderate quantity
Perspiration	Scanty	Profuse	Moderation
Stamina	Poor, exertive	Moderate, driven	Excellent, lackadaisical
Sleep	Poor, variable	Moderate, light	Long, deep
Menstruation	Spotty, irregular	Intense, Heavy	Regular, smooth
Daily routine	Variable	Precise	Methodical
Activity style	Active, restless	Sharp, Precise	Calm, Slow
Weather Preference	Warm	Cool	Not cold and wet
Teeth	Irregular	Yellow	White, even
Body Temperature	Cold	Warm	Cool
Tendons, Veins	Visible	Moderate	Hidden
Joints	Stiff, Cracking	Flexible	Strong
Abdomen	Thin	Muscular	Thick, Soft
Under stress	Anxious	Irritable	Calm
Temperament	Fearful, indecisive, nervous, perceptive	Angry, intelligent, arrogant, successful	Greedy, calm, stable, stubborn
Memory	Learns quickly,forgets quickly	Learns quickly,forgets slowly	Learns slowly,forgets slowly
Speech	Erratic, talkative	Decisive, articulate, Forceful	Slow, cautious, Deep, Resonant
Spirituality	Spiritually disciplined	Tendency to material success	Fundamentally material
Financial	Spends easily on trifles	Spends on luxuries	saves
Dreams	Flying, fearful, erratic	Fiery, violent, intense	Watery, sensual, long sequences
Sexuality	Cold, variable	Hot, intense	Warm, enduring
Under stress	Anxious	Irritable	Calm
Temperament	Fearful, indecisive, nervous, perceptive	Angry, intelligent, arrogant, successful	Greedy, calm, stable, stubborn
Memory	Learns quickly,forgets quickly	Learns quickly,forgets slowly	Learns slowly,forgets slowly
Speech	Erratic, talkative	Decisive, articulate, Forceful	Slow, cautious, Deep, Resonant
Spirituality	Spiritually disciplined	Tendency to material success	Fundamentally material
Financial	Spends easily on trifles	Spends on luxuries	Saves
Dreams	Flying, fearful, erratic	Fiery, violent, intense	Watery, sensual, long sequences
Sexuality	Cold, variable	Hot, intense	Warm, enduring

Now, let’s discuss Mental Constitutions. There are three different mental constitutions:

Sattvic

Rajasic

Tamasic

 

These following graphs and charts will help you understand the difference between each constitution and help you determine which one you mostly are:

 

Mental constitution	Character	Food likes	Food types you have to avoid if you want to be
Sattvic	Patience,happy,helpful, maintains hygiene properly,not influenced by others in bad ideas but follows the good ideas after thinking,always encourage others to be good	Milk and milk products fruits sweets selective in food that is good for health Meat and meat products Eggs Chilly-spicy-   oily foods unhygienic left over/ basi foods
Rajasic	Dominating to others, proud,angry,showy personality, helps others if happy but hampers if unhappy,easily influenced by others without thinking	Meat and meat products,chilly- spicy -oily foods,interested in eating more without thinking the food is good for health or not.
Tamasic	Lazy,depressed,unhappy,not helpful,never maintains hygiene,never influenced, no interest in the things happening around his environment	Eat whatever is available

 

 

All of these notes and pictures were provided to me by the Ayurveda Health Home of Kathmandu, Nepal.