Vata – Kapha Types

Vata- Kapha is cool, variable, dry, heavy, smooth, soft, mobile The deep well of kapha emotions combined with the active thoughts of vata may lead you to over-think and spend a significant amount of time trying to cover every angle of possible scenarios. This thoughtfulness stems from a sense of innocence and others may see you as indecisive because you need to feel that you are making an informed decision.

The devotion of kapha combined with the active nature of vata may lead you to overdo especially when it comes to giving to friends, family, and colleagues. Be careful not to say yes to every request as this can lead to overwhelm and fatigue. As you are excellent at doing proper preliminary investigations of sticky situations and risky endeavors for yourself, you can use this expertise even when it comes to your friends and family. Help others to find information about risky endeavors and the hidden pitfalls on a project. But, remember that your constant deliberation can be a little bit annoying when trying to decide on what brand of milk to buy.

The Qualities of Vata-Kapha
The main qualities of Vata-Kapha are cold, dry and heavy. This means that when you catalog the qualities of your mental, emotional and physical make up they will relate to these qualities.

• The cool quality may manifest as cool skin or hands and feet and a laid-back or withdrawn temperament.
• In excess, the dry quality can lead to constipation or as a dry sense of humor or the need for emotional connection so that they don’t feel “dry” emotionally.
• Heaviness may manifest as physical and emotional stability which in excess may create a feeling of being stuck or a feeling of heaviness in the mind.
• Softness can manifest as a soft heart that is highly sensitive and empathic.
• The mobile quality manifest as extremes; as in being very tall or very short or being drastically different weights at different times in your life.

Tastes That Increase and Decrease Vata-Kapha
As every taste has an effect on the qualities of Vata-Kapha it is helpful to know which tastes increase or decrease Vata-Kapha. Sweet and bitter tastes increase Vata-Kapha by increasing bulk and dryness in the body and mind. Salty and astringent tastes do not have as strong of an effect on the inherent qualities of Vata-Kapha so they can be utilized in small amounts. An example of the naturally sweet taste is wheat; of bitter: dandelion greens; of astringent: black tea; and of salty: salt. The pungent and sour tastes traditionally decrease Vata-Kapha by lightening and moisturizing the body and providing the opposite qualities to those of Vata-Kapha. An example of the pungent taste is chili pepper; of sour: pickles. A Vata-Kapha individual does well to have a moderate amount of warming, light, freshly cooked foods to maintain balance.

Opposites as Medicine
If the qualities of Vata-Kapha increase beyond its original, natural proportion, it fosters an environment where disease can flourish. Because we are creatures of habit we perpetuate what we know best and our dominant doshas will often increase more quickly. For example, if your dominant dosha is Vata-Kapha, due to the cold quality of both doshas you may be inclined towards feeling cold physically and emotionally.  In order to restore a healthy balance we will want to decrease the qualities that we are finding in excess. If the heaviness of Kapha has increased due to a sedentary lifestyle then you can increase activity as your medicine. Qualities opposite to Vata Kapha are predominantly warm, moist and light. It is therefore best for Kapha individuals to seek out physical and emotional environments, routines, and foods that possess these opposite qualities.

Herbs to Balance Vata-Kapha Types
Using herbs to maintain balance of the qualities of Vata-Kapha compliments the changes you make in your diet and lifestyle. Hawthorne, Guduchi, and Punarnava are three of the primary herbs used to remove excess vata-kapha from the body and maintain balance. All of these herbs can be found in our Heart Formula herbal tablets.

Opposites in Climate and Lifestyle as Medicine
Although the Kapha in Vata-Kapha may be able to tolerate a wide variety of temperatures, the ideal environment for this constitution is a warm and moist. Gentle yet active sports like hiking or swimming are best.  Aromatic, invigorating or warming scents, like essential oils like myrrh or clove and light and calming music are also good “medicines” for Vata-Kapha. A 10-20 minute steam bath or shower after a gentle 10 minute self-massage with warm sunflower oil will help keep Vata-Kapha from becoming stagnant. One of the best medicines for Vata-Kapha is social activity. It is well worth the effort for the Kapha individual to find positive friendships to keep them motivated. Having friendships based on positive routines may give you an extra push.