Have you tried everything? And still too many pounds on the hips? Maybe the weight loss works for you with the so-called Dosha diet. Their origin lies in the traditional and ancient Indian healing art, the Ayurveda, and is based on three life energies – the Doshas.
Are you of the Kapha, Pitta or Vata type? Never heard? These terms denote the three different life energies that make up Indian Ayurveda. The traditional teaching has a holistic claim. Combining experience and philosophy, health and illness are traced back to mental, physical, emotional and spiritual aspects. Everything is connected with everything, and the nutrition plays a decisive role – in addition to yoga or massage and cleaning techniques.
Doshas – please, what?
Doshas are no more and no less than the basic life energies that occur in every human being. Ideally, they should be balanced. If this harmony is missing, “mistakes” threaten. Health is in danger!
Even if all doshas are to be present in every human being, in most cases one or two of these life energies, better probably life principles, predominate clearly. And that’s exactly what the diet is based on: If you know which doshas you have in what proportion, you can counteract gaps by feeding yourself accordingly.
Type determination
Because in Ayurveda it is assumed that the Doshas are pronounced in each person differently strong, we are summarized due to certain characteristics to three different types.
Vata types are mostly slim, have small and elongated faces, their skin is tender and like the – sometimes curly – hair tends to be dry. Vata people are active, lively and creative, but also hard to predict.
Pitta guys, on the other hand, are athletic, but they are increasing fast. They have prominent facial features and often moist and rosy skin, sometimes freckles. The hair is rather smooth, possibly red. In terms of temperament, Pitta-Tyen are both analytical and ambitious, but on the other hand, purposefulness is often paired with outbursts of anger when things are not going their way.
Kapha types have a round and strong body, they too are increasing easily. Her facial features are rather soft, the skin pale with a tendency to blemishes. The hair is strong and shiny, the temperament restrained. Kapha types are considered calm and patient.
What does the dosha diet do?
According to the Ayurvedic principles, it is about ensuring the harmony of the doshas. That’s the only way we can stay healthy and maintain weight. Because: “If the three body energies are not in balance, control over the weight is lost. In most cases it is the kapha that disturbs the harmony. As a result, the body literally gets heavier, “said Vanita Kansal in the online issue of British magazine Natural Health. The Ayurveda specialist has been part of the team of the Ayurveda Parkschlösschen in Traben-Trarbach at the Mittelmosel since 2012.
The dosha diet does not count calories. The focus is holistically on a healthy lifestyle including meditation and sports. The physical and mental balance is to be restored – by detoxification, boosting the metabolism and ultimately by fat loss.
Healthy food in the sense of doshas
Depending on which dosha type you are, certain foods are particularly good for you to balance your harmony and thus to lose weight: So the Vata-type should eat warm cereal and vegetable meals, enriched with the spices cinnamon and cardamom. Precisely because of its activity and activity lurking here, however, the risk of stress food. So to come down maybe combine with some yoga for deep relaxation.
Targeted pitta types are recommended carrots, potatoes, zucchini, bananas and peppers as balancing foods to counteract possible irritability. Again, yoga is a good way to relax.
Kapha people are considered tolerant. They have a balancing effect on the world around them, but the metabolism usually works a little reduced. Here it is advised to spice up the food with chili, ginger and garlic. Rice waffles can help against the insurmountable hunger in between. For exercise, endurance sports or Pilates are recommended.
General rules for a Dosha diet
Stay away from raw fruits and vegetables! They are considered to be difficult to digest according to the Ayurvedic rules. The food should be light, warm and dry. So rather no fresh salad, but steamed vegetables. Also enjoy the drinks rather warm – and not from the fridge. Hot herbal teas are considered to be very healthy, but not directly to the meal – drinking too much food can disrupt your digestion.
Basically, you should eat smaller meals and not eat too late in the evening. Beware of especially sweet, sour or salty foods and – as is often the case with Asian dietary rules – of dairy products. You can use spices and honey without remorse, as well as chicken and turkey meat.
What brings the Dosha diet?
A Dosha diet is healthy and suitable for everyone. However, it is rather not an option for fast weight loss with regard to the beach figure. The diet has a lot to do with a general attitude to life and can be especially effective if you live according to Ayurvedic rules.