Balancing the Kapha!

Previously we spoke about the Kapha body types and their characteristics - when in balance and also when out of balance. They have a rock-like solid structure and personality that drastically gets affected when out of balance.

The lively, positive and optimistic Kaphas turn completely inactive, dependent and suspicious as they go out of balance, which makes them incompetent, weak, obese and lazy, and also makes them prone to diseases that affect their physical and mental well-being.

Since Kapha is inherently cold, heavy, and dense, the key is to maintain the balance by stimulation. Kaphas tend to cling on to the status quo and mundane lifestyle, so activities that stimulate their senses, like watching movies, listening to good music etc help them overcome their imbalance.

Here is more on the kind of food one should eat and avoid in order to balance the Kapha:

Eat:

· Food that is pungent, bitter or astringent in taste. It will help to stimulate their sense of taste and smell.

· Foods that help keep the body warm and energetic - as the Kaphas tend to have a cold body temperature like the Vatas.

· Heating spices – like black or red chilli, ginger, cinnamon and cumin.

· Whole and freshly cooked foods as they help to keep them warm and healthy.

· Most beans, especially moong dal, well-cooked tofu or warm soy milk are good to be included in the diet.

· A moderate amount of corn, canola, sesame, sunflower oil or ghee should also be included in the diet.

· All the vegetables except for tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet potatoes and zucchini as they tend to be cold giving rise to Kapha.

· Light fruits like apples, pear and figs.

· Sweetener like honey is ideal to maintain the Kapha balance.

· Most grains are fine, but the Kapha diet should essentially include barley and millet.

Avoid:

· Food that is too sweet or too salty.

· Raw fruits and vegetables.

· Too much of wheat or rice.

· Cold drinks, carbonated drinks and caffeine.

· Heavy and greasy foods like cheese, puddings, nuts and cake.

· Eating fresh fruits or drinking fruit juice within 1/2 hr of consuming any other food.

· Red meat like mutton or beef.

· Alcohol, except for an occasional glass of dry red or white wine.

Carefully and religiously following the above-mentioned diet, along with heavy exercises like Yoga, jogging, biking, swimming and martial arts can help prevent any sort imbalance for the Kapha body types.

So now we know about the three body types - their mental, physical and emotional characteristics when they are in balance as well as out of balance. We can conclude that a healthy diet and lifestyle is the key to physical and emotional well-being. Keep following us, as we help you understand the concept of holistic health and wellness in detail.