Ayurveda Dosha Quiz

What is a dosha?

In Ayurveda, each person has a unique body type, way of digesting food, and digesting information. Some people can seemingly eat endlessly and never gain weight. Some people struggle with anxiety and have a hard time focusing. Some people have a hard time getting out of bed in the morning and prefer not to be rushed. Ayurveda has three types of constitutions that are made up of the five elements: ether, air, fire, earth, and water. There are three types of constitutions, or doshas, but it’s possible that we have a balance of two or even all three of the doshas. In fact, we are all made of the five elements, so we all contain certain aspects of the three doshas. When our doshas get out of balance, or if we have too much of a dosha, we can see diseases form inside of our bodies. Ayurveda aims to balance our doshas through diet, exercise, therapies, and herbs. Once you know your dosha, you can discover the best foods, exercise, and lifestyle suggestions to help you feel like your most badass self!

What are the doshas

Vata: Vata is made up of the elements ether and air and is associated with the idea of movement. Vata governs prana, our life force and breath, and is also responsible for moving the other doshas throughout our body. Vata is known for being high energy, creative, motivated, and balancing 1000 projects all at once. Vata can also tend towards anxiety, burnout, having dry skin, dry joints, and constipation.

Pitta: Pitta is composed of fire and water and associated with the concept of transformation. It is closely associated with our body’s agni, or digestive fire. Pittas are known for their discerning intellect, ambition, and courageous attitude. On the downside pitta can be quick to anger and suffer from inflammation, skin disorders such as acne and rashes, heartburn, and indigestion.

Kapha: Kapha’s elements are earth and water. Kapha is known for giving form, function, and stability to our bodies. A kapha person is known for being calm and having a long memory. With too much kapha, one can also gain weight easily, battle sinus congestion and lethargy, and struggle with depression.

Determining Your Dosha:

Answer each question according to your most dominant traits. Keep in mind that it is very rare to be a balance of all three doshas, and most people favor one or sometimes two. Add up your results for each category to determine your dosha.

1. Body Frame:

• Vata: Thin-boned, longer limbs, or taller/shorter than avg, compact muscle

• Pitta: Medium boned, evenly proportioned, defined musculature

• Kapha: Thick bones, large frame, and less defined musculature

2. Body Weight:

• Vata: Thin, compact, difficult to gain weight

• Pitta: Average, easy to gain or lose weight

• Kapha: Weight on the higher spectrum and has tendencies to gain weight, difficult to lose

3. Face:

• Vata: Oval

• Pitta: Triangular, pointed chin/prominent jawline

• Kapha: Round or Square jaw

4. Cheeks:

• Vata: Lean, dry

• Pitta: Rosy, oily, flat

• Kapha: Round, smooth

5. Eyes:

• Vata: Smaller, dry, active

• Pitta: Sharp, intense gaze, bright, sensitive to light, prone to redness

• Kapha: Larger, calm, watery, thicker lashes

6. Nose:

• Vata: Thinner, uneven shape, possibly deviated septum

• Pitta: Medium, sharper, pointed, reddish tip

• Kapha: Larger, wider, round

7. Lips:

• Vata: Dry, cracked, small

• Pitta: Medium, soft, red

• Kapha: Full, smooth, soft, hydrated

8. Teeth:

• Vata: Irregular, protruded, thin gums

• Pitta: Medium size, soft gums that bleed easily

• Kapha: Healthy, white, strong gums

9. Skin:

• Vata: Dry, rough, cool

• Pitta: Oily, warm, rosy or fair skin, reddens/burns easily in sun, prone to outbreaks

• Kapha: Smooth, thick, Cool, hydrated, pale, tans evenly

10. Hair:

• Vata: Dry, brittle, frizzy, curly, thin

• Pitta: Straight, oily, early graying and balding

• Kapha: Thick, wavy, lustrous, plentiful

11. Nails:

• Vata: Dry, rough, brittle, break easily

• PItta: Medium thick, flexible, pink

• Kapha: Thick, smooth, polished

12. Neck:

• Vata: Tall, thin

• Pitta: Medium, defined

• Kapha: Thick, folded

13. Chest:

• Vata: Flat, lean

• PItta: Moderate. defined muscles

• Kapha: Expanded, round

14. Belly:

• Vata: Thin, flat

• Pitta: Moderate

• Kapha: Larger, round

15. Hips:

• Vata: Compact muscle and bones

• Pitta: Moderate muscle and bones

• Kapha: Wider with large bones

16. Joints:

• Vata: Cold, cracks easily, prominent

• Pitta: Moderate, less prominent

• Kapha: Large, well-lubricated, deep set

17. Appetite:

• Vata: Variable or scanty, irregular timing, forgetting to eat

• Pitta: Moderate to very strong, irritable when hungry or missing meal

• Kapha: Low, steady, can skip a meal (but doesn’t usually like to) without suffering too much

18. Digestion:

• Vata: Variable, tend toward gas, bloating

• Pitta: Quick digestion, prone to acid indigestion

• Kapha: Slow, heavy, mucousy and/or drowsy after meals

19. Thirst:

• Vata: Variable

• Pitta: Always thirsty

• Kapha: Rarely thirsty

20. Elimination:

• Vata: Constipation, dry stool, often need stimulation to go

• Pitta: Normal to loose, no stimulation needed

• Kapha: Large, sluggish, consistent

21. Energy level:

• Vata: Hyperactive, spends energy at once causing depletion, fidgets

• PItta: Moderate, steady, sometimes intense

• Kapha: Slow, lethargic, doesn’t like to be rushed, but consistent once in habit

22. Mental Activity:

• Vata: Scattered thoughts, creative, spacey, active mind

• Pitta: Detail oriented, organized thinking

• Kapha: Doesn’t like to be rushed to answer, steady, possibly foggy and slow

23. Emotions:

• Vata: Tends towards anxiety, fear, uncertainty

• Pitta: Tends toward anger, frustration, impatience, irritability

• Kapha: Tends to avoid difficult situations, shuts down, withdraws

24. Faith:

• Vata: Changeable, shaky, doubting

• Pitta: Can be extreme, opinionated

• Kapha: Consistent, along with the majority

25. Intellect:

• Vata: Quick, but sometimes inaccurate

• Pitta: Accurate response

• Kapha: Slow, but precise

26. Recollection:

• Vata: Recent good, remote poor

• Pitta: Distinct, specific, selective

• Kapha: Good at recalling specific details from past once instilled

27. Sleep:

• Vata: Tendency to Insomnia, , light and wakeful, hyper- sensitive

• Pitta: Some difficulty falling asleep, reeds before bed, once short but deep

• Kapha: Heavy sleeper, loves to sleep, sleeps like a log

28. Speech:

• Vata: Rapid, excited, talks with gestures, stress induces unclarity

• Pitta: Efficient speech, to the point, can be sharp tongued when under stress

• Kapha: Slow to speak, monotone, can be quiet, tend to listen more than speak

29. Finances:

• Vata: Insufficient, spends on trifles

• PItta: Wealthy or try to be, spends on luxurious items

• Kapha: Wealthy, saving and spend on food, and investment

Interested in learning more about your dosha or the best way to balance your dosha? Schedule your nutrition coaching session with us today!