Your Constitution

DIGESTION and APPETITE: Here, Pitta’s voracious appetite comes up against Kapha’s love of food, making you a real foodie, but likely with a more refined sense of taste. You probably enjoy cooking, and you’re good at it. When it comes to eating, however, you might find yourself indulging more than most people, or tending toward emotional eating. You need to make a conscious effort to enjoy your meal properly and avoid eating too quickly or multi-tasking while eating, which can lead to digestive disturbances. Constipation, however, is rarely an issue with you.

ENERGY LEVELS: You have real advantages as a Pitta-Kapha type, possessing both inherently high energy levels and strong endurance. This gives you the capacity to achieve results with the efforts you put toward the things that you care about, including athletic and fitness goals. However, be mindful not to overexert yourself. When out of balance, you tend to feel unmotivated (Kapha) and hence, frustrated (Pitta) at your lack of physical activity and your level of productivity.

SLEEP:  You are most likely a sound sleeper and require eight hours sleep to feel rested and recharged. Though you might tend to stay up late, early to bed and early to rise work best for you, as sleeping in too late can make you feel sluggish and upset your daily productive rhythm.

TEMPERATURE: You are a fair-weather person, figuratively and literally. While Kapha is overly sensitive to cold and dampness, Pitta is the opposite, becoming uncomfortable in hot and especially humid climates. Dry air and dry weather suites both of these strong influences within you, but you’ll do well to avoid any temperature extremes. Subtropical climates are most agreeable with your type, but regardless of where you are, you’ll do well to keep yourself comfortable and not get overheated or catch a chill.

The most important thing you can do for your health, both mentally and physically, is to adhere to a lifestyle that will keep both Pitta and Kapha in check. As a Pitta-Kapha type person, you possess both ambition and enthusiasm, and an inherent practical groundedness. When in balance, you are capable of achieving any goal that you set your mind too. The key to your success and happiness lies in maintaining a healthy balance between these two forces. If either Pitta or Kapha becomes aggravated, it’s important to recognize this and make immediate changes to your surroundings and your situation to avoid setting yourself back and wasting your efforts.

Getting lots of exercise (without overheating), spending time outdoors in nature, and engaging in activities that give you a sense of purpose and feelings of fulfillment are great ways to keep the Pitta-Kapha person balanced and happy.

One important way to manage your dual dosha is according to the seasons. In winter and early spring, follow a Kapha-pacifying regime and diet, while taking steps to reduce Pitta during the hot summer months.

To keep Kapha from accumulating in excess, be sure to:

• Stimulate your body and your mind regularly.
• Engage in vigorous exercise, such as jogging, hiking, biking, circuit weight training, vigorous forms of yoga, or martial arts, etc.
• Be spontaneous, try new things, and engage in social activities, including lively music, uplifting experiences, and stimulating company.
• Keep warm and dry.

When Pitta is aggravated, try:

• A relaxing massage.
• Seeking calming/soothing smells, sounds, and environments.
• Yoga, meditation, and other stress relief practices.
• Spending quiet time in nature.
• Cooling off with a swim or a cold drink on a hot day.