Kapha

Kapha dosha originates from water. Kapha provides nutrition to the body and regulates the other two doshas, pitta and vayu.

Kapha makes the organs of the body moist and lubricates joints, increases strength, enthusiasm, heals wounds, strengthens the immunity, provides energy, promotions patience, knowledge and wisdom, regulates mental balance and also protects the tisues from wear and tear.

Kapha is the primary reason for lethargy and inertia. If kapha decreases, pitta and vayu increases and damage the dhatus, jionts, heart and body parts.

General Description

Kapha types are blessed with strength, endurance and stamina. In balance, they tend to have sweet, loving dispositions and be stable and grounded. Their skin is oily and smooth. Physically, kapha people may gain weight easily and have a slow metabolism. They tend to shun exercise. They have thick skin and their bodies and muscles are well developed. Their eyes are large and attractive with thick, long lashes and brows. Kaphapeople evacuate slowly and feces tend to be soft, pale and oily. Perspiration is moderate. Sleep is deep and prolonged. Kapha types are attracted to sweet, salty and oily foods, but their constitutions are most balanced by bitter, astringent and pungent tastes.

Concept of ‘Kapha’

Concept of Kapha: Functions of immune system and all such other protective mechanisms in the body have been grouped under ‘Kapha’ in Ayurveda. ‘Ojas’ is alsoclosely related with ‘Kapha’.

Avalambaka Kapha: Situated in the thorax, ‘Avalambaka Kapha’ protects the ‘Trika’ and other vital structures like heart, through what is called ‘Ambukarma’. Other anatomical sites where other types of ‘Kapha’ are situated also are dependent on this.

‘Trika’ region indicates the meeting point of three bones. As this is present in thorax, it must be indicating the junction between the sternum and clavicles, behind which, the thymus gland is situated. ‘Ambu’ means liquid or water. So, ‘Ambukarma’ must be referring to lymphatic drainage.

Kledaka Kapha: This is present in stomach and it moistens the ingested food. Mucous secreted in stomach plays important role in offering protection to mucous membrane of the stomach along with providing liquid medium for digestive process. Also, Gut Assosiated Lymphoid Tissue helps in providing protection by preventing the entry of any microbes through gut. HCl secreted in stomach also provides innate immunity to some extent. All these mechanisms can be explained through ‘Kledaka Kapha’.

Bodhaka Kapha: This is said to be present in oral cavity and helps in the perception of taste. Salivary juice secreted in the oral cavity not only helps in the process of taste perception but also performs some protective functions. Root of the tongue is the site of

Bodhaka Kapha: Tonsils are the important lymphoid tissue-containing structures present there.

Tarpaka Kapha: This sub-type of ‘Kapha’ is present inside the head and is responsible for the protection and nourishment of sense organs. Microglia and other similar Glial cells of brain tissue are some of the important entities, which may represent ‘Tarpaka Kapha’.

Ślesaka Kapha: This Kapha is present in the bony joints and is responsible for lubrication and easy movements. Movements are most obvious in synovial variety of joints and synovial fluid reduces the friction between two articular bony surfaces. But ‘Slesaka Kapha’ is not only synovial fluid. For several reasons known and unknown, these joints are the sites of prominent inflammation in most of the systemic autoimmune diseases like Systemic Sclerosis, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Rheumatoid arthritis. Such involvement must be, therefore, ascribed to the problems of ‘Ślesaka Kapha’.

General guidelines for balancing kapha

• Get plenty of exercise
• Avoid heavy foods Keep active
• Avoid dairy
• Avoid iced food or drinks
• Vary your routine
• Avoid fatty, oily foods
• Eat light, dry food No daytime naps

Foods to be favoured

• Food which are light, hot, dry, pungent in properties are beneficial to Kapha Prakriti.
• Cereals such barley, corn
• Pulses such as masur, horse gram, green gram.
• Oil such as mustard oil, sesame oil.
• Vegetables such as bitter gourd, drumstick, snake gourd, onions.
• Fruits such as pomegranates, lemon, apricots, amra (mango), almonds, walnut, apples,pear, water chestnut, water melon
• Spices such as dry ginger, black cumin seeds, garlic, pepper.
• Old wine and substances such as honey.

Foods to be reduced

• Food which are sweet, cold, heavy in property are not beneficial to Kapha Prakriti.
• Cereals such as fresh rice.
• Pulses such as black gram.
• Buffalo’s milk, curd, ghee, butter.
• Oils from animal fat.
• Vegetables such as sweet potato, cabbage, yam, Indian spinach
• Fruits such as banana, guava, grapes, coconut, jackfruit.
• Mutton, egg, freshwater fish.
• Sugarcane juice, jaggery.
• Freshly prepared beverages.
• Spices such as coriander.