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Mindfulness off the Mat list)
Before you ask, “What’s a dosha?” I’ll explain. Yoga has somewhat a
common philosophical thread with a science of wellness and healing known as
“ayurveda” (pronounced “eye your vay' dah”). Without going into the major,
elaborate depth of this area of study, one of the tenants of ayurveda is the
concept of the doshas. Your dosha is, essentially, your overall body type
and characteristic. Have you ever heard of the somatotypes? These include
ectomorph, mesomorph, and endomorph. Interestingly, these correspond almost
perfectly with the three ayurvedic doshas: vata, pitta, and kapha. Vata
types tend to be taller, more slender, and have difficulty gaining weight
and building muscle. The vata body type can be compared to the
ectomorph. Pitta body types tend to be more athletic and muscular, are
inclined to feeling hot, and have an abundance of energy. This dosha is
comparable to the mesomorphic body type. The Kapha dosha tends to be softer,
“bigger boned,” and has difficulty losing weight. This dosha shares
characteristics with the endomorph body type.
What does this mean to you? Your body type (or dosha) can be used as a
guide to understanding what diet, exercise, and lifestyle will best suit
your body’s general inclinations. These are rough guidelines only, of
course, as each body will have its exceptions, and most of us have
combinations of influences from the various body types. Nonetheless,
you can certainly use the doshas to gain insight as to what realistic
expectations to form when choosing goals for your exercise program. A vata/ectomorph
will likely have fewer challenges when it comes time to looking very long
and lean as compared to a kapha/endomorph; on the other hand, a pitta/mesomorph
has the muscle-developing advantage over the other two types. Upon further
exploration, it is discovered that the different body types/doshas also have
their own tendencies towards certain diseases. For example, pittas/mesomorphs,
as a population, appear more inclined towards hypertension and heart
disease. Vatas/ectomorphs might be more predisposed for osteoporosis; kapha/endomorphs
may need to pay closer attention to their risk for adult-onset diabetes.
These are all generalities, of course, and in many cases, more speculation
than fact, but it does serve to shed some light on why some folks respond
extremely quickly to yoga and other forms of exercise, and why some may
require more time to let their bodies acclimate. Õ
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