Ayurvedic medicine holds the following beliefs about the three doshas:

Each dosha is made up of two of five basic elements: ether (the upper regions of space), air, fire, water, and earth.

Each dosha has a particular relationship to bodily functions and can be upset for different reasons.

Each person has a unique combination of the three doshas, although one dosha is usually prominent. Doshas are constantly being formed and reformed by food, activity, and bodily processes.

Each dosha has its own physical and psychological characteristics.

An imbalance of a dosha will produce symptoms that are unique to that dosha. Imbalances may be caused by a person’s age, unhealthy lifestyle, or diet; too much or too little mental and physical exertion; the seasons; or inadequate protection from the weather, chemicals, or germs.

The doshas are known by their original Sanskrit names: vata, pitta, and kapha.



This Article was taken from: nccam.nih