Know your Prakruthi

             Know your bodytype or Prakruthi 
                                           In Ayurveda,healing and lifestyle is always based on Prakruthi.
What is Prakruthi?This is very much like your genetic makeup.Prakruthi determines the physiological and psychological functions of human body.In other words your actions,thoughts or the manner in which your body reacts to a situation or a particular diet is controlled by your Prakruthi.To understand this, let's have a quick look at the 3 doshas or 3 life energies that form a bodytype.
                                                               The three life energies are Vata,Pitta and Kapha.The life energy Vata controls  all movements in the body.This includes movements connected to all systems, like digestion,respiration and also movement of nerve impulses in the nervous system.Pitta is related to transformation and metabolism in a person.This includes all the transformations happening even at cellular level.Kapha is the factor which regulates stability and structure of human body.For example the repair of tissues ,growth of cells and stability of body and mind are controlled by Kapha.
                           An individual is healthy when all doshas are in equilibrium.But usually in each person,one or two life energies are always predominant.If the factors Vata and Pitta are predominant in your body,we can say that your bodytype is VataPitta.Why would two individuals react in a different manner to a situation or a diet?It is because of their Prakruthi.In other words the behaviour of body or mind is connected to genes.
I am explaining the common characters of each body type when they are balanced and also when they undergo an imbalance.
Vata

• creativity
• talkative
• thin physical appearance
• cold hands and feet
• mood swings
• variable appetite
• energetic but will get tired fast
• dry skin and hair
• short span memory,quick learning
• too tall or too short

An imbalance can create stress,anxiety,indecisiveness,fear,fatigue,lack of appetite,joint pain,very dry skin,muscle spasm,constipation,diseases related to nervous system and mental illness.
Pitta

• flexible joints
• skin is warm and soft
• sharp mind
• goal oriented
• good leader
• passionate and romantic
• confident
• good appetite
• needs less sleep
• good speaker but often sarcastic
• tendency for premature greying or baldness
• sharp eyes

An imbalance of Pitta  can create anger,irritability,acidity,ulcer,hormonal imbalances,hypertension,sensitive skin,hair loss  and insomnia.
Kapha

• well developed body
• skin is smooth and hair is thick
• eyes are large and attractive
• tolerant
• supportive
• calm and loving
• slow understanding but retains knowledge
• loyal
• slow moving and graceful
• great willpower

An imbalance can cause depression,sluggish digestion,weight gain,respiratory illness,blockages in circulatory system,allergies,excess growth of tissues like tumours,laziness,greed,envy and possessiveness.

Now,take a look at yourself and decide which dosha combination you have.In most people there will be two predominant factors.In Ayurveda, medicines are prescribed based on body type and the aggrevation of a particular factor in a disease.Lifestyle and diet are also altered to correct an imbalance.