As you may well be aware, Ayurveda recognises that we are all a combination of 3 doshas (constitutional types)- Vata, Pitta and Kapha.  We are born with a specific combination of the 3 (or- more accurately- we are each conceived with our unique combinations) known as our prakriti or blueprint. This combination changes over time due to lifestyle, job, location, season, age, relationships and general health.  Basically, we are born balanced, but as we all know, life has a habit of ‘unbalancing’ us in a myriad of different ways! One of the main aims of Ayurveda is to help us to return to our original balanced selves (prakriti), as when our doshas are out of balance (vikriti), this manifests as physical or mental ailments.  One dosha may tend to rise a little higher, and therefore be out of balance, due to very simple circumstances.  For example, Vata may be aggravated on a very windy day, Pitta on an extremely hot day and Kapha on a very cold and damp day.

This is because the doshas are made up of the elements, and each dosha has particular characteristics.  Remember though, that none of us are just one of the below- we are each a unique combination of the three in varying percentages: