To determine your Prakruti (body constitution), choose answers based on the state of your natural being throughout your life. The focus is you, the real you, not what happens to be true recently, nor what you wish to be. You may float between two answers and in that case, pick both. Add up the totals for each v, p, and k at the end. The test will tell you if you are Vata, Pitta, Kapha or any combination of the three.
For a printable version use this dosha test.
1. Physique
v) I am a slender person and I hardly gain weight
p) I am medium build
k) I am well built and I gain weight no matter what I do
2. Skin
v) My skin is dry, thin, and itches often
p) My skin looks flushed; I have lots of moles and freckles on my body
k) My skin is smooth and soft, it looks pale sometimes
3. Hair
v) My hair is dry, thin and brittle
p) My hair is neither dry nor oily (men, receding hairline)
k) My hair is thick, full, lustrous, and slightly oily
4. Face
v) My face is oval
p) My face is triangular (pointed chin, prominent jaw line)
k) My face is round
5. Eyes
v) My eyes are small; they feel dry often and have a bit of dullness (usually brown)
p) My eyes are medium in shape; sharp & penetrating (usually blue)
k) My eyes are big and round in shape, full eyelashes
6. Hands
v) My hands are generally dry, rough; slender fingers; dry nails
p) My hands are generally moist, pink; medium fingers; soft nails
k) My hands are generally firm, thick; thick fingers; strong & smooth nails
7. Joints
v) My joints are small, prominent bones, and often crack
p) My joints are medium and loose
k) My joints are large, sturdy, with lots of muscle surrounding
8. Activities
v) I am a very active person (always on the go, mind constantly thinking)
p) I like to think before I do anything
k) I am steady and graceful (I don’t like to rush)
9. Actions
v) I walk fast and talk fast
p) My actions are very thoughtful and precise
k) I like a slower pace and I take my time to accomplish things
10. Sleep
v) I do not sleep soundly at night. I tend to toss and turn. I wake up early in the morning
p) I am a light sleeper but if something wakes me up, I can go back to sleep easily
k) I am a heavy sleeper
11. Appetite
v) Varies, sometimes I feel hungry, sometimes not, I feel anxious if I don’t eat
p) I always feel hungry. If I don’t eat I get irritable and angry
k) I don’t feel very hungry. I can go without food easily for a day
12. Bowel Movement
v) I tend to have constipation and can go a day or two without a bowel movement
p) I am regular and sometimes stools are loose (tend to get diarrhea)
k) I have no problem. I wake up to go to the bathroom.
13.Voice
v) My voice tends to be weak or hoarse
p) I have a strong voice, I may get loud sometimes
k) My voice is deep, has good tone
14. Emotions
v) I am a born worrier, I often feel anxious and nervous
p) If things don’t happen my way, I feel irritable and angry
k) I am a happy person, very caring and loving
15. Weather Preference
v) I love warm and humid weather
p) I enjoy cool weather, I dislike a warm climate
k) I like wam but dry weather
16. Sweating
v) I sweat little but not much
p) I sweat profusely and it might have an unpleasant odor
k) I never sweat, unless working very hard
17. Memory
v) I remember quickly and forget quickly
p) I remember what I want to remember and never forget
k) It takes me a while to remember, but once I do I never forget
18. Actions
v) I tend to be spontaneous
p) I am a list maker. Unless I plan,I don’t do anything
k) I don’t like to plan, I prefer to follow others
19. Stamina
v) I like to do things in spurts and I get tired very easily
p) I have medium stamina
k) I can work long hours and maintain good stamina
20. Mind
v) My mind gets restless easily (it starts racing
p) I get impatient easily
k) It takes a lot to make me mad. I usually feel very calm
21. Decision Making
v) I change my mind more often and will take time to make a decision
p) I can make a decision easily and stick with it
k) I want others to make the decisions
22. Personality
v) “can I change my mind”?
p) “it’s my way or the highway”
k) “don’t worry be happy”
23. Sports
v) I like action
p) I like to win
k) I like to have fun
24. Health Problems
v) My symptoms are mainly pain, constipation, anxiety and depression
p) I often get skin infections, fevers, heart burn, hypertention
k) I tend to get allergies, congestion, weight gain and digestive problems
25. Hobbies
v) I like art (drawing, painting, dance) and travel
p) I like sports, politics, and things that get my adrenaline pumping
k) I like nature, gardening, reading, and knitting.
Total up your v’s, p’s and k’s and see which dosha(s) are dominant in you!
79 responses so far ↓
1 marit // Aug 12, 2009 at 1:20 pm
I’m both Vata and Pitta (or so says every test I take as well as an Ayervedic nutritionist I used to see). I also have excess heat (according to my acupuncturist), which causes acne and irregular bowls. I think the Vata is what causes anxiety and busy-ness and a flakey scalp. So… how does one find the right foods, etc. when on the fence? Should I be paying more attention to staying away from the foods that cause imbalance, or to eating the foods that help to bring balance?
Thank you for the great website! I’ve been looking for something like this forever!!!
2 Monica // Aug 12, 2009 at 9:50 pm
YAY! I’m glad you like the site. Great question! You will always need to keep the two in balance. But there are certain things that will imbalance one or the other…like seasons. In warm weather, you will probably need to pay more attention to your pitta and in cold weather, pay attention to vata. Vata many times is the first dosha to go out of whack – because it’s such a fast energy. It’s also the fastest dosha to come back into balance – so that’s the good news.
You will always and forever want to focus on vata/pitta balancing foods. Ghee will be your best friend! It will help the anxiety, scalp (you can put it on your head at night…but your pillow might smell like butta) and excess heat. Ghee is the only oil that is actually cooling AND strengthens agni.
Grains will help your bowels behave and fruits and water will calm down the acne. All are vata/pitta balancing. Anything bitter like coffee or salads will imbalance vata (esp when it’s cold out). Anything heating or sour (citrus) or fermented (pickles, alcohol) will imbalance pitta (esp in the heat).
If you have more questions, I will be more than happy to go over this in more detail with you. I am a vata-pitta myself :) xo
3 Joie Seldon // Jun 9, 2010 at 9:11 am
Hi Monica!
Love your blogsite! Some things never change. I’m Pitta (12), with Vata (8) second. So interested in your comment to marit. Some of the answers were hard to pick between the two. I’m feeling fairly balanced these days.
Joie
4 Robert // Jun 9, 2010 at 4:01 pm
clearly Pitta.. Now what? do I just eat foods that are on the Pitta food list..?
Help
5 Monica // Jun 9, 2010 at 10:30 pm
Hey Robert! Well, mostly, yes. However nature is always changing and therefore so are we. Ayurveda is not cut and dry, it ebbs and flows. The foods on the list are a great guideline to start with but there are many more details that come into play too. Ayurveda is very very large and gets into deep specifics depending on the person. I try to simplify Ayurveda without making it too “generic” – because Ayurveda is anything but generic. Hit me up with questions – I’m most happy to help. And, most likely you are not the only one who has them… :)
6 Monica // Jun 9, 2010 at 10:32 pm
So great to hear from you Joie! Yes, I know your pitta and your vata. You are a wonderful balance!! You have found your way and are doing work that fuels your soul. Amen sister!! Keep on keepin on!! xo
7 Ayesha // Jun 25, 2010 at 6:54 am
i am all of the doshas equally.
8 Cindi // Jul 13, 2010 at 6:38 am
First, I will say that I like your site. Thank you for sharing this information. :)
My results on the test were interesting… I have taken dosha tests before, but before now had always tended to fall mostly on the Pitta side with Vata being secondary (and Kapha non-existent). With this test I am appearing to be almost 50-50%, leaning slightly more toward Vata. Would time of year have anything to do with this?
It is also worth noting that I have been struggling with depression and anxiety for the past year, and so it is interesting to see that it may be a Vata related condition.
I do eat grains and use ghee in my cooking, but I will have to look into other methods as well I think.. Is it possible that my sudden swing towards being Vata-centric is an imbalance, as I had usually seemed to come out heavier on the Pitta side before?
9 This is why I’m deranged « Notes from Dry Creek Farm // Jul 22, 2010 at 3:26 pm
[...] Most of you who are regular visitors to the Food Renegade site are probably already on board with the basic rules. If you’d like to learn more about ayurveda, a great place to start is with Monica B’s Dosha Test. [...]
10 Brenda // Jul 28, 2010 at 11:17 am
Hello, just took your test, Pitta/Kapha with a sprinkling of Vata, 13/9/5. I have difficulty understanding how you handle the food combination. Do you always go to the Pitta? Thank you, I am glad you found your life’s work.
11 Deborah L // Aug 2, 2010 at 12:53 am
Thanks for your colorful,artistic, attractive site: it makes many ideas and concepts less daunting and more understandable for the layperson..my dosha test resulted in mostly Vata……I would be interested to learn more about diet,lifestyle,meditation,scents,essences etc for this imbalance…iam also very interested to learn more about the Ayurvedic approach to Arthritis as this is one of my main issues…thankyou
12 Deanette // Aug 3, 2010 at 1:18 pm
Monica,
I just took the Dosha test and I am 8 vata, 9 pitta and 9 kapha. What does this mean? Thank you.
13 Ayurveda: Yoga’s Sister Science | DC Dharma // Aug 3, 2010 at 1:52 pm
[...] Hey MonicaB [...]
14 Monica // Aug 9, 2010 at 6:09 am
Hmmm…having all three doshas in equal parts is VERY rare, although not impossible! I suggest retaking it and answer the questions with the mindset of “this is my NATURAL tendency.” it shouldn’t necessarily be what you are today…the goal is to discover your natural balance and over time we develop habits which may swing us toward another dosha (or two). Try again with that info and see if you come up with the same combo. Hug!!
15 Amy Howard // Sep 16, 2010 at 2:11 pm
Hi Monica!
I am:
Pitta 14, Kapha 8, Vitta 5.
My husband (according to me) is:
Pitta 13, Kapha 9, Vitta 3.
Any bright ideas for centering us and making us our healthiest, most vibrant selves from nutrition to spirit to appearance? We sure could use the advice.
Thanks…
Amy
16 Amy Howard // Sep 16, 2010 at 2:11 pm
Whoops…I meant VATA, not Vitta. Geez.
17 Monica // Sep 22, 2010 at 9:37 pm
Ah! Thank you for your questions. Yes, I’m going to give you a good answer by writing a full post about it :) xo
18 Monica // Sep 22, 2010 at 9:37 pm
lol! Classic vata… ;)
19 suneil kher // Nov 22, 2010 at 3:17 pm
8/v 12/p 7/k help
20 Carolina Nava // Nov 30, 2010 at 11:12 am
Hi Monica, I’ve been searching in the web about ayurveda, hypothyroidism, yoga and so….I go to a practitioner here in Mexico, where I live. I’m an almost total Kapha….21K, 3 V and 1 P…I started with this last September, I’ve felt much better, more energetic, my itches are away, no hair loss, but the overweight doesn’t want to leave my body(LOL!!!!!)…I’m 47 years old…no menopause yet….I follow the Kapha food list, the best I can….I hope you have some advice…thanks Monica!!!
21 Monica // Nov 30, 2010 at 9:42 pm
Carolina! Yes, kaphas have a dickens of a time losing weight. GOOD JOB on all the other stuff. A few major tips for kapha. 1) Do not eat anything sugary sweet or heavy for breakfast – you will start the day off on the wrong foot. Have an apple or pear or citrus fruit. You can sprinkle a little chili powder and lime juice! I love going to the Mexican fruit guys in LA that put lime, chili and salt on fruit! Do that! Just omit the salt so that it’s kapha friendly. 2) Make dinner really small and light. Have liquid soup or a small rice and veggie dish or vegetables in a corn tortilla with salsa. Lots of veggies will be your best friend, but make sure dinner is really small. You don’t want to be “full” you just want to be “no longer hungry.” That way your agni (digestive fire) can catch up and start using the stored meda (fat tissue). AND you’ll wake up like a spring chicken cause you’ll feel lighter! 3) If you are not hungry, don’t eat, just drink ginger tea until you are hungry. That is your body saying that you are not done digesting the previous meal yet. Hope this helps, lovely one!!!! xo
22 Jen // Jan 5, 2011 at 6:26 am
WOWZA! I am 21 vata 2 pita 2 kapha. I get a bad wrap for being a flake. I try to explain to people that at the time I make plans I really wanted to do it, then my mind changes the day of. Sounds like to me my vata dosha could be affecting me. thanks for you site!
23 Monica // Jan 5, 2011 at 10:14 pm
Yipeeeee little vata!! Yah, the flakey thing is definitely something to be mindful of. Remember, just because it’s in your nature doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a “good” trait…right!? Nor is it an excuse to continue the “not so great” behavior. So, now that you know you tend to change your mind, try sticking to the plan/commitment you’ve set. Actually “sticking” to something is grounding and exactly what you (and your comrades) need for balance. Give it a whirl!
24 Casey // Jan 13, 2011 at 8:23 pm
Wow turns out I was right about my suspicions.. I am Vata. But I’m really shocked that alot of these things and personalities are actually true about me. It’s like you know me already! haha. By any chance would you know why I break out in hives everytime I get cold? It probably has nothing to do with this but it got me curious. See when I get cold, be it my hands, my back, my legs I break out in hives. I get all itchy too! At first I thought it was an allergic reaction to food… but even when I sit in my room without the heater on I break out if I get cold. Any thoughts on this?
25 Monica // Jan 15, 2011 at 6:04 pm
Casey, that’s so odd. You only break out when you get cold? Because heat is usually the culprit behind hives and rashes. Unless your vata energy is pushing excess heat that you’ve accumulated somewhere in your body, to the skin? It’s a tough one and I’m not sure what to advise since I don’t know that much about you or you lifestyle. Let me think on it – if I come up with something brilliant, I’ll let you know ;)
26 Heather // Jan 21, 2011 at 3:41 pm
Thanks so much Monica! This test is great and a lot easier to take than many others I’ve used. I’m a certified teacher of ayurveda and would like to use this quiz in an upcoming workshop. Is that o.k.? I thought I’d ask first. I’ll note your website as the source, of course. It’s fantastic, by the way, and I love the art work. Congrats on a job really well done.
Namaste.
Heather
27 The Unknown Surfer // Feb 10, 2011 at 2:30 pm
I’m very easy – pasta primary – I surf Central America at mid-day when it’s nuclear. The best dosha test was on your BTR show… the drive-bys. Love the show.
28 Monica // Feb 12, 2011 at 1:00 pm
Dude!! What a fun note! Thanks so much Unknown Surfer – Glad you love da show. Surfing is good for your pitta – you belong in the water :)
29 Jon // Feb 13, 2011 at 6:09 am
I’m primarily vata, but with many shades of kapha. As a result, I have acne AND eczema on my face. Bummer! It seems like when I balance for when, the other acts up. Fruit (namely pears and apples) have been my main experiment so far – when I eat stewed pears and apples, my acne and general face oiliness improves, but the eczema gets worse. When I stop the pears/apples (and anything sugar), the eczema starts to fade but the oiliness and acne return. No fair! ;) Any ideas?
30 Monica // Feb 14, 2011 at 7:21 pm
Hi Jon! Oooo, thanks for asking. This is a really tough to answer over email because I don’t know enough about you. One thing I know is that neither apples nor pears should worsen your condition. Here’s the thing, there are different kinds of acne (pitta or kapha type) AND there are different types of eczema (vata, pitta, kapha) too. So, depending on what types of acne & eczema you have, only then can we figure out what is causing the problems. In a nutshell…I don’t know! :/ I would need more information to give you proper advice. Boo (yes I boo’ed myself), I wish I had more answers for you!!!!
31 Ancient Assessment of Your Present Self « // Feb 23, 2011 at 7:27 am
[...] Dosha Test to Determine your Prakriti: http://heymonicab.com/dosha-test/ [...]
32 Danielle // Feb 24, 2011 at 11:15 am
Hi there,
I’ve always had a hard time finding out what I may be from the self-tests. On this test, I just got P=15, V=14 and K=9. Tridoshic? Any thoughts? Thank you!
33 Annu // Mar 17, 2011 at 4:52 am
i have K=4, V=11, P=10..shud i be following a diet for V then though its just 1 point ahead of Pitta?
34 Monica // Mar 17, 2011 at 10:12 pm
Hi Annu, Since vata and pitta are so close, really monitor your balance per season. Summer is pitta so you’ll want to really follow pitta-balancing lifestyle/foods at that time. Fall & early winter is vata season so then you’ll follow the vata-balancing lifestyle/foods. I hope this helps.
35 Ramesh // Mar 25, 2011 at 12:04 am
My test shows 11P,11K and3V and my age is 61years,82Kg and 175cm tall.Retired and limited activities Knee paining while climbing stairs.Can you suggest/guide me for comfortable and healthy life!
36 Lori // Apr 5, 2011 at 8:30 am
Monica,
Took the test. 13P, 10K and 2V. Love your site especially the take it slow to change your life post this morning. The Benjamin Franklin schedule also set me on the right track this morning. What is a small step that I could take to begin?
Thanks.
37 Monica // Apr 6, 2011 at 9:01 pm
Hi Lori! Thanks for your nice note! Ahhh…small changes. Starting small could be, walking 15 minutes a day to get more exericse. Or maybe going to bed by 10:00 if you don’t already. Maybe it’s having breakfast if you tend to skip it. Maybe it’s having a light dinner if it tends to be your biggest meal. These suggestions will slowly start the ball rolling. Once you have one of these habits down, add another, and then another. And we build until before we know it, we’re following a schedule like Mr. Franklin and our life is swimming along in harmony :) xo
38 Pallavi // Apr 7, 2011 at 1:01 pm
Hi monica.. I have been very interested in ayurveda since i was in my 20′s and reading lots of stuff on internet. but trust me this is the place which i liked the most .your website. recently started following your site. I just loved it. Really good work. and loads of good luck for more to come. keep enlighten our lives. Thanks much for writing this blog.
39 Monica // Apr 7, 2011 at 7:35 pm
Awww. Pallavi, thank you for such a heartfelt note. This made my day and confirms that in teaching Ayurveda, I’m on the right path. :) Thank you for this wonderful gift today. xo.
40 Tanya // Apr 10, 2011 at 12:24 pm
Hi Monica,
I just took the test and am P14/K10/V8. I gave multiple answers to several questions, since, for exaple, I really do enjoy all kinds of weather. etc. I am new to Ayurveda and your site seems to be exactly what i need to wrap my mind around the whole prakruti vs. imbalnce and seasonality thing:) I’ll keep on reading and somewhere else I’ll ask you specific question about a health thing i’ve been having for almost a year now…Talk to you soon and many thanks:):)
41 Monica // Apr 11, 2011 at 9:15 pm
Hi Tanya! Yes! And don’t be frustrated if it takes you a while to figure out your dosha(s). It took me about 2 years to figure out mine ;) Just start to pay attention to yourself and be open to learning. Slowly you will unravel in front of your own eyes and it’s beautiful! xo!!
42 Anna // Apr 13, 2011 at 6:35 pm
Hello! Really great site – thank you!! A question for you: I am predominantly pitta with a fair amount of Vata. However, as with every year this time of year, I feel lethargic and gain weight. This happens around the Feb – April time frame and is a result of not having as much energy to work out, and craving different types of foods. I don’t have this issue during other months of the year, especially not in the Oct-Jan months when I have a ton of energy and not a big appetite. Do you know what would be causing this and how I can get out of this seasonal slump? Thanks!
43 Monica // Apr 14, 2011 at 8:31 am
Anna!! I think it’s because it’s kapha season :) Read this and it might help! http://heymonicab.com/2011/03/seasonal-bloom-kapha/
44 Anna // Apr 14, 2011 at 7:51 pm
Amazing! Thank you so much for the quick response and wonderful resources! Very helpful….I will definitely pass along.
Best,
Anna
45 sharona // Jun 13, 2011 at 5:04 pm
hi! thanks for having this comments section! i am new to this and tried out several tests, one test gave me all three in perfect blance v-73,p-73,k-73, one test i was v-11, p-4, k-9, one test i was p-6, v-2,k-2 and your test i was p-13,v-13,k-6 needless to say i’m very confused! am i vata pitta?
46 sharona // Jun 14, 2011 at 1:19 pm
i did another test and on it i’m just pitta. my husband took test and he got various answers when he did it as well. so we are now both confused , any recomendations?
47 Monica // Jun 14, 2011 at 1:49 pm
Hi Sharona!! Yeah taking these tests over and over might get confusing! When you take the tests take them according to who you are NATURALLY, not necessarily who you are today (we can imbalance over time). Also, you might float between two doshas, which is very common. Having all three doshas in equal balance is VERY very very rare and not likely.
I’m going to suggest this. Read up on the doshas (see the overview on the left side of my site) and really start to learn them. More than any test, once you get to know your personality, you will discover where you fit. I am also going to guess that you are a vata in mind because you keep taking the test over and over – hahaha! The impatience and “must know now!” of a vata ;) <3. Really though, it took me 2 years to FINALLY figure out who I am and what I'm made of. So be an observer and be patient. If you want a clear idea quickly you might want to consider seeing an Ayurvedic Practitioner to help you :) Hope this helps. Bottom line, when figuring out who you are, it's OKAY to take your time :)
48 sharon // Jun 16, 2011 at 11:49 pm
Hi Monica
I have taken your test and my results are p=7, v=9, k=8. Using your previous advice to people I retook the test and my scores were the same for all threes doshas. So I got my partner to do the test on my behalf and he made me all 3 doshas the same? I took another test in book and again scored the same, all bar a point or two. I have no idea what I am, can you help in any way???? Many thanks
49 Monica // Jun 19, 2011 at 7:39 pm
Hi Sharon!
Yeah, unfortunately it’s impossible for me to say without knowing/seeing you (which is the beauty of Ayurveda, we have to get to know you a little first :). I will say that having three doshas in equal parts is extremely rare – so rare, that doctors practicing for 40 years have never seen it. It’s not impossible to be tri-doshic but it’s really really rare. I would say, keep discovering yourself and letting yourself unravel. As you start to ask yourself, “what is ‘naturally’ me?” it will become more clear over time what your balance is. I know this isn’t really the black and white answer you were probably looking for…but that’s why I love Ayurveda…because there are soooo many colors in between black and white :) xo
50 Doshas, and my debacle « Yogiclarebear's Blog // Jul 19, 2011 at 6:15 am
[...] http://heymonicab.com/dosha-test/ [...]
51 Piyush // Jul 19, 2011 at 2:08 pm
I’m a Kapha/Vata? My tally was K-19,V-16,P-3. Is this unusual? Kapha and Vata seem to be opposites in many ways; aside from the fact that they’re both cool. For example sweets and wheat are good for Vata but bad for Kaph, and Vata’s dry, Kaph’s wet.
52 Maria // Sep 11, 2011 at 12:21 pm
My total was V-10 P-11 K-11…does that mean I’m a mixture of all three?
53 Monica // Sep 12, 2011 at 9:27 am
Hi Maria!
Good question…all of us are a mix of all three. We have all three working simultaneously all the time. But! The quiz should highlight one or two doshas that are most dominant in you. Be sure to take the quiz according to who you are naturally (not how you are today, or how you want to be). It is extremely rare to be all three doshas evenly. So rare, that one of the doctors doing Ayurvedic practice for 40 years has never seen someone tridoshic. You may want to try the quiz again and really dig deep when answering. AND if you are still tridoshic, I’ll cue the balloons and confetti to fall from the ceiling ;) xo
54 Erica // Sep 14, 2011 at 10:12 am
My husband got V-9, P-5, K-11. I got V-4, P-17, K-4. What are some foods that both Pitta and Kapha can enjoy or both need to avoid?
55 Monica // Sep 16, 2011 at 8:47 pm
Hi Erica,
They should both have lots of veggies for sure. Spicy foods kapha can have and pitta should have less spicy – so if you make a dish you can make it mildly spicy and kapha can add more to their individual serving. Both of you need to watch salty and sour/fermented foods. Pittas should favor more carbs and can get away with digesting meat, while Kapha needs to have less carbs and less (or no) meat. To make it work, it might just be as simple as balancing your plates! Read on as to how: http://heymonicab.com/2010/09/plate-portions/
Does this help at all??
56 Suzie // Oct 28, 2011 at 10:32 pm
I scored 17 V’s, 7 P’s and 1 K, guess Im a VATA
57 Sneha // Nov 21, 2011 at 5:29 am
Hi Monica,
Great website, I must say. I am an Indian and I grew up hearing about all these doshas from my grand parents. Whenever some one fell ill in the house my granny would try house remedies after checking the doshas. ( every other day I heard her saying ( one of the dosha) doshsa has increased.
But I have never seen any one put it in such a nice way, especially the dosha test. Liked it. :)
I am a pitta by the way .And I get a lot of skin rashes every now and then. What food should I avoid or eat to keep it balanced?
Thanks
58 Monica // Nov 30, 2011 at 9:54 pm
Hi Sneha!
Thanks so much for the compliment – I’m glad you like the site! So interesting that Ayurveda is such a part of your family history. Sometimes it takes a while for it all to sink in…and you have been able to experience that first hand because once again Ayurveda is making an appearance for you :) Skin rashes…you might get rashes more in the summer when it’s hot? Am I right? Coconut water would be sooo good for you – it’s very cooling/soothing for the tissues. Cucumber, cilantro, fresh fruits (no citrus) and veggies (no tomatoes) are all good. Milk is good. All grains are good. Reduce red meat and anything that’s too spicy. Reduce salt and fermented/pickled foods. Eliminate yogurt (unless you turn it into a lassi, then it’s really good for you!). Ginger is good if it’s added to cooking or powdered – raw ginger could heat you up and make your skin red. Also drink plenty of water! Does this help? Thanks again for your inquiry and I hope you continue to enjoy the site!
59 Laura // Dec 9, 2011 at 9:05 am
hI i HAVE TAKEN THIS TEST AND SOME QUESTIONS THERE ARE 2 ANSWERS THAT EQUALLY FIT ME! i HAVE TAKEN TESTS ON MULTIPLE SITES AND i COME OUT TRIDOSHIC ON ALL OF THEM HELP WHAT AM I ANDD WHAT RECIPES SHOULD I USE AND I KNOW IM WAY OUT OF BALANCE ON ALL 3 DOSHAS AS WELL
60 Amanda // Jan 6, 2012 at 1:14 pm
Great site, Monica. . . I’m a pitta and would like to know why almonds (one of my favorites) aren’t considered a balancing food for my dosha. Thanks!
61 Monica // Jan 10, 2012 at 11:53 am
Hi Amanda! Huh! That’s news to me – as far as I know, almonds are fine for pitta. Where did you see that they are not okay?
62 Amanda // Jan 10, 2012 at 12:16 pm
I saw it on another Ayurveda site. According to them, sunflower seeds were okay for pitta types but almonds were not recommended. I was going to continue eating them regardless because they’re so healthy and tasty. Incidentally, are foods like canned sardines and salmon considered “light” oily foods? I eat a lot of them and they’ve never had a heating influence on my body. I’m wondering if my body is trying to tell me that I’m having a vata imbalance? Almonds, salmon, sardines. . . ?
63 B // Jan 15, 2012 at 1:49 am
Hi Amanda, the problem with Ayurvedic recommendation for foods is that they are not part of the classical texts and depend primarily on modern interpretations of foods based on experience of practitioners . Also, many foods can change their qualities depending on how they are prepared, when they are harvested, when they are eaten and so forth so different books and sources will have different effects that they are looking at which are diffifcult ot ascertain unless you know a lot about these things. In order to really know the foods you have to do some research as well as experience things for yourself.
As far as almonds are concerned, make sure you soak them overnight and peel them and they will they should be okay for you if you are a pitta. However make sure you only eat a handful at a time throughout various parts of the day and not all at once. This goes for almost any seeds as they are hard to digest and not meant to be eaten a lot at once.
As far as your wanting those other foods, listen to your body. If it is vata season where you are your body needs more fats and heavier foods at this time, plus fish and nuts are good for your type so eat AS MUCH of those foods as you want until you feel satiated. This is the time for the body to bulk up and put on a few pounds before spring cleansing when you will loose it.You will get vata imbalance if you don’t listen to those cravings…
64 Gabrielle // Jan 25, 2012 at 6:57 pm
Hi Monica!
Your blog is great. I’m a student of Ayurveda and I really enjoy the information you put on it, your approach is really accessible for the modern mind and life :)
I just took the test and as I already knew, I’m Vata-Kapha. They are really close… 18 Vata, 14 Kapha. I get a little confused with my constitution so I’d like to have your advice… those two doshas are quite opposite, right? So what to do then?? How to balance both at the same time?
Thank you !
Gabrielle
65 Amanda // Jan 29, 2012 at 5:16 pm
Thank you, Monica. I’m learning a lot!
66 rohini // Jan 30, 2012 at 12:02 am
hi monica i m v6 p&k 13 so i think im more of pita and kapha i hav read all the comments but none of them are of combi of these two doshas kindly guide me regarding this!!!!
great website!!!!!!!!
keep doing well!!!!!!!!!
67 Monica // Feb 7, 2012 at 10:58 pm
Hi Rohini! I wrote a little post about this a while ago: http://heymonicab.com/2010/09/what-if-im-two-doshas/
It’s not super specific, but hopefully it gives some insight.
68 Monica // Feb 7, 2012 at 11:00 pm
Hi Gabrielle! Check this out: http://heymonicab.com/2010/09/what-if-im-two-doshas/
Does that help?
69 Brittany // Feb 13, 2012 at 3:03 pm
Hi Monica
Just took the quiz and I got V23 and K2.
So am I mainly vata and just ignore the two kapha that I got? I don’t know what to do.
70 Monica // Feb 29, 2012 at 10:17 pm
Hey Brittany! You can start here to find out more about lifestyle management for vata. There is a radio show and a newsletter :) http://heymonicab.com/2011/10/vata-season/
71 Rod // Apr 9, 2012 at 1:02 am
Your dosha test says I am a Pitta-Kapha with low Vatta (11-10-3 count respectively). My humble question is do I need to lower Pitta & Kapha or increase Vatta? A friend brought me Avipathi Churnam to get rid of toxins and cleanse colon, help liver etc before starting to balance. But how to start?
72 Monica // Apr 11, 2012 at 9:35 pm
Hi Rod,
Really good question! Well, if you took the quiz and answered the questions according to who you are naturally, having a low vata is just fine! The goal is not to have equal parts in all doshas. Rather, the goal is to figure out what your natural combination is and maintain that throughout your life. So! If you naturally are 11-10-3 and find that you are pretty close to that in the present, congratulations! You are doing everything right. If you are naturally 11-10-3 and find that you feel way more vata increase, that means vata is too high and you need to bring it down so that it matches your natural combo. Does this make sense?
Overall for you, you will need to follow pitta and kapha diet/lifestyle recommendations. Since those two doshas are most prominent in you, those two are the ones most likely to increase and therefore the ones you want to focus on. Unless you are feeling overly vata (anxious, panic, depressed, jittery, nervous, racing mind), then vata is probably at it’s perfect balance within YOU and you are doing great. Does this help at all? Let me know if you have more questions – this is a good one! Best,
Monica
73 sanjay // Apr 21, 2012 at 1:59 am
i am
60% vata
20% kapha
20% pitta
what to do.. :-(
74 Monica // Apr 24, 2012 at 8:43 pm
Hi Sanjay! No frownie face, you are a vata and that’s great! :) You will want to follow vata diet and lifestyle management. Here is a lot of information on vata, be sure to download Seasonal Bloom: http://heymonicab.com/2010/11/seasonal-bloom-vata/
75 George's // Apr 29, 2012 at 6:16 am
Can we put several answers fo a question? Thanks.
76 Monica // May 1, 2012 at 9:48 am
Hi George! Yes, you can have two answers to a question, but try to choose just one – you can choose the other as a “secondary” choice which will probably give you good insight your secondary dosha :)
77 amit // May 2, 2012 at 6:35 am
Monica… i am vata person and i want to change myself ….. how long it takes for me and how can i do this … pl. monica reply me …. pl. pl.pl.
78 Doshas, and my debacle « Yogiclarebear's Blog // May 7, 2012 at 11:50 am
[...] http://heymonicab.com/dosha-test/ [...]
79 Monica // May 9, 2012 at 9:36 am
Hi Amit,
If you are a vata person by nature, you can’t change yourself: http://heymonicab.com/2011/02/embrace_you/
But, if you are a vata person AND have a vata increase, there are some things you can do to reduce vata and feel better. I suggest reading Vata Seasonal Bloom and follow the diet and lifestyle guidelines: http://heymonicab.com/2011/10/vata-season/
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