Kapha is often the last of the three doshas to be discussed but makes up the majority of the structure in the human body. Although most organs and tissues are governed by Kapha, it is so stable that it seldom goes out of balance – generally causing less than 10% of diseases.

The Ashtanga Hridayam describes the nature of Kapha as:

Snigdha, sheeta, guru, manda, slakshna, mrtsna, sthira.

In English, these sanskrit words translate as:

Unctuous, cool, heavy, slow, smooth, slimey, static/steady.

It’s not hard to see why ignorant people often describe overweight or lazy people are Kapha and vice-versa. This is very much not the case from an Ayurvedic perspective.

Kapha types have a body structure that is “thicker” than the other types, which means they have the most endurance and forbearance of all three types. Emotionally, their earthy nature enables them to be the most compassionate and nurturing.

An oft repeated misnomer of Western nutritional advice to “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper” can be downfall of Kapha types. Ayurveda recommends that a pure Kapha type skips breakfast entirely – something that Kapha types are often relieved to hear. This type has a dull, but strong digestion and skipping breakfast allows the fire to grow enough for them to have a strong appetite for lunch.

This type does have a tendency to emotionally eat, however, this “feeling” of hunger does not come from the stomach. This type is excellent at adding structure to the body, so eating when not hungry (not recommended in Ayurveda) can add bulk to their shape.

In balancing the predisposition of Kapha, we look to the Vimshati Gunas. The opposites of Kapha are:

dry, hot, light, fast, rough, non-slimey, mobile

Using these attributes to describe meals is a beneficial means to balance Kapha. This means fewer oily curries and more undressed green salads. Dry, light breads are also a good choice along with dry, warming curries.

Predictably, we can see that while a wet Winter will cause Kapha to increase, a dry Summer will naturally balance this dosha. An important point to note is that Kapha can “melt” at the change of a cold season. Before this change of season occurs, consult an accomplished Ayurvedic physician to ensure that any accumulated Kapha is appropriately expelled.

As a final point, obesity and laziness are tamasic in nature. Never confuse this with Kapha, which is a strong and intelligent dosha with tremendous vitality.