Ayurveda and Nutritional Types

Most modern fad diets, high protein – low carb, and high carb – low protein, are based on the one-size-fits-all diet fallacy. In fact, what is good for one person may not be equally appropriate for another. This truth led me to the study of Ayurveda (in case you haven’t read my bio I received a certificate of proficiency in Ayurvedic Medicine with highest honors from The National Institute of Ayurvedic Medicine/Institute of Indian Medicine). Ayurveda recognizes that we are not all the same and the both diet, life-style choices, and medical treatments must conform to a person’s constitutional type.

Ayurveda defines three basic constitutional types or doshas: pitta, vatta, and kapha. To simplify matters you may think of them as earth (kapha), wind (vatta) and fire (pitta). Some individuals are characterized by a single dosha, pitta for example, while others manifest more complex constitutional types like pitta-vatta. A similar taxonomy has evolved in the West.

Bill Wolcott published his work, The Metabolic Typing Diet, on metabolic typing in 2001. His work was extended and simplified by Dr. Mercola as nutritional typing. While metabolic and nutritional typing (MT/NT) focus on a person’s metabolic process and their relationship to diet and wellbeing they have much in common with the constitutional types in Ayurveda.

For example, I am a pure pitta and my wife is a pure vatta. She is as happy as can be with a salad for lunch and another one for dinner. Her optimal diet is consistent with the MT/NT carb dietary type. I have tried to live on salads but just can’t do it. I can’t resist adding a grilled chicken breast, nuts, cheese or legumes to my salad. You see, as a pitta I am also a protein MT/NT.

Ayurvedic constitutional typing is more comprehensive that MT/NT. However, MT/NT are very valuable guides for identifying your optimal diet. Dr. Mercola’s book, Take Control of Your Health, is a must read. It is available from his web site at http://products.mercola.com/take-control/

Please email me at Dr_DS_Murphy@yahoo.com if you would like to receive a short (4 page) questionnaire to help you identify your dosha.