Sample Daily Lifestyle Analysis And What It Means For Different Mind/Body Types

Over the past year I have been diving deeper in studying ayurveda and doing a mentorship program in Clinical Nutrition with Liz Lipski. Both programs have been so extensive and time-consuming that I haven’t really shared much of what I have been learning with you. Lots of things learned and lots more to learn. So much that I don’t even know what to start with…

One of the things that I am appreciating more and more is that everything can be medicine or poison. Not just food, but every act, thought, habit, timing.

A continuous cycle of interaction of our unique microcosm with the ever changing macrocosm around us creates an endless number of possibilities to either create harmony or disorder.

The only way to create true harmony is to deeply connect to the microcosm within us (our innate nature) and to stay continuously connected to the macrocosm around us (nature, seasons, weather, moon cycles, time of the day). It is not an exhausting process as it might seem. It happens quite naturally, if we are PRESENT. As in fully present in our body and environment, not just in our head.

So with this thought in mind, I want to guide you through a sample day in my own life and show you have daily choices, timing, and foods effect various mind/body types (vata, pitta, kapha). Please keep in mind, that my schedule is not perfect for my body type. I still have some aspect that need work. My goal is not to impress you but to give you an example of how the same thing can be good for one person while really bad for another.

Sample Daily Routine:

Every single thing including climate, location, age, physical activity matter. I speak of myself in 3rd person so it is easy to understand and a bit less personal.

Note: I was writing out my own general patterns with honesty so I could see where in my day I live out of integrity with my own body, nature’s cycles, and my wisdom. This was a few months ago and it gave me clarity to change some of the patterns.

Here we go:

Woman 30 years oldRED1312020001_original
Lives in Florida

Wakes up at 630-7am without an alarm
Warm oil on the belly and lower back (pitta oil)
Drinks water, priobiotics
Green tea with fennel seeds and lime or aloe vera juice
While drinking tea checks emails
Elimination
60 minutes of yoga or a walk outside by the ocean
20 min meditation
10:00-10:30 breakfast: sometimes baked butternut squash with soaked chia seeds; sometimes an egg and a salad; other times sautéed greens with an egg or a soup

After breakfast back to the computer. The calendar is usually very packed with appointments and a huge to-do list. Often feels stressed and pressured to get everything done on time.

Mid-morning often starts craving something to snack on (probably partially to get away from the computer). Can snack on fruit, nuts, green juice, hummus, or something else. Often snacking in front of the computer and stomach feels too full after.

Rarely takes time away from the computer for lunch. Eats while doing something or listening to a lecture/podcast. Strong drive to be productive all the time. (thankfully this was one of the patterns that I committed to changing and is now in the past)

Lunch around 2pm: lots of vegetables, lentils, or fish, and pumpkin, sweet potatoes, or squash. Mostly digests quickly but when stressed holds lots of tension in the stomach. If not mindful, can overeat and still feel hungry after a meal.

Back to the computer. Reluctant to sit at the computer but has to do the work.

More green tea, lemon or lime. Snacks on fruit, mostly apples

5-6pm – gym, a walk outside or some sort of movement.

6-7pm making and eating dinner. Soup, cooked vegetables, sometimes an egg, fish, or lentils.

Another hour or so on the computer or TV.

22:30-23:00 bedtime

Diet: In general gluten free diet, with very few grains, mostly vegetables and fruit, roots, lentils, limited dairy, fish, nuts and seeds. Green and herbal tea. Quality is good, but eats too fast and often overeats.

Here is how this daily routine would impact each dosha:

Vata:
Vata types wouldn’t like starting the day with green tea and waiting for 3 hours to have breakfast. 3 hours is too long for Vata. Vatas would do best with a warm nourishing breakfast a bit earlier. However having sour taste (lemon, lime or aloe vera) and warm liquid in the morning might help Vata to eliminate properly.
Warm oil massage is great for calming down vata as it lubricates and is the opposite of vata’s inherent dryness
Meditation practice is great to calm Vata
Yoga, a walk, and a gym, could be too much movement for Vata and cause dryness
Vata might not like overabundance of vegetables and could prefer more grains and roots. Snacking all the time would disturb gentle digestion of a vata type and could lead to bloating and constipation.
Spending so much time in from of the computer would negatively affect vata, potentially making them feel drained, depleted.
Multitasking while eating also would be aggravating for Vata.

Pitta:
Pitta types might be aggravated by the heating quality of sesame oil in the morning and caffeine in green tea which can lead to lose stools or short temper later int he day.
Pittas also might need some foods earlier to pacify strong agni (digestive fire). Waiting for too long might make them crave sweet foods later. They can also become angry or short-tempered (HANGRY).
Having nuts or snacking on too many nuts would be aggravating for Pitta as they are oily.
Too much computer time and being in front of the screen can aggravate Pitta and cause sensitivity in the eyes (pitta organ)
Pittas would need to be more careful with seafood and maybe also include grains.
Having a full schedule and a busy to-do list might be too much pressure for Pittas as they tend to be overambitious and overwork with can lead to a burnout.
A walk, meditation, yoga – would all be good to balance pitta.
Taking time for lunch away from the computer and maybe in nature or with soothing music would be beneficial to mentally cool pitta.
At night might be beneficial to go to bed by 22:00 and take a walk in the moonlight before instead of the computer.

Kapha:
Kaphas might benefit from a late breakfast, especially if not hungry. Having warm, sour liquid can help stimulate sluggish digestion of a kapha type.
Kapha type might also benefit from the abundance of vegetables and bitter greens.
Morning walk and gym would be beneficial for the heavy nature of kapha.
Kaphas would not do well with constant snacking as it might aggravate their sluggish digestion and can lead to bloating and constipation.
Sitting all day might not be good for kapha and they might feel sleepy or tired from sitting for hours. Would be good to stand up more often and move around.

What does that mean for you?

My hope is that this short playful description of various potential reactions to the same daily routine will help you to appreciate your own unique needs. What works for your friends might not work for you and it is totally fine.
Move through your day with awareness, observe your patterns, habits, mood. Pay attention to the moments in your day where you are our of integrity with your true needs. And then commit to supporting yourself more. Be compassionate towards yourself first and foremost.
In the comments, let me know where in your day you could support your innate nature (your dosha) more?
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