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Take this Test to Discover Your Ayurvedic Dosha Type

dosha-ayurvedaAyurveda Mind Body Dosha Type Test

Ayurveda translates to “the science of life,” or “the knowledge of life span.” Dating back more than 5,000 years, Ayurveda teaches us how our lives can be influenced, shaped, extended, and experienced without interference from sickness and old age. The guiding principle is that the mind exerts the deepest influence on the body. Creating a balanced awareness provides the highest state of health and wellbeing.

Take this 60 question test to find out your Dosha type. Dosha is each of three energies believed to circulate in the body and govern physiological activity. If nothing else, finding out your Dosha type might help you realize why some practices work for one person to create health but do not necessarily translate across the entire population. Take it a step further and try some recommendations to balance your Dosha type to experience surprising health benefits.

Read each statement and mark, from 1 to 6, how well it applies to you.

1 = Does not apply to me

3 = Applies to me somewhat (or some of the time)

6 = Applies to me very much (or nearly all of the time)

Add your total score together for each section so that you find your scores for the three different Dosha types: Vata, Pitta and Kapha.

  1. I perform activity very quickly.
  2. I am not good at memorizing things and then remembering them later.
  3. I am enthusiastic and vivacious by nature.
  4. I have a thin physique and don’t gain weight very easily.
  5. I learn new things easily.
  6. My characteristic gain while walking is light and quick.
  7. I tend to have difficulties making decisions.
  8. I tend to develop gas or become constipated easily.
  9. I tend to have cold hands and feet.
  10. I become anxious or worried frequently.
  11. I don’t tolerate cold weather as well as most people.
  12. I speak quickly and my friends think I’m talkative.
  13. My moods change easily and I am somewhat emotional by nature.
  14. I often have difficulty in falling asleep or having a sound night’s sleep.
  15. My skin tends to be dry, especially in winter.
  16. My mind is very active, sometimes restless, but also very imaginative.
  17. My movements are quick and active; my energy tends to come in bursts.
  18. I am easily excitable.
  19. Left on my own, my eating and sleeping habits tend to be irregular.
  20. I learn quickly, but also forget quickly.

VATA Score _____

  1. I consider myself to be very efficient.
  2. In my activities, I tend to be extremely precise and orderly.
  3. I am strong-minded and have somewhat forceful manner.
  4. I feel uncomfortable or become easily fatigued in hot weather, more so than most people.
  5. I tend to perspire easily.
  6. Even though I might not always show it, I become irritable or angry quite easily.
  7. If I skip a meal or a meal is delayed, I become uncomfortable.
  8. One or more of the following characteristics describes my hair: (early graying or balding) (thin, fine, straight hair) (blond, red, or sandy colored hair)
  9. I have a strong appetite; if I want to, I can eat quite a large quantity.
  10. Many people consider me stubborn.
  11. I am very regular in my bowel habits. It would be more common for me to have loose stools than to be constipated.
  12. I become impatient very easily.
  13. I tend to be a perfectionist about details.
  14. I get angry quite easily, but then forget about it.
  15. I am very fond of cold foods like ice cream and also crave ice-cold drinks.
  16. I am more likely to feel that a room is too hot than too cold.
  17. I don’t tolerate foods that are very hot and spicy.
  18. I am not very tolerant of disagreement.
  19. I enjoy challenges and when I want something, I am very determined in my efforts to get it.
  20. I tend to be critical of others and also of myself.

PITTA Score _____

  1. My natural tendency is to do things in a slow and relaxed fashion.
  2. I gain weight more easily than most people and lose it more slowly.
  3. I have a placid and calm disposition. I’m not easily ruffled.
  4. I can skip meals easily without any significant discomfort.
  5. I have a tendency toward excess mucus, phlegm, chronic congestion, asthma, or sinus problems.
  6. I must get at least eight hours of sleep in order to be comfortable the next day.
  7. I sleep very deeply.
  8. I am calm by nature and not easily angered.
  9. I don’y learn as quickly as some people, but I have excellent retention and a long memory.
  10. I have a tendency toward becoming plump. I store extra fat easily.
  11. Weather that is cool and damp bothers me.
  12. My hair is thick, dark, and wavy.
  13. I have smooth, soft skin with a somewhat pale complexion.
  14. I have a large, solid body build.
  15. The following words describe me well: serene, sweet-natured, affectionate, and forgiving.
  16. I have slow digestion, which makes me feel heavy after eating.
  17. I have very good stamina and physical endurance as well as a steady level of energy.
  18. I generally walk with a slow, measured gait.
  19. I have a tendency toward oversleeping, grogginess upon awakening, and am generally slow to get going in the morning.
  20. I am a slow eater and am slow and methodical in my actions.

KAPHA Score _____

Although there are only three Doshas, Ayurveda combines them creating 10 possible body types. If one of the three numbers is obviously dominant (Ex: 90, 45, 65), then you are likely classified as a Single Dosha Type of your highest number. If two of the three numbers are dominant and relatively close together (Ex: 45, 80, 85), then you are likely classified as a Two Dosha Type of the higher two numbers. Or perhaps all three of your Dosha numbers are very close together (Ex: 88, 85,75). In this case you would be classified as the Three Dosha Type.

Single Dosha Types 

  • Vata 
  • Pitta 
  • Kapha

Two Dosha Types

  • Vata-Pitta or Pitta-Vata
  • Pitta-Kapha or Kapha-Pitta
  • Kapha-Vata or Vata-Kapha

Three Dosha Type

  • Vata-Pita-Kapha

Now that you know your Dosha, here is how you can use this information to create a healthier life for yourself.

Ayurvedic principles demonstrate that the source of all of our discomforts in life are a result of us not respecting our Dosha type and becoming unbalanced. We can practice balancing our Dosha type in MANY ways to restore health. Here are some examples:

Balancing Vata

  • Regular habits
  • Quiet
  • Attention to fluids
  • Decreased sensitivity to stress
  • Ample rest
  • Warmth
  • Steady supply of nourishment
  • Oil massage

Balancing Pitta

  • Moderation
  • Coolness
  • Attention to leisure
  • Exposure to natural beauty
  • Balance of rest and activity
  • Decreased stimulants

Balancing Kapha

  • Stimulation
  • Regular exercise
  • Weight control
  • Variety of experiences
  • Warmth, dryness
  • Reduced sweetness

Visit me for Acupuncture treatments to aid in the restoration of balance in your life.

This is just a glimpse of the MANY different ways to balance your Dosha. For more specific details about restoration in every facet of life, I recommend the book “Perfect Health” by Deepak Chopra, MD.


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Intermittent Fasting: 16/8 Method

 

Food clock

Food clock

Fasting is not as difficult as it sounds

Intermittent fasting is a term for a cycling eating pattern between periods of fasting and eating. It does not say anything about which foods you should eat, but rather when you should eat them. In this respect, it is not a “diet” in the conventional sense. It is more accurately described as an “eating pattern.”

Humans have actually been fasting throughout evolution. Sometimes it was done because food was not available, and it has also been a part of major religions, including Islam, Christianity and Buddhism.

If anything, fasting from time to time is more “natural” than constantly eating 3-4 (or more) meals per day. If you think of your digestive system as a machine, you would understand that the less often you use a machine, the longer it will last. Our digestive machine will last longer if it is not overworked.

There are many different types of intermittent fasting. For the purpose of this blog, I will focus on my favorite and the most popular type, which is the 16/8 method. It involves skipping breakfast and restricting your daily eating period to just 8 hours, for example from 10 am to 6 pm, 11 am to 7 pm, or from 12 pm to 8 pm. (The actual 8 hour window can be during any time of day but makes the most sense for a majority of people at these times) Then you “fast” for 16 hours in between. I’ve personally found the 16/8 method to be the simplest, most sustainable and easiest to stick to. Timing it so that most of your fasting is done while sleeping works great!

When you fast, several things happen in your body on the cellular and molecular level. For example, your body changes hormone levels to make stored body fat more accessible. Your cells also initiate important repair processes, and change the expression of genes. This is a wonderful discovery in the area of epigenetics.

Here are some changes that occur in your body when you fast:

  • Human Growth Hormone (HGH): The levels of growth hormone skyrocket, increasing as much as 5-fold. This has the benefit of fat loss and muscle gain. Another great way to boost your HGH is to practice High Intensity Interval Training.
  • Insulin: Insulin sensitivity improves and levels of insulin drop dramatically. Lower insulin levels make stored body fat more accessible. This provides answers to those struggling to manage their blood sugar levels and are labeled pre-diabetic.
  • Cellular repair: When fasted, your cells initiate cellular repair processes. A natural and healthy occurrence where cells digest and remove old and dysfunctional proteins that build up inside cells. Cleansing and “taking out the trash” so to speak.
  • Gene expression: There are changes in the function of genes related to longevity and protection against disease. Less stress on the system allows for longer life span. Ask your body to express healthy genes, not flawed ones.

These changes in hormone levels, cell function and gene expression are responsible for the health benefits of intermittent fasting.

Here are the main health benefits of intermittent fasting:

  • Weight Loss: Intermittent fasting can help you lose weight and belly fat, without having to consciously count calories.
  • Insulin resistance:Intermittent fasting can reduce insulin resistance, lowering blood sugar by 3-6% and fasting insulin levels by 20-31% which is protective against type 2 diabetes.
  • Inflammation:There is a significant decrease in the lab work markers of inflammation, a key driver of many chronic diseases.
  • Heart Health:Intermittent fasting may reduce LDL cholesterol, blood triglycerides, inflammatory markers, blood sugar and insulin resistance. These are all risk factors for heart disease.
  • Cancer:Animal studies suggest that intermittent fasting may help prevent cancer.
  • Brain Health:Intermittent fasting increases a brain hormone called BDNF, and may aid the growth of new nerve cells. It may also protect against Alzheimer’s disease.
  • Anti-aging:Intermittent fasting can extend lifespan in rats. Studies showed that fasted rats live as much as 36-83% longer.

What if I don’t want to lose any weight? Intermittent fasting is not just for those who hope to lose weight. While it is a very effective way to do so, many people who practice IF are doing it to sculpt lean muscle and provide preventative healthcare benefits while maintaining a healthy body weight.

I invite you to give intermittent fasting a try for a few days. You will likely enjoy the benefits as much as I have and be surprised at how efficiently the body is capable of working.

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LLS Man & Woman of the Year Fundraiser with Jay Morton of Priority Fitness

Man and Woman of the Year

MWOY jenn and kelly baltuskaMWOY Priority Fitness Team

Please join me in supporting The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) by making a donation of money, goods or services to our fundraising campaign for Man or Woman of the Year. Baltuska Chiropractic and Priority Fitness are working to raise as much as possible in a 10-week period. Whoever raises the most money is named the Man or Woman of the Year.

Everyone wins when cancer loses! Your support will help fund the therapies and treatments that save lives. Over the years, support from people like you has been responsible for the blood cancer advancements that have doubled, tripled, and in some cases quadrupled the survival rate for some blood cancers.

Many LLS supported therapies not only help blood cancer patients, but are also now used to treat patients with rare forms of stomach and skin cancers and are in clinical trials for patients with lung, brain, breast, pancreatic and prostate cancers. LLS funded therapies are saving thousands of lives every day.

All donations are greatly appreciated and tax deductible. They’ll not only support LLS research, but patient services, advocacy, public and professional education, and community services as well.

Please make donations using this Web site and share with friends who would also like to donate! Be sure to check and see if your employer is willing to match your donation as many companies have annual funds set aside for opportunities just like this. Stop by the Facebook Support Page to read Jay’s story about beating a Stage 4 Diagnosis and see the list of events and opportunities to help out.

On behalf of blood cancer patients everywhere, thank you for your support! For more information about LLS, please visit www.lls.org

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Man & Woman of the Year Leukemia & Lymphoma