The 3 types or doshas, are Vatta, Pitta and Kapha.
Answer these questions to find out which sounds most like you.

• Do you have quick bursts of energy but tire quickly?
• Are you imaginative and enthusiastic?
• Do you sleep lightly or with difficulty?
• Are you a born worrier?
• Are you prone to constipation?
• Do you walk quickly?
• Do you skip meals?

• Are you prone to irritability?
• Are you fair skinned?
• Do you enjoy a challenge?
• Do you speak with clarity and confidence?
• Is your hair light brown, blonde or red?
• Is it important for you to eat at regular set mealtimes?
• Do you have a tendency to sarcasm?
• Do you like to take control?
• Do you walk with a purposeful stride?

• Would you be well described by the words solid and steady?
• Do you have a predisposition to oily skin?
• Are you a heavy sleeper?
• Are you a tranquil person?
• Are you complacent?
• Are you slow to make a decision?
• Do you have a tendency to comfort eat?
• Do you have a gliding, graceful walk?
• Do you dislike change?

You may find you have aspects of more than one dosha. If so, give yourself one point for each yes answer within each category. The one with the highest number of points is your predominant dosha. So now you know what type you are, how can you go about identifying your damaging eating habits and begin to change them?

VATA
Your metabolism is fast and you tend to have irregular eating habits, eating on impulse. To regain your natural balance its important for you to become more regulated. Try to set specific mealtimes, it needn't be strict, just a rough guideline. For example, eat breakfast everyday between 7am and 9am and try to stick to this.

If you are vata, you are most likely to lose your appetite when you are feeling upset or stressed. Again, having some routine and regularity to your meal times should help to combat this.

Warm and hearty food is the most beneficial to vatas. Eat fresh bread, stews and soups.
Cold foods and drinks are best avoided, as they tend to cause an imbalance in this category. Raw fruit and vegetables should form only a small part of the vata diet.

As far as exercise is concerned, this category needs the least activity to maintain balance.
You should stick to dancing, yoga and cycling, although overdoing it should be avoided.
Walking is good for all doshas but as a vata you should do slow, steady, long distance walking.

PITTA
You tend to over eat and stuff your self to capacity! This can lead to tummy pain and indigestion. Try to eat more slowly and avoid eating on the go. It's important to relax.

Cold foods are beneficial to pittas, so try to eat salads. Hot, spicy food is not beneficial to you. A vegetarian diet suits pittas particularly well, but if you are a meat eater, eat red meat only occasionally.

You have a tendency to obsess on food and may find that you do things to excess, for example over eat or drink too much.

Exercise for you should be vigorous. You'll enjoy climbing, running and skiing.
As with all doshas, walking is good. Pittas should try speedwalking.

KAPHA
You are used to struggling with your weight. Your metabolism is slow and sluggish.

Dairy foods like milk, butter and cheese are bad for the balance of the kapha diet and should be kept to a minimum, as should oily and overly sweet food.

You eat when bored, upset, stressed or just out of habit. Try to only eat when you are actually hungry, you will get better at listening to your body with practise.

Fasting for one day a week would be very beneficial to kaphas. Have only fruit juice, skimmed milk and water.

You need the most exercise of all the doshas to maintain balance. You may feel that you don't naturally enjoy sports, so determination is needed! However, once you begin to regain your natural balance you'll find that you will enjoy some activity.

You need to concentrate on weight training, rowing and aerobics.

Whatever dosha you are, balance can be regained by following these basic tips:

• Try to eat as much liquid food as you can - soup, vegetable juice etc.
• Avoid red meat
• Introduce ginger to your diet to aid digestion
• Avoid salty food

So- regain your inner balance and natural rhythm- for good!