Kapha is heavy, slow, cool, oily, liquid, hard, smooth, dense, soft, static, viscous, and cloudy. It is white in color and has a sweet and salty taste. The manifestation of these qualities in the kapha constitution can be seen in the table of kapha characteristics.

THE KAPHA INDIVIDUAL

Heavy: Heavy bones and muscles; large body frame; tends to be overweight; grounded; deep heavy voice.

Slow: Walks and talks slowly; steady appetite and thirst with slow metabolism and digestion.

Cold: Cold clammy skin; repeated colds, congestion and cough; desire for sweets and cold drinks.

Oily: Oily skin, hair and feces; lubricated, unctuous joints and other organs.

Liquid: Congestive disorders; edema; excessive salivation; mucus.

Hard: Firmness and solidity of muscles; compact, condensed tissues.

Smooth: Smooth skin; gentle, calm nature; smoothness of organs; smooth, gentle mind.

Dense: Dense pads of fat; thick skin, hair, nails and feces.

Soft: Soft pleasing look; love, care, compassion, kindness and forgiveness.

Static: Loves sitting, sleeping and doing nothing.

Viscous: Viscous, sticky, cohesive quality causes compactness, firmness of joints, muscles, tissues and organs; loves to hug; is deeply attached in love and relationships.

Cloudy: Mind is cloudy and foggy in the morning; often desires coffee as a stimulant to start the day.

Slimy: Excess salivation; slow digestion; attachment.

Sweet: Anabolic action of sweet taste stimulates sperm formation increasing quantity of semen; craving for sweets.

Salty: Helps digestion and growth; gives energy; maintains osmotic condition; craving for salt; water retention.

The above qualities give a strong and large body frame, big eyes, strong teeth and thick, curly hair to people of kapha constitution. They have thick, smooth, oily and hairy skin. Kapha people have a steady appetite and thirst, but tend to have slow digestion and metabolism. These characteristics often result in weight gain, which kapha people have difficulty in shedding. At times, cravings for sweet and salt lead to water retention.

Kapha types are blessed with a deep, stable faith, with love and compassion, and a calm, steady mind. They have good memory and a deep melodious voice. A kapha person makes and saves money.

An unbalanced kapha suffers from greed, attachment, possessiveness, and laziness. All in all, the healthy kapha individual is endowed with excellent strength, knowledge, peace, love, and longevity, due to a strong constitution.

Kapha people tend to have diseases related to the water principle, such as the flu, sinus congestion, and other ailments involving excess mucus. Sluggishness, excess weight, diabetes, water retention, and headaches are also common. Kapha tends to get aggravated as the moon gets full and during the winter and early spring, when the weather is heavy, wet, cloudy, and cold.

General guidelines for balancing kapha:

* Get plenty of exercise
* Vary your routine
* Avoid heavy foods
* Avoid fatty, oily foods
* Keep active
* Eat light meals
* Avoid excessive dairy
* Avoid daytime naps
* Avoid iced foods and drinks

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