Body Constitution (Prakriti)

After knowing your prakriti (body constitution) with the pulse examination, you can apply it in maintaining the health and couteracting the disease as it plays an important role in health planning. If we know our natural constitution according to vaata, pitta, and kapha, we can take care of our problems and defend against diseases. We can know what sort of diseases are possible in us in different seasons, and can know how to prevent them before they attack us. It is also possible to perceive about the prognosis of disease with respect to prakriti.

For example, vaata prakriti persons may suffer from vaata diseases (Eighty in number, mostly the diseases of nerves and bones) if they indulge more in a cold, dry, rough, bitter, pungent and astringent diet, over exercise, have irregular food habits, live in colder, drier climates. For seasonal consideration cold winter season, pre-rainy season and cloudy, dry windy climates, are not good for them. Illness may worsen if already present. Any type of sickness may be increased at vaata time, like evening times, late in the night, and the third hour after meals and in old age. If they follow proper diet, behaviour, and tastes to decrease vaata, they may prevent their natural tendency towards the possibility of vaata type diseases.

In case of pitta prakriti, if they tend to indulge in hot, sharp, pungent, sour, salty things, work with fiery, acidic substances, they may suffer from pitta diseases (Forty in number, mostly metabolic disorders) as pitta tends to aggravate from these causes. Hot climate, autumn, second hour after meals and midday (noon) and midnight are the specific times when pitta prakriti people's sickness may increase and medicines taken at this time may be more helpful for speedy recovery.

In the case of kapha prakriti, if they indulge more in unctuous, oily, heavy, dull, slimy food substances and eat sweet, sour, salty food, take more rest and live a comfortable life, with a lack of physical exercise, they may suffer from kapha diseases (Twenty in number, mostly diseases, concerned with structure), as these causes aggravate kapha. These people may fall sick in the spring, in cold and damp climates if they do not take proper care. Their sickness may increase in these climates and also at kapha time, like early morning. If proper medicine is given at this time, it may be more effective.

In this way, knowledge of naadi and prakriti are very useful and important to maintain health in an individual. One can take proper care, adjust diet properly and avoid the diet which is harmful; one can adopt daily and seasonal routines properly and attain perfect health.