(prakriti). Just as every person has their own individual pattern of skin on the pads of their fingers, by which they can be identified, they also have their own pattern of energy - a combination of vata, pitta and kapha, which no one else has2.
Health depends on keeping the doshas in balance. Balance is the natural order of things, while imbalance causes disease. There is a constant struggle between chaos and order in us, which determines the state of our health.
Health is order, and disease is disorder or disorder. The internal environment of the body constantly reacts to the external environment, and disorder occurs when they are not in harmony with each other. Order is impossible without chaos, so a wise person learns to recognize the presence of disorder and strives to restore order.
In Chapter 2, we will see how the combinations of the three doshas form the seven constitutional types, and you will determine your own body type, which can be the key to choosing a lifestyle that promotes health and maximum well-being. In the meantime, let's take a closer look at the characteristics of the three doshas.
2 A combination means not only a quantitative ratio, but also a qualitative one: Doshas can be combined in an infinite number of combinations, just as an infinite number of pictures can be drawn with three colors (and even just one). (Ed. note)

cotton wool
cotton wool — это движущая энергия. Although it represents the principle of air, it is not considered to be literally like actual air in the external environment, but rather a subtle energy that controls biological movement.
cotton wool близко родственна нашей фундаментальной жизненной сущности — пране. Irana is the pure essence of vata, the life force, the play of the mind. The mindstream is essential for communication between two cells and keeps both of them alive. At the cosmic level, prana is considered an attraction (or attraction) between Purusha and Prakriti.
Being the principle of movement, vata regulates all activities in the body, both mental and physiological. She is responsible for breathing, blinking eyes, heartbeat and all movements in cytoplasm and cell membranes. Nerve impulses in the extremely complex network of the nervous system are also controlled by vata.
When vata is in balance, it promotes creativity and flexibility, causing a feeling of freshness, lightness, happiness and joy. Unbalanced vata gives rise to fear, nervousness, anxiety, and at the level of the body, tremors and spasms.
cotton wool является сухой, легкой, холодной, тонкой, ясной, подвижной и рассеивающей. Next, we will show how these properties manifest themselves in a person with a vata constitution.
pitta
The word "pitta" is usually translated as "fire", but this should not be taken literally. Rather, it is the principle of fire, heat energy and metabolism. pitta управляет всеми биохимическими изменениями в организме, регулируя пищеварение, всасывание, усвоение и температуру тела. In terms of modern biology, pitta corresponds to enzymes and amino acids. Enzymes and amino acids play a crucial role in metabolism.
pitta регулирует температуру тела за счет химического преобразования food. It promotes appetite and vitality.
We digest more than just food. Every impression coming from outside is also processed or "digested" and becomes part of ourselves. In this way, уравновешенная питта способствует разуму и пониманию и имеет решающее значение при обучении. Unbalanced pitta can cause fiery emotions such as anger, frustration, hatred, criticism, and jealousy.
pitta — горячая, резкая, легкая, влажная, жгучая, кислая и распространяющаяся. These qualities are manifested in a certain way in people with a pitta constitution.
kapha
kapha сочетает в себе элементы воды и земли. It is the energy that forms the structure of the body, the glue that holds the cells together. kapha также отвечает за жидкость, необходимую для жизни клеток и органов нашего тела. It lubricates the joints, hydrates the skin, helps heal wounds, and supports the immune system. kapha обеспечивает силу, бодрость и устойчивость.
Psychically, excess kapha is responsible for the emotions of attachment, greed, lust and envy. When kapha is in balance, it manifests itself in tendencies towards love, equanimity and forgiveness.
Kapha is heavy, slow, cold, watery, oily, smooth, soft, static, viscous and sweet. These qualities are manifested in a certain way in people with a kapha constitution.

The three doshas jointly govern all metabolic processes in the body. kapha способствует анаболизму — процессу построения тела, росту, созданию новых и восстановлению поврежденных клеток. pitta регулирует обмен веществ, процессы переваривания и всасывания. cotton wool управляет катаболизмом — процессом распада, в ходе которого крупные молекулы расщепляются на более мелкие, которые потом могут использоваться для синтеза нужных организму веществ.
cotton wool, являясь принципом движения, наделяет им неподвижные питту и капху. In this way, когда вата не уравновешена, она влияет на другие доши, возмущая их. Excited vata is the cause of the vast majority of diseases.
The whole life path of a person is divided into three main segments. From birth to 16 years old is kapha, from 16 to 50 years old is pitta, and from 50 to 100 years old is vata.
During childhood, kapha and the process of anabolism predominate, as this is the time of greatest physical growth and body formation. At this age, kapha-type disorders are common, such as congestion in the lungs, coughs, colds, and mucous discharge. In adulthood, during a period of vigorous activity and vital activity, Pitta is most noticeable. In old age, vata and decay processes take over, bringing with it vata-type disorders like tremors, exhaustion, shortness of breath, arthritis, and memory loss.

TWENTY QUALITIES: AN IMPORTANT KEY TO HEALING
Now we will look at another important aspect of Ayurvedic theory that will help you make an intelligent choice. In Ayurveda, there are ten pairs of basic qualities:
Ten Pairs of Basic Qualities
Heavy - Light
Cold - Hot
Wet - Dry
Smooth - Sharp
Stable - Movable
Soft - Hard
Slippery - Rough
Solid - Fluid
Coarse - Fine
cloudy - clear
These качества встречаются как в окружающем мире, так и в наших телах. Today's weather can feel light or heavy, and it can be fluid or dry, moving (windy) or stable, hot or cold, cloudy or clear. The food we eat can exhibit any of these qualities; for example, ice cream is heavy, wet, cold, soft and runny. The skin can be oily or dry, rough or smooth. The mood can also be heavy or light, cloudy or clear, thinking is slow or fast, the mind is calm and steady or mobile and overactive, clear or cloudy.
We are constantly affected by changes in these qualities. Cold, windy, clear and dry weather aggravates vata and can lead to colds and a variety of vata-type ailments such as insomnia, constipation or arthritis. Hot and humid weather excites pitta and can cause bouts of irritation and anger, as well as physical symptoms like acne, eczema, and rashes. Cloudy, grey, wet or rainy weather can aggravate kapha, leading to colds and coughs, depression, lethargy, overeating, oversleeping, and weight gain.
Each of these paired qualities represents one of the poles, between which intermediate states lie. When combined, the qualities influence or influence each other in accordance with the two fundamental principles of Ayurveda:
Like increases like.
Opposites cancel each other out.
In Ayurveda, these principles are the key to healing. When an imbalance is manifested, an increase in opposite qualities is required for successful treatment. For example, if it is too hot (excess pitta), then cold drinks, swimming, or certain herbs with cooling properties will help calm the pitta and reduce heat. A person suffering from excess heat will not benefit from playing tennis in the sun, eating spicy foods, or going to the sauna. Similarly, if you are cold and shivering from cold and windy weather, eat a bowl of warm soup, wrap yourself in a blanket, or take a hot bath. These простые средства, когда мы слышим о них, сразу же кажутся нам разумными, потому что они естественны.
Ayurvedic physicians carefully studied nature and identified twenty basic qualities in all things, both organic and inorganic. Ayurvedic treatment to a large extent consists in identifying the patient's disease in terms of these qualities and in correcting the identified imbalances.
How it's done? Very generally speaking, excessive dryness of the body, manifested by constipation, peeling of the skin, emaciation, etc., is usually associated with agitated vata; excessive heat, manifested by burning urine, burning eyes, fever, inflammation, anger or criticism - with agitated pitta, and excessive heaviness, manifested by apathy, excess weight, congestion and excess mucus, with unbalanced kapha. Whatever the symptoms, the cure is to understand them and then make lifestyle changes to restore a state of balance and health.
The means described in the third part of this book will help you to do this, but, in essence, the choice between poor health and a vigorous, healthy, happy and long life will depend primarily on your constant awareness and self-observation, on your receptivity to the needs of your own constitution. and to your unique health conditions and, perhaps most importantly, your willingness to act on the basis of your knowledge.

Chapter 2. Determine your psychophysiological type
This chapter will take you further in your understanding of health. Here you will begin to apply the principles outlined in Chapter 1 in order to define and understand your individual constitution.
According to Ayurveda, there are only seven types of constitution:
Monotypes:
cotton wool, pitta, kapha
Dual types:
cotton wool — pitta, pitta — kapha, kapha — cotton wool
Trinity type:
cotton wool — pitta — kapha

Let me remind you that each person has all three doshas, ​​but their combination is different for everyone. For example, ten vata individuals will have ten different temperaments, ten unique sets of qualities and idiosyncrasies. If we want to stay healthy, it is essential to maintain our optimal combination of doshas. When we maintain this combination, our health is in order, when the balance is disturbed, disease