In September's The Simple Things we meet Sebastian Pole, herbalist, tea-maker and co-founder of Pukka who turned his fascination with herbs into one of the biggest do-you-good cuppa brands, learning a few life lessons along the way. Read the interview on page 32.
Try Pukka’s quiz to discover your dosha, designed to help you understand more about yourself, what’s good for you and what’s not. It's an amazing way to find out more about who you are and provides tips for your own personal health and happiness – including ways in which you can sleep better.
The theory behind the quiz comes from ancient wisdom that has passed down for centuries in India, through a system known as Ayurveda, which actually means ‘the art of living wisely’.
To start you have to find out what your ‘dosha’ or body-mind type is, you’ll then be able to know what helps you thrive the most; what foods to eat, what exercises are best for you and what relationship types of other body/mind types suit you best. It even gives an insight into how each different type typically responds to the need for sleep. In essence, it brings you special insight about your health, informing your choices and decisions that you make everyday.
Following the wisdom of Ayurveda there are said to be three constitutional types; “wind (vata), fire (pitta) and water (kapha). They destroy or maintain the body, according to whether they are sick or healthy.”
We all want to be healthy so that we have the best chance to enjoy and fulfil our potential in life. But excellent health seems to be such a complicated subject that it is not always easy to know how to achieve this holy grail. Although at first it might appear an alien concept, understanding your constitutional dosha goes a long way in helping you to realise your perfect health.
In Ayurveda your personal constitution is known as prakriti, which means ‘nature’, as in your inherent genetic type. Ayurveda teaches us how to find out what our constitution is by observing who we are and how we feel. And this lesson is a very simple and enriching one. As you learn what your real nature is you can live a truly authentic life – a life that suits you and allows your health to flourish.
This quiz will give you an example of your current state of health. The result you get after the test gives you an idea about how balanced your health is at the moment. You will probably be a mix of each of the dosha but it is likely that one will dominate. You have to be something. Each of the dosha have some advantages and some disadvantages. By following the recommendations appropriate for your constitution, Ayurveda can help you fulfill your potential and to be really comfortable in who you are.
So, if you feel inspired, run through the quiz questions to determine your Ayurvedic constitution...and Pukka will send you some life-changing insights every now and then that will add clarity and colour to your life.
To discover your dosha, head to the Pukka site to take the quiz...