Written by Anna Mercoiret, Holistic Coach
Anna Mercoiret, founder of the Wholistic method, is a holistic coach who overcame serious health issues from a high-stress finance career in Paris through Ayurveda, Naturopathy, Yoga, and Energy Work. Now, she helps others achieve balance and wellness with her integrative approach, combining body, mind, and soul healing.
Have you tried everything to regain your health? And despite a healthy diet and lifestyle, you can't significantly improve your daily life? The reason is that there is no single approach to health and well-being that works for everyone. You are unique; what works for you may not work for someone else and vice versa. This is where Ayurveda comes in. Ayurveda provides each person with what they need according to their Ayurvedic constitution.
What is Ayurveda?
Ayurveda is a holistic approach, recognized by the World Health Organization, that originated in India over 5,000 years ago, making it the oldest medical system in the world. In Sanskrit, Ayurveda means "science of life." Life, and therefore health, encompasses everything that constitutes a person: the physical body, emotions, mind, soul, and spirituality.
According to Ayurveda, health rests on the balance between body and mind. Ayurveda offers recipes, remedies, routines, and activities to restore this balance. However, this varies according to individuals, ages, and seasons.
The foundations of Ayurveda
Ayurveda considers that the world, food, and ourselves are made up of five elements: air, ether, fire, water, and earth.
Each element has its attributes:
Air is light and moving,
Ether is vast and empty,
Fire is hot and powerful,
Water is liquid and cool,
Earth is solid and robust.
We are born with varying amounts of these elements. The combination of these elements, and especially the dominance of some of them in our bodies, defines our doshas, which are bio-energies that result in physical and mental characteristics.
What is your Dosha?
Dosha Vata
The Vata dosha is a combination of the elements of air and ether.
Individuals with the Vata constitution tend to have a thin build, fine hair, a restless mind, and an impulsive nature.
Signs of imbalances: The Vata dosha is imbalanced when it presents certain signs: rapid walking, always in motion, little appetite, weight loss, bloating, constipation, gas, feeling cold, joint issues, osteoporosis, arthritis pain, loss of appetite, dry skin, hair and vaginal dryness, amenorrhea, infertility, insomnia, mood swings, anxiety, physical and mental fatigue, difficulty retaining information long-term, memory loss, dizziness...
Dosha Pitta
The Pitta dosha is a combination of the éléments of fire and water.
Individuals with the Pitta constitution have athletic bodies, and piercing eyes, are organized, competitive, productive, and demanding.
Signs of imbalances: The Pitta dosha is imbalanced when it presents certain signs: inflammatory diseases, irritable bowel syndrome, acidity, acid reflux, hair loss, acne, eczema, psoriasis, oily skin and hair, nausea, stress, irritability, anger, demanding nature, competitiveness, jealousy, exhaustion...
Dosha Kapha
The Kapha dosha is a combination of the elements of earth and water.
Individuals with the Kapha constitution tend to have a more robust build, thick hair, and large eyes. They are also very calm and empathetic.
Signs of imbalances: The Kapha dosha is imbalanced when it presents certain signs: weight gain, fatigue, heaviness, lack of energy, water retention, diabetes, clammy hands, sedentary lifestyle, loss of motivation, neglect of self, lethargy, nostalgia, sadness, discouragement, laziness, isolation, sadness, depression, tendency to emotional eating...
How to restore balance?
Identifying your dosha allows you to adapt your diet, lifestyle, routines, and physical activity according to your dosha. This is especially important if you have identified any imbalances while reading.
Dosha Vata
The Vata dosha should focus on regularity. It is important to establish a regular, healthy routine with moments of relaxation to achieve harmony.
The Vata dosha should rise early and adopt a morning routine that includes meditation and yoga asanas.
It should eat regularly, up to five times a day, every three hours, and optimize digestion to better assimilate nutrients:
Recommended flavors: salty, sweet, and sour.
Foods to favor: starchy, warm foods.
Foods to avoid: gas-producing foods like cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, broccoli, etc.) and legumes.
Aid digestion with carminative plants: onion, ginger, garlic, basil, dill, coriander, thyme, tarragon, fennel, cardamom, chervil, sage, peppermint, star anise.
In terms of physical activity, Vata individuals should favor moderate to low-intensity activities.
In the evening, they should avoid screen exposure after 9 PM as artificial light particularly disturbs their balance, and prefer relaxing activities like reading or meditation before bed.
Dosha Pitta
The Pitta dosha should take time to relax, practice moderation, and let go of perfectionism.
Meditation is particularly recommended for Pitta, although it can be difficult at first as Pitta is addicted to productivity.
The Pitta dosha is prone to stress and inflammation, so nature is a valuable ally to calm them down.
It is recommended to practice intense sports followed by a period of relaxation, breathing, or meditation. Yoga, especially gentle and calming postures, is highly recommended for Pitta.
Pitta's digestion is excellent but they can experience imbalances such as gastric acidity or intestinal inflammation. Here's how to avoid this:
Recommended flavors: sweet, bitter, and astringent.
Foods to favor: refreshing, alkaline, and anti-inflammatory foods.
Foods to avoid: too hot, fried, spicy, acidic, or salty foods.
Dosha Kapha
The Kapha dosha should dedicate more time to their well-being, diet, and physical activities. They should rise before 8 AM to be productive, and break out of their routine to avoid boredom and loss of motivation.
Physical exercise, especially dynamic and intense sports, is crucial for the Kapha dosha to avoid weight gain, water retention, and more energy.
The Kapha dosha tends to gain weight. To avoid this:
Chew thoroughly: to help feel full faster and avoid overeating.
Recommended flavors: spicy, bitter, and astringent.
Foods to favor: cooked, warm, light, and easy-to-digest foods.
Foods to avoid: fatty dairy products, nuts, and refined sugars.
Does the Dosha change throughout life?
The majority of individuals in imbalance have a dominant dosha that differs from their innate dosha:
the innate dosha, or Natal Constitution, is inherited from our parents and is called Prakriti in Ayurveda. It represents the state of balance.
the acquired dosha, or Acquired Constitution, is called Vikriti. It results from a lifestyle that is not adapted to one's innate Ayurvedic constitution and represents a state of imbalance.
Be careful! Considering Vikriti instead of Prakriti is, of course, dangerous because adapting your lifestyle based on an imbalanced Dosha can lead to illness!
Ready to take control of your health?
Balancing your dosha is a precise task. We are born with a dominant dosha, the innate dosha prakriti, but it can evolve throughout of life due to seasons, age, and lifestyle, referred to as the acquired dosha, vikriti.
As an Ayurvedic practitioner, I can distinguish between the two, working on balancing the innate dosha without causing other imbalances.
During an Ayurvedic consultation, I determine the innate dosha, prakriti, and the acquired dosha, vikriti, if there is one. I also, with a large number of questions about the physiological functioning of the body, as well as the mental and emotional part, identify the causes of imbalances to remedy them by giving advice such as a list of foods, cooking methods, food combinations, meal times, daily organization, rituals and routines to implement, sports activities, creative or wellness activities to include.
Make an appointment today and start your journey to optimal well-being.
Anna Mercoiret, Holistic Coach
Anna Mercoiret is a holistic coach and the founder of the Wholistic method. After a demanding career in finance in Paris led to numerous health issues, Anna transformed her life through Ayurveda, Naturopathy, Yoga, Energy Work, and Personal Development. In just six months, she regulated her PCOS, reduced chronic inflammation, stabilized her kidney insufficiency, calmed her anxiety, and relocated to Bali.
Drawing on her comprehensive training and personal experience, Anna developed the Wholistic method, which aims to balance the body, mind, and soul. Today, she helps individuals master their health, find balance, and lead more aligned lives through tailored holistic coaching.
