Ayurveda is an ancient system of disease prevention, health care, and healing that originated in India thousands of years ago. Ayurveda is made up of two Sanskrit words: Ayu which means life and Veda which means the knowledge of. In Ayurveda, the diagnosis of disease and individual constitutions is done by balancing the different energies in the body. These energies are called doshas or body humors.

The specific names for them are Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. The literal meaning of dosha is 'fault' because these three humors are the three ways in which the body tends to move out of balance. The Doshas are the three main combinations of the five elements (ether, air, fire, water, and earth). When any of these elements are present in the environment, they will in turn have an influence on us. The foods we eat and the weather are examples of the presence of these elements.

These five elements in the body can be balanced through diet and herbs that possess the essence of these element. Each person's constitution is made up of a unique combination of these doshas. The ratios of the doshas vary in each individual, and because of this, Ayurveda sees each person as a special mixture that accounts for our diversity. The following table identifies the properties of Vata, Pitta and Kapha.