Let’s first examine the upper part of the body from the head to the diaphragm. The organs in this area include the sense organs, tongue, larynx, pharynx, esophagus, trachea, lungs, bronchi, heart, pericardium and upper part of the stomach. Notice that these organs produce moisture in the form of watery secretions which are essential to the body. For instance, the tongue produces saliva which mixes with food and liquefies it enough to be swallowed. The eyes and nose Kapha zone secrete moisture to protect themselves and maintain their function.
Membranes in the lungs secrete mucus to prevent them from drying out. The functions of these organs are associated with the qualities of kapha — moistening, mixing, binding together and lubricating — the same activities performed in nature by jala. Other parts of the body produce secretions, but they have a different purpose.
This zone is not only characterized by more secretions (jala), but also by more structure (prithvi) than in any other part of the body. Witness the cranium, the jaw and facial structure, the shoulders, clavicle and rib cage. The large amount of structure in this part of the body is another indication of the predominant influence of kapha manifesting through prithvi or the earth element. Because of the structure and function of this section of the body, Ayurveda calls it the kapha zone.
Secretions or discharges in this part of the body, like saliva or mucus, tend to be mainly white or pale because of their kaphic or watery nature. Foods which increase the water and earth elements in the body, like milk and bananas, also show this whitish color. Most grains reflect a predominantly kaphic quality as well. When ground into flour, all grains are white and their taste is sweet; they tend to be heavy and increase body weight. Kaphic foods nourish the body and add substance to it.
Pitta Zone
Now let’s look at the next section of the body from the diaphragm to the umbilicus. This zone covers the lower part of the stomach, the small intestine up to the ileocecal valve, the liver, pancreas, gallbladder and spleen. Each of these organs produces substances containing acids or enzymes which are responsible for chemical transformation. These include hydrochloric acid, digestive enzymes, pancreatic juices and bile. Clearly, the primary purpose of this part of the body is conversion, the function of pitta dosha in the body. The secretions in this zone change the structure, color and quality of whatever they contact.
Whereas the lubricating and cohesive secretions of the kapha zone appear dull whitish, sticky and opaque, the pitta zone produces substances in a variety of colors, especially yellow, red and green. Just as agni, in the form of sunlight, contains all the hues of the rainbow, so agni manifesting in the body as pitta secretions also come in many shades. Foods such as spices have high levels of agni and come in an array of bright colors. These heat-producing pitta foods stimulate the conversion process in the body. We eat them in much smaller amounts than kaphic foods, because they would have too heating an influence on the body if eaten in larger quantities.
Vata Zone
The last section of the body to examine extends from the navel downwards and includes the large intestine, the reproductive organs, the organs of elimination and the legs. Porosity, space, dryness, lightness and movement describe the functions of this region. The organs here do not produce secretions, but rather re-absorb fluids back into the body or hold fluids to be excreted from it.
Both the organs and the bones in this region are larger and have more space inside them than those in the other two zones of the body. This is due to the predominance of akash and vayu, the two elements that constitute vata dosha in the body. For example, compared to the small intestine in the pitta zone, the colon in the vata zone has a larger diameter, greater porosity and dryness, and a darker color.
Vata controls the mechanisms involved in drying and separating food. As vata moves food residue through the large intestine, the substance becomes dehydrated, it darkens and is finally expelled from the body. We find dark colors here, such as brown, purple or black. Though the colon is the primary seat of vata in the body, the bones are also home to vata. This is seen especially in the composition of the pelvic bones, which are large, porous and hard with the strength to support the majority of the body’s weight.
There are food substances that can be identified as promoting foods based on their inherent qualities. These foods, such as staple foods (legumes, beans etc.), are hard, rough and dry and have a darker color. Foods which easily give up their water, like watermelon, are also vata foods.
Each of these areas or zones of the body has a specific function intimately linked to the properties of each dosha. The reigning dosha plays a highly significant role in the health of each physiological zone, because of its specialized ability to remove imbalances in the organs and tissues of that zone.
Though kapha, pitta, and vata each have their separate domains, they are also found pervading the entire body. Vata, however, has the most universal influence. It governs the ability to respond to stimuli and is responsible for moving kapha and pitta throughout the body. For example, when we are thirsty, vata moves us to get water, brings the glass to our mouth, allows us to swallow, carries the water through our digestive tract and to the tissues. With vata’s help, the secretions of the kapha and pitta zones flow from their source to where they are needed. Oxygen, nourishment, waste products and toxins are all moved by vata.
Vata animates life; it initiates and maintains all of life’s essential processes. Everything we do consumes energy and, from the moment of birth, all energy expenditure is orchestrated by vata. When a baby is born, the first thing it does is to cry. This act of crying uses the energy that was stored in the baby’s dhatus. This energy must be expended before the baby can draw in air to begin breathing on its own.