The 5 Elements...
The elements of air, ether, water, fire and earth are present in every living thing (e.g body tissue, fluid, gases etc.) Our bodies are made up of these elements in varying quantities which is what makes us all individual.

The 3 Doshas...
There are 3 dosha's/constitutions that are made of these elements and govern our mind body and soul. They are responsible for many of the activities and processes that take place in our bodies and minds, each having a different quality and purpose. These dosha's are calledVata, Pitta and Kapha.

Vata (air, ether): governs movement and change in the body, such as respiration, thoughts, food movement etc.
Pitta (fire, water): governs digestion, metabolism, emotion production etc.
Kapha (earth, water): governs body structure, growth & repair etc.

Over time some characteristics of these doshas can become out of balance such as too many thoughts causing anxiety and insomnia or too much heat causing stomach reflux or skin rashes. If left, this build up can cause inflammation and disease/ailments.

Understanding your dosha imbalance and the root cause of disease/ailment and then knowing how to bring back into balance can be the key to a long and healthy life.