Week 3: Vata

According to Ayurvedic medicine, each dosha has its own qualities and characteristics, and we tend to feel the best when they all exist in balance in the body. However, most of us are dominant in one or two of the doshas and need to adjust our daily routines accordingly. Take our test to find out which dosha you are predominant in! https://www.ayurbeauty.us/test/dosha-test/

Vata Dosha:

Vata doshas is related with vayu. It represents earth and air factor of the environment. It is also known as the ‘king of the doshas’. It related with the energy which govern all the biological activities.

The common translation of vata is “that which moves things.” Vata is often referred to as the vayu (wind) in the body, and it is the primary motivating force of the doshas—without it, the other doshas are unable to move.

Those who are vata-dominant tend to think quickly on their feet and be creative, dynamic, and flexible. They tend to speak quickly and can easily veer off-topic. Though they often have bubbly personalities, vatas are prone to anxiety and worry. Vatas tend to be naturally thin, with small frames and a narrow build.

Qualities of Vata:

• • Cold
• • Light
• • Dry
• • Irregular
• • Rough
• • Moving
• • Quick
• • Changeable

When vata is in balance for our prakruti, or constitutional nature, we are coordinated in body and mind and in our response to stimulation. When in balance, vata allows us to seamlessly navigate our thoughts, feelings, and actions. Our ambulation is easy, our sensory integration and mental processes flow, and we feel spacious, creative, and energized.

When our vata is in balance, our breath supports our nervous system, and there is homeostasis between tissues and organs. If excessive stress in your life leads to your Vata force becoming imbalanced, your activity will start to feel out of control. Your mind may race, contributing to anxiety and insomnia. You may start skipping meals, resulting in unintended weight loss, and your digestion may become irregular.

Qualities of an unbalanced Vata:

• • Dry skin
• • Irregular appetite; “grazer”
• • Cold hands and feet
• • Dry cough
• • Constipation
• • Hoarse throat
• • Restless legs
• • Tapping fingers, pulling hair, tics
• • Hiccups
• • Belching
• • Stiff muscles and joints
• • Anxiety
• • Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
• • Vertigo
• • Difficulty remembering
• • Trouble staying asleep
• • Trouble getting to sleep
• • Fearful dreams
• • Hyperactivity
• • Cracking joints
• • Amenorrhea
• • Delusions
• • Dissociation
• • Shortness of breath
• • Bone density issues
• • Flatulence
• • Tremors
• • Trouble swallowing

Ways to balance Vata:

Avoid becoming chilled. Wear adequate clothing appropriate for the season and keep your head covered when the weather is cold.

Perform a daily self-massage using warmer, heavier oils like sesame and almond or come get a frequent abhyanga massages.

Stick with light exercise that enhances balance and flexibility. Take care not to push yourself too far and exceed the limits of your energy.

Drink ginger tea. Fresh ginger root is beneficial and can be used frequently. During the cool weather, sip ginger tea throughout the day.

Be certain that your bowels move regularly on a daily basis.

Favor soothing, calming music.

Favor warm colors in your clothing and environment such as earth colors, pastels, browns, and warm yellows.

Favor aromas that are sweet, heavy, and warm. Examples include basil, bay, cinnamon, citrus, cloves, frankincense, lavender, pine, sage, and vanilla.

Vata Diet Tips:

Eat larger quantities, but don’t overeat. This helps to balance the lightness of Vata.

Take sweeteners in moderation. They all help to pacify Vata.

Fats and oils are beneficial in the digestive system and help reduce Vata. Use up to three teaspoons daily of ghee or extra virgin olive oil.

All low-fat dairy products are recommended. Milk is easier to digest when warm or heated.

Rice and wheat are the best grains for balancing Vata. Reduce the amount of barley, corn, millet, buckwheat, and rye that you consume.

Favor sweet, heavy fruits such as bananas, avocados, mangoes, apricots, plums, berries, coconut, figs, grapefruit, oranges, lemons, melons, papaya, peaches, pineapples, rhubarb, kiwi, dates, nectarines, and dried fruits.

Eat fewer dry or light fruits such as apples, cranberries, pears, and pomegranates. To ease digestion, fruits are best eaten lightly cooked or sautéed, or eaten alone.

Cooked vegetables are best. Raw vegetables should be minimized. Favor Asparagus, beets, and carrots. Other vegetables may be taken in moderation if cooked in ghee or extra virgin olive oil, including peas, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, and sweet potatoes. Sprouts and cabbage tend to produce gas and should be minimized.

Dairy products pacify Vata. For optimal digestion, boil milk before drinking it and consume it while warm.

Use spices that pacify Vat including cardamom, cumin, ginger, cinnamon, salt, cloves, mustard seed, basil, asafetida, cilantro, fennel, oregano, sage, tarragon, thyme, and black pepper.

All varieties of nuts are recommended.

Minimize your consumption of beans, with the exception of tofu and mung bean dahl.

Use fresh, organic chicken, turkey, seafood, and eggs.

When the energetic, creative vata dosha becomes unbalanced, it can manifest as restlessness, anxiety, and insomnia. Sometimes our vata dosha requires our focus when life throws us off balance. Bringing more warmth and stability into your life could be the key to equilibrium for those who are dominant in vata or those needing to pacify vata energy.