Vata Dosha (what is it, and how to balance it)
Date Posted:18 January 2011
Tips for Balancing Vata
- All Vata products: drink Vata Tea and season meals with Vata Churna, diffuse calming Vata aroma oil in the environment
- Abhyanga (daily ayurvedic massage with sesame oil)
- Warm temperatures
- Warm, cooked foods (less raw foods)
- Early bedtime, lots of rest
- Favor warm, oily, heavy foods and sweet, sour, and salty tastes
- Reduce light, dry, cold foods and pungent, bitter and astringent tastes
- Regular daily routine
- Avoid stimulants
- Regular, daily elimination
- Stay warm in cold, windy weather
Vata-Pacifying Diet
Ayurveda recognises the powerful effect any food you consume has on the physiology, and by following Ayurvedic dietary recommendations, we directly effect the health and wellbeing that you experience.
Eat larger quantities of food, but not more than you can digest easily.
Dairy:
All dairy products pacify Vata. Always boil milk before you drink it, and drink it warm. Don't drink milk with a full meal. Organic whole milk is favoured.
Sweeteners:
All sweeteners are good (in moderation) for pacifying Vata.
Grains:
Rice and wheat are very good. Reduce intake of barley, corn, millet, buckwheat, rye and oats.
Fruits:
Favor sweet, sour, or heavy fruits, such as oranges, bananas, avocados, grapes, cherries, peaches, melons, berries, plums, pineapples, mangos and papayas. Reduce dry or light fruits such as apples, pears, pomegranates, cranberries, and dried fruits.
Vegetables:
Beets, cucumbers, carrots, asparagus and sweet potatoes are good. They should be cooked, not raw. The following vegetables are acceptable in moderate quantities if they are cooked, especially with Ghee or oil and Vata reducing spices: peas, green leafy vegetables, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, zucchini and potatoes. It's better to avoid sprouts and cabbage.
Spices:
Cardamom, cumin, ginger, cinnamon, salt, cloves, mustard seed and small quantities of black pepper are acceptable. (a perfect spice blend for Vata is Vata Churna
All nuts are good.
Oils:
All oils reduce Vata.
For a more detailed chart of specific food dos and don'ts for pacifying Vata.