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Healthy Eating Tips

Managing Vata: Lifestyle Habits

Managing Vata: Herbs & Spices

Vata

Vata is the elemental force of ether and air. Vata means "wind, to move, flow, or command." Vata therefore enables the other two doshas to move. Vata’s effects are drying, cooling, light, agitating, and mobile. When vata is balanced we are graceful, inspired and youthful. When vata is in excess we become easily flustered and unfocused.

How do you know if you have excess vata?

• Do you start projects without finishing them?
  
• Do you have dry skin?
• Are you prone to constipation and gas?
• Are you tired, yet can't relax?
• Do you have problems concentrating?
• Are you often anxious and impatient?
• Do you have problems gaining weight?
• Do you stay up at night worrying?
• Do you have generalized aches, sharp pains, Arthritis, stiff and painful joints?

Healthy Eating Tips

If you answered “yes” to more than 3 of these questions you may need to balance your vata. Try these dietary tips:

• Eat meals at a regular time.
• Eat your largest meal at lunch
• Reduce dry, light and raw food
• Increase oily, warm and heavy foods, such as dairy, nuts, soups and whole grain breads
• Add more sweet, pungent and salty tastes such as Mexican and Indian food
• Eat more sweet fruits and nuts
• Cook with more warm spices like cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, licorice, turmeric, cloves and cumin
• Have soup instead of salads, esp. in the early winter
• Fleshy vegetables such as squash, pumpkin, zucchini, are recommended
• Drinking too much water can actually be dehydrating and hard on the kidneys.  Be sure to have enough salts and electrolytes in your system
• Take Triphala daily

 

Managing Vata

• Regularity is the best thing you can do to keep a healthy body and mind
• Implement one routine activity into your week
• Receive regular oil massage
• Avoid the wind and cold
• Take time out to be in nature
• Breath slowly and fully
• Practice meditation
• Avoid exercise that is too fast or jerky
• Try yoga and t’ai chi. They are excellent calming practices
• Wear more pastel colors as blues, greens and white
• Get to bed and wake up at a regular time

 

Herbs and Spices for Managing Vata

Here are some warming and grounding herbs that you can add to your diet when you cook, or take as teas or herbal supplements; or use in massage or aromatherapy:

Ginger
Jatamansi
Rosemary
Clove
Lavender
Citrus
Tulsi
Valerian
Cinnamon
Ashwaghanda
Cumin
Licorice
Turmeric