Your body is consistently in a state of trying to maintain homeostasis, or equilibrium of all of its systems. In the traditional Hindu medicine system, Ayurveda (sometimes called “yogic science”), good health is maintained and corrected through balancing nutrition, herbal remedies, and yogic breathing. Of all the principles of Ayurveda, none are more powerful than an understanding of the doshas.
Doshas are the three life forces—vata, pitta, and kapha doshas—which comprise your whole being from the elements (i.e., earth, air, ether, fire, and water). When these doshas are in equilibrium, akin to Western medicine’s homeostasis, you can lead a virtuous life. And, the opposite can be true; if you are out of balance with your doshas, then dis-ease and disease are possible and probable.
In our article on Ayurveda, we noted,
Each person has usually one or two doshas that present themselves more often. For the Vata Dosha person, your energetic physiology and personality, when in balance, produce abundant creativity and vitality. For the Pitta Dosha individual, your energies come from the metabolism and foster contentment and your intellectual capabilities. And, last, for those with a dominant Kapha Dosha, your body’s growth and immunity are central to you and provide love and forgiveness. Again, everyone has all three of these doshas in them, but those fluctuate from person to person, and this in Ayurveda is where individuality and dispositions originate.
For this article, and the next two installments, in this Ayurveda Nutrition series, we will discuss the importance of balancing your doshas, one dosha at a time. We will also explore the doshas as dietary guidelines with recipes you can reference and use to keep any overactive doshas in check.
Do you know your primary dosha? To learn what your dominant dosha is, there are several online quizzes, such as this popular, free dosha quiz from Dr. Deepak Chopra.
Vata Dosha
Vata dosha is the most common of dosha and its constitution is that of the elements, air (or, wind) and ether (or, space). Vata is considered the leader of the other doshas, and this is because it manages motion throughout your body, mind, emotions and spirit.
Vata governs
- Apana vata—waste elimination, menstruation, and sexual functions;
- Prana vata—four of your senses (i.e., sight, taste, hearing, and smell), thinking creatively as well as reasoning;
- Samana vata—digestion;
- Udana vata—your vocal quality, memory functions, and movements of thoughts across the mind; and,
- Vyana vata—blood flow, cardiac tempo, perspiration, and your sense of touch.
Once you determine your primary dosha, you can start to identify when your doshas are misaligned, and perhaps if one is overactive. Here, we explore how to identify if your vata dosha is hyperactive. In most cases, you will notice an increase in these systems:
- (apana) stomach cramping, atypical menstruation, lower lumbar region, and other intestinal discomforts (e.g., gas, bloating, indigestion, and constipation);
- (prana) worrying, rumination, sleep disruption, and even breathing difficulties;
- (samana) irregular (too fast, or too slow) digestion, gas, and stomach cramps;
- (udana) coughing (without phlegm), sore throat, otalgia (i.e., earache), and fatigue; and,
- (vyana) dry/rough skin, increased anxiety, trembling, noticeable blood flow reduction, and distress-related issues.
If you notice these grouped symptoms start, you may have an overactive vata dosha and next up, we discuss guidelines for balancing out that hyper vata dosha.
Guidelines for Balancing Vata Dosha
Vata-balancing foods tend to be hot or warm, mashed, flavored plentifully with spices, and high in protein and fat macronutrients. These types of foods help to increase moisture and warmth in the body, lubricating the motion that has dried up because of the vata energy build-up.
An abundance of vata dosha can be disruptive in many ways, especially in the autumn and winter seasons when coldness and dryness are strongest around you. The following guidelines (more suggestions than not hard-and-fast rules) can help in maintaining balance when vata dosha is overactive.
To start, begin by eating more of the foods above than you regularly do. Be mindful of your digestive process to see if your body starts to flow more easily, or not. Some specific foods to consider to eat more of are dairy products (and remember that we’re talking about boiling milk, warming cheeses, and so forth before consuming, and avoid milk with full meals), use all-natural sweeteners with your foods, expand your use of grains, fruits, oils, vegetables, and spices in your cooked meals.
You can experiment with the varieties of vata-balancing foods for how your body responds and tells you how it supports your wellness. Keep in mind that vata dosha tends to be cool, dry, rough and light, so you want to approach balance through warm, moist/oily, smooth and hearty foods.
If you can’t think of what to cook to balance out your vata dosha, below I offer you a few suggestions from around the Web from some popular Ayurvedic chefs to help you spur your own creative choices.
Vata Dosha Recipes from around the Web
Breakfast
These two breakfast recipes stood out in my research, that help to soothe vata dosha, and they look scrumptious to start your day!
The first recipe is savory corn pancakes, which, as the description says, these pancakes are “[m]oist and hearty, accented with smoky-sharp chipotle and cumin, these rustic pancakes will make you smile first thing in the morning. A dash of apple cider vinegar gives soothing moisture to the grainy texture for a hearty, satisfying breakfast of champions!”
And, the second recipe is for pumpkin waffles with pecan maple syrup. According to the recipe, “[t]opped with the rich aromas of fresh maple syrup and nutty pecans, this recipe will entice your senses and nourish your sweet tooth on chilly…mornings. Sleepy eyes open wide as the scent of fresh waffles wafts through the house, beckoning loved ones to the breakfast table.“ Who could argue with that?!
For more vata dosha recipes for the morning hours, check out these recipes.
Lunch / Dinner
Here are two recipes that you can have for lunch or dinner that helps soothe the cold, dry and rough nature of your vata dosha:
- Tofu Stir-Fry – this stir-fry with tofu as your protein is so delicious-looking on the site, plus it’s easy to make and can be saved for leftovers for several days.
- Over-Baked Salmon – this oven-baked salmon recipe is equally easy to make and quick to deliver when you’re rushing to make a meal that satisfies your need to tamp down your vata dosha. Food Network provides a great video demonstrating how to make this oven-baked salmon.
If you’re looking for more lunch and dinner recipes, check out these vata dosha recipes to try out.
So, that’s a vata dosha-balancing diet using tried-and-true ayurvedic suggestions. Remember to avoid processed foods during this time of seeking stability with your vata dosha, as well as stimulants (such as caffeinated drinks and nicotine-infused products).
In next week’s installment we will be covering pitta dosha and how to counteract it when it overreacts in your body.