How to Balance Vata Dosha with Diet, Lifestyle & Yoga Practice

If you are new to Ayurveda, make sure to take my Dosha quiz today and get your Dosha Guide which includes an introduction to Ayurveda and some practical tips & advice on which foods, lifestyle habits and Yoga poses are best for your specific Ayurvedic mind-body type!

The Vata Dosha

Vata is comprised of Air & Ether (space) element. Vata means ‘wind’ and is the energy that controls movement in the body.

The qualities of Vata are light, cold, dry, mobile & erratic.

Vata is the primary Dosha and it’s the motivating power behind the other 2 Doshas – Pitta and Kapha, as these 2 Doshas are not capable of moving without Vata.

Because of that, it’s very important to care for Vata and maintain a good balance.

Signs & Symptoms of Vata Imbalance

Physical:

• Strong intolerance to cold
• Restless, inability to sit still
• Muscular tension, spasms, tics, tremors
• Dry, cracking, still joints, nerve pain
• Dry, hard, rough stools, constipation, excessive gas and bloating
• Dryness in the skin, lips and hair
• Susceptible to illness, cold, UTI (Urinary Tract Infection)

Mental:

• Lack of concentration
• Sleeplessness, insomnia
• Sensitivity eg. to loud noise
• Exhaustion
• Fear, anxiety, nervousness, mood swings, insecurity

How to Balance Vata with Diet

The major needs for Vata types are grounding foods and regularity. Therefore it is important for Vata to have regular meals at the same time everyday and eat in a calm and unhurried atmosphere without any destructions (no eating while watching TV, working or on the phone!).

And avoid eating on the go and take time to sit down to eat.

If you are seeing symptoms of Vata imbalance avoid anything that is light, drying, has cold qualities and opt for hot liquid, oily, heavy qualities (applying the concept of ‘opposites decrease each other’!).

In general, Vata types should avoid raw, cold dry foods like salads, raw vegetables, smoothies, juices and crackers (any drying snacks) and instead have foods that are warm, cooked, nourishing and easy to digest.

Example of Vata pacifying foods are sweet potatoes, beetroot (beets), asparagus, carrots, green beans, courgettes (zucchini), mung beans and quinoa.

If you are experiencing Vata imbalances, avoid dry beans such as chickpeas (black chickpeas are fine), lentils and kidney beans and cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage.

Pacifying Tastes (Rasa) for Vata

Add sweet, sour and salty tastes in your food and avoid pungent, bitter and astringent.

Examples of food that have a sweet taste are sugar, honey, rice, milk, cream, butter, bread and grains.

Examples of food that have a sour taste are lemons, limes, cheese, fresh yogurt, tomatoes, plums, acidic fruits and vinegar.

Spices to Balance Vata

Add warming spices such as cinnamon, cloves, ginger, cardamom, fennel, cumin and hing (assafetida) to your food. This will prevent any digestion issues that Vata types tend to get, as well as anxiety, dry skin, or insomnia.

How to Balance Vata with Lifestyle

Maintain regular habits, try to sleep at the same time every night (ideally by 10pm) and waking up at the same time every morning. If you have trouble sleeping, take a warm bath, listening to calming music and/or do a short meditation or Yoga Nidra before bed. Avoid intense exercises and any activities that cause sensory overload in the evening.

To quieten a busy Vata mind, it is important for Vata to take time for grounding, self-nurturing and quiet reflection. A regular massage and a daily walk in nature is great for Vata.

Exercise intensity should be moderate. Avoid strenuous and frantic activities such as the dynamic style of Yoga and opt for more meditative and slower paced yoga, Tai chi and walking.

Ayurvedic Daily Routine

Regardless of your Dosha, creating a powerful structured daily routine is essential for promoting optimal physical, mental, and emotional health.

Read the following articles to get started!

How to Create a Powerful Ayurvedic Daily Routine to Nourish Your Mind, Body & Soul

A Powerful Ayurvedic Morning Routine that will Calm Your Mind, Improve Focus and Increase Productivity

How to Balance Vata with Yoga

The natural tendency for Vata types is to focus on air and space qualities and love movement and flowing poses, such as Vinyasa Yoga. But what Vata needs the most is slow, grounding and calming practice, where you hold the poses and moving mindfully through sequences such as slow paced sun salutation.

Recommended Yoga Poses for Vata

• Grounding & Stability: standing postures
• Heating internal organs and lower back: forward bends and gentle backbends on the belly. Forward bends are also great for calming the nervous system
• Digestive & Circulatory system: Inversions
• Digestive system & nervous system: spinal twists
• Quieting mind: balancing postures
• Focus on pelvis, hip & thigh areas to release tension

Example Yoga Poses for Vata

• Downward Facing Dog: A grounding posture
• Wide Knee Child Pose: Hip opening, releases tension physically & emotionally
• Revolved Lunge Pose: Good for digestive system & nervous system
• Side Plank Variation: Helps quieten the mind

P.S. If you are curious to discover what food and lifestyle choices and Yoga style to practice for your specific mind-body type, the first step is to take my Dosha quiz and discover your Ayurvedic Dosha – your mind-body type!

You will then receive some practical tips & recommendation on which foods, lifestyle habits and Yoga style are best for your specific Dosha.

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