Keeping dosha’s in balance is a key for maintaining a good health. In Ayurveda it is beleived that imbalance in there dosha’s are responsible for diseases. Here we will discuss way to balance the vata dosha. Vata dosha is the most important among all the three dosha because it controls all movement the body inculding movement of pitta and kapha dosha.
Balancing Vata dosha require multidimensional approach which includes diet, lifestyle, yoga and meditation.
General Guidelines for vata balance
Prefer warm over cold : Vayu dosha increases because of cold things, be it season, food or water so always use warm water for drinking or bathing. Keep the body warm . Include spices like turmeric, aseofitida, dry ginger, cummin seed in the diet.
Choose Moist over Dry : Vayu is dry in nature so it will need moist or oily things to keep it balance. Use oil and ghee for cooking avoid eating raw food.
Take Nourishing our light : To keep vayu in balance one should include nuts, seeds, milk, ghee,coconut that provide nourishment along with stability.
Best Taste for pacifying Vata
Eat More Sweet : The food that are sweet in taste are grounding and nourishing therefore are good for pacifying the vata dosha.
Enjoy the sour : Sour taste helps to improve digestion and is also helpful in pacifying the vayu in body.
Salty is healthy :Yes when there is increase in vata dosha in the body intake of salt helps in downward movement of vayu (anulomna) thus helps in pacifying it.
Food Choices for pacifying Vata
Drinking luke warm water is very helpful for people having this type of personality .
Ginger water is also heplful in balancing the vayu . It is also good for keeping the digsetive system healthy.
Buttermilk with garlic paste and rock salt is helpful for keeping excess vayu in check.
Milk is also a very good choice for these people .
Cereals for pacifying Vata
Wheat is a good choice for balancing as it is sweet and nourishing .
Old rice should be prefered instead of newly harvested rice. Kheer ( rice pudding ) prepared with boiling rice, milk and sugar is very nourishing to balance excess vayu in the body.
Vata pacifying lentils ( Dal)
Among lentils like masoor dal (red lentils), urad dal ( black gram), moong dal (split green gram ) are good choices. However Ayurveda literature says that among all lentils Moong dal is the best.
Morover these people should avoid chana dal (split chicpeas), matar ( green peas), chola ( chicpeas), rajma (kidney beans).
Vata pacifying Vegetables & fruits
Vegetables that are prefered in aggravation of vayu or in people having vata prakriti ( body constitution) are
Lauki ( White flowered gourd), Parwal ( Pointed gourd), Tinda ( Indian squash, apple gourd), methi leaves ( fenugreek leaves), palak (spinach).
These vegeatable helps in balancing vata dosha because they contains lot of water and are moist .
Friuts that are sweet like banana, mango, amla, oranges, grapes are more useful. Others fruits can also be eaten.
Spices, Nuts and Seed
Spices such as Turmeric, fenugreek seeds, dry ginger, peppermint, cumin seeds are good.
Nuts such as Almonds, walnuts,dates, black raisins, coconut, peanuts are helpful in keeping vayu in balance.
Seeds like seasame seed, sunflower seed, pumpkin seeds are also helpful.
Lifestyle advice for pacifying Vayu
Those who are facing the problems because of Vata aggravation or have same parkriti should
Use warm water for bathing.
Apply seasame oil to all over body before bathing.
Put two drops of seasame oil in both nostrils .
Mild exercise in recommended . heavy workouts should be avoided.
Must keep there body warm and surrounding warm.
These people should sleep early in night and avoid beign awake till late night.
Must not hold natural urges like urine, burping, gas, crying.
Yoga & Meditation
Following yogic exercise are very beneficial for people with vata problems.
Surya Namaskar : According to Ayurveda, practicing Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation) is particularly beneficial for people with a dominant Vata dosha as it helps to balance the airy,mobile nature of this dosha by providing grounding,stability, and generating internal heat. It also helps to calm the nervous system.
Paschimottanasan( Seated forward bend) : It is a excellent vayu- pacifying yoga pose because it promotes grounding, stability and relaxation.It helps to massage internal organs and helps improve digestion.
Dhanurasan ( Bow pose) : It is a powerful pose to balance vata dosha because it generates heat, strengthens the body, and improve digestion . All these are essential for counteracting cold , dry, and unstable nature of this dosha.
Yoga Nidra : It is a deep relaxation technique that guides you into a meditative state between wakefulness and sleep , making it extremely beneficial for balancing Vata dosha. Since vayu is associated with restlessness,overthinking,anxiety yoga nidra helps to calm and rejuvenates both mind and body.
