Vata Dosha Balancing Lifestyle

​

Vata Balancing Diet

​

The balancing lifestyle for Vata Dosha is aimed at reducing Vata’s qualities such as being cold, dry, changing and light, which occur in excess when the dosha is out of balance.

​

The best solution here is to create and follow a consistent daily routine, which means taking meals at the same time, going to bed and waking up at the same time, working, exercising and having rest – all about the same time during the day. It may be a challenge in the beginning, but later, once you get used to following the routine, your life will become so much easier and less hectic.

​

• Eat warm, solid meals, three times a day; don’t skip any. Your meals should be nourishing, juicy (not dry) and in appropriate quantities. Vata people should not overeat, since the digestion will not be optimal; at the same time, your meals should not be small or scarce. Eat enough but don’t eat too much per meal.

• Stay warm. Cold weather may cause Vata Dosha imbalance, especially after prolonged exposure. If it is very cold outside, wear several layers of clothing, must have some warm socks, hat and scarf. Protect your ears, neck and chest, apply lip balm before getting outside when it’s cold, and wear wind-resistant clothes.

• Partake in peaceful activities, very helpful for Vata to stay grounded: meditation, relaxation, calming activities such as reading or walking, yoga practice, hiking, playing music, etc

• The important thing is to drink enough water during the day – it will provide your body with the necessary liquid to moisturize its tissues, especially skin, which gets really dry when the dosha is out of balance.

• Your food should be quite juicy and contain good amounts of healthy oils such as ghee, olive, almond, etc.

• To pamper dry skin, to promote circulation and to nourish and tone muscles and nerves, indulge in an ayurvedic massage every morning before you bathe or shower. Use sesame or jojoba oil for your massage. If you like, you can add 3-4 drops of a pure essential oil such as lavender or sweet orange to 2 oz. of massage oil. Mix well before use. Two or three time a week, massage your scalp with warm oil, and let the oil stay for an hour or two before you shampoo. After your shower or bath, apply a generous coating of a pure, gentle moisturiser all over your body to keep your skin feeling hydrated.

• Exercises are important to keep Vata grounded, but not all of them. The workout routines should be moderate in time, not very heavy, and not too intensive. The key points are balance and flexibility, and strength exercises. Avoid exceeding the limits of your energy by pushing yourself too far.

• The best workout types for Vata Dosha are: Yoga, Tai Chi, Qi Gong, golf, bicycling, tennis, short hikes, dancing. Walking is very good, so do it as often as you can.

• Since Vata dosha is characterized as restless, constantly in motion and irregular, the primary lifestyle recommendation for balancing Vata is to maintain a regular routine. That means rising and going to bed at roughly the same times each day, eating three meals at about the same times each day, and following a similar pattern of work and rest from day to day.

• You may have to woo sleep if Vata dosha is aggravated. It is important to get to bed early, so that you can get adequate rest each night. A cup of warm milk, with a pinch of nutmeg, can be helpful before bedtime.

• Daily elimination is very important to prevent ama from accumulating in the body.
   

 

Other things that contribute to balancing Vata lifestyle:

​

• Drinking ginger tea and other hot teas.

• Listening to calming or meditative music.

• Having a regular massage.

• Wearing or be surrounded by warm, earth colors and pastels.

• Favoring sweet, warm and heavy aromas (basil, cinnamon, cloves, bay, citrus, lavender, sage, pine and vanilla).

• Touching and being touched by the people you love.

• Getting enough sleep.

• Doing work in smaller/shorter periods and making smaller or short-term goals that are easier or faster to reach.

• If your digestion is weak, you need to take a course of Triphala treatment (which is about one month usually) and consume easy-to-digest meals at regular periods of time (around 3 times a day).

• If you follow all the tips or at least some of them, you will create a Vata Dosha lifestyle that brings balance, peace and satisfaction to your life.
   

​

Read about the Vata Balancing Diet

​

​​