Introduction To Ayurveda Part 3: Remedies For Vata Dosha

Continuing on in my Introduction To Ayurveda Series, this talk explores lifestyle remedies for Vata Dosha. We will explore various remedies available to us in our lifestyle including nutrition, herbal medicine, yoga and meditation practices to help us balance Vata.

Transcript

Thank you for joining me for this talk on lifestyle remedies for vata dosha. As part of my Introduction to Ayurveda series. In Ayurveda, It's said if vata is out of balance, Always treat vata first. Vata as air and ether, Or space, Is mobile, Erratic, And subtle in nature. And it's the most easily thrown out of balance of the three doshas. It can be difficult to stabilize and ground. When Vata is out of balance, It's harder to stabilize the other doshas and bring balance to them. Even if you don't know your dosha constitution, Your prakriti, We can all work with vata balancing principles in fall and change of seasons, When vata predominates in the environment, Guiding us back to our attunement to the rhythms of nature. As you're listening. Pay attention to where you feel a charge of excitement or jolt of inner knowing and inspiration. What feels intuitively right to adjust, Modify, Or bring in? Don't think you need to do everything listed to balance the doshas. What feels realistic? Where are the imbalances? Start with one or two things and use observation of your experience to enhance your inner understanding. Vata manifests as the qualities or gunas of light, Dry, Subtle, Cold, Rough, Mobile, And erratic. It's the kinetic or mobile force in the body and mind and rules movement of all kinds. The focus in our choice of remedies should be on qualities that are opposite to Vata's qualities. Practices should be grounding, Calming, Stabilizing. Warming, Nutritive, Moistening, And softening. What comes up in your mind as practices that might include these qualities that balance Vata? Vata Prakruti, Air and ether. Is very sensitive and quick to change, Easily falling prey to overstimulation, Feeling burned out and exhausted. The vata mind is quick and erratic. Rarely content. Tending towards anxiety, Worry, And dissociation. The Vata body is always moving. Bring in practices that are calming, Grounding, And stabilizing for the mind and body. Maintain regularity and consistency in the health practices you use, Cultivating patience and a feeling of contentment and calm. Walk and talk slowly. Move mindfully through your day. Keep yourself well-fed and hydrated. Take time to ground, Rest, And relax. Avoid excess exercise, Jumping, Quick erratic movements, Which all aggravate the erratic, Mobile nature of vatadosha. Exercise at a slow and steady pace. Enjoy hiking and swimming. Include walks in nature, Especially on calm, Mild weather days. Include naps, Calming, Soothing, And relaxing practices in your daily routine. Such as gentle yoga, Yoga nidra or guided meditations, Tai chi or qigong, Which all help restore and replenish easily spent prana and energy. In yoga practice, We can work with slow, Steady, And gentle sun salutations or vinyasa to help us move stuck prana or the excess jittery movement of vata dosha. Harmonizing its movement. Standing postures, Balancing postures, Postures that open the hips, Release the lower back, And create length in the spine. Bring in often needed warmth, Strength, Stability, Alignment, And stamina. Meditations that cultivate attention and presence are helpful for Vata. Breath focus, Mantra recitation. Meta or loving-kindness meditation help us calm and soothe our often frayed nervous systems, Helping us relax, Calm down, Empty the mind, Surrendering our worry, Fear, And anxiety. Because Vata has a tendency to be restless and agitated, Underweight, Have creaky, Cracky, Painful joints, And less fat tissue padding their body, It's helpful to increase physical comfort and a pleasant, Comforting living environment, Including soft beds, Warm, Heavy blankets, Soft, Warm clothing, Bright light during the day, And soft lighting at night or early in the morning. Surround yourself with warm colors like red, Orange, And white. And grounding colors like purple, Brown, And blue. Gems such as opal, Ruby, Emerald, Or stones with any of the above colors can be placed in your house or worn on your body to bring in their ancient, Earthy, Elemental nature. Indulge your creativity. Cultivate your intuition. Vata is ameliorated by oils both in the diet and used externally to alleviate the tendency towards dry, Rough skin. Creaky dry join. And is helpful for constipation when rubbed into the belly or taken internally. Feel free to use oils on your body regularly, Especially during fall. Warm your oils and gently massage your whole body before or after a bath or shower. With particular attention to your lower belly, Low back and hips, Often areas of Vata aggravation. For external use, Consider using one or a combination of the following oils. Unrefined sesame oil, Coconut oil. Almond oil, Jojoba oil, And castor oil. Consider adding warming or soothing essential oils such as ginger, Cinnamon, Vanilla and bergamot, Rose or lavender. Think about soft, Soothing and relaxing massage with gentle, Warm and firm hands. Thai massage, Osteopathy, Craniosacral therapy are all excellent examples of physical therapies for Vata. Let's talk about a Vata Balancing Diet. There are many detailed charts on specific foods for each dosha, Easily found in books or online. I'll give some examples, But focus on general principles to tempt your curiosity and inspiration. A Vata-balancing diet should be consistent and nutritious. Agni, The digestive fire, Can be erratic and irregular, Sometimes high and sometimes low. Appetite can be erratic, As can digestive capacity and bowel movements. Gas and bloating are common, As are dry pellet-like stools or constipation and irritable bowel syndrome. Eating small amounts regularly supports stable energy, Stable acne, The digestive fire, And the regularity of digestion and bowel movements. Regular eating is grounding for the body and mind. Counteracting the tendency with high vata to feel ungrounded, Light, Airy, Anxious, And fidgety. And brings prana into the body and mind through the prana of the food we eat. So for Vata Dosha. Eat three smaller meals daily and include snacks. Don't skip meals or go more than three to four hours without eating. Even if it's a small snail. Eat in a calm and relaxed state of mind. Eat and chew your food slowly. Think about snacks such as homemade muffin or cookie made with spelt, Oat, And almond flour. Energy balls made of dates, Nuts, And seeds. Roasted potatoes or other root vegetables, Toast with avocado or nut butter, Warm cereals, A bowl of soup, Are all good snack options for Vata. Bring in some heat to support agni with ginger, Pickle, Horseradish, Kimchi, Or other pickled vegetables. When working with vata, Ground and hydrate with heavy and moist foods. Emphasize a whole foods diet with lots of soups, Bone broth, Rice bowls, Stews, Chili, Stir fries, One pot meals, And kitchari. Vata does well with a diet emphasizing whole grains, Fresh vegetables, Especially root vegetables, Dairy, And especially butter, Cream, Ghee, And yogurt. Fish and meat is strengthening, Grounding, And nutritive, Especially if you feel weak and exhausted. Bone broth also provides support for an often vulnerable immune system. We each have our own individual preferences around food. These are general principles to consider. If you're a vegan or are intolerant or allergic to any of the foods I've mentioned, You don't have to include them to balance Vata. Feel free to substitute with vegan cheeses and nut milks instead of dairy. Keep the awareness on food choices that are nutritive grounding. And have a sweet, Salty, Or sour flavor, Which balance Vata Dosha. Vata is aggravated by foods that are cold, Light, Dry, And rough. Because these qualities are the same as Vata's qualities. Avoid dry cereal, Crackers and chips, Excess consumption of nut and dried fruit mixes, And cold foods like milk and dips right out of the fridge. Bring foods up to room temperature if you're not going to warm them up before consuming them. Eating too many raw vegetables can contribute to gas and bloating, As can beans and legumes. Use spices such as ginger, Star anise, Cumin, Coriander, Fennel. Not Meg. Turmeric. Black pepper, And salt to increase digestibility and flavor. Consider herb teas such as ginger and turmeric, Holy basil. Nutmeg, Peppermint, Cinnamon, And star anise to support vata digestion. There are particular medicinal herb groups that are very helpful for Vata. These herbs are nutritive and tonifying, With an emphasis on the digestive system, Nervous system, Immune system, And the bones. Herbs can be taken as a tea, Tincture, Capsule, Or powder. Powder forms can be made into a tea or mixed with honey, Applesauce, Or yogurt and chased with a glass of warm water. We want to work with herbs that soothe and lubricate the irritated mucous membranes of the gut. And encourage regular elimination of stool. Herbs such as marshmallow root, Slippery elm bark. Aloe juice and the Ayurvedic combo called Triphala can be very helpful. Trifola is a classic Ayurvedic formula readily available around the world that is composed of equal parts of three fruits. And is filled with vitamin C. It's used to regulate bowel movements, Whether it's constipation or loose stools. And it's also known to cleanse and heal the mucous membranes of the digestive tract. Chia seeds in water or yogurt, Ground flax and ground sesame and pumpkin seeds, Can be added to your foods to help with bowel movement regularity and bring in healthy oils, Fiber, Minerals, And proteins. Herbs such as reishi mushroom, Ashwagandha, Gotu kola, North American ginseng, Lemon balm, And nettle leaf are all helpful herbal allies for Vata Dosha, Supporting calming and grounding the nervous system, Cultivating clarity in the mind. When working with medicinal herbs, The safest and most cost-effective way to use them is in their loose leaf form. And as teas. Buy your herbs organic as much as possible and consider making a one litre tea with about two tablespoons of your herb mix per litre of water. Let it steep for up to an hour or even more. Strain and drink through the day. Making changes and maintaining them is easier said than done for Vata Dosha. So consider it a work in progress. Even if you're unable, For whatever reason, To change your erratic job or the excess travel, Or you live in the heart of a city with its excess noise, Artificial light, And overstimulation, Where can you bring in more regularity, Grounding, Calm, Consistency, Contentment. Be curious and creative as you think about what might help you. This brings us to the end of this talk. Thank you for joining me. Join me for my next talk on Lifestyle Remedies for Pitta Dosha. May you have ease and peace in your day. Namaste.