Vata Dosha Guide – Symptoms, Causes and How to Balance Vitiated Vata Levels
According to Ayurveda, every individual has three active energies inside their body. These energies govern various functions, like managing the mind, body- and even the diseases you will be prone to or the diet you should follow.
Vata dosha is one of these three energies; it is light and airy and manages body movement related functions. It governs the expression of your speech and the flow of your breath. It is the motivating factor for the other two doshas- pitta and kapha..
Vata dosha is one of these three energies; it is light, airy and manages body movement and motion-related functions.It governs the expression of your speech and the flow of your breath. In fact, it is the motivating factor for the other two doshas- pitta and kapha.
However, when Vata levels aggravate in the body, it may lead to various health concerns- ranging from chapped lips, dry skin, and loss of appetite to emaciation, weakness, constipation, etc., depending on the severity of aggravation.
This blog discusses such concerns and how to balance excess Vata with a few grounding and comforting techniques.
Vata Dosha Symptoms
Before we discuss remedies to manage excess Vata, let’s look at the symptoms that it may cause in the body:
- Dry skin, hair, lips, ears, joints
- Dryness around internal systems resulting in bloating, gas, constipation, dehydration, weight loss
- Feeling dizzy and restless
- Unusually cold
- Muscle spasms, constrictions, unusual pains
- Roughness of skin and lips
- Excessive restlessness, anxiety, fidgeting, muscle twitching, palpitations, agitation
- Low weight and inability to gain weight
- Insomnia or interrupted sleep
High Vata may not be noticeable immediately, however, in a few weeks, some or all of the above mentioned Vata dosha symptoms might crop up. To keep Vata levels in check, it’s advisable to steer clear of the following triggers:
Cause for High Vata Levels
If your Vata levels are high, the following triggers may be the reason:
- Extremely cold or dry weather.
- Eating cold food can increase Vata levels.
- Foods that are too light and quick to digest can increase Vata levels. For example, light poha.
- Excessive fasting, excessive workouts, extremely long brisk walks, and other similar activities for weight loss can increase Vata.
- In winter, the cold weather increases Vata on the skin level, resulting in dryness.
- Foods that dry up the mouth, skin, or stools increase dryness and aggravate the Vata.
- Excessive sexual activity can also cause dryness and increase Vata.
- Depletion of tissues can cause Vata levels to shift.
- Injuries on the vital points in the body (Marmas) can increase Vata levels.
Recommended Vata Dosha Diet
The food we eat can largely influence the Vata levels inside our body. For example, too pungent or bitter foods may often aggravate the Vata levels inside the body. To maintain healthy Vata levels, sticking to a suitable diet is crucial. Favor the three S- sweet, sour, and salty and choose warm, nourishing foods.
Here’s a list of Vata pacifying foods that can help keep your body’s Vata levels in check:
- Hot soups & stews
- Ghee
- Avocados
- Nuts
- Coconut
- Buttermilk
- Olives
- Eggs
- Cheese
- Whole milk
- Wheat
- Warm spices such as turmeric, flaxseeds, cinnamon, ginger, etc.
Also, please avoid the following foods, as they may trigger turbulence in the Vata levels:
- Artichokes
- Bitter melon
- Broccoli
- Brussel sprouts
- Cabbage
- Carrots (raw)
- Bell peppers
- Cauliflower
- Celery
- Chillies
- Eggplant
- Corn
- Dandelion (green)
- Kale
- Lettuce
- Mushroom
- Green olives
- White potato
- Radish
- Raw spinach
- Sprout
- Tomato
- Turnip.
Apart from that, it’s advisable to avoid cold and carbonated drinks and not consume uncooked fruits and vegetables, frozen foods, and leftovers. Also, drink enough water to prevent dehydration.
Ayurvedic Herbs to Optimise Vata Levels in Your Body
Various naturally occurring herbs have Vata-optimizing properties. The following list shares such herbs that may help manage excess Vata.
- Ginger: Adding ginger to your food and tea can help lower joint pain and enhance muscle strength, helping you manage the symptoms of excess Vata. Ginger may help restore the optimum Vata levels in the body.
- Cardamom (Elaichi): Cardamom is a healthy spice that can help balance all three doshas (Vata, Pitta, Kapha). With excess Vata, cardamom can help aid digestion, reduce bloating, and manage gas conditions, eventually pacifying Vata. You can add cardamom to your food, or tea or chew on the seeds – this also helps against foul breath.
- Turmeric (Haldi): Haldi is a common kitchen ingredient in the Indian subcontinent and holds significant Ayurvedic importance. Consuming haldi regularly in moderation can help boost metabolism, increase blood circulation, and maintain a healthy heart rate. Turmeric comprises curcumin, an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-cancer compound. Apart from that, it can also help reduce excess Vata in the body. Our Turmeric sparkles make turmeric consumption more accessible than ever.
- Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera): Ashwagandha herb is known for its various Ayurvedic health benefits. Ashwagandha powder is said to help reduce cortisol levels, manage stress, lower anxiety, and help overcome insomnia. In addition, the Ashwagandha herb has rejuvenating and Vata pacifying properties. You can reap the goodness of Ashwagandha by consuming it in raw powdered form, as a herbal jam, capsules, or as Ashwagandha Sparkles.
- Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri): Brahmi is an Ayurvedic herb with stress-relieving properties, which is why it can also help balance emotions. Besides that, Brahmi can also help improve sleep quality and bring Vata dosha to healthy levels. Consuming Brahmi Ghritham twice daily before meals (in prescribed quantities as directed by the physician) can help maintain optimum Vata levels, improve memory, and ease stress.
Apart from these, you can also use Mahanarayana Thailam to ease joint pain, stiffness, and similar Vata Dosha symptoms. It’s made with Ashwagandha, which can help maintain healthy Vata Dosha levels at all life stages.
Home Remedies to Balance Vata Dosha
Excess Vata in your body can lead to many concerns, especially related to dryness and cold. Of course, that can be inconvenient. Also, in more severe cases, Vata aggravation may lead to anxiety. Fortunately, a few solutions may help manage and reduce excess Vata levels.
Let’s look at the following Vata dosha remedies and recipes on how to remove excess Vata from the body.
- Herbal tea with Brahmi leaves: You can make herbal tea using Brahmi leaves to bring Vata to healthy levels. Herbal tea is rich in antioxidants and can be a healthy alternative to caffeine.
- Add garlic to food: Suitable quantities can add taste and health to your meals, helping pacify the Vata levels. Add a teaspoon of garlic paste to your spicy soups or cooked vegetables.
- Ghee-cooked food: Ghee can help reduce excessive Vata levels, and eliminate unpleasant dryness. Drizzle over fresh ghee on warm chapatis or rice and enjoy its nourishing qualities.
- Honey and turmeric paste: Mix honey with turmeric and take a spoon each day.
- Add dairy to your diet: Dairy products and sweets, when taken in moderation, can help manage excess Vata.
- Moderate exercise: Because Vata is related to movement, vigorous exercise may lead to an imbalance. Do moderate exercises that create stability and strength- like weight-bearing exercises.
- Oil massage: To pamper dry skin, and promote circulation and joint health, indulge in an Ayurvedic massage with a complete nourishment oil like Dhanwantharam thailam every morning before you bathe. Massage your scalp with warm Neelibringadi keram two-three times a week and let the oil stay for an hour or two before you shampoo.
Wearing warm clothes, taking regular head and body massages, avoiding fasting for long periods, improving your sleep cycle, and indulging in stress-relieving activities are advisable.
When the energetic, flexible, creative vata dosha becomes imbalanced, it can lead to many health issues. A regular grounding lifestyle can help you achieve the balance of Vata dosha, so you are not carried away.
The following tips may help optimize Vata Vikrithi:
Key Takeaways
Managing excessive Vata is crucial to avoid certain health-related inconveniences. This blog discussed various methods of dealing with high Vata, herbs, and home remedies.
Let’s take a look back at what we learned.
- High Vata levels can cause dryness on skin, hair, lips, ears, and joints and lead to bloating, gas, constipation, and dehydration.
- Extremely cold weather, cold food, and other factors can trigger Vata Vikrithi.
- To manage Vata levels, it’s advisable to consume hot soups, stews, cooked vegetables, and slightly nourishing meals that aren’t too quick to digest.
- To maintain healthy Vata levels, various foods should be avoided.
- Ayurvedic herbs such as cardamom, turmeric, Ashwagandha, and Brahmi can help lower aggravated Vata.
- Several home remedies and recipes, including natural herbs, can help manage Vata levels.
The best trick to manage your Vata and other Dosha levels is to have a healthy diet and routine with healthy lifestyle choices. However, this blog discussed tips and remedies to calm excess Vata. Hopefully, this was helpful.
