So you’re Vata is out of wack.

And you’re experiencing one or all of these symptoms:

Vata is out of wack in the mind:

• nervousness, anxiety, panic, fear
• can’t stand loud noises
• light, interrupted sleep – wakin’ up at 3AM for no reason
• spacey, scattered feeling
• excess thinking or worrying

Vata is out of wack in the body:

• twitches, tics, tremors, spasms
• dry or chapped skin
• constipation, gas, bloating, dry, hard stools
• low body weight (or gains excess weight as belly pouch)
• can’t stand cold and wind

But wait Tej, how do I know if I’m #VataImbalancedAF again?

Check out this blog to discover your dosha and what kind of stress imbalance you currently have and then come back to this blog if you find you are Vata Imbalanced.

Vata is the dominant seasonal dosha from mid-October to mid-February. Even for those with less Vata in our makeup, it is important to take steps to keep Vata in balance during this time because of its seasonal influence.

BALANCING YOUR VATA

Vatas are prone to Mental Stress.

If excessive challenges and lifestyle habits manifests as mental stress which leads to your Vata force becoming imbalanced, your activity will start to feel out of control. Your mind starts racing, contributing to anxiety and insomnia (which is no bueno when you have young kiddos). Your toddler leftovers start being your meals and your digestion gets out of wack.

To balance out Vata, Ayurveda has given us dietary, lifestyle and herbal treatment strategies and Yoga has given us (postures), pranayama (breathing), mantras, and meditation.

According Ayurveda the mind, body and soul are connected. So when you took the quiz you might be experiencing either a Vata mind imbalance or a Vata body imbalance.

If you experience anxiety, you’re a chronic worry-wart or always future trippin you have a Vata imbalanced mind. If you have bloating, gas, constipation you have excess air and movement in the body so you have a Vata imbalanced body.

Vata is like the wind energy. Its fast moving, unpredictable, cool and constantly shifting. To balance Vata, make choices that bring warmth, stability, and consistency to your life.

Vata mamas are Gwyenth Paltrow and Kourtney Kardashian

SECRET TO BALANCING VATA IS : ROUTINE || WARMTH || GROUNDING || SERENE

ROUTINE

A regular lifestyle routine helps ground Vata so you don’t become spacey, forgetful and flighty. If you notice the early symptoms of a Vata imbalance above, slow down, take time to meditate, don’t skip meals, and get to bed earlier.

The idea is to facilitate a sense of predictability in certain aspects of your life. Life with kids is always unpredictable and I’m suggesting you live your life like a robot but whenever you get lost in the midst of the day create some anchors during the day that are always consistent.

Schedule:  Try to get to bed before 10 p.m., wake up by 6 a.m.,

Eat three nourishing meals a day, and eat them at around the same times each day.  Breakfast around 7- AM. Don’t skip meals, especially breakfast. Eat lunch, the heaviest meal of the day, close to noon. Eat a lighter meal, such as mung bean soup, for dinner. No later than 7. Your last meal of the day should be done at least three hours before you go to bed. And have an Intermittent fast for at least 12 hours so your food can digest. If you snack in-between meals, eat nuts and raisins soaked in water (dried fruits aggravate Vata) or fruit for a healthy dose of energy.

Only put 3-5 tasks on your daily to-do list, anything more and you’ll go into frantic rushing mode.

If you are experiencing gassiness and bloating, take warm sesame oil and massage your belly in clockwise motion every morning before eating to get your digestion system workin.

It’s ideal for Vatas to enjoy the serene and quiet morning hours to start their day from a calm and grounded state of mind with meditation or some deep breathing or light body movement like.

WARMTH

Green juices and Kale Salads are not your BFFs –girl nobody wants to smell your toots so just avoid cold/raw foods periods esp in the morning. Cereals, smoothies, yogurt parfaits and granola are no bueno for breakfast. Stick to protein pancakes, oatmeal, omelettes. Anything that is WARM. 

Feeling Cold is your Kryptonite. Use your partners feet as warmers if you must but always try to keep your chest and feet warm. Wear socks in summer, always keep a cardigan with you esp if you are gonna be in the blasting AC and sleep with a weighted blanket at night. Your mind + nervous system will thank you.

Ditch Coffee and Drink ginger tea. Fresh ginger root is great for the tummy and keeps your nervous system calm and warm. Esp during the cool weather, sip warm ginger and lemon tea throughout the day.  Shred some in waterwith a few squirts of lemon (and pinch of turmeric if you want) and boil together.  And always sip on room temp not ice cold water always (even in summer)

And while you’re at it, ditch hard alcohol and don’t drink white wine in the winter.

GROUNDING

To get out of your mind you gotta get into your body. These are the mamas who come to me and say they struggle being present with their kids (my hands raised).

Grounding yoga poses. Butterfly, Downdog, and Childs pose slows down your mind and connects you to the earth. Hold each pose for 2 minutes and you have done a 6 minute grounding Yoga series. You don’t need much more time than that in the morning. (Don’t know how to do these simple poses? Just Google them!)

Stick with light exercise that enhances balance, center and flexibility. Don’t  push yourself too much and exceed the limits of your energy. No Orange Theory, Marathons or Cross Fit when you’re imbalanced mamas.

Good exercises for Vata Mamas include:

• Yoga (Hatha, Hot, Vinyasa, Kundalini)
• Walking (outside for bonus points)
• Short hikes
• Light bicycling (no Soul Cycle ya’ll just a 20 min stroll on Peloton)
• Dance party time
• Barre/Pilates

SALTY

Salt is naturally grounding thats why we crave crunchy snacks like potato chips when we are anxious. It’s the crunch and the salt but crackers and chips are full of air and aggravate Vata.

Get Salty the right way

Himalayan salts: Cook with pure Himalayan sea salt. Don’t go crazy but cook with the pink salt than the processed stuff.

Take Epsom Salt baths or don’t make time for baths, get a Himalayan salt scrub to use in the shower. This is my fav.

Be sure to scrub your heart area and rub your belly in a circular clockwise motion.

Salt therapies like floating tanks or Himalayan salt rooms are great too.

VATA PACIFYING DIET

According to Ayurveda, it’s important to eat foods that have a balancing effect on the dominant dosha, or that will pacify (stabilize) a dosha that has become excessive or aggravated.

“Warm” and “cooked” are key factors in the Vata-pacifying diet.  Since Vata is drying, cooling and light, you should favor foods that are oily, warming, or heavy.

Nourishing soups and stews, hot cereals, hearty grains, wholesome warm beverages like golden milk are great for cold fall and winter days.

Lay off the cold foods. No ice cream, kale salads, or green juices when imbalanced and when in balance only consume this during mid-day around noon when your digestive fire (or agni) is the most powerful.

Hint ** Favor foods that are liquid rather than dry, and warm rather than cold.

EATING TIPS:

Eat larger quantities, but don’t overeat. This helps to balance the lightness of Vata.

Fats and oils are beneficial in the digestive system and help reduce Vata. Use up to three teaspoons daily of ghee or extra virgin olive oil.

Rice and wheat are the best grains for balancing Vata. Reduce the amount of barley, corn, millet, buckwheat, and rye that you consume.

Favor sweet, sour and heavy fruits such as bananas, avocados, mangoes, apricots, plums, berries, coconut, figs, grapefruit, oranges, lemons, melons, papaya, peaches, pineapples, rhubarb, kiwi, dates, nectarines, and dried fruits.

Eat fewer dry or light fruits such as apples, cranberries, pears, and pomegranates. To ease digestion, fruits are best eaten lightly cooked or sautéed, or eaten alone.

Cooked vegetables are best. Veggies should be eaten cooked and sorry raw salads Beets, carrots, asparagus and sweet potatoes are good choices. Sparingly and cooked or roasted in ghee,  extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil including peas, broccoli, green leafy veggies (cut the thick fibrous parts) cauliflower, zucchini, celery and potatoes are good. Sprouts and cabbage tend to produce gas and should be minimized.

Use spices that pacify Vata including cardamom, cumin, ginger, cinnamon, salt, cloves, mustard seed, basil, cilantro, fennel, oregano, sage, tarragon, thyme, and black pepper (in moderation).

Go nuts with the nuts!

Beans will make you fart. Go easy on the beans cause the saying is true but with the exception of mung bean dahl.

For non-vegetarians, use fresh, organic chicken, turkey, seafood, and eggs.

There you have it.

Ayurvedic lifestyle practices to balance out your Vata. But this is only half of the tools. You also need yogic lifestyle practices as well to experience a quicker shift and balance. 

YOUR NEXT STEPS…

LOOKING FOR VATA-PACIFYING YOGIC TOOLS LIKE BREATHING AND MEDITATIONS?

Check out my 7 Day Stress Detox Course where you will learn simple Ayurvedic and yogic resets you can do in 3 minutes or less that is necessary for any mom wants to stay calm and control her responses in the face of challenges and become the most present, patient and peaceful parent.

*For Clarity’s Sake: The information in this article is intended for your educational use only; and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition and before undertaking any diet, supplement, fitness, or other health program.