Everything You Need to Know about Vata Dosha is here 

Ayurveda mentions the three prime elements of our body. These are Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. These elements decide your body type. These are important as Ayurveda treats each disease considering these individual body types.

It designs all treatments for individual people by looking at their composition of Vata, pitta, and Kapha nature. This helps individual patients to be healed at their pace & energy according to their customised treatment. 

This blog aims to discuss what is Vata dosha and its characteristics. Here you will get to read the fine details of Vata dosha. 

What is Vata Dosha? 

Vata’s literal meaning is to flow like the wind. Vata manages the flow of the body elements. It resembles two of the five elements of the body- air & space. Vata dosha regulates the regular flow of breathing, movements of thoughts, and also the evacuation of waste materials from our bodies. Vata element js light, cold, dry moving, changeable, subtle, rock, rough, and quick. Vata dosha is the pioneer of the body. It balances the other two doshas as well. As the movement of other doshas is dependent on Vata, it becomes a very vital component of the body. 

Characteristics of the Vata Dosha: 

Ayurveda further divides Vata dosha into five subparts. These subdivisions or sub-doshas process differently in our bodies. Each of them explains a movement and processes separate actions in our body. These five sub-division are as follows. 

• Prana Vayu
• Samana Vayu
• Vyana Vayu
• Udana Vayu
• Apana Vayu

1. Prana Vayu: 

Prana Vayu is also known as the Nervous force. It goes from the stomach to the throat and into the cerebrum. It administers inhaling, exhaling, sneezing, spitting, belting, and flow of water, food, and air into the body. It also has some cosmic effects on the body. It governs the heart, mind, senses, and consciousness and also the cosmic life energy. It helps you to stay positive and full of spirit. 

2. Samana Vayu: 

Samana Vayu works as an equaliser in the body. Its presence is from the small intestine and nervous system behind the digestive frame of the body. It governs digestion and helps balance the Prana & Apana. 

3. Vyana Vayu: 

This air sits at the position in the heart. It dissipates the airflow, blood flow, and nourishment. It helps create blood and other liquids to circulate and produce locomotion, extension, contraction, secretion, and discharge of impulses. 

4. Udana Vayu:

Udana Vayu extends from the throat to the uppermost part of the head. Situated in the chest, it controls memory, valour, enthusiasm, endeavour, speech, energy, and other methods of communication by the body. It also decides our desires in life. Alongside the material world, Udana Vayu helps us to the various astral planes according to our karma after death. Practising Yoga is a good way to control & adopt it. 

5. Apana Vayu: 

Apana Vayu is centred in the colon and extends from the navel to the anus. It governs the elimination of waste, urination, menstruation, parturition, and sexual activities. As it carries life force downwards, it sets a limit to the Vata element. Disturbance of Apana Vayu is a common cause of Vata issues. Therefore it is the prime consideration when treating Vata issues. 

How to Balance Your Vata Dosha: 

1. Start Meditation: 

Meditation is one thing that can calm all elements of your body. Especially it helps you to balance your Vata element. Several other healthy activities such as massage, steam sessions, and heat treatment. Proper flow of air & blood reduce ache & pain in your body. 

2. Nourish Your Mind & Body: 

What we intake as our food affects our health. Cold food, frozen food, beans, and dried food disturbs the balance of the Vata element. Eating sweet, sour, and salty flavours helps balance Vata in your body. Oily & rich foods are also helpful in the same. 

3. Stay Warm, Stay Calm: 

Keeping yourself warm is a fine way to balance your Vata. Also being relaxed helps you to feel cheerful all the time. Warm beds, showers, heat treatments, and oil massaging are wonderful activities for balancing your Vata. You can have a session for Ayurvedic massage Abhyanga which is complete. Electric warming pads, hot stones, and steam chambers too. In ancient days people used to lie down on a heated stone to balance their Vata.

Food Habits to Balance Vata in Your Body: 

When you come to the Vata dosha, food plays a much more important part than you think. A peaceful environment and fully focused eating are what keep Vata in balance. Also these nourishing and fulfilling food items are important because they support your appetite, nourishment of your body, and elimination of your body’s waste. 

1. Breakfast: 

It is the most important meal of the day. This breaks your overnight fast and lets you have an energetic day ahead. This nourishes the Vata element in your body. 

• Eggs, avocado, butter toast, and sauteed veggies are good breakfast food items. 
• Take hot milk, rice pudding, and oats meals are another Vata-balancing diet. 
• You can intake break with maple syrup, honey, almond butter, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. 

2. Lunch: 

Keep this as your hearty meal. It will help you to control your Vata and also to reduce the zeal of having snacks in between. Include the below food items in your lunch. 

• Salad, moong dal, cooked beans, and coconut tossed in a dressing of lemon & vinegar. 
• Steamed rice, Green vegetable, and fish. 
• Soup, potato leek soup, pesto, baked tofu, and pine nuts are great options too. 

3. Dinner: 

For a healthy Vata, keep your dinner light and nourishing. Keep it light as your body will rest at night. Try the below food items in your diet. 

• Soups made of any vegetable. 
• Baked potato, sweet potato, beans, or any other light option. 

Conclusion: 

The Vata element in our body plays a pioneering role in our body. It includes the air & space elements present in the body. It governs the movement of liquid & air and also is responsible for the movement of the other two Doshas. 

The blog describes what is Vata Dosha and its nature. It also explains its characteristics and how to balance them. A very natural process of balancing it is food. Focus on your intake and you will see natural results.