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otherwise bring your attention to depression, attachment, worry, fear, anxiety, hopelessness,
insecurity, helplessness; avoid cold food, drink & weather / air conditioning, cold dairy, sweets,
yogurt (and especially in evening), aged cheeses, cucumbers; to promote and increase digestive
function affected by this attribute eat pungent foods and spices such as chilies, black pepper,
ginger, cayenne, cumin, ajvain, hing (asafetida), mustard seeds, drink copper water (water stored
overnight in pure copper container); favor hot / moist saunas, hot, moist living climates; meditate
daily to stimulate mental fire, use mustard oil in cooking or externally for its heating property
(when oil is not contraindicated); wear warm clothing, scarves, hats, to prevent chilling in cool,
windy weather, etc.; despite the above advice to walk barefoot for grounding avoid walking on
cold surfaces Cold Warm, ROUGH avoid eating raw foods, which are rough in their nature;
rough surfaces irritate Vata sensibilities; many cleansers are rough to skin so avoid them by using
gloves, etc.; the feature is implied in uneven sleeping surfaces avoid them; avoid experiencing
sentiments that are harsh, cruel, crass, roughSUBTLE those sensory, mental, emotional
experiences which are strong and create impressions on the person should be avoided; alcohol is
subtle and should be minimized/avoided; stimulants generally should be avoided, MOBILE /
ERRATIC avoid excessive physical or mental activity; avoid physical activity that is stop-
and-go in its quality; avoid vigorous physical activity during the Vata time 2-6 PM; daily routine
should be regular to help control this Vata quality; grounding activities help slow down Vata
walking on the earth in bare feet or working in the soil (gardening) with bare hands; gazing at the
mountains helps ground Vata movement; creating bonds with groups and things helps build roots
e.g. owning pets and joining affinity or support groups; swaying, swinging, agitated
movements of limbs is a sign of deficient/defective rest, which suggests that one should stop the
nervous motion and expand and improve the quantity/quality of rest, CLEAR clear quality
accompanies light and rough things or foods, especially air, alcohol and such; one should reduce
exposure to these; take more oily/heavy food (cloudy foods are opposite to clear these include
milk products); viewing colored materials colored light, colors in nature, etc. in the green, red,
orange, and yellow spectra helps balance this feature of Vata (while other colors are strictly
speaking opposite to clear these are not balancing to Vata); alcohol is clear and should be
avoided, BITTER bitter taste in the mouth is indication of high Vata; avoid or reduce bitter
tasting foods such as mustard, collard greens, etc.; bitterness in emotions produces separation /
isolation--situations which provoke it should be avoided; isolation in life also leads to increased
bitterness and suggest a balance of social interaction for a healthy/happy life, ASTRINGENT
avoid or reduce astringent foods as they are drying these include mainly beans, but also
apples, pears, pomegranates, etc.; wind is drying unless especially humid and should be reduced;
RAJAS this feature of the mind, common to Vata, promotes the active / dynamic aspects of
life, addictive behavior, self-centered behavior these features should be avoided as much as
possible.
1. Balance Vata
Avoid its attributes in food, emotions, thinking, lifestyle
control metabolism and the nervous system with dietary, lifestyle, and activity
changes to promote groundedness, heaviness, and oiliness
2. Balance / strengthen digestion
Increase fire component in food, lifestyle
Increase sour and salty foods in diet especially when cold is problematic to the
imbalance
Vata is responsible for all movement, the physical movement of body parts, mental movement of
the mind in the form of thoughts, feelings and emotions, and the process of respiration. Pitta is
responsible for digestion, absorption and assimilation of nutrients. It also digests thoughts and
feelings and transforms them into understanding, comprehension and perception. Kapha
functions to provide the body with structure, stability, support and strength. It aids in the
retention of memory, lubrication of joints, and repair of body parts.
Each of these doshas has its home site in the gastrointestinal tract: vata in the colon, pitta in the
small intestine and kapha in the stomach. In addition, vata is located in the pelvic cavity, bones,
skin, ears, and thighs. Pitta is also found in the stomach, sweat glands, blood, skin, and eyes.
Kapha also resides in the chest, lungs, joints, and spinal fluid.
Five factors that cause aggravation are: diet, lifestyle, emotions, exercise (including too much,
too little, or the wrong kind), and external influences of the seasons, weather, or trauma.
However, diet is the principal cause of disease, and therefore, one of the primary methods of
treatment.
Deranged vata can result in hyperactivity, restlessness, anxiety, insecurity, fear, doubt,
nervousness, insomnia, spaciness, dizziness or ungroundeness. Physical manifestations are
constipation, bloating, abdominal distension, gases, dehydration and emaciation, to name a few.
GRAINS: brown rice, sweet brown rice, basmati rice, wild rice, oats (cooked), amaranth, whole
wheat cereals and pastas, udon noodles
LEGUMES: split mung, red lentils, aduki, tofu, soy beverage
ANIMAL PRODUCTS: eggs, chicken, turkey, fresh and salt water fish, shrimp
VEGETABLES : (in season is best) asparagus, acom squash, artichokes, beets, butternut squash,
carrots, cucumber, green beans, hot peppers, leeks, mustard greens, okra, olives, onions,
parsnips, pumpkins, radish, rutabaga, summer squashes, sweet potato
DAIRY: un-homogenized cows milk, goat milk, cottage cheese, buttermilk, soft cheese, hard
cheese, yoghurt, idle cream, sour cream
FRUITS : apricots, avocados, bananas (ripe), berries (sweet), cherries, melons, oranges,
papayas, peaches, pineapple, plum, rhubarb, raisins (soaked)
NUTS and SEEDS: almonds, Brazils, cashews, hazelnuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachio,
pumpkin, sesame, sunflower, walnuts
SWEETENERS : barley malt, brown rice syrup, ghur, jaggery, fruit juice concentrates, honey,
maple syrup, molasses, sucanat, sugar cane juice.
CONDIMENTS and PICKLES : lemon juice, lime juice, gomasio (sesame seed and sea salt
mixture), Japanese ginger pickle, mayonnaise, mis, natural soy sauce, sweet pickles, sweet
chutney, sea vegetables, sesame seeds, and umeboshi plums
OILS and SPICES: asafetida, ajwain, garlic, ginger, mustard oil, sesame oil (All spices are
good if used moderately and cooked properly.
DRINKS : Aloe Vera juice. Fruit and vegetable juices, smoothies, coffee substitutes (Cafix,
Roma, Pero), herbals teas (chamomile, lavender, licorice, fennel, ginger, raspberry), vegetable
broths.
Foods that aggravate vata are dry, dehydrated foods or gas-producing foods such as raw salads,
potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, potato chips, biscuits, crackers, beans (red and kidney), chick
peas, and cold, fizzy drinks. Lifestyle factors include living in a cold, rainy, windy climate and
overexertion from too much work or strenuous sports like weight-lifting, which can cause
extensive wear and tear on the body tissues. Suppression of natural urges, such as urinating or
coughing, and mental factors, such as suppressing or over-expressing emotions, also lead to
imbalance of vata.
Treatments for vata disorders include remedies, diet and lifestyle factors that have the opposite
properties of vata. Some of these are warmth, heat, oily fluids, lubricants such as ghee, and
spices with warming properties like ginger and black pepper.
Key qualities of Vata diet are warm, heavy, moistening, nourishing, nurturing, soothing,
satisfying and grounding. Warm foods are best, especially stews and simple one dish
meals. Avoid a great variety at one meal.
Use mild spices and a small amount of salt to help prime digestion.
Eating at home is best. Eating fast food is the very worst choice
Beware of allergies. Vata people do not tolerate nightshades (potatoes, tomatoes, peppers,
eggplant) and are often lactose intolerant.
Avoid eating when nervous, anxious, afraid, and deep in thought, or worried or otherwise
distracted.
As Vata digestion is the least strong, pay attention to eating when eating, avoid watching,
television listening to radio, reading, etc.
Eat with people who take pleasure in eating in calm, tidy, clean, and spacious feeling
atmosphere.
Skipping meals is not good, but overeating is worse. Avoid pigging our on anything.
Excess is never good for Vata types.
Vata is increased by age, autumn season, afternoon time, travel, loud noise, cold and
wind. Be chiefly careful with diet at these times or when in these situations.
Qualities of food that balance Vata are: sweet, heavy, sour, salty, oily, and warm. Take
proportionately more of these.
Qualities of food that unbalance Vata are: pungent, bitter, astringent, light, dry cold. Take
less of these and less frequently.
Eat three to four small meals a day at regular times. Leave at least 2 hours between small
meals or snacks.
Eat a good breakfast. Take a hot milky drink at night to help with sound sleep.
Daily, take 5-6 servings of some whole grain or whole grain product, plus.
1 serving of fruit
o Fresh ginger root is beneficial and can be used frequently. During the cool weather, sip
ginger tea throughout the day.
o Touch and be touched regularly by the people you love. Get regular massages
treatments
o Favor warm colors in your clothing and environment such as earth colors, pastels,
browns, and warm yellows.
o Favor aromas that are sweet, heavy, and warm. Examples include basil, bay, cinnamon,
citrus, cloves, frankincense, lavender, pine, sage, and vanilla.
o The best tastes to pacify Vata are sweet, salty and sour. Minimize foods that are
pungent, bitter, or astringent.
o Rice and wheat are the best grains for balancing Vata. Reduce the amount of barley,
corn, millet, buckwheat, and rye.
o Favor sweet, heavy fruits such as: bananas, avocados, mangoes, apricots, plums,
berries, coconut, figs, grapefruit, orange, lemon, melons, papaya, peaches, pineapples,
rhubarb, kiwi, dates, nectarines and dried fruits.
o Eat fewer dry or light fruits such as apples, cranberries, pears, and pomegranates. To
ease digestion, fruits are best eaten lightly cooked or sauted or eaten alone.
o Cooked vegetables are best. Raw vegetables should be minimized. Favor Asparagus,
beets, and carrots. Other vegetables may be taken in moderation if cooked in ghee or
extra virgin olive oil, including peas, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, and sweet
potatoes.
o Sprouts and cabbage tend to produce gas and should be minimized.
o Dairy products pacify Vata. For optimal digestion, boil milk before drinking it and
consume it while warm.
o Spices that pacify Vata include cardamom, cumin, ginger, cinnamon, salt, cloves,
mustard seed, basil, asafetida, cilantro, fennel, oregano, sage, tarragon, thyme, and
black pepper.
o All varieties of nuts are recommended.
o Beans can aggravate Vata, so minimize your consumption of them, with the exception
of tofu and mung bean dahl.
o Indications of balanced vata influences are mental alertness and abundance of creative
energy, good elimination of waste matters from the body, sound sleep, a strong immune
system, enthusiasm, emotional balance, and orderly functioning of the body's systems.
o One of the best bulk building combinations is pineapple juice and coconut milk which
has both the sweet and sour tastes well represented.
o A daily self-massage with a Vata pacifying oil is a metabolism calming intervention.
Use a couple tablespoons of oil after your bath or shower and allow it to soak into your
skin, which is probably on the dry side. Snacking on roasted sesame seeds mixed with
pump golden raisins in another Vata pacifying approach.
o Explore fluidity in your poses. Use gentle movements such as spinal and pelvic
undulation, rotation in the joints, counter-poses, and flexion and extension.
o Stay warm.
o FIVE-SENSES THERAPIESTaste: Emphasize sweet, sour, and salty tastes when
choosing food, herbs, and spices. Sprinkling winter churna on your food every day will
provide these tastes.
o Smell: Sweet, warm aromas, such as lavender, basil, orange, and clove calm vata and
ease fear and anxiety.Sight: Green, yellow, or violet color therapy is also soothing.
o FRUITS
o Generally most sweet fruits
o Apples
o Applesauce
o Apricots
o Avocados
o Bananas
o Berries
o Cherries
o Coconut
o Dates (fresh)
o Durian* (seasonal)
o Figs (fresh)
o Grapefruit
o Grapes
o Guava*
o Kiwi
o Lemons
o Limes
o Longan* (seasonal)
o Lychees*
o Mangoes
o Melons
o Oranges
o Papaya
o Peaches
o Pineapple
o Plums
o Prunes (cooked)
o Raisins (cooked)
o Rambutan (seasonal)
o Rhubarb
o Strawberries
o VEGETABLES
o In general vegetables should be cooked
o Asparagus
o beets
o cabbage (cooked)*
o carrots
o cauliflower*
o cilantro (coriander)
o cucumber
o daikon radish*
o fennel (anise)
o garlic
o green beans
o green chillies
o jerusalem artichoke*
o leafy greens*
o leeks
o lettuce*
o mustard greens*
o okra
o olives (black)
o onions (cooked)*
o parsley*
o parsnip
o peas (cooked)
o potatoes (sweet)
o pumpkin
o radishes (cooked)*
o rutabaga
o spaghetti squash
o spinach (cooked)*
o spinach (raw)*
o sprouts*
o squash summer and winter
o taro root
o turnip greens*
o watercress
o zucchini
o GRAINS and LEGUMES
o Amaranth
o Durham flour
o Lentils* (red)
o mung beans
o mung dal
o Oats
o oats (cooked)
o pancakes
o quinoa
o rice (all kinds)
o seitan (wheat meat)
o soya cheese*
o soya milk*
o soya sausage*
o sprouted wheat bread
o tofu*
o turdal
o urud dal
o wheat
o DAIRY
o butter
o buttermilk
o cheese (hard)*
o cheese (soft)
o cottage cheese
o cows milk
o ghee
o goats cheese
o goats milk
o ice cream*
o sour cream *
o yoghurt (diluted and spiced)*
o ANIMAL FOOD
o Chicken (dark)
o Chicken (white)*
o Duck
o Eggs
o Fish freshwater or sea
o Lamb (as broth)
o Salmon
o Sardines
o Seafood
o Shrimps
o Tunafish
o Turkey (dark)
o NUTS
o almonds
o black walnuts
o brazil nuts
o cashews
o charole
o coconut
o filberts
o hazelnuts
o macadamia nuts
o peanuts
o pecans
o pine nuts
o pistachios
o walnuts
o CONDIMENTS
o black pepper
o chutney (mango) sweet or spicy
o chilli peppers*
o coriander leaves
o dulse
o gomasio
o Hijiki
o Kelp
o ketchup
o kombu
o lemon
o lime
o lime pickle
o mango pickle
o mayonaise
o mustard
o pickles
o salt
o scallions
o seaweed
o soysauce
o sprouts*
o tamari
o vinegar
o SEEDS
o chia
o flax
o halva
o pumpkin
o sesame
o sunflower
o tahini
o OILS
o For internal and external use (most suitable oils at top of list)
o sesame
o ghee
o olive
o (most other oils external use only)
o coconut
o avocado
o BEVERAGES
o all fruit juices to be freshly made
o Almond milk
o Aloe vera juice
o apricot juice
o berry juice (except cranberry)
o carob*
o carrot juice
o chai (hot spiced milk)
o cherry juice
o grain coffee
o grape juice
o grapefruit juice
o lemonade (freshly made)
o mango juice
o miso broth
o orange juice
o papaya juice
o peach nectar
o pineapple juice
o rice milk
o soya milk (hot and well spiced)
o HERB TEAS
o Ajwan
o bancha
o catnip
o chamomile
o chicory
o chrysanthemum
o clove
o comfrey
o elder flower
o eucalyptus
o fennel
o fenugreek
o ginger (fresh)
o hawthorn
o juniper berry
o kukicha *
o lavender
o lemongrass
o licorice
o marshmallow
o oat straw
o orange peel
o penny royal
o peppermint
o raspberry *
o rosehips
o saffron
o sage
o sarsaparilla
o sassafras
o spearmint
o strawberry*
o wintergreen*
o SPICES
o ajwan
o allspice
o alomd extra t
o anise
o basil
o bay leaf
o black pepper
o cardamom
o cayenne*
o cinnamon
o cloves
o ciruabder
o cumin
o curry leaves
o dill
o fennel
o fenugreek*
o garlic
o ginger
o mace
o marjoram
o mint
o mustard seed
o nutmeg
o orange peel
o oregano
o paprika
o parsley
o peppermint
o pippali
o poppy seeds
o rosemary
o saffron
o salt
o savory
o spearmint
o sart anise
o tarragon
o thyme
o turmeric
o vanilla
o wintergreen
o SWEETENERS
o barley malt
o fructose
o fruit juice concentrates
o honey raw and not processed
o molasses
o rice syrup
o sucnat
o turbinado
o FOOD SUPPLEMENTS
o aloe vera juice*
o bee pollen
o amino acids
o minerals
o calcium
o copper iron
o magnesium
o zinc
o royal jelly
o spirulina
o blue green algae
o vitamins A and B complex
o B12 C D and E
o * Food items marked with an asterix should be taken occasionally or not at all
Avoid:
Foods that are bitter, astringent and pungent.
Too much raw food, especially in the mornings and evenings (salads, carrot sticks, raw
fruit, fresh fruit and vegetable juices, etc.)
Highly processed foods (like canned or frozen foods, "TV" dinners or pastries).
Eating fresh fruit or drinking fruit juice within 1/2 hr of any other food.
Hard alcohol.
KAPHA
Include a few dry food in your daily diet to balance the oily nature of kapha, food that are
nourishing but light to counter the heaviness of Kapha. Warm food with a little spice added
to then to balance the sweet, cold quality of Kapha.
Here are some specific dietary tips:
Avoid too many oily food. However, ghee, in very small quantities, can be used as your
cooking medium Steamed food with spices.
Light, warm food balance Kapha. Soups with beans and vegetables, vegetable stews or
dhal (lentil) with vegetable are suitable especially when combined with the recommended
spices. Stay away from too much salt.
Pungent (spicy), bitter and astringent are the three Ayurvedic tastes that help balance
Kapha. Apples, chickpeas cooked with spices or steamed broccoli or cauliflower with a
light oil and spice mixture make healthy choices. Eat less of the salty, sweet and sour
tastes.
Dry cereal, salt-free crackers and rice cakes balance the liquid nature of Kapha Dosha
and make good snacks. Avoid sugary snacks. Honey in small quantities is the
recommended sweetener.
Carrots, asparagus, okra, bitter leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts
are a good vegetable choice. They become more digestible when chopped and cooked with
the recommended spices. Vegetables can be combined with lighter grains or Mung beans
for satisfying one-dish meals.
Fresh green chilli peppers and fresh ginger root add flavour while balancing Kapha.
Avoid nightshade vegetables (potato, tomato, aubergine and peppers).
Choose lighter whole grains, and eat grains in moderation. Barley, buckwheat, quinoa,
millet and couscous are good choices. Basmati rice is the lightest rice and is easier to
digest.
Ayurvedic spices such as turmeric, cumin, coriander, cayenne, black pepper, dried
ginger, cloves and fenugreek are warming and wonderful for balancing Kapha.
Drink a blend of 1 part yoghurt with 6 parts water with the froth removed, warming
herbs and spices may be added to aid digestion. Drink plenty of warm water throughout
the days to helps flush toxin from the body.
Diet specific to each individual and based on disease condition are recommended after
consultation with the doctor.