General Guidelines for Balancing Vata this fall

Fall is here and dry, cool, windy VATA is more dominant! Ayurveda Principles...

Ayurveda is beginning to blossom in the West because of its practical approach to self care. At it's foundation, Ayurveda is logical, accessible and truly holistic. With a few basic concepts we are able to maintain and restore balance physically, mentally and emotionally
In Fall the air element is dominant. In Ayurveda we call this the Vata time of year. Imagine a windy Autumn day. The air is dry, cool and moving. Vata, like the wind, cannot be sensed directly. Its expression is more subtle. We experience Vata by the way it colors our physical, mental and emotional experience. As these qualities in nature increase during the fall and winter seasons these qualities in our nature increase as well.

General Guidelines for Balancing Vata:

Follow a regular daily routine
Keep calm, meditate, listen to calming music, breathe, relax
Keep warm, avoid extreme cold. Take warm showers and baths
Do gentle exercises like yoga, tai chi, take walks, swim
Massage the body daily with warm sesame oil
Go to bed early, rest when tired, take naps
Follow creative and artistic passions

Diet:

Foods that are in season such as root vegetables and winter squash will help nourish and balance the body. Try carrots, beets, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, acorn, butternut, delicata and buttercup squashes. These have the qualities of sweet, heavy, smooth, dense and moist and are most balancing for vata. Casseroles, soups and stews are easily digested and can be very nourishing for Vata, warming the body from the inside out.

• Eat warm, nourishing, fresh cooked foods and warming spices
• Favor foods with sweet, sour and salty tastes.
• Limit foods with bitter, pungent and astringent tastes
• Eat warming spices like ginger, cumin, coriander, cardamom, black pepper, and cinnamon
• Incorporate ghee (we have some for sale at Yoga Moves by the way!), sesame oil and other healthful oils in the diet
• Avoid ice cold drinks, particularly taken with meals or immediately after
• Limit raw, cold foods such as salads and raw vegetables
• Minimize caffeinated beverages and other stimulants

Interested in how to stay in balance?

We have two specialists that can help you at Yoga Moves:

Liese van Dam is offering workshops and lectures on relevant topics and Susan Pulley is offering a Hatha Yoga class every week based on Ayurveda principles. She is also available for private consultancy to help you find a way to work with your practice, diet and lifestyle in a more balanced way.