Ayurveda means “science of life” and refers to the 5,000-year-old science that began in India when rishi (sages) compiled guidelines regarding diet, treatment of disease and illness. There are three mind-body types, or doshas. Vata represent ether and space and is easy to identify in an individual. Vatas are thin, wiry, slender with irregular appetites and irregular digestion. Dryness is a theme: dry hair, brittle nails, dry skin and constipation. Movement is their motto. Talkative and in motion, a Vata can be a whirling dervish.
Instructions
1. Maintain a regular routine. Eat at the same times and do not skip meals! Vatas’ changing appetites may find them ravenous one day and actually forgetting to eat the next. Engrossed in a project, Vatas’ realize they are late and hurry out, anxious to not be late. All the movement and lack of nourishment would result in more worry and anxiety.
2. Favor foods that are moist, sweet, salty or sour. Eating easily digested cooked foods such as steamed seasonal vegetables, whole grains with ghee or flax seed oil and dulse (seaweed) is a Vata-pacifying meal. It combines all 5 tastes of Ayurveda: sweet, sour, salty, bitter and astringent. Do not eat an entirely raw food diet: this is Vata-aggravating. Fresh fruits are fine, but better yet are poached apples in maple syrup drizzed with low-fat yogurt. Comfort foods are those that will ground a Vata’s flightiness.
3. Exercise moderately. Thin by nature and not very muscular, vatas may tire easily or allow their active minds to keep them busy. Yoga, mellow biking, walking and other non-competitive activities are appropriate. Exercise of all types releases endorphins and provides an outlet for the self-critical Vata to decompress without exercising to exhaustion.
4. Cover the head and belly. Vatas in high wind or a cool room can be easily distracted. Cover the head with a scarf, hat or baseball cap in summer. Do not expose the belly, no matter how fashionable. Drape a sarong around yourself at the beach or wear a poncho. Vatas often complain of cold hands and feet: covering the head and belly in all kinds of weather traps body heat.
5. Go to sleep at the same time every night. Activated by their constantly inquisitive minds, Vatas can get a second wind at 10 p.m. and find themselves still alert and awake at 2 a.m.—only to crash at the office during a 10 a.m. meeting. Getting adequate rest consistently grounds this Vata chaos.
6. Write things down. Vatas are the friendly, energetic, scatter-brained people we know and love. Make shopping lists and outline tasks at work to not let Vata forgetfulness make you stressed. Memory is not a reflection of intelligence--Vatas are often extremely bright, they just can’t remember to buy bread at the market until it is written on a piece of paper.
7. Practice non-judgment. When Vatas become imbalanced, it is easy for them to turn their considerable intelligence into a laser beam of critical evaluation onto themselves. Inject a sense of humor and playfulness instead. Make a list of "fun ambitions" such as learning crochet or play tennis.
8. Make time for play; allow the inner child to roam. Volunteer to work with children or with other big children like yourself. Create community service projects and invite friends to join you. This gives Vatas a perspective that brings them out of self-critical behavior and allows others to benefit from their talents and sharp wit.
9. Provide time for quiet reflection. Meditation can be simply sitting comfortably with eyes closed for 15 to 20 minutes, twice a day. Easily pulled into activity, Vatas are well-served by practicing pratyahara: drawing their finely tuned senses inside, to recharge. Cover the eyes with a sleep mask if you are easily distracted during meditation.
Tags: Cover head, easily distracted, head belly