Dine for your doshic imbalance

Dine for your doshic imbalance

Regardless of body type, imbalances of any dosha can occur in response to lifestyle factors. Consider this: naturally athletic pittas can lose weight due to vata excess, or gain weight as a result of kapha excess. Ayurveda repairs imbalances predominantly with herbal remedies, warm oil massages, yoga, and lifestyle changes, particularly diet.

The Ayurvedic diet identifies six tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent and astringent. Each taste has different energetic effects on the mind and body; either aggravating or pacifying particular doshas. For example, considering Ayurveda's theory of 'like increase like', someone with pitta excess may add fuel to the fire by consuming hot, spicy foods. 
 

Balancing vata

"When vata is aggravated, your system becomes irregular and depleted, which affects weak organs and tissues," 

Additional signs of vata imbalance:

·         Constipation

·         Dehydration

·         Anxious

·         Craving warmth

·         Frequent viral infection

·         Weight loss

·         Disturbed sleep

Excessive consumption of bitter, astringent and spicy tastes contribute to vata imbalance. Prasad recommends pacifying with sweet, sour and salty tastes and warm, moist, easily digestible foods like:

·         Boiled or steamed starchy vegetables (moderate broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini and leafy vegetables)

·         Ripe fruits

·         Warm milk (moderate dairy)

·         Soupy grains: rice, wheat

·         Mild spices: cumin, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, fennel, coriander, salt, cloves, mustard, black pepper

·         Tea: camomile, fennel, ginger, liquorice, lemon

"Nourishing soups, casseroles and dahls are great for balancing vata, particular during winter," 

Balancing pitta

"When pitta is unbalanced, you can become aggressive and irritable. Internalising that fire can increase your self-critic, resulting in perfectionism," says Dr Matthews.

Additional signs of imbalance:

·         Diarrhoea

·         Over-heating, profuse sweating

·         Colourful, violent dreams

·         Excessive hunger

·         Frequent bacterial infections

·         Heartburn

Dr Prasad believes pitta imbalance may result from excessive alcohol or hot, spicy, oily, fried, salty, fermented foods. He suggests rebalancing with sweet, bitter and astringent tastes and cool, heavy foods including:

·         Boiled, steamed, raw vegetables

·         Sweet fruits

·         Moderate amounts of dairy

·         Soupy grains: rice, wheat, barley, oats

·         Mild, cooling spices: coriander, cardamom, cloves, turmeric, cumin, curry leaves, mint

·         Tea: fennel, camomile, peppermint, spearmint, liquorice, red clover

Balancing kapha

"When kapha is unbalanced, there is a tendency for mental and physical stagnation. Stimulation of all kinds helps to avoid that heavy, lethargic feeling,"  

Additional signs of imbalance:

·         Sluggish bowels

·         Procrastination

·         Craving warmth, spicy foods

·         Frequent candida

·         Water retention

·         Weight gain

·         Excessive sleep

Excessive food consumption can contribute to kapha imbalance, and recommends a light, warm, low-fat diet of pungent, bitter and astringent tastes like:

·         Boiled, steamed, raw vegetables

·         Ripe fruits (except banana)

·         Fat-free buttermilk (other dairy reduced)

·         Grains: corn, millet, rye, oats, barley, wheatbran

·         Strong spices: pepper, paprika, salt, garlic, basil, cloves, allspice, fennel, mustard, turmeric, cumin, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, black pepper

·         Honey instead of sugar

·         Tea: cinnamon, fenugreek, peppermint, raspberry

In the wise world of Ayurveda, you really are what you eat; so discover and dine for your dosha to restore holistic health of hips, head and heart.

Ayurveda

Ayurveda is a holistic science of health, focusing on maintaining a physically and emotionally balanced state. In Ayurveda, every individual is unique and there is no diet or lifestyle routine that works for everyone. Prevention is key. Ayurveda focuses on providing specific advice and guidance on how to maintain physical and emotional health. Food and lifestyle routines are considered the most important medicine. If you come to an Ayurvedic doctor with a complaint, you are more likely to leave with a recipe than with a prescription for pills.

Ayurveda is based on the principles of three doshas. Doshas are the energies that make up every individual, which perform different physiological functions in the body:

The 3 Dosha types:

1. Vata Dosha -- Energy that controls bodily functions associated with motion, including blood circulation, breathing, blinking, and your heartbeat.

• In balance: There is creativity and vitality.
• Out of balance: Can produce fear and anxiety.

2. Pitta Dosha -- Energy that controls the body's metabolic systems, including digestion, absorption, nutrition, and your body's temperature.

·        In balance: Leads to contentment and intelligence.

·        Out of balance: Can cause ulcers and anger.

3. Kapha Dosha -- Energy that controls growth in the body. It supplies water to all body parts, moisturizes the skin, and maintains the immune system.

·        In balance: Expressed as love and forgiveness.

·        Out of balance: Can lead to insecurity and envy.

Each person has all three Doshas, but usually one or two dominate. Various Dosha proportions determine one's physiological and personality traits, as well as general likes and dislikes. For example Vata types will prefer hot weather to cold and Kapha types are more likely to crave spicy foods than other types.

Vata Predominant Types:

Creative; Quick to learn and grasp new knowledge, but also quick to forget, Slender; Tall and a fast-walker; Tendency toward cold hands and feet, discomfort in cold climates; Excitable, lively, fun personality; Changeable moods; Irregular daily routine; High energy in short bursts; Tendency to tire easily and to overexert; Full of joy and enthusiasm when in balance; Responds to stress with fear, worry, and anxiety, especially when out of balance; Tendency to act on impulse; Often have racing, disjointed thoughts; Generally have dry skin and dry hair and don't perspire much.

Pitta Predominant Types: Medium physique, strong, well-built; Sharp mind, good concentration powers; Orderly, focused; Assertive, self-confident, and entrepreneurial at their best; Aggressive, demanding, pushy when out of balance; Competitive, enjoy challenges; Passionate and romantic; Strong digestion, strong appetite, get irritated if they have to miss or wait for a meal; When under stress, Pittas become irritated and angry; Skin fair or reddish, often with freckles; sunburns easily; Uncomfortable in sun or hot weather, heat makes them very tired; Perspire a lot; Good public speakers; Generally good management and leadership ability, but can become authoritarian; Subject to temper tantrums, impatience, and anger; Typical physical problems include rashes or inflammations of the skin, acne, boils, skin cancer, ulcers, heartburn, acid stomach, insomnia, dry or burning eyes.

Kapha Predominant Types: Easygoing, relaxed, slow-paced; Affectionate and loving; Forgiving, compassionate, nonjudgmental nature; Stable and reliable; faithful; Physically strong and with a sturdy, heavier build; Have the most energy of all constitutions, but it is steady and enduring; Slow speech, reflecting a deliberate thought process; Slower to learn, but outstanding long-term memory; Soft hair and skin; tendency to have large "soft" eyes and a low, soft voice; Tend toward being overweight; may also suffer from sluggish digestion; Prone to depression; More self-sufficient; Gentle, and essentially undemanding approach to life; Excellent health, good immune system; Very calm; strive to maintain harmony and peace in their surroundings; Not easily upset and can be a point of stability for others; Tend to be possessive and hold on to things. Don't like cold, damp weather; Physical problems include colds and congestion, sinus headaches, respiratory problems including asthma, allergies, and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).

Vata Dinacharya 

With Vata as your predominant dosha, you love to be spontaneous and creative. You can easily get so absorbed in a creative project that you forget to eat and stay up half the night. Of all the doshas, Vata types tend to have the most inconsistent daily routine. You might wake up at 6 a.m. one morning, and then sleep in past 10 a.m. the next day. You may live in a whirl of activity, eat on the run, and find your thoughts racing through your mind.

While our society encourages rushing and multitasking, Vatas are particularly vulnerable to becoming imbalanced and ill when they don’t have a daily routine that includes regular periods of both rest and activity. When you accumulate too much of the Vata elements of space and wind, this imbalance can manifest as illness, including anxiety, insomnia, arthritis, headaches, fibromyalgia, and digestive disorders. However, by creating a nurturing daily routine, you can restore and maintain balance and radiant health.

Ayurveda prescribes a complete daily routine that balances all of the doshas. However, in modern society many people would struggle to find the time to complete all of the steps of the traditional routine. For this reason, we’re offering you a simpler, more doable daily routine tailored to the specific needs of the Vata dosha.

Morning

Wake up at the same time every day. This will help you develop a good routine and ensure you get abundant, restful sleep. This is vital for Vatas, who tend to push themselves to the point of physical or mental exhaustion.

When you get up, drink a glass of warm water. This signals your physiology to eliminate toxins.

Meditate for 10 minutes, or longer if you can, letting the inner quiet set the tone for your day. Set an intention, something simple such as, “Today I feel centered and joyful in everything I do.”

Massage your body with a nourishing, warming oil such as sesame or almond. You may also want to gently rub a drop of sesame oil inside your nasal passages, which have a tendency to become dry in Vata types.

Bathe.

Wear clothing made with soft fabrics in earth tones and mild pastel shades, which calm Vata types.

Practice a Vata-balancing yoga sequence (this takes less than 10 minutes).

Eat a healthy breakfast with awareness.

Perform your morning work and activity. Focus on one thing at a time. The brain can’t actually multitask, so trying to type an email while answering a call and planning a trip will only create Vata imbalances in your mind-body system.

Throughout the day, drink lots of warm liquids such as hot water and herbal teas to prevent dehydration. You can prepare a fresh ginger tea by placing a teaspoon of fresh grated ginger into a pint thermos bottle and filling it with hot water.

Mid-Day

Eat lunch between noon and 1 p.m. in a calm, peaceful environment. In Ayurveda, lunch is the largest meal of the day because your digestive fire is strongest at this time. Eat foods that are warming, fresh, and well cooked; avoid dry or uncooked foods, especially salads and raw fruits and vegetables.

Sit quietly for five minutes after eating.

Walk for 5 to 15 minutes to aid digestion.

Perform your afternoon work and activity.

If you like, take a short nap sometime between 2 and 4 p.m.

Remember to stay warm. Vata is a cold, dry dosha, so it’s important to make sure your home and work place are well heated and that the air has enough humidity. Since Vata is extremely sensitive to moving air, it’s wise to avoid drafts or sitting near fans or ventilators.

Meditate around sunset.

 Evening

Give yourself time to wind down before dinner. You may want to get some light exercise or spend a little time outside in nature.

Eat a light dinner by 7 p.m. Enjoy some time with friends or family in a relaxed, loving setting.

Sit quietly for five minutes after eating.

Walk for 5 to 15 minutes to aid digestion.

 Bedtime

Avoid overly exciting, dynamic, or intensely concentrated work in the evening. Begin winding down for sleep at least 30 minutes before you intend to go to bed. Enjoy some inspirational or light reading.

Enjoy a relaxing, warm bath before bed; add a few drops of aromatic oil such as vanilla, lavender, sandalwood, or rose to the water.

Aim to be in bed with the lights off by 10:30 p.m.

Sleep on your back

Commit to following an ideal daily routine for one week. Without being overly compulsive, try following a program that aligns your daily rhythms with those of nature.

Pitta Dinacharya 

With Pitta as your predominant dosha, you’re naturally intense, joyous, and focused on fulfilling your dreams and desires. However, if you accumulate an excess of the Pitta elements of fire and water, you can find yourself feeling Pitta-inflamed, with symptoms of irritability, impatience, and rigid or controlling behavior.

An accumulation of Pitta can also manifest in a variety of health issues, including skin rashes, acne, high blood pressure, hemorrhoids, and acid indigestion. By creating a daily routine that balances Pitta, you can turn down your internal heat and return to your innate state of radiant health.

Ayurveda prescribes a complete daily routine that balances all of the doshas. However, in modern times many people would struggle to find the time to complete all of the steps of the traditional routine. For this reason, we’re offering you a simpler, more doable daily routine tailored to the specific needs of the Pitta dosha.

Morning

Wake up by 6 a.m. every day. This will help you develop a good routine and ensure you get abundant, restful sleep. This is important for Pittas, who tend have trouble falling or staying asleep when they feel stressed and out of balance.

When you get up, drink a glass of warm water. This signals your physiology to eliminate toxins.

Meditate for 10 minutes, or longer if you can, letting the inner quiet set the tone for your day. Set an intention for your day—something simple such as, “Every step I take is filled with calm and ease.”

Massage your body with cooling and soothing oils such as coconut, sunflower, or olive.

Take a cool shower or bath.

Get dressed, choosing clothing in cooling colors such as blue, green, and silver.

Practice a Pitta-balancing yoga sequence (this takes less than 10 minutes).

Eat a healthy breakfast with awareness.

Perform your morning work and activity.

Leave plenty of “space” in your schedule between appointments and due dates. Pittas tend to overschedule themselves and then become stressed by the time pressure. Whenever you find yourself feeling pressured or irritated, focus your attention on taking three slow, deep breaths.

Mid-Day

Eat lunch between noon and 1 p.m. In Ayurveda, lunch is the largest meal of the day because your digestive fire is strongest at this time. Favor sweet, bitter, and astringent foods and reduce pungent, salty, and sour flavors. Eat slowly and mindfully.

Sit quietly for five minutes after eating.

Walk for 5 to 15 minutes to aid digestion. Walking slowly along a natural body of water is deeply healing. Allow the water’s cooling influence to calm and soothe you. If you don’t live near the ocean or a lake, take a walk where there is lush vegetation or simply lie down in the grass in your backyard or a park. The color of greens plants, blue sky, and rich earth are wonderfully pacifying for Pitta types.

Perform your afternoon work and activity.

Meditate around sunset.

Avoid engaging in intense exercise or competitive sports in the late afternoon or evening as this will spark your Pitta spirit too close to bedtime.

Evening

Eat lightly at dinner and do not eat after 7:00 p.m.

Sit quietly for five minutes after eating.

Walk for 5 to 15 minutes to aid digestion.

Enjoy a relaxed evening. Spend time with friends and family, appreciating the gifts of loving relationships.

Bedtime

Avoid overly exciting, dynamic, or intensely concentrated work in the evening. Begin winding down for sleep at least 30 minutes before you intend to go to bed. Enjoy some inspirational or light reading.

Enjoy a relaxing, warm bath before bed, adding a few drops of aromatic oils such as rose, lavender, or sandalwood to the water.

Aim to be in bed with the lights off by 10:30 p.m.

Sleep on your right side

Commit to following an ideal daily routine for one week. Without being overly compulsive, try following a program that aligns your daily rhythms with those of nature.

Kapha Dinacharya 

With Kapha as your predominant dosha, you’re naturally grounded and calm. You move at your own pace and enjoy the sweetness of life, love, and relationships. However, if you accumulate an excess of the Kapha elements of water and earth, you will experience sluggishness, dullness, and inertia. Everything takes much more effort to accomplish, and you may feel like you are moving through molasses. 

An accumulation of Kapha can also manifest in a variety of health issues, including allergies, diabetes, bronchitis, sinus problems, depression, and obesity. By creating a daily routine that balances Kapha, you can begin to “lighten up” and get your energy flowing again. 

Ayurveda prescribes a complete daily routine that balances all of the doshas. However, in modern society many people would struggle to find the time to complete all of the steps of the traditional routine. For this reason, we’re offering you a more doable daily routine tailored to the specific needs of the Kapha dosha.

Keep in mind that what works best for Kapha is to include variety within a routine. Since Kaphas have a tendency to get stuck in ruts, find ways to include novelty and excitement to your days. This can be as simple as trying a new route to work, or as elaborate as planning a vacation to a new destination. In general, make choices that are warm, light, energizing, and purifying.

Morning

Wake up just before 6 a.m. In Ayurveda, the period between 6 and 10 a.m. is a time of increased Kapha energy, so by getting up before this Kapha period, you’ll avoid that feeling of heaviness you can get even after a good night’s sleep. 

When you get up, drink a glass of warm water. This signals your physiology to eliminate toxins.

Meditate for 10 minutes, or longer if you can, letting the inner quiet set the tone for your day. Set an intention for your day—something simple such as, “I enjoy vital energy in every cell of my body.”

Massage your body with light, warming oils such as safflower or sunflower. Bathe.

Wear clothing in bright colors that energize Kapha, such as yellow, orange, and red.  If you don’t like wearing those colors, use them in your environment. For example, set a vase of vibrant sunflowers on your desk at work, or choose a piece of artwork that has vibrant Kapha-balancing tones.

Practice a Kapha-balancing yoga sequence (this takes less than 10 minutes).

Eat a healthy breakfast with awareness.

Perform your morning work and activity.

Exercise every day. Try invigorating practices such as running, bicycling, swimming, and dancing. You don’t have to exercise for hours at a time—even 20 minutes will energize you. Though, as a Kapha, you can benefit by exercising for longer periods. Aim for between 45 and 60 minutes. The most important thing is to be sure to break a sweat every day. You may also enjoy participating in competitive sports or outdoor activities that include an element of risk or excitement, such as rock climbing, sea kayaking, or white-water rafting.       

Throughout the day, sip on warm, ginger tea, which is delicious and invigorating for Kapha.

Mid-Day

Eat lunch between noon and 1 p.m. In Ayurveda, lunch is the largest meal of the day because your digestive fire is strongest at this time. Favor lighter, drier foods with pungent, bitter, and astringent tastes. Eat slowly and mindfully. Not only will this help your digestion but it will also help you realize when you’ve had enough.

Sit quietly for five minutes after eating.

Walk for 5 to 15 minutes to aid digestion.

Perform your afternoon work and activity. Avoid taking an afternoon nap as this will increase the Kapha dosha in your mind-body system.

Meditate around sunset.

Evening

Eat lightly at dinner and do not eat after 7:00 p.m.

Sit quietly for five minutes after eating.

Walk for 5 to 15 minutes to aid digestion.

It’s particularly important to plan a few stimulating activities each week if you have a Kapha imbalance and have a tendency to spend every evening snacking in front of the TV. Join a group, try a class—perhaps yoga or dance—or go to a comedy club. These will all help you to lighten up. 

Bedtime

Begin winding down for sleep at least 30 minutes before you intend to go to bed.

Enjoy a relaxing, warm bath before bed, adding a few drops of warming aromatic oils such as vanilla or rose to the water.

Aim to be in bed with the lights off by 10:30 p.m.

Sleep on your left side

Commit to following a Kapha-specific daily routine for one week. Without being overly compulsive, try following a program that aligns your daily rhythms with those of nature.