- By Patrizia
Brrrr….the weather here on the East Coast has suddenly turned cold, dry, and very, very windy.
With an early winter at the doorstep, there’s no better time than now to introduce the first Ayurvedic Metabolic type (or constitutional type), also known as Vata Dosha.
If you had the chance to read my first newsletter a couple of weeks ago and to take the Ayurevedic test (shown through the web link), you may now have an idea of your own dosha/s or ayurvedic type. Many of you will probably find that you are bi-doshic, meaning you have two of the constitutional types close to each other (i.e. Vata/Pitta, Kapha/Vata etc).
By the way, if this is all new to you, that’s ok. The information is just meant to be an introduction to what Ayurveda can do to help you in your life; maybe it will inspire you to know more by reading appropriate books on the subject. If you have not taken the test yet, go back to the last newsletter that talks about Ayurveda and, please, take the time to do the test. It’ll make things much easier if you’re going to read this and my next newsletter on this subject.
Now, VATA (which is often translated as: “that which moves“) is usually the first dosha studied in Ayurveda. The Vata dosha is a combination of Space and Air Elements, and therefore, expresses all the qualities of these. You don’t need to have a PhD in anything to close your eyes and imagine the qualities of Space and Air… but I’ll mention a few of the qualities or sensations you may expect to imagine: light, delicate, dry, fast moving, variable, irregular, sensitive, unstable, free… We’ll now expand more on these concepts and apply them to the body, the mind, the seasons, and the age in which we live.
Fall and Early Winter are considered part of the Vata season in which Space and Air are predominantly active. If you live in a four-season geographical climate, this will be even more obvious to you. The weather turns chilly, wind starts blowing in all directions, and the skies are grey. This can be a tough time for Vata predominant individuals, because they tend to go out of balance with the increase of these elements. If there is a little “rule” in Ayurveda, it is that of “The opposite cures”. But let’s explore further.
As we think of Nature’s seasonal changes, we must not forget our seasons of life. Vata covers the last period of our lives, which is on average from 60 years old and onward. If we want to use Ayurveda to optimize our diet, we must first consider looking into our lives with honesty and recognize our strengths and weaknesses, wherever they show up…whether they are reflected more in our physical health, emotional health, etc. Vata-dominant people have an antelope-like body. They tend to be very irregular in their habits (sleeping, eating, exercising, etc.), and they go out of balance very quickly. Since Vatas tend towards sensitivity, they need to be more respectful of their lifestyle and pay more attention to routines. In fact, if there is one phrase that goes well with Vata individuals, it is: FIND THE RYTHM.
Vatas tend to have poor digestion and generally suffer from constipation. Due to their easily provoked-by-stress natures, they tend to lose weight very quickly (and it can be challenging for them to gain it back). They are the ones who tend to yo-yo more than others. If you find yourself daydreaming, trying to connect to a million friends at a time, involving yourself in a thousand different activities without bringing one to its conclusion, or if you are constantly attracted by a spiritually oriented diet that does not respect your body’s needs…well then, welcome!! You are probably 99% a Vata type.
A lot of modern diseases tend to be related to the Vata dosha (and, remember its elements??), especially when it comes to getting older. Therefore, there is a thinning of the bones, loss of hearing , tremors, loss of muscle tone, digestive upsets, more sensitivities to loud noises, and more serious conditions like Alzheimers, Parkisons, etc. The first rule for Vata is, again, FIND THE RYTHM and strengthen the digestive fire (called “Agni” in sanskrit).
You must start listening to your needs more; find the time to reconnect with your own Self and respect the rhythm of nature, of the day… By the way, the Vata times of the day (in which Vata dosha is more sensitive) are: 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Start with regular mealtimes. For most Vatas, three main meals are recommended with a couple of snacks in the middle. Good, fresh, warm foods help Vata individuals ground themselves and stimulates the digestive fire.
If you are following a completely raw food diet and you want to find more balance (since cold, raw foods tend to throw off Vata individuals very quickly), you must at least warm up your meals to 118 F (really, if you want to be that strict), never eat foods out of the fridge (way too cold for Vata’s delicate digestion), and use good condiments with a heavier quality to them - Vata types do need more fatty foods than the other body types (because these foods have the grounding qualities that most raw foods miss).
One teacher expressed this in a clear, simple way: warm, moist, and heavier foods with sweet, sour, or salty tastes will nourish tissues, emotions, and overall bodyweight. Foods that are extremely bitter, astringent, or pungent in nature should be avoided. Use spices to give a warm quality to your meals: garlic, cumin, fennel, ajwan seeds, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves etc. will support a stable digestion. If you find yourself nervous, anxious and maybe craving coffee or tobacco, see if you can pacify those urges with some of these aromathic oils (or a combination of them): neroli, lemon, jasmine, sandalwood and vanilla. Make sure to give yourself a massage every day with a warming oil like sesame or avocado, jojoba, etc. (you can/should actually gently warm the oil). Touch is very, very important for Vata types and lubricates the skin as well as stiff joints. In addition to the oils, you may also prefer warming, calming colors: gold, orange, indigo, blue…
Exercise gently, maybe choosing a slow vinyasa (flow) yoga, tai-chi, swimming, or frequent walks in nature… Pay attention to your breath. Balanced breathing leads to a steadier mind and a more balanced life.
Daily and seasonal routines are a must in Ayurveda. Learning to pay attention to the subtle changes before your health is compromised is a way to pay respect to yourself and to Mother Nature. No matter where you live on the Planet, no matter what people think you should look like, start living in a way that actually nourishes your health and joy…your body and mind will inevitably follow to create the balance you’ve always strived for and which is your birthright.
To a Joyful Health,
Patrizia
P.S. To find out more about the specific foods appropriate for the Vata constitution (and/or any other Ayurvedic type) you can Google or explore books like: Ayurveda- A Life of Balance by Maya Tiwari or Ayurveda: The science of Self Healing by Dr. Vasant Lad. These are just two examples.
I am such a huge fan of carob. I’m an even bigger fan of carob now that I am mother. I have lots of fond memories tied up in carob. My mum used to buy the cooked sugar free carob buds from the health food store when I was a kid. I used to think it was such a treat! Then I went to school and discovered junk food and the carob kinda lost its sheen for me. But I always came back to carob, and during my uni days when I was a strict vegan I even found a version made with soy instead of milk powder.
Carob is native to the eastern Mediterranean, probably the Middle East, where it has been in cultivation for at least 4000 years. Carob also thrives in the wild. The plant was well known to the ancient Greeks, who planted seeds of this plant in Greece and Italy. Carob pods are high in calcium and vitamin A. It also contains B vitamins, magnesium, potassium, and the trace minerals iron, manganese, chromium, copper, and nickel.
Even though I was in reasonable shape when my breastfeeding career began, I was utterly surprised by how physically taxing breastfeeding could be on my muscles. In the early days, when my babe seemed to suckle for what felt like hours on end, I would wind up with achy arms, shoulders and back. My legs would feel restless like I had just been sat on an aeroplane for 12 hours without moving. I laugh now at my initial weakness of body.
For me this is where the ability to utilize yogic thinking truly ups the anti. My interpretation of the meaning of yogic thinking is just that it is another phrase for positive thinking and affirmations: believing in something greater, the law of attraction, meditation, mantra japa etc. Basically, if I remain calm, allow positivity to abound, it is the natural order of the Universe to sort the rest of it out. If I was really in a mental tizzy it is paramount for me to find a mantra to soothe my soul and begin deep yogic breathing. This would eventually bring me back to a euphoric equilibrium.
I have just finished reading THE DAYLIGHT DIET. I actually woke up at 5am just to finish it. I usually go to sleep around 3 or 4am, so this is amazing. I went raw 8 years ago and it has been the most important thing I have ever done for my health. Until now! This book is going to change my life! There, I said it. I really mean it too. I recall an Oprah show about 15 years ago where she asked people ‘What is the ONE thing you know if you did it would change your life?’ I knew right away what that one thing was, but I felt it was absolutely impossible! In fact, that one thing was actually 2 things because that one habit morphed into another new one.
However, I never did change my sleeping habits. I would go to bed every night between 3 and 4am, or later, or not at all. Due to school and work, and then later having my babes, I always got by 7 or 8 so I could never catch up on lost sleep. Especially since going raw, I felt like super-woman to have so much energy and be so productive. But that habit eventually morphed into another which was late night eating. I knew instinctively when Oprah asked that question, that if I could have a more natural sleep cycle such as rising at sunrise and sleeping well before midnight, it would change my life. I didn’t know how my life would change, but now I do. My health would go to the next level! And who knows what that will do..!
Carrots aren’t just good for Bugs Bunny to munch on! Or just for giving your smoothies an orange color! They are also an excellent vegetable, having both nutritional and medicinal values which are essential for our optimum health.
