Food for VATA

Vatas are the pickiest eaters of the three mind-body types. This is probably because their digestion is very delicate. Vata governs the colon, and when out of balance, Vatas are prone to Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Since Vata is composed of Air and Space, it is easy for Vatas to get gas. So, naturally, with all these things going on, Vatas need to watch what they eat.

The Vata appetite, like everything else about this dosha, is variable. To stay in balance, Vatas need to keep a regular routine when it comes to meals. Even when you don’t feel like eating a lot, you should each eat something at regular intervals. Vatas tend to like to snack, but then they don’t get the nourishment that they really need from their food. It’s best to establish good eating habits to promote proper, healthy digestion.

The basic rules for the Vata Diet:

• Food should be warm, and cooked, rather than raw.
• Favor tastes that are sweet, sour, and salty.
• Avoid eating cold, dry foods, like chips or crackers. Try adding a warm dipping sauce to accompany these foods.
• Avoid caffeine. Caffeine aggravates Vata and causes imbalance.

A Vata breakfast might be oatmeal, rather than cold cereal, sweetened with some brown sugar and soy milk. Many Vatas are lactose intolerant, so soy milk (or rice milk or almond milk) is a nice alternative. Caffeine is particularly aggravating to Vata. So, instead of regular coffee, serve up some herb tea or decaffeinated coffee. Coffee substitutes are often better than coffee because of coffee’s acid content, which may disturb Vata’s digestion.                         

Because Vatas have such a dilemma with their diets, and because they are such creative people, many Vatas love to cook their own meals. The only problem is that sometimes they’ll taste their way through the recipe so much that they’re not hungry once the meal is prepared!