The Ayurveda Experience February 19, 2016
If you’re a Vata body type, one of the three Ayurvedic body types, you may have experienced some Vata dosha symptoms.
When the three doshas are in balance, they assist in the healthy nourishment, repair, and growth of the body and mind. They are responsible for physical strength, complexion, and a sense of joy. But if they are vitiated or out of balance, these doshas produce disease symptoms.
Vata is responsible for all movements in the body, from the movement of blood in the blood vessels to the movement of nutrients and the air in the lungs. In its normal state Vata causes enthusiasm, and regulates breathing and all locomotor movements. It also regulates all activities of the mind, speech, and the initiation of natural urges (tears, feces, urination, sneezing, coughing, vomiting, and yawning). Vata maintains all the tissues in their normalcy and is responsible for the proper functioning of the sense organs.
When Vata is provoked, it produces emaciation, pain, black discoloration, a desire for hot things, tremors, bloating, fullness, distention of the abdomen, constipation, loss of strength, loss of sleep, loss of sensory functions, irrelevant speech, giddiness, and timidity.
Follow a Vata pacifying diet. Use foods with a sweet, sour, and salty taste. Apply oil to the body (preferably sesame), and head (preferably coconut) and massage. Also, put lukewarm sesame oil in the nose and ears ( 2-3 drops). Take a steam bath. Use spices that are hot in nature like ginger, pepper, cinnamon, and garlic. Use herbs like ashwagandha, dried ginger, and turmeric with milk for generalized Vata aggravation. For bloating take 1/2 teaspoon of caraway seeds along with a pinch of rock salt with warm water. For sleep take 2 capsules of Gotu Kola and 2 capsules of Tagar at night with warm milk or almond milk. Use medicated oils like MahaNarayan oil on painful parts. Use ghee and sesame oil or olive oil or mustard oil for cooking. Do yoga and breathing exercises.
Similarly, a Dosha can become depleted from the normal baseline level and produce symptoms of depletion.
Decreased Vata dosha produces symptoms of debility of the body. The person speaks very little. There is a loss of sensation (awareness) and of consciousness and occurrence of all the symptoms of increased Kapha.
Vata does not necessarily get aggravated on its own but may be accompanied by an aggravation of Kapha or Pitta so the treatment of the other aggravated dosha should also be done simultaneously. Further indulge in an activity you enjoy, socialize and keep proper sleeping habits.
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