The Function of Vata Dosha
Vata Dosha represents the abstract quality of movement at the finest level of creation. This corresponds to breath, circulation, mental activity, passage of food through the gastrointestinal tract, joint function, etc. Vata gives rise to the primordial “elements” known as Space and Air. Vata is inherently unstable. Since it is much more prone to go out of balance than Pitta or Kapha, at some point nearly everyone, regardless of constitution, will need to balance Vata.
Vata Characteristics
The qualities of Vata reflect our surface-value associations with space and air. Vata is cold, light, dry, rough, brittle and subtle. It is seated in the colon and secondarily in the joints. Vata is also found in the hollow places throughout the body. When balanced, Vata gives enthusiasm, alertness, sound sleep, flexibility and normal movement throughout the physiology. When out of balance, Vata will cause spaciness, anxiety, insomnia, constipation, dry/rough skin, headache, back/joint pain, cold hands and feet, etc.
People with Vata-dominated Prakriti (constitution) tend to be thin and either short or tall. They typically think, talk, and move quickly. They can be very engaging, but moody with short memory and attention span. They generally dislike cold, dry weather. They don’t sweat much. They may find their appetite varies widely and so may have trouble maintaining weight. This makes sense in that Vata is the opposite of Kapha (structure).
Vata Periods in the Cycles of Nature
Vata dominates in old-age, in the barren period from late fall through winter, the third hour after eating, and in the pre-dawn and late afternoon (2 – 6 AM and 2 -6 PM). Correspondingly, we find the birds start tweeting and Nature otherwise wakes up in the pre-dawn hours. This is why it’s best to arise from bed before 6 AM in order to bring the wakefulness and enthusiasm of balanced Vata into daily activity.
The transition from spring (Kapha season) to summer (Pitta season) is not usually problematic because of Kapha’s stability. In contrast, the junctions going into and coming out of Vata season (late fall and winter) can be troublesome if we allow accumulated imbalances to carry over. Thus, these are important times for detoxification and dietary transition. As we’ve seen (How to Stay Warm in Winter), Vata thrives on comfort food – a heavier diet than that suited to spring or summer.
Effects of Vata Imbalance
Pain is a typical sign of Vata-aggravation. So are gas and bloating. Traveling, stress, grief, surgery, childbirth, late night activity, irregular schedules, suppression of natural urges, excessive exercise, work or sex, and a dry/rough/raw diet are common aggravating factors.
| Effects of Balance | Effects of Imbalance |
| Mental alertness | Anxiety, restlessness |
| Enthusiasm | Headaches, fatigue |
| Normal elimination | Constipation |
| Easy respiration | Asthma |
| Good circulation | Hypertension, Raynaud’s |
| Normal tissue formation | Dry skin, arthritis, osteoporosis |
| Sound sleep | Insomnia |
Balancing Vata
Many individuals with Vata-influenced constitution love variety, but need the framework of a regular routine to remain stable and grounded while pursuing and enjoying that variety.
- Get to bed before 10 PM
- Maintain a regular daily routine
- Follow a Vata-pacifying diet
- Favor warm beverages
- Food should be warm, freshly prepared and unctuous
- Cook with liberal amounts of sesame oil. Ghee, butter, olive oil and coconut oil are also good.
- Avoid alcohol, caffeinated beverages, and chocolate
- Avoid raw or gas-forming vegetables (broccoli family) and large beans (black beans, pinto bean, etc.)
- Have some boiled milk with cardamom before bed
- Take 1-2 tablets of Organic Triphala Rose with warm water one-half to one hour before the milk
- Practice Transcendental Meditation
Other Beneficial Practices
- Pranayama breathing sessions
- Moderate exercise – not to the point of exhaustion, e.g., walking in nature and yoga
- Abhyanga self-massage with cured sesame oil
- Nasya with cured sesame oil or Organic Clear & Soothe Nasal Spray from MAPI Products*
- If you tend to feel anxious or worried, take Worry Free 1-2 tablets twice a day, about 8 AM and 4 PM with warm water
- Sip Vata Tea or Worry Free Tea
- Diffuse Worry Free aroma oil. The Mino Diffuser runs on usb power and can even be used in your car
* With these links, you will receive a 20% discount from MAPI. I will receive a 20% commission. If the discount doesn’t appear, manually enter the code AYURVEDACONSULTATIONS at checkout.
In how Many days vaat is balanced
Ashish,
The time required to balance Vata depends on the degree of imbalance and the cause. If there are major faults in health habits (https://qatoqi.com/ayurveda/php/habits.php ) or digestion is disturbed (https://qatoqi.com/ayurveda/php/digestion.php ) or if Ama has accumulated (https://qatoqi.com/ayurveda/php/ama.php ), these will need to be corrected.
The good news is that most people find benefits just from moving in the right direction. This is because the Doshas are a “buffer” for imbalance to protect against disease. If we reduce the imbalance, things improve even if complete balance is not achieved.
Also, we are adapted to our diet and daily routine even if it is not optimum for us. So, we need to be cautious about the pace of change. If we try to go too fast, that change can itself be a stress that makes us feel bad. In practice, my clients with Vata disturbance generally see clear signs of progress within a few weeks.
Hello doctor, thank you for this information, first of all how can I judge my body Type in vada, pita and kaba to maintain balance also I have a question that I have a dental problem which is gum recession, is this can be cured by Ayurveda ?
Jegan,
Thank you for visiting. Body type is a blend of Prakriti and Vikriti – Nature and Imbalance. My Dosha questionnaire will help you think about it. But the first priority is to treat imbalances.
Gum recession is best addressed by good daily dental hygiene using dental floss and proper brushing technique. An Ayurvedic toothpaste will help to nourish the gums, but will not likely of itself reverse gum recession. Often the best you can hope for is to prevent further progression. See your dentist for evaluation.
Hello doctor,
Is Ayurveda really not into Dental treatments ?
To the contrary, it’s just that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Once recession occurs it is difficult to reverse. The goal of Ayurveda is prevention of suffering and enjoyment of life in bliss.
Hello Doctor.
I have been told I am Tridoshic with Vata/Pitta imbalance. I am menopausal and have noticed over the last three weeks that my skin from head to toe has become very dry. Any suggestions to alleviate this?
Most of the northern hemisphere is now in the grip of Vata season. So the effect of the season is aggravating your pre-existing imbalances. Vata is cold, dry, rough and is balanced by warm, moist and unctuous both inside (diet) and out (e.g., Abhyanga – see: https://qatoqi.com/ayurveda/routine.htm#abhyanga).
Dear Doctor,
I have lightheadedness and headache too and fluttering heart
Is this because of Vata?
Neelam,
Yes, these symptoms are suggestive of a Vata imbalance. Even so, given that you have a fluttering heart and light-headedness, you would be wise to consider getting an evaluation by a doctor of western medicine to make sure there is no major problem with your heart.
Hello Doctor,
Hope you are well.
I recently visited an ayurvedic doctor since I was complaining of stomach pain. On examination i was told that I’ve vata pitta imbalance. I’ve been put on a diet were I’ve to abstain from sour things and few other things as well.
Doctor my question is ,on following the diet as suggested will the doshas be back to normal and what precautions should I take for future.
Thanks &Regards
Dear Geeta,
It was good that you had a consultation. It is not good to ignore pain.
I hope that the advice you received has been helpful for improving your symptoms. When two Doshas are out of balance (in your case Vata and Pitta), delicate judgment is required to find the best path to resolve the situation. For example, the sour taste balances Vata but aggravates Pitta. In general, patients feel better before balance is fully restored. Your doctor has much knowledge of your situation and is the best person to ask about how to protect yourself in the future.
Hello,
Wouldn’t pranayama exercises aggravate vata by increasing it? I would assume that doing breath control exercises would increase the influence of vata (air element). Same with Transcendental meditation; I would assume meditation strengthens vata even more.
Would appreciate your response.
Thank you,
Youssef.
Dear Youssef,
With Ayurveda, the effects of any intervention can be predicted by the principle of similar and opposites. Opposites bring balance. Similars bring increase. With TM, one sits with the eyes closed and takes a dive within. The process naturally settles the mind. Many scientific studies show profound, reproducible physiological effects, including reduction in anxiety and the stress response. Vata represents movement in the physiology and mind. TM clearly does the opposite.
Likewise, Pranayama calms and settles the physiology – an effect that anyone can verify. Yes, Pranayama involves breathing and movement of air. Perhaps this is the source of your confusion. But breathing is essential to life. Compare Pranayama to an asthma attack. Then maybe it’ll be easier for you to see the difference. Calm and settled are qualities of Kapha, which is the opposite of Vata.
Please suggest some remedies for backpain.
Thanks
Dear Laxman,
Thank you for your question. Back pain is common problem and a complicated subject. One could write a book about it.
Most back pain is due to stress or strain and resolves by itself in a few days or a few weeks. Vata-pacifying measures help.
Severe acute back pain needs medical attention for proper evaluation of the cause and recommendations for treatment. So does pain that doesn’t improve with simple measures in a reasonable period of time.
Dear doctor,
Namaste
I become easily get excited and overwhelmed, struggle to maintain attention, have memory issues, can’t think about complex tasks by simply sitting at a place until I start walking, happen too many hand moment while conversation. Is it a sign of imbalanced vat and if so please suggest me suggestion and path to achieve balance and easiness.
Thank you
Dear Akshay,
Yes, these are symptoms of Vata imbalance. There is not quick fix. Please review the suggestions for improvement on this blog and elsewhere on my website: https://qatoqi.com/ayurveda/balance.htm. Also check your overall health habits against Ayurvedic ideals:
https://qatoqi.com/ayurveda/php/habits.php. Transcendental Meditation should be of great benefit for this.
Dear doctor, I’m 52 years old and I m suffering with hand joints pain even I have trigger thumb problems also earlier it was in my one hand I got injection and now it is started again doctor told me that it is because of vaata imbalance …I’m very nervous please suggest me ,I shall be thankful to you
Dear Ashkay,
Trigger finger (tenosynovitis) is commonly a result of repetitive motions and/or degenerative changes. It can usually be easily treated with injections or surgery if behavior modification, ice massage, etc. don’t solve the problem.
Your doctor, who has seen you and who therefore knows much more about you than I, says you also have Vata imbalance. Vata imbalance is very common. Nervousness is one sign. Follow your doctor’s advice for improving the situation and review the tips on this page. Transcendental meditation, in particular, is very good for nervousness.
Hi , I always have a lot of gas and indigestion problem and have pain in one of my body part at a time whether back , legs or hands and experience numbness and tickling in both of my feet and hand sometimes and these symptoms worsen at morning and evening what should I do , I m really tired of this pain
Dear Chiya,
Thank you for visiting my blog and asking your question. Indigestion and gas are usually easy to fix by following Ayurvedic principles for healthy living and a Vata-pacifying diet. You’ll find lots of information about this on my website. It may be this will help your body pains, numbness and tingling, but it could be that you have some more advanced problem or a vitamin deficiency like B-12. You’d be wise to visit an Ayurvedic Vaidya or western physician near your home if you don’t see improvement within a few weeks.
Hello, some months ago I was in a very stressful time of life, which caused me to eat lots of sugar like chocolates etc, and junk food while being stressed about it and feeling bad. This caused me amenorrhea, and I have been trying to correct it ever since while eating healthy foods, doing yoga and walking, and trying to calm my stress. Also I have been taking vitamin C, B-complex, B-12, Zinc and magnesium. I am otherwise a healthy 24 year old woman. What more could I do? Thank you in advance.
Dear Natalia,
Stress is toxic to health: even worse than junk food! Normal mensuration depends on healthy hypothalamic/pituitary function in the brain, healthy ovaries/uterus and good nutrition. The Ayurvedic view is that menstrual fluid is closely related to Rasa Dhatu (blood plasma) the first product of conversion of food to bodily tissues. So problems with digestion or the Shrotas (fine channels of the body that transport nutrients) could also play a role. If you want a more complete picture of what’s going on, do the self-assessment questionnaires under the Assess tab on my website (https://qatoqi.com/ayurveda/. It’s likely there is more going on than an imbalance of Vata. Moreover, if you want to get to the root of stress, consider learning Transcendental Meditation. It’s the best stress-buster available. To locate a certified teacher near your home, go to : https://www.tm.org/
Dear doctor,
I’m sneha, and I’m 22 years old. I have a big problem of hair loss from tenth standard. Before that, i had long and thick hair using normal coconut oil. No one can believe once i had long hair. Nowadays,Hair lose problem are increasing in me and my hair structure completely changed. I tried many oil after that including oil which boiled with curry leaves, onions etc. I searched my current ayurvedic profile, then I found that my dominant doshas are vata & kapha. How could I overcome from this? What oil should I apply on my hair?
Dear Sneha,
Hair loss is unusual in a young woman. Abhyanga alone is not likely to solve the problem. Make sure you are not pulling your hair too tightly or scratching at your scalp. Beyond this, you would be better off getting checked by a doctor or Vaidya. If you cannot afford that, at least follow the suggestions to evaluate yourself on my latest blog article: https://qatoqi.com/ayurveda/blog/how-to-apply-ayurveda-to-my-life/.
Dear Doctor
I am 53 years old.Suffer from Tinnitus ,sleep apeaon diabetes and depression. I used to be very physically active.Since last 3 years I am struggling to get up in morning as I can’t sleep throughout the night.Taking medication for depression and diabetes. Also seeking help with talking therapy yet struggling to do simple task .Also I weight 118 kgs.Is there particular things I can do to help a good night sleep any particular foods that will help
Thank you in advance.
Dear Rekha,
You need help. If you can’t find a local Ayurvedic practitioner and want to help yourself, complete the self-assessment questionnaires on my website, read about the suggestions for improvement that you’ll find and also review my advice for Sustainable Weight Control. Things could be much better than they are.
Just wanted to point out that this was a very wonderful written and explained post. And it is amazing to read your careful answers to each question. Thank you for your service of knowledge 🙂
Thank you for visiting and for this note of appreciation. Ayurveda is precious knowledge from which all could benefit.
Hi. I am new to all of this. I am a vata. I recently had cancer removed along with one of my adrenal glands. I am not doing radiation or chemo. They were not even sure what kind of cancer it was. I have all symptoms of unbalanced vata. What can I do to become healthier and calm? Please and thank you.
Dear Amy–I’m sorry to hear of your difficulties. Surgery itself can aggravate Vata. Cancer represents a loss of the inner intelligence of the body and also diminished Ojas, the source of strength and immunity (see: https://qatoqi.com/ayurveda/dhatus.htm#ojas). There’s enough to get you started on this page. I would emphasize the value of a regular daily routine, early to bed and taking the main meal at noon. The number one thing, however, would be to learn Transcendental Meditation. TM will give you a path to balancing Vata and to reconnecting to the source of life in transcendental pure consciousness so the body can heal from within. It’s simple and will help restore energy and a sense of well-being.