Body Balancing

The Vata Dosha contains the properties of the elements ether and air. Vata is responsible for our energy and movement as well as for nerve impulses. Breath, speech, circulation, and digestion are all the manifestation of Vata.

Vata is enthusiastic light and creative. People with vata prakruthi are quick-witted, open to new experiences, active and they like to move. They are popular for their easiness but not for their forgetfulness.

Vata people tend to have thinner skin, fuzzy hair, and tooth irregularities. Their eyes are usually small and move quickly back and forth. In the summer, the sun turns people with dominant Vata deep brown, which causes even more damage to their skin that is already prone to early aging.

Diseases and health issues implicated by Vata imbalance are:

• Splitting of nails
• Cracking feet
• Pain in the feet
• Foot drop, collapsed instep
• Numbness in the feet
• Club foot
• Stiff ankles
• Cramps in the calf muscles 
• Sciatica
• Bow leggedness, janu varum,
• Knock knees, janu valgum
• Stiffness and fullness in the thighs
• Pain and weakness in the thighs
• Paraplegia
• Rectal prolapse
• Tenesmus (gudarti)
• Scrotal pain
• Stiffness in the penis
• Fullness in the groin
• Pelvic pain
• Hard stools
• Abdominal distension with constipation 
• Lameness, kyphosis
• Dwarfism, 
• Gigantism
• Pain and stiffness in the sacroiliac joint
• Stiffness in the back
• Chest pain
• Spasmodic abdominal pain
• Bradycardia
• Tachycardia/ heart palpitations
• A rubbing chest pain
• Impairment of thoracic movement
• Pricking chest pain
• Atrophy of the arms
• Stiffness in the neck
• Torticollis
• Hoarseness of voice
• Jaw pain 
• Lip pain
• Eye pain
• Toothache
• Loose teeth
• Dampness
• Lalling
• An astringent taste in the mouth
• Dryness in the mouth
• Ageusia 
• Anosmia
• Earache
• Tinnitus
• Hard of hearing, hearing loss, hearing impairment
• Deafness
• Ptosis of the eyelids
• Entropion
• Amaurosis
• Pain in the eyes
• Ptosis of the eyeballs
• Ptosis of the eyebrows
• Pain in the temporal region
• Pain in the frontal region of the head
• Headaches
• Dandruff
• Facial paralysis
• Monoplegia 
• Polyplegia
• Hemiplegia
• Clonic seizures
• Tonic seizures
• Fainting, giddiness
• Tremours
• Yawning
• Hiccups
• Asthenia
• Delirium
• Excessive talking
• Dryness, Hardness
• Dusky dark appearance
• Insomnia
• An unstable mind

Symptoms of Vata aggravation are:

• a bad taste in the mouth, 
• roughness of the skin 
• irregularity in the power of digestion
• emaciation
• hyperpigmentation of the skin
• tremors
• an abnormal pulse
• abnormal pulsation in the body
• an affinity for heat (in climate, food and so on)
• fainting
• insomnia
• inspired sense
• acute pain in the bones
• depletion of tissues, constipation
• flatulence
• hyper peristaltic movements
• loss of concentration
• fear
• great and irregular speed in activities such as thinking, speech etc.. 

If vata is predominant in the personal constitution, fasting should be avoided. Strenuous physical exertion and working in air-conditioned rooms should also be avoided, Vata types should try to stay in warm and humid locations to create a quiet, safe, and comfortable environment.

Oil baths, regularity, good food and beverages, and consistent peace and quiet are healing for the vata type. In particular, gentle and relaxing massages with oil, yoga asana, pranayama and meditations are recommended.

Throughout yoga practice breathe slowly and mindfully, Gentle ujjayi breathe is fine but doing it loud can increase vata. Practice in warm room and dim the lights if possible.

ASANA:

• Tadasana (Mountain Pose),
• Vrksasana (Tree Pose),
• Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend),
• Dandasana (Staff Pose),
• Ardha Matsyendrasana (Half Lord of the Fishes Pose),
• Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend),
• Savasana (Corpse Pose).

PRANAYAM:

• NadiShodhana Pranayama (Alternate Nostril Breathing),
• Gentle Ujjayi Pranayama (Victorious Breath).

One nutrition rule applies above all others for Vata type:

“EAT HOT MEAL AT REGULAR TIMES."

Such a rhythm will be very good for Vata person’s digestion.

RECOMMENDED FOOD:

• asparagus (cooked), 
• redwheat (cooked). 
• beets (cooked), 
• carrots (cooked), 
• sweet potatoes (cooked), 
• radish (cooked), 
• zucchini (cooked), 
• spinach (in small quantities), 
• sprouts (in small quantities), 
• tomatoes (in small quantities), 
• celery, garlic, and onions (only steamed).
• oats (boiled), 
• brown rice, 
• eggs (omelets/scrambled eggs), 
• fish, chicken, and other white meat. 

With the Kapha type, the earth and water elements meet. Therefore, Kapha unites properties such as heavy, slow, and steady, but also soft, dense, tough, and cold. In the body, Kapha is responsible for solidity and all structures as well as for the right amount of body fluids. The primary function of Kapha is protection.

We all enjoy the lovable nature of Kapha people . Nothing seems to get them out of balance, and they always seem patient and understanding. They are ideal managers, who calmly handle several issues simultaneously and can also answer other urgent questions while doing so. They retain what they have learned and can remember the minor details.

Kapha types have declared regularity and routine as their life principle, which they do not have to work on. This all sounds very positive, but they also have a tendency toward overeating.

Their ability to hold onto things, pounds, and people, coupled with water retention, makes life difficult for them in many respects, but financially, this leads them to wealth and possessions.

• Large eyes; especially the white (sclera) of the eye
• Eye color is dark and rich in tone; chocolate brown, deep blue
• Abundance of body hair and/ or low hairline
• Lush, thick, sometimes curly quality to hair
• Round features
• Smooth, dense skin (oily)
• Solid frame; may be stocky or large and strong
• Deep-set joints
• Pale tongue
• Large, well-formed teeth

Diseases and health issues implicated by Kapha imbalance are:

• Anorexia
• Drowsiness
• Excessive sleep
• Timidness
• Heaviness in the body
• Lethargy
• Sweet taste in the mouth
• Salivation
• Mucous expectoration
• Excessive excretion of faeces,
• Weakness, indigestion
• A feeling like the heart is covered
• Phlegm adhered to the throat
• Hardening of the blood vessels
• Goitre
• Obesity
• Loss of appetite or digestive fire
• Urticaria
• Pallor
• Whiteness of urine, eyes and stools.

In addition to these, cardiac diseases, itching over the body, excessive horripilation, ineffectiveness of wisdom, vomiting, chronic rhinitis, bronchitis, sensation in lips, throat, tongue, gums, palate, nose, eyes, ears and earlobes.

Symptoms of Kapha aggravation are:

• Pallor, 
• coldness, 
• flabbiness, 
• obesity, 
• laziness, 
• heaviness, 
• loss of strength in the body, 
• obstruction of channels, 
• fainting, 
• excess sleep, 
• drowsiness, 
• dyspnoea, 
• coughing, 
• excessive salivation, 
• nausea, 
• loss of digestive power, 
• abnormal function of the joints.

Kapha becomes especially aggravated by coldness, during winter and spring, in the forenoon, in the evening, and soon after eating.

Follow a regular daily routine, ideally awakening before 6 a.m. each morning. Avoid taking naps during the day.

Stay warm and avoid dampness. Kaphas are particularly sensitive to cold, damp conditions and benefit from heat. Use dry heat if you are congested—a common Kapha complaint. Using a heating pad under your back or a sunlamp at your chest is often helpful. Avoid exposing your nose, throat, and lungs to cold winter air if you aren’t feeling well.

Perform a daily Garshana (dry massage) on your body to stimulate circulation.

Use an Ayurvedic neti pot to help prevent congestion. The neti pot is powerful tool for nasal cleansing.

Clear your space. To avoid clutter from accumulating in your home, office, car, and other physical spaces, regularly clean out and give away things that you know you’ll never use.

Get regular exercise. This is the best way to avoid stagnation and the accumulation of toxins in the body. Focus on building endurance. Favor running, bicycling, swimming, aerobics, and competitive sports. You can also dance to energizing rhythmic music.

Use warm, stimulating aromas including cloves, camphor, cinnamon, eucalyptus, juniper, and marjoram.

Favor colors that are warm and bright, including yellow, orange, and red.

ASANA:

• Warrior 1, 2, 3 
• Uddiyana Bandha in Downward dog
• Upward dog
• Headstand
• Bridge pose
• Boat pose
• Camel pose
• Pigeon pose
• Tree pose
• Chair posre
• Wheel pose

PRANAYAM:

• Three-part breath
• Bhastrika (bellow’s breath)
• Ujjayi
• Pratiloma
• Kapalabhati (skull-shining breath)
• Nadi shodhana (alternate nostril breathing)

The golden rule of eating for Kapha types is: 

“Eat less than you feel hungry for craving. Good foods are spicy or well-seasoned, dry, and antiedemic.”

Try a liquid fast one day per week, ingesting only fresh vegetable and fruit juices, and pureed vegetable soup.

NO the intake of dairy.

Avoid most sweeteners. Honey is one sweetener that can best pacify Kapha. 

Drink hot ginger tea with meals.

Eat beans. 

Favor lighter fruits such as apples, pears, pomegranates, cranberries, and apricots. Reduce heavier fruits like bananas, avocados, pineapples, oranges, peaches, coconuts, melons, dates, and figs.

Eat lots of vegetables. In general, all vegetables are recommended but you should reduce consumption of sweet and juicy vegetables such as sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and zucchini.

All spices except salt are pacifying to Kapha. Use pungent spices like pepper, cayenne, mustard seed, and ginger freely in your diet.

Reduce intake of all nuts and seeds. Favor pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds.

Limit consumption of red meat. For non-vegetarians, fresh, organic white meat chicken, turkey, eggs, and seafood are acceptable.

Use small amounts of fats and oils. Try extra virgin olive oil, ghee, almond oil, corn oil, sunflower oil, mustard oil, or safflower oil.

For grains, favor barley, corn, millet, buckwheat, rye. Reduce intake of oats, rice, and wheat.

In general, a Kapha diet should be lively and full of energy to help spark the digestive and metabolic systems. Eat your largest meal at lunchtime and a smaller meal at dinnertime. Allow at least three hours for digestion before bedtime.