Bemaj Pharmacy

External treatments to cure vata imbalance: –

• Wear warm and layered clothes
• Administer regular body and head massages
• Avoid fasting or going empty stomach for long
• Take regular steam baths
• Practice mild purification procedures like basti or vamana

How do you detox Vata?

Balancing herbs such as ashwagandha will also help to support the nervous vata emotions. Relaxing teas such as Love and Relax will help the body adapt without becoming stressed. During a cleanse, all three doshas should keep the diet simple, vegetable-based and dairy-free, and reduce or eliminate caffeine and alcohol.

What happens when Vata is imbalanced?

Signs of a Vata imbalance include: –

Dryness of skin, hair, ears, lips, and jointsDryness internally – bloat, gas, constipation, dehydration, weight lossDry and lightness of the mind – restlessness, dizziness, feeling ungroundedCold: poor circulation, muscle spasm or constriction, asthma, pain and aches, tightnessRoughness, especially skin and lipsExcessive movement: anxiety, fidgeting, agitation, muscle twitching, palpitations

What happens if vata is high?

Key Takeaways – Managing excessive Vata is crucial to avoid certain health-related inconveniences. This blog discussed various methods of dealing with high Vata, herbs, and home remedies. Let’s take a look back at what we learned.

High Vata levels can cause dryness on skin, hair, lips, ears, and joints and lead to bloating, gas, constipation, and dehydration. Extremely cold weather, cold food, and other factors can trigger Vata Vikrithi. To manage Vata levels, it’s advisable to consume hot soups, stews, cooked vegetables, and slightly nourishing meals that aren’t too quick to digest. To maintain healthy Vata levels, various foods should be avoided. Ayurvedic herbs such as cardamom, turmeric, Ashwagandha, and Brahmi can help lower aggravated Vata. Several home remedies and recipes, including natural herbs, can help manage Vata levels.

The best trick to manage your Vata and other Dosha levels is to have a healthy diet and routine with healthy lifestyle choices. However, this blog discussed tips and remedies to calm excess Vata. Hopefully, this was helpful.

Does fasting reduce vata?

Article contributed by By Dr. Amrutha Nambiar Fasting as a practice is an integral part of many traditions, cultures and even religions. It is believed that fasting has several benefits for the mind and the body. However, it is important to know the right way to fast.

1. Lack of knowledge or due to wrong understanding of the practice of fasting may disturb the balance of the mind-body complex.
2. In order to experience the benefits of fasting, we must understand about our Prakriti.
3. Each individual possesses unique characteristics known as his/her Prakriti or nature based on the predominance of vata, pitta and kapha in the body.

Fasting according to one’s Prakriti has got proven benefits. What is fasting? Fasting does not necessarily mean complete deprivation of food. It is a method of cleansing the system with total awareness of food, breath, thoughts and all sensory experiences.

Here, when we say awareness of food, it means avoiding food items which are harmful to the system and wisely choosing a diet based on one’s own Prakriti. Following a proper method of fasting will regulate the Agni (digestive fire which is responsible for proper digestion of food), remove ama (toxins or impurities which are accumulated in the body due to improper diet and regimen) and maintain ojas (vital energy) in the system, thus helping to maintain the homeostasis.

As per Ayurveda, fasting is also part of seasonal routine, including purificatory procedures (Panchakarma) with certain guidelines. Each season is also characterized by cycles of vata, pitta and kapha. Fasting based on these guidelines during specific seasons will help maintain health and vitality.

Why is fasting necessary? When we look into the process of digestion, the food which is ingested, with the proper jatharagni, will break down into ‘saara’ (formed as nourishment to the body) and ‘mala’ (which is the waste product that needs to be excreted). The formed saara will undergo a series of transformations to form ‘ojas’ which is the vital energy in the system.

Ojas gives strength and radiance to the body. All mental and physical functions including the maintenance of a proper immune system depends on ojas. Good and properly maintained ojas is a sign of health. Improper diet and regime hampers the jatharagni leading to formation of ama.

• Ama is nothing but the toxins which have accumulated in the body due to impaired metabolism leading to a decrease in ojas and the blocking of the channels in the body leading to the manifestation of many diseases.
• When ama is accumulated in the system, it shows signs such as weakness, indigestion, bloating, malabsorption, body aches, headaches, fever, skin rashes, dryness, anxiety etc.

Ayurveda recommends fasting as a method of removing this ama. The benefits of fasting:

Better digestion and a cleansed digestive system. Rejuvenation of the body and mind. Imbalanced dosha is pacified. Improved mental functions. Improved skin radiance and hair texture. Improved immune system. Helps in regaining the homeostasis.

FASTING FOR PEOPLE WITH DOMINANT VATA PRAKRITI If you have a predominance of vata dosha in the body or have a vata imbalance, complete fasting is not for you. Zero fasting, water fasting and prolonged fasting is not recommended for you. Because fasting will increase dryness, lightness in the body which aggravates vata in the system.

1. Following a khichdi diet with vata pacifying herbs and ghee for 3-5 days is a good option to detox the system for vata people.
2. And this can be repeated once a month.
3. Seasonal panchakarma treatment like basti (under supervision) also can be done to maintain dosha balance.
4. FASTING FOR PEOPLE WITH DOMINANT PITTA PRAKRITI Pitta prakritis have a strong digestive fire, hence zero fasting, water fasting and prolonged fasting is not applicable for pitta prakrti and in an increased pitta state.

Sweet, bitter and astringent tasting fruit juice, vegetable juice, soups and a khichdi diet with pitta pacifying herbs are a good choice. One can choose either one day in a week or continuous 3 days in a month based on the imbalance. Virechana under the supervision of a panchakarma expert is also advisable as seasonal routine cleansing.

1. FASTING FOR PEOPLE WITH DOMINANT KAPHA PRAKRITI If you are healthy with a dominant kapha prakriti, regular fasting is good for you.
2. Following intermittent fasting is highly beneficial for you.
3. One can go for complete fasting or water fasting once a week.
4. As a seasonal cleanse, vamana and virechana can be done as per your physician’s opinion.

CONTRA-INDICATIONS Fasting is not recommended for pregnant ladies, children, elderly people, during breastfeeding, menstruation period. Also consult your doctor for proper guidelines if you have some disease or if you are on some particular medicine. A FEW GENERAL GUIDELINES

Eat only when you are hungry. Lemon, ginger, fennel seeds, cardamom, mint, cumin, coriander seeds, etc are good to remove toxins from the body. Make sure that you drink warm water to maintain hydration and cleansing. Haritaki, triphala or castor oil can promote cleansing by balancing the dosha. Your doctor can help you to choose the combination based on your prakriti. It is normal to feel weakness and fatigue on the day of fasting. But you will feel more energetic and active from the next day. This is a sign of proper cleansing. It is always better to slow down, watch your body and mind during fasting for a desirable result. End fast with light food or juice depending on the type of fasting you have done. Give proper awareness to the digestive system and slowly get back to the normal diet.

Is apple cider vinegar good for vata?

Preparation and Its Effects – Yet preparation can considerably change the effect a food has. Fermentation shifts apple’s mild-mannered story. Apple cider vinegar’s taste is sour, its energy is hot, and its after effect is sour. This flips the picture in terms of its effect on the doshas.

Being sour and warm, apple cider vinegar can calm vata—and will definitely aggravate pitta and mildly aggravate kapha. In Tirtha’s The Ayurveda Encyclopedia, these energetics are affirmed: vinegar benefits vata and can imbalance pitta and kapha. It is a digestive and a circulatory stimulant. Vinegar is indicated for use in aiding the secretion of hydrochloric acid and to promote and ease menstruation.5 Also, how a food is prepared can affect how it impacts the mind.

Fresh foods ( sattvic ) are considered more calming to the mind than fermented or spicy ones ( rajasic ). Foods that have spent a long while in fridges, freezers, or microwave ovens ( tamasic ) can deaden our energy.6 India has a long tradition of using fermented herbs medicinally in the form of arishtas and asavas (Ayurvedic fermented herbal tonics).7 Yet most traditional Ayurvedic professionals living in India would not think to recommend rajasic apple cider vinegar as a digestive aid.

It’s hot, it’s fermented, and it could instigate skin irritations. From an Ayurvedic perspective, the climate we live in impacts how much warmth or coolness we can handle in our digestive tracts. Some Ayurvedic experts living in cold climates are more likely to stick up for fermented foods and their effective use.

Dr. John Douillard (who lives in Colorado) affirms, “As long as a meal is primarily sattvic (energy boosting and enlivening), a touch of fermented food as a condiment will typically only be beneficial.” 8

How do you reset your gut Ayurveda?

How To Give Yourself The Ayurvedic Gut Cleanse You Need Radhika Iyer Talati details the importance of an ayurvedic gut cleanse and how to give yourself one According to ayurveda, the gut is a human microbiome, home to billions of small bacteria that provide immunity against all kinds of infectious viruses, microbes and fungi.

• It is known as the second brain of the human body, which is responsible for releasing chemicals that activate immune cells that safeguard the body against diseases.
• The gut is constantly eroded by ‘ama’, or toxins, that accumulate in the body, primarily because of weak digestion.
• In ayurveda, an imbalanced digestive system is the root cause of all diseases.

It is therefore imperative to remove ‘ama’ from the body, since it clogs the lymphatic system, weakens immunity and disrupts organ function. The symptoms you can experience due to this are physical weakness and discomfort, drained levels of energy, anxiousness, and mental and physical stress.

Ayurveda recommends a cleanse known as Panchakarma to clean the gut and strengthen the ‘agni’ or the digestive fire so that homeostasis in the body is restored. Ayurveda recommends a gut cleanse at least three times a year, preferably at the start of each season. This helps rid the body of toxins that might have accumulated during the previous season from undigested food, stress and other diseases.

While an only-hot-water fast lasting for two to three days might work like magic, many do not attempt it as they find it extremely challenging. This detox is dosha specific and it is advisable to consult an ayurvedic practitioner to list out a gut cleanse to suit your body type specifically.

1. A lifestyle change is highly recommended to achieve a disease-free and balanced body, as it is a long-term solution.
2. Ayurvedic cleanses can last from a minimum of three days to upto a month, depending on the issue as well as your dosha,
3. Panchakarma techniques such as Virechan, Vaman, Basti, Rakta Moksha and Nasya are administered to rejuvenate the body and strengthen the gut.

Traditional herbs, pastes, powders, oils and fumes are incorporated into the body through various techniques to clean the gut and remove impurities. However, here are some ways you can practise an ayurvedic gut cleanse every day, to keep the body and the gut healthy and strong.

Right after you wake up, sit upright on your bed and focus on your breath. Take three deep breaths to centre yourself. Drink a glass of water preferably from a copper vessel to activate the digestive organs and prepare your bowels for evacuation. Try a few twisting poses to activate the body and help the digestive system to release its waste effortlessly. Brush your teeth with a gentle toothpaste or an ayurvedic dant-manjan (powder). Remember to scrape your tongue with a tongue scraper as this cleanses the esophagus and removes toxins from your digestive tract. Gargle with warm water and salt without fail. Wash your face with a mild cleanser and remember to splash some warm water into your eyes to get rid of dirt and mucus. Drink a glass of hot water with lemon to stimulate the liver to release bile, clear stagnation and cleanse the body. Practise abhyanga (massage) every day to enhance blood circulation and energise the joints and muscles. Bathe with cold water. If that is not possible, try bathing with lukewarm water; avoid hot water. Start eating mindfully. Become aware of what and how much you eat. Fast at least once a week, and avoid eating out. Learn to drink hot water, and avoid cold water completely. Eat balanced meals; start including organically-grown whole grains, pulses and flours in your diet. Cold-pressed oils are also a great shift to make in your diet to reduce the risk of cholesterol-related issues.

Images: Shutterstock Also see: Next Story : Loading. : How To Give Yourself The Ayurvedic Gut Cleanse You Need

Does vata cause depression?

Vata Depression – Characterized by worry, restlessness, insomnia, and “ungroundedness,” a person with Vata depression often will have an overload of the stress hormone cortisol. They generally have pushed themselves (or felt pushed) beyond their capabilities and become overwhelmed.

• This is a bit like the classic “nervous breakdown,” which is not an official medical diagnosis.
• In psychiatry, Vata depression is usually thought of as a combined anxiety-depressive disorder.
• There is a strong ruminative component to this state—an inability to shut off the mind.
• Ey principles for healing Vata depression are grounding, warming, and calming.

A few specific recommendations for Vata -type depression are:

• Aim for 15–30 minutes yoga daily, followed by 15–30 minutes of seated meditation, Routine and discipline are very helpful for Vata,
• Loneliness is common in Vata depression, so commit to at least one social activity/week.
• Connection to nature is crucial due to the inherently ungrounded qualities of Vata, Spending 30 minutes or more outside every day—sitting on the ground, touching a tree, or gardening—can be highly therapeutic.
• Increase consumption of warm, nourishing whole foods such as soup, kitchari, and baked vegetables. Avoid dry, processed food (chips, crackers) and reduce cold foods (salads, smoothies).
• Drink 2 tablespoons of loose tulsi ( holy basil ) tea three or four times a day. Alternatively, take 800–-1,000 mg/day in capsule form.
• The Western herbal treatment St. John’s Wort can be helpful for this kind of depression, as well as the Kapha type. In terms of qualities, St. John’s Wort is bitter and pungent. Because bitterness can aggravate Vata, start with a small dose (300 mg/day). With Kapha symptoms, the dose may need to be higher: 300 mg two or three times per day. This herb stabilizes prana Vata, the aspect of Vata that governs the brain and neurotransmitters.
  • Do not take this supplement with birth control pills. It can render oral contraception ineffective because it speeds up hormone processing in the liver.
  • Do not take if on an SSRI, unless under the guidance of an experienced physician.
• Passionflower is a wonderful supplement, especially in conjunction with St. John’s Wort. Passionflower is calming to the nervous system, which is why it is included in the Vata section. It has ever-increasing evidence supporting its use for anxiety, Paired with St. John’s Wort, the effect is synergistic: greater benefit for both anxiety and depression than either used alone. By pure Ayurvedic qualities, this herb could also help Pitta depression; aim for a dosage between 400–800 mg/day.
• Chamomile is worth considering for Vata -type depression. High doses may be a bit drying, but at moderate doses, the soothing effect predominates. It is evidence-based for anxiety, and new studies suggest it may have anti-depressant effects as well, at doses of 250–500 mg/day.
• The Ayurvedic herb jatamansi has a long history of use as a Vata -balancer with doses ranging from 450-1,000 mg/day. It is commonly used for anxiety and sleep, It may have some mild anti-depressant benefits as well.
• Ashwagandha was discussed in the Kapha section, but it is also an effective balancer of Vata, Thus, it deserves to be part of the Ayurvedic approach to either Vata or Kapha depression between 350–800 mg/day.
• Gotu kola can be beneficial to all of the doshas, but since it perhaps has the strongest evidence for use with anxiety, it is included here. There are no studies (yet) looking at gotu kola for depression in humans, but there are several rodent studies suggesting benefit; consider a dose of 700–1,400 mg/day.
• Daily probiotics are beneficial for all doshas, especially Vata and Kapha since they have naturally weaker digestion compared to Pitta, The data is resoundingly favorable and becomes even more so if specific strains of bacteria are ingested.B. longum, L. rhamnosus, L. reuteri, and L. helveticus are several that have been found especially helpful.
• Turmeric has received much publicity due to its extensive scientifically documented success with depression at doses of 1,500–2,000 mg/day. Take with black pepper. Prolonged high doses may be aggravating for Vata and Pitta, but temporary use is helpful for all doshas.
• Practice daily self-massage with a warming oil (sesame or almond).
• Encourage restful sleep with bedtime around 10 p.m. Use herbs to support this, if needed. Ashwagandha, passionflower, tulsi, and jatamansi can help.

What is the root cause of vata dosha?

Vata Dosha Imbalance – When Vata is balanced-

• the body is energetic
• digestion, and elimination processes work better
• blood circulation and body temperature remain balanced
• cognitive functions like learning and memory are improved
• the mind remains clear and alert
• falling asleep during bedtime is easier and sleep quality is better

But what happens when the Vata dosha falls out of balance in the system? Since Vata has a major influence on the body, the slightest of changes in it can have severe effects on the body as compared to the other two doshas. Dry/cold/rough/windy weather conditions; dry, cold, pungent, and bitter foods; and excess stress and anxiety are some prominent causes of Vata imbalance.

• Dry and rough skin
• Dehydration
• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Body ache and other pains Disturbed sleep/insomnia
• Anxiety/depression
• Confusion
• Nervousness/agitation/impatience

What is a vata personality?

Vata – Vata consists mostly of the two elements air and space (also known as ether) and is generally described as cold, light, dry, rough, flowing, and spacious. Autumn represents vata for its cool, crisp days. Those with the vata dosha are usually described as slim, energetic, and creative.

Can vata eat bread?

Warm cooked grains, especially rice, oatmeal and wheat products are essential to the vata reduc- ing diet, especially if they are low in yeast ( yeast-free bread). The best form is as pasta, chapatti, and flat breads.

Is lemon water good for vata dosha?

It helps to reduce stress and anxiety and promote sleep due to its Vata balancing property. It also helps to reduce body pain as an aggravated Vata is responsible for pain in the body and Lemon oil has Vata balancing property.

Is honey good for vata dosha?

The ayurvedic uses of honey – Ultimate Ayurveda Honey is a sweet, viscous food substance made by bees and some related insects. Bees store honey in wax structures called a honeycomb. Honey gets its sweetness from the monosaccharides fructose and glucose, and has about the same relative sweetness as sucrose (granulated sugar).

Honey has been used for thousands of years for its health-promoting properties. The ayurvedic classics, over 2,000 years old, often mention honey, and it was regularly used to make medicines. According to the classic writers, honey has two primary tastes – sweetness and astringency. The sweetness is nourishing and pacifies Vata and Pitta, and the astringency is drying and promotes healing, and is balancing for Kapha in moderate quantities.

Honey has traditionally been used for wounds and burns, and modern research has found that New Zealand manuka honey is especially useful for treatment of burns. It is also used in skincare products because of its astringency and nourishing properties.

• Honey is used in ayurvedic eyewashes and eyedrops.
• In fact, part of treatment for eye diseases is placing a drop of honey in each eye, and sitting facing the sun with the eyes closed.
• This is said to cleanse, nourish and heal the eyes.
• Applied daily over the teeth and gums, honey cleans and gives sparkle to the teeth.

It prevents the deposit of tartar at the base of the teeth, and, being a mild antiseptic, it prevents the growth of harmful microorganisms. Gargling with honey water is very useful in gingivitis due to inflammation of the gums. Honey is said to boost digestion (agni) and penetrate the tissues, hence its use in medicines.

1. It is used in many traditional cultures with lemon and hot water, as a digestive cleanser, and as a support for coughs and colds.
2. The astringency dries up phlegm and mucus.
3. In order to benefit from the antibacterial benefits of honey, it is recommended to use New Zealand manuka honey with a high antibacterial rating – UMF of 20+ or MGO of 500+.

Be careful to choose a reputable brand as there are many imitations around! The ayurvedic classics have some warnings about honey. According to the ancient writer Charaka, cooking honey makes it toxic! Also, consuming honey and ghee in equal quantities is considered bad for the health.

There is no modern evidence to support this, but it is something to note. Honey is a great addition to your diet for maintaining health. Look for honeys that have been cold-extracted (raw), for example from, Good quality honeys have pure flavours of the flowers they come from, are not too runny, and often have crystals in them.

New Zealand produces some of the best honey in the world, with delightful flavours and strong healing properties. : The ayurvedic uses of honey – Ultimate Ayurveda

What time should vata go to bed?

The Ayurvedic clock

Time	Dominant dosha
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.	pitta
2 p.m. to 6 p.m.	vata
6 p.m. to 10 p.m.	kapha
10 p.m. to 2 a.m.	pitta

What time of day is best for vata?

Wake Up Between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. – The classics recommend that we rise during the “ambrosial hours” of the morning, sometime between 3 am and 6 am.2, 3 This is a vata time of day; the atmosphere is infused with lightness and clarity, which helps us to more easily awaken.

What is bedtime for vata?

How to support sleep for vata dosha – Pukka’s Head of Herbal Education, Jo Webber, explains: ‘Getting a regular routine is really important and ensure you wind down early evening with warm bath or gentle yoga stretches. Sleep by 9.30pm if you can, latest by 10pm.