Eating for a balanced vata season
Vata Season
The rain is trickling, the leaves are beginning to fall, and the sun is setting a little earlier. This marks the beginning of vata season, which Ayurveda characterises as light, dry, rough, hard, mobile, irregular, cool—the very qualities we associate with autumn and early winter. During this season you are more likely to experience a vata imbalance. By turning to what we eat daily, it can help keep the excess vata at bay and increase your immunity and health throughout the colder months to come.
Excess Vata makes the mind restless and hyperactive. This can manifest in feelings of anxiety and mental confusion. An imbalanced Vata can also give physical symptoms of dry skin, hair and colon.
Signs of excess, imbalanced Vata to look out for:
- Anxiety
- Poor ability to focus or commit
- Insomnia
- Gas and bloating
- Dry skin, hair, and/or nails
- Weight loss
Watching what you eat and enjoying seasonal foods that match a vata balancing diet is great way to start the autumn months and help you transition from summer. Below is a few tips to help regain balance throughout the colder months.
Eat seasonal
During the change of seasons, it is valuable to eat well by choosing seasonal foods. These foods tend to provide just the antidote you need to balance the transition from the Pitta months of summer to Vata-ruled winter.
Seasonal fruits and vegetables retain more nutrients than their counterparts making them the better choice for your health. Another benefit of eating seasonally is that it supports our local farmers who choose to farm sustainably, a bonus to eating for our dosha.
Seasonal highlights in the UK: pears, potato, pumpkin and broccoli
Start with a cleanse
Ayurveda says that autumn is a great time of year to cleanse, the cleanse can help to prepare the body’s immune system for a smooth ride through the cold, damp winter months.
Start the morning with a cup of hot water and lemon. Lemons are heating and highly enzymatic, very digestive, and a great tool for stimulating digestive fire and encouraging an immune boost for vatas. Helping keep the cold and Flus away for the season.
Warm up your plate
Stay away from raw, cold foods.
These are difficult to digest in Vata season, and will unbalance you during this time. Summer (Pitta season) is the best time to eat raw vegetables.
Eat warm, moist foods—think stews, soups, and root veggies. Stick to warm and easily digestible meals such as stews, soups, basmati or brown or wild rice, dahl, and cooked root vegetables.
Warm up with hot drinks or broths. Cozy up to a warm fire or snuggle up with a good book, a cup of chai or hot tea, and a warm blanket.
Spice up your life
Try Ayurvedic spices as they are warming and grounding and help with digestion. Try: turmeric, cumin, coriander, ginger, black pepper, or saffron.
Stick to a routine
Create some time in your day for you, create a routine like a gratitude journal,restorative yoga, and meditation practices. Other daily ayurvedic practices (dinacharya)—including abyhanga, oiling the body with warming sesame oil—or our Vata body oil, will help you stay steady and feel comforted.
Stay warm and healthy this autumn
Want to know more? Take our dosha quiz to find out more about your elemental make-up