Many cultures recognize food as medicine. That is why you can count on proper eating for balancing your Doshas. In Ayurveda practice, diet and the doshas are the key to every diagnosis and healing regime. When you are unwell it is likely that a dosha is out of balance.
Consider these food tips as a stepping stone to balancing a Dosha.
The doshas are groupings of elements that make up our physical existence, from our bodies to our minds. Each of us has a dominant dosha that plays part in the types of food, activities, and even climates that we like and thrive with.
The Doshas are as follows:
For more on the Doshas and the roles they play in our bodies, please refer to our website page on Ayurveda under the tab practices.
A dosha needs balancing (or often referred to as pacifying) when your dosha type is becoming too dominant and you are experiencing negative effects in your body as a result. For example if you are a predominantly Pitta dosha but it is out of balance you may be experiencing extremely oily skin, digestion problems, or feeling easily angered.
A dosha can fall out of balance for a number of reasons. Such as eating too many similar foods and partaking in activities that only fuel that particular dosha. It is easy to fall into these habits since they are favourable to your dosha and make you feel good. The key is moderation.
To balance your dosha you need foods and activities that are opposite to the traits of the dosha you are trying to balance. A pitta dosha would need balancing through cooler foods and calm activities. Alternatively, if you are experiencing a dosha that is too low you would want to up your intake of similar elements. That means warm foods and high energy activities for the low pitta dosha. According to Ayurveda, balancing your doshas through a balanced diet leads to much improved health.
Vata is the dosha made up of air and ether. This gives it traits that are light and cool. A vetta out of balance may cause anxiety, dry skin, a cooler body temperature, and troubles with expelling waste.
Foods that will combat this will be served warm and thoroughly cooked. Flavors should be sweet, sour and salty as these represent high energy flavors. Choose spices that are pleasantly warm, such as pepper ginger or cinnamon, but not spices like chili.
Fire and water make up the Pitta dosha. As this may sound contradicting, the water element represents fluidity more than anything. As mentioned, an imbalance can make us excessively warm which results in sweating and oily skin, and feelings of anger or impatience. Energies are too high when this Dosha is in excess.
You are looking for cooler foods when balancing this dosha. That may mean more salads or fresh raw foods rather than cooked. Aim for both sweet and bitter flavors while incorporating refreshing herbs such as cilantro and spices on the mild side.
Lastly, we see the elements, water and earth represented in the Kapha dosha. When this is out of balance you will feel weighed down energetically. I as well the body holds on to excess water which may create the appearance of gaining weight.
You will want to eat pungent foods to wake you back up. This means very warm foods temperature-wise as well as a careful pick of flavors. Reach for strong flavors like chili or cayenne and top your foods with black pepper. Try avoiding excess liquid in your meals such as soups and keeping most aspects light and dry, making sure every ingredient is well cooked.
Ayurveda and diet are closely interconnected. There are many more food related ways to balance your doshas, from the way you consume foods to the time. However, we understand how busy life can be and applaud any efforts made. Finding time for meal planning and food prep can go along way for staying on track.
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