Tips for Balancing Vata

According to Ayurveda, the vata seasons, typically late fall and winter, are times of mobility, dryness, lightness, and coolness. In these seasons, we are invited to introduce the opposite qualities into our routines and practices to stay balanced, support vitality, and boost our ojas (the “fluid of life”).

Ready to feel more grounded? Explore nourishing practices and seasonal tips to balance your doshas below.

Nourish from the Inside Out

Eat warm, grounding foods like sweet potatoes, grains, and soups.
Choose ingredients like maple syrup, raw honey, organic oils, and ghee.
Cook with warming and carminative (gas-relieving) spices like cinnamon, cumin, ginger, salt, cloves, mustard seed, black pepper, cardamom, and basil.
Avoid dry, raw, and undercooked foods.

Find Balance from Breakfast to Bedtime

Try to maintain eight hours of restful sleep, waking up at sunrise and going to bed at the same time each night.
Eat meals at the same time every day. Ideally, breakfast should be eaten between 7:00 and 8:30 a.m., lunch between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., and dinner between 5:30 and 7:00 p.m.
Make lunch your biggest meal and dinner your smallest to support digestion.

Make Space for a Self-Care Routine

Incorporate daily self-massage with warm sesame oil into your daily routine—focusing on the feet!
Set aside time for reflection and stillness each day.
Limit overstimulation.

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