MENTION VATA DOMINANT EATING GUIDELINES .

So you know what dosha you are; now you are on your way to more specific dosha living. But before we begin, here are some general tips that are non-dosha specific and behaviorally oriented: 06 FACTS;- 1-Never drink excessive water (rule of thumb: when you use the restroom, drink water after) 2-If you must drink water at a meal, make sure it is tepid (lukewarm) and drink after you eat (too much water can suppress appetite). Ice water is a no-no as it shuts down your digestive system. 3-Drinking warm ginger tea with a meal is always beneficial for digestion. 4-Never eat late as it disrupts your body’s natural process of sleep (as it is focusing on digestion when you eat). Sleep is very important to the body as it performs many restorative functions related to good health. 5-Make sure you have at least 8 hours of sleep each night 6-Have a regular regimen of Yoga in your day including pranayama, asanas, and meditation. More Detailed Diet for Vata Predominant Constitution 06 FACTS;- 1-Vata is composed of air and ether (space) and air is the dominant element in this combination. The person with a vata predominant constitution is blessed with a quick mind, ready flexibility, and creative resources. These people are on the go a lot, mentally, physically, or both. Dietary therapy in vata is aimed at grounding and stabilizing. 2-Vata is found primarily in the colon, brain, ears, bones, joints, skin and thighs. It is wind which [both moves the body and dries it. 3-Vata increases in the autumn and during change of seasons. It is also most active in the late afternoon (2-6 pm.) and before dawn (2-6 am). 4-Its attributes are dry, light, cold, mobile, rough, subtle, clear, dispersing and astringent. increasing these qualities increases vata. In excess they derange Vata. 5-Vata is also deranged by continual stimulation, drugs, excess sugar, and alcohol. This will lead to symptoms such as fatigue, constipation, wind, aching joints and thighs, brittle dry nails and hair, nerve disorders, twitching and tics, fear, anxiety and memory loss. 6-Vata is calmed by rest, warmth, and meditation, also by soothing music, breaks at work, slow breathing, and gentle massage. From the dietary viewpoint, the most important things to remember are:---- 05 FACTS;- 1. Keep warm and create a safe, calm and secure environment to be in. 2. Choose warming foods and spices. Food should be warm, moist and well lubricated, e.g. soups, hot drinks and rice with a little oil or ghee. 3. Avoid cold foods and drinks, or anything that has been 4. Minimize raw and fermented food.--Fermentation is the process in which a substance breaks down into a simpler substance. Microorganisms like yeast and bacteria usually play a role in the fermentation process, creating beer, wine, bread, kimchi, yogurt and other foods 5. Keep to a regular routine and eat several small meals a day, e.g. four or five. Vata (favor the following foods):---- 1-General Sufficient quantity, unctuous (oily) food and drinks. Sweet, sour, and salty tastes. 2-Beans/Dahl Yellow mung beans (green skin removed), red lentils. 3-Grains+ Carbs Warm cooked grains, especially rice, oatmeal and wheat products are essential to the vata reducing diet, especially if they are low in yeast. Pasta and flat breads are ideal. The best forms are as chapattis, pasta, and flat breads. Wheat, rice, barley, oats, quinoa and amaranth can be used as grains and can be consumed as ready to cook cereals or breads. Barley helps one to lose weight. Pearled barley is a convenient option to include. You need to boil it and use it in a salad along with vegetables and lentils or meats.High fiber sources of carbohydrates like sweet potatoes may also be used in place of grains. Carbohydrates though are considered to increase Kapha and are avoided by those watching their weight, but some amount of carbohydrates are needed in the meals to calm Vata and thereby the mind and stop sugar cravings. 4-Vegetables Almost all vegetables are good for you. Tubers and roots are to be restrained a bit as they can increase the blood sugar level and also Kapha in the body. Similarly, too fibrous vegetables can aggravate Vata in certain people and cause flatulence. So they should be consumed as per individual digestive capacity. Give preference however to cooked vegetables over raw salads and vegetable juices.All vegetables except cabbage family vegetables and limit tomato. Vegetables should be cooked or lightly steamed. Avoid members of the cabbage family which create gas: e.g. cauliflower, broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts. Raw vegetables require extra energy to digest. A little lettuce and sprouts with oil and vinegar to balance out the vata are OK. 5-Fruits All fruits, except those that are too sweet, are good for you. Two servings of fruits should be eaten in between meals. Diced papaya with salt and cumin powder sprinkled on top is a good appetizer.Ripe, sweet and juicy fruits. Dried fruit is better soaked or stewed. Avoid apples, pears, and cranberries. Soak and cook dried fruits to make them digestible for vata constitutions. Eat fruit alone or before meals. 6-Spices/Condiments Cumin, ginger, mustard seeds, fenugreek, asafetida, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, anise, fennel, black pepper (small amounts), lemon juice and tamarind, all others in small amounts. All spices can be used in moderation as they tend to warm. Be careful with very hot spices which dry out the body by overheating. 7-Oils/Fats Preferred oils are sesame or ghee, with sunflower being acceptable for all dosha types. 8-Protein For protein avoid most beans, except for black lentils (urud dal) split mung beans, tofu, and soy milk. Eggs are best eaten in dishes or in a soft or spicy form, e.g. scrambled eggs, omelets or custard. Avoid fried and hardboiled eggs.| 9-Dairy Buttermilk + Yogurt;-

Drink fresh buttermilk before lunch. Add roasted cumin powder, salt and mint leaves to it. Yogurt can be taken similarly twice a week. Fruit yogurts are best avoided.All milk products are good for vata in moderation. Warm milk is soothing to vata when combined with ginger, cardamom (इलायची), and cinnamon (दालचीनी). 10-Sweets Eat sweet food but avoid too many sweets as excess sugar over-stimulates. 11-Oils/Fats The best oil to use is sesame oil (तिल का तेल )or ghee. Sunflower oil is also a good neutral, tri-doshic oil if cooking for other people.

12-Ginger Pickle;-

Chew upon 2-3 juliennes of ginger pickle before lunch and dinner to kindle the digestive fire. To make ginger pickle cut ginger into juliennes. Add some rock salt, caraway seeds and lemon juice to it. Keep for one day in direct sunlight in a glass jar. If sunlight is not available just let it stay for a day before use. After one day it is ready to use. Shake periodically before eating to check for the growth of fungus. It can be stored for a week in the refrigerator, after which you should make a fresh batch. 12-Special(Caffeine/Alcohol);-

Restrict the intake of coffee and caffeinated tea to one or two cups as excess of these can aggravate Vata. Avoid taking them at bedtime as they are likely to interfere with sleep by aggravating Vata.

Wines and other alcoholic drinks except beer can be taken in small quantities. Most of these have a tendency to aggravate Pitta which should be kept in mind. Excess alcohol aggravates Vata dosha and should therefore be avoided. Avoid all stimulants such as Coffee, strong tea and dark chocolate. 13-Restaurants Vata constitutions can eat out at almost any restaurant and have the easiest time finding appropriate food of all the doshas, e.g. Thai, Indian, Chinese, European, Japanese etc. Simply be careful to avoid excess salad and raw foods and tomato based foods in excess.Keep breakfast and dinner light and lunch the heaviest meal of the day. Eat only when you are hungry or better still when the previous meal has been digested. You’ll know this by a marked return of the appetite, a clear burp and a feeling of lightness in the stomach.

DAILY ROUTINE;-

First Start the day with a glass of warm water with a tablespoon of honey and a dash of lemon juice. If you have problems with either of these, you may just have a glass of warm water. This can be followed by 10 raisins and 10 almonds that have been soaked overnight in water. This helps to kick start the day.

Your Friend Tulsi Tea;-

This should be followed by a coriander and holy basil or dried Tulsi leaf tea. Rather it can be taken 2-3 times in a day as it checks the aggravation of Kapha and Vata and keeps possible aggravation of Pitta also in check.For this you need to boil 1 teaspoon of coarsely ground coriander seeds and 1/2 tsp of dried Tulsi leaves in one and a half cups of water. Reduce to half. Strain and drink hot. Add 1/4 tsp of organic sugar if desired.

Breakfast;-

Breakfast can be a cereal with milk or eggs. Keep it light and

save meat for lunch when the digestive fire is at it’s peak.

Lunch;-

Lunch can be grains, proteins in the form of white meat, lentils or beans and cooked vegetables. Lentils and beans should be spiced using spices mentioned above.

Dinner;-

Dinner can be same as lunch but lighter and can include soups.