Vata type

  • Vata aggravates due to stress, tension, travel, dehydration, cold wind, exhaustion, or dry, cold, rough foods, makes constipation worse.
  • Avoid cold foods
  • Eat oily, moist, warm, protein foods like soups, stews, casseroles, cooked squash, moist root vegetables (turnips, yams)—all of which provide grounding nourishment for a vatic.
  • For constipation, take fiber foods (psyllium figs, prunes, fruits, flax, vegetables, etc), drink lot of warm or hot water & herbal tea to counter vata’s cold quality.
  • Increase quantity of organic oils in diet to lubricate tissues so that an appropriate amount of oil or fat can remain in stool. While most oils are generally supportive, best oils for vata include sesame, olive oils & ghee.
  • Eat plenty of fruits as hydrating, fibrous, generally pacifying to vata. Especially ripe bananas, apples, soaked raisins, prunes, peaches. Be sure to eat at least 1hr before or after other foods, chew thoroughly for maximum benefit.
  • Fruit juices of pineapple, prune are particularly effective at moving excess vata in colon.
  • Before bed, drink either 1c boiled milk with 1-2t ghee, or boil 1Tflaxseeds in 1c water for 2-3mts, cool, drink tea & seeds. Allow at least 1hr (preferably 2-3) between last meal & this bedtime ddrink.
  • Proper elimination is as important as ever during a cleanse because, it is the body’s natural mechanism for detox.
  • A supportive cleanse will clear excess vata, pitta, kapha, ama, & toxins out via the channels of elimination (the urine, feces, sweat). For this, those channels should be kept open.
  • If severely constipated, add some soaked prunes & raisins, a ripe banana to diet 1st thing in the morning, at least 30mts before any other food.