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YOU ARE ALL VATA

WHEN IN BALANCE YOU ARE BRIGHT, ENTHUSIASTIC, CREATIVE, AND FULL OF NEW IDEAS. YOU HAVE A NATURAL ABILITY TO EXPRESS YOURSELF AND COMMUNICATE. PEOPLE LOOK TO YOU FOR YOUR VISION AND OUTSIDE-THE-BOX THINKING.

What is "Vata"?

Vata is your dosha type. What is a dosha? It's simply the Ayurvedic definition for your bio-individuality. In other words it's your body type, which includes your metabolic constitution, your personality, and your physical characteristics.

By understanding what makes us unique, we can make better decisions as they relate to our diet, our lifestyle, and our mental health.

So I'm A Vata. What Does This Mean?

You think fast, talk fast, love being with other people, and enjoy travel and change.

You are so enthusiastic and full of energy that it’s hard to keep you grounded. Much like the wind, you are changeable.

Wonderfully creative with an artistic bent, you drum to a different beat. You are unique, and quite like it that way.

You are very active, often restless and sometimes find it hard to relax. You have a strong and sensitive spirit.

You are good at initiating things, but not necessarily at following them through.

You are prone to poor memory, lack of concentration, disorganization, fear and anxiety.

You can suffer from nervous problems such as disorientation, panic attacks and mood swings.

The balanced ‘you’ is active, creative, and gifted with a natural ability to express and communicate.

Photo: Ed Needs A Bicycle. Creative Commons.

VATA TYPES ARE ANALOGOUS TO AIR AND ETHER. CALM AND SOOTHING LIKE A SUMMER BREEZE, THEY MOVE EVERYTHING AROUND THEM. HOWEVER WHEN OUT OF BALANCE, THE WIND RAGES LIKE A HURRICANE, NEGATIVE QUALITIES QUICKLY OVERSHADOW THESE POSITIVE ATTRIBUTES.

Typical Vata Characteristics:

Thinner lips

A thinner and slender frame

A tendency to show wrinkles earlier

Wiry and often curly hair

Expressive and narrow face

HOW DO YOU KNOW YOU HAVE PUSHED YOUR LIMITS?

We often think of our health in terms of symptoms. We have a headache, or indigestion, or skin irritation. However, symptoms are just that, symptoms of an underlying problem or imbalance.

At The Holistic Highway we work with patients to treat the underlying cause of their imbalance and not just their symptoms.

To use an analogy, if you have a headache, we want to determine and treat the cause of your headaches, not just prescribe Tylenol for the pain. This is health-care, not sick-care, and it's the key to long term health, energy and vitality.

SIGNS & SYMPTOMS OF IMBALANCE:

Aching pain in the bones, cracking joints, arthritis, low backache

Nervousness, anxiety, panic, fear

Fatigue, lowered resistance to infection, loss of weight

Tinnitus, tingling, numbness

Twitches, tics, tremors, spasms

Dry skin and hair, brittle nails, chapped skin

Constipation, gas, bloating, dry, hard stools, explosive diarrhea (aggravated by anxiety)

Dislike of cold and wind, feeling cold and poor circulation

Pain (cutting or migrating), poor coordination

Insomnia, restless sleep, tension and anxiety

Insecurity, mental agitation, depression, restlessness

Difficulty tolerating loud noises

Spacy, scattered feeling

Excess thinking or worrying

LIFESTYLE RECOMMENDATIONS TO GET BACK IN BALANCE:

In order to eliminate symptoms and get back in balance, consider the following recommendations.

Plenty of relaxation rest and sleep; avoid overstimulation and doing too much. This will calm the central nervous system that gets hyper-sensitized for you as a Vata.

Do not skip meals. Even though you can forget to eat, skipping meals will increase fatigue. Eat a nourishing lunch at mid-day and lighter meals at breakfast and dinner. Have a light diet of warm, soft foods, avoiding hard, raw, dry and indigestible foods. As your digestion can be pretty sensitive, it is best not to overtax it with dry, difficult to digest food.

Sit down to eat each meal, eat in a peaceful atmosphere with your attention on your food, and sit quietly for a few minutes after your meal. If your digestion is irregular, practicing these eating habits will help make your digestion more regular. This will help with gas, bloating and constipation which Vatas have a tendency towards. Vatas are sensitive to stress and we now know that stress affects the digestive system first and causes it to dry out – this causes constipation.

Use mild spices such as fresh ginger, cumin, cardamom, fennel and coriander. These spices aid in the digestive process.

Increase sweet, sour and salty foods. These foods, in general balance Vata by calming the central nervous system and minimize pungent, bitter and astringent foods which are more catabolic in nature and can wear Vatas down.

Daily elimination is very important to prevent digestive toxins from accumulating in the body. Triphala (a mixture of fruits) helps promote regularity as well as toning the digestive system.

Triphala is made up of three fruits and is most commonly purchased as a powder.

Triphala has the following effects:

Assists natural internal cleansing

Gently maintains regularity

Nourishes and rejuvenates the tissues

Supports healthy digestion and absorption

Natural antioxidant

Triphala is most commonly known for its use as a gentle bowel tonic, being helpful in digestion, and supporting regular bowel movements. The combination of the three fruits has a synergistic effect to bolster many other systems as well.

In addition to the GI tract, Ayurveda uses triphala to support healthy respiratory, cardiovascular, urinary, reproductive, and nervous systems. Triphala has also been shown to be a powerful antioxidant, protecting cells from the damaging effects of free radicals.

The three fruits involved in making triphala are also known for their individual effects:

Amalaki (Emblica officinalis): Has a cooling effect that manages pitta, supporting the natural functions of the liver and the immune system.

Bibhitaki (Terminalia belerica): Is particularly good for kapha, supporting the respiratory system as well as kapha accumulations in all systems.

Haritaki (Terminalia chebula): Though having a heating nature, it is still good for all three doshas (vata, pitta, and kapha). Is known for its “scraping” effect, which removes toxins and helps maintain healthy levels of weight.

To pamper dry skin, to promote circulation and to nourish and tone muscles and nerves, indulge in a soothing self-massage at least three times a week before you shower. Use almond or sesame oil for your massage.

If you like, you can add 3-4 drops of a pure essential oil such as sandalwood, another cooling oil, lavender or rose to 2 oz. of massage oil. Mix well before use.

Two or three times a week, massage your scalp with warm oil, and let the oil stay for an hour or two before you shampoo. After your shower or bath, apply a pure, gentle moisturizer all over your body or spray your skin with pure rose or sandalwood water to keep your skin feeling cool all day long.

Protect yourself from the cold and wind. Stay warm and toasty in cold weather by wearing several layers of clothing. Wear a cap and scarf when you go out to protect your ears and throat. Wear lip balm to prevent lips from getting dry and chafed.

Walking is the ideal exercise for balancing Vata. Walk in the early morning, for about 20 minutes every day.

You may have to woo sleep if Vata dosha is aggravated. It is important to get to bed early, so that you can get adequate rest each night. A cup of warm milk, with a pinch of nutmeg, can be helpful before bedtime.

Nutmeg is associated with a long list of health benefits, including its ability to relieve pain, soothe indigestion, detox the body, boost skin health, strengthen the immune system and improve blood circulation. Nutmeg is also believed to possess mild sedative properties that can help those who suffer from insomnia.

Set aside about 30 minutes each day for meditation, to help calm the mind and enhance body- mind-spirit coordination.

A GREAT VATA PACIFYING LUNCH FOR YOU:

Stewed Apples with Dates and Cinnamon, Serves 2.

This comforting home-style dish is great for balancing Vata as cooked fruit is easy to digest, cinnamon is a carminative, an agent that helps break up intestinal gas. Cardamom has been proven to reduce constipation and indigestion.

Ginger root is a medicinal herb used primarily for the treatment of dyspepsia (discomfort after eating), this includes the symptoms of bloating, heartburn, gas, and nausea.

Did you also know that Medjool dates are high in natural sugar as well as potassium to keep you invigorated with energy? Potassium in Medjool dates (by the way they contain more potassium than bananas) builds muscles tone, which Vatas tend to lack.

Cooked fruit is easy to digest and helps keep the body clean.

2 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced

4 or 5 dried apricots, soaked in hot water for 20 minutes

4 dates, preferably Medjool, pitted and cut in half

2 cups filtered water

1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional)

1 tablespoon fresh ginger

¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Put all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to the mixture to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

2. With a ladle, transfer about a third of the contents, including the liquid, to a blender or a food processor fitted with the S-blade. Blend or process until pureed. Stir the puree back into the pan.

Serve warm.

real food isn't made from ingredients

REAL FOOD IS INGREDIENTS.

Enjoy delicious, healthy meals that are specifically designed for the metabolism of a Vata with an Ayurveda Meal Plan from The Holistic Highway.

Get 5 Delicious And Healthy VATA Meals A Week

Try a Vata meal plan for free with a 14 day trial. If for whatever reason you aren't satisfied with your plan, you can cancel at the click of a button, no questions asked, and never pay a dime. After that, it is just $6.99 a month. What have you got to lose? Sign up today!

Click Here To View A Sample Week For Vatas

Putting the right foods in your body is the number one factor in determining your health and energy levels.

Want to eat delicious, healthy foods that are right for you all the time?

These budget-friendly meal plans include everything you need to eat the foods that are right for you every night of the week. No more "What's for dinner?" No more time consuming dinner prep or expensive take out.

Just simple, easy to make dinners that are right for you.

Click Here To Get 5 Delicious And Healthy VATA Meals A Week

Shopping Lists Make It Easy
Each weeks plans come with a corresponding shopping list so that you know exactly what, and how much, to buy each week. Simply buy the ingredients on the shopping list and you will have everything you need for 5 dinners that week! Every ingredient on your list will be used which means no waste (and no more wasted money) as well as an empty refrigerator at the end of the week.

Curated Specifically For You
Each meal not only includes the recipe for that meal, but also a detailed breakdown of why each meal was chosen for you. We breakdown the benefits of each meal from both an eastern and western perspective so that you know exactly what is in your food and why it's the ideal food for you.

Recipes Are Seasonal
The meals change with the seasons because eating the foods that are in season are tastier, cheaper and better for you. That’s why we ask where you live so we can provide the meals that are in-season given your location.

Adjustable For Every Dosha
One of the challenges of eating the food that is right for you is that, as social creatures, we rarely eat alone, and therefore need to create meals that the whole family can enjoy. That's why each recipe comes with instructions on how to make easy tweaks to the recipe so that the meal is right for each dosha at your dinner table. A little dash of this herb for a Pitta, a splash of oil for a Pitta... you get the idea. One recipe with basic dinner plate tweaks allows you to prepare custom meals for the whole family with just one recipe!

Dinners for 1, 2, 4 and More!
Each recipe is designed as a meal for 2. Eating alone? Simply cut the amount of ingredients in half. Feeding a family of four? Double up. Simple, easy and adjustable.

30 Minutes Or Less
We understand that eating right isn't easy, and that we all live very busy lives. That's why each meal has been carefully crafted to take about 30 minutes or less to cook. Some may be a little longer, but they are worth it. we promise.

“I cannot thank The Holistic Highway enough for introducing me to the meals that are right for me! I'm amazed at how quickly my body responded to the changes I made in my diet. I feel fantastic and the food is delicious!” - Tracy Calhoun

Try it for free

Try a meal plan designed just for you with a 14 day trial. If for whatever reason you aren't satisfied with your plan, you can cancel at the click of a button, no questions asked, and never pay a dime. After that, it is just $6.99 a month. What have you got to lose? Sign up risk free below!

Click Here To Get 5 Delicious And Healthy VATA Meals A Week

Click Here To View A Sample Week For Vatas

"EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT, AND AS SUCH, YOUR TREATMENT MUST REFLECT YOUR INDIVIDUALITY." -Watch The Breakthrough TEDx Talk by Kerry Harling, CEO and founder of The Holistic Highway

We Want To Get To Know You

What To Expect From Your Consultation:

The purpose of a consultation is to better understand your health challenges and goals. From there we can determine if we can help. If we believe our approach to personalized medicine can support you we will recommend the service we think is ideal for you.

However, We Can’t Help Everyone…

But by having our practice at the University of Pittsburgh’s Center For Integrative Medicine it is highly likely we know someone who can no matter where you are located. If your health challenges are best suited for a professional in another discipline of medicine we are more than happy to connect you with someone who is better suited to deliver the support you need. The center consists of classically trained doctors, chiropractors, acupuncturists, etc… that are highly skilled and thoughtful professionals.

Simply fill out the intake form at the link below to get started, afterwards you will be directed to an online calendar where you can book this initial phone consultation at your convenience. We look forward to learning more about you!

Schedule Your Consultation With Kerry Harling