Vata is composed of space and air. Their skin type is usually dry, thin, prone to wrinkles, and cool to the touch. Imbalanced vata skin looks tired, stressed, dry, might have blackheads, prone to premature aging and wrinkles. Imbalances in their digestion displays eczema, psoriasis, or even a skin fungus. Mental stress, worry, fear, anxiety, and lack of sleep can have a huge impact on a vata’s skin leaving it dull and tired looking. Vatas are more likely to have dryness and show signs of aging. They appear older than pittas and kaphas. It’s very important for them to stay hydrated and apply the right kinds of oils on their face and body to help maintain a younger appearance.
Recommendations for vata :
Favor:
- Sweet foods: naturally sweet and organic fresh, ripe fruits (mangos, bananas, pineapple), carrots, corn, dairy (milk, ghee, yogurt, cream), grains (whole wheat, rice, barley), vegetables (parsnips, sweet potatoes, yams).
- Salty - mineral salt, seaweed, kelp, food from the ocean, celery, nuts, chips, and pickles.
- Sour - citrus, like lemons, limes, oranges and tamarind. Sour milk products (yogurt,
cheese, sour cream). Fermented foods (wine, vinegar, pickles, sauerkraut, and soy
sauce).
- Food should always be cooked first. Eat a warm, unctuous diet.
- Eat fish or food that contain omega-3.
- Add ghee to your diet.
- Add heating herbs to cooking: turmeric, cumin, and nutmeg.
- Hydrate. Vatas are prone to dryness. 6-8 cups of warm or hot water with lemon everyday. It helps promote peristaltic action in the large intestine.
Avoid:
- Raw salads or cold juice smoothies.
- Bitter tastes - dark green, leafy vegetables, dark chocolate
- Astringent - dried fruits, broccoli, cabbage
- Pungent - garlic and onions
- Cleansing your skin with strong, drying facial cleansers. These will strip your skin of its natural moisture barrier and dry out your skin even more.
- Alcohol based facial cleansers which is very drying to the skin.
Late fall to early winter is considered vata season. It’s cold, windy, light, erratic, and very drying. These are qualities that are associated with vata dosha. Because of the similar qualities (gunas) vata will be easily imbalanced during this season.
Daily routine:
- Self massage with warming oils (abhyanga) after a shower like sesame seed oil, lavender oil or ginger oil. The oils should be organic and cold-pressed.
- For the face, use organic rosehip seed oil, organic lavender oil, organic rose oil, organic neroli oil, organic geranium oil, organic lemon oil, and organic sesame oil. These oils help to rehydrate dry skin, diminish the appearance of fine lines, and reduce the appearance of pigmentation.
