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Treating a Dosha Imbalance

Vata Imbalance

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If your prakriti or original constitution has more Vata in it, you will exhibit many of the characteristics and qualities of Vata when you are in balance than people who have more Pitta or Kapha in their make-up. But if the qualities become extreme, or more pronounced than usual at a given time, then the Vata in you has in all likelihood become aggravated or imbalanced, and needs to be brought back into balance. And if a predominantly Kapha or Pitta person starts exhibiting many Vata qualities, that indicates a Vata imbalance in that Kapha or Pitta body type. In both cases, it is then time to follow a Vata-balancing diet and lifestyle to help restore the level of Vata in the physiology to its normal proportion.

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Factors that can cause Vata dosha to increase in the physiology include a diet that contains too many dry or raw foods, over-consumption of ice-cold beverages, exposure to cold dry winds, a variable daily routine, too much travel, and mental overexertion.

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Signs that you need to balance Vata:

  • Are you constantly worried, anxious, overwhelmed, fretful?

  • Do you feel tired but find yourself unable to slow down and relax?

  • Do you find it difficult to settle down and fall asleep at night? Is your sleep restless when you do manage to fall asleep?

  • Is your skin feeling dryer than usual, stretched taut or flaking?

  • Is your hair more brittle, with split ends happening oftener?

  • Are your lips raw and chapped? Is your throat constantly dry?

  • Is your digestion irregular? Do you experience problems with abdominal gas?

  • Do you feel like you cannot sit still, that you need to be constantly moving?

  • Do you feel “spaced out”? Is it harder to remember things for more than a short period of time? Is your attention span shorter than usual? Is it harder to focus?

  • Do your bowel movements occur less than once daily?
     

If you answered yes to many of the questions above, following a Vata-balancing diet and lifestyle can help restore balance to Vata.

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Read How to Balance Vata Dosha or Request an Ayurvedic Consultation

Pitta Imbalance

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If your prakriti or original constitution has more Pitta in it, you will exhibit many of the characteristics and qualities of Pitta when you are in balance than people who have more Vata or Kapha in their make-up.  But if the qualities become extreme, or more pronounced than usual at a given time, then the Pitta in you has in all likelihood become aggravated or imbalanced, and needs to be brought back into balance. And if a predominantly Kapha or Vata person starts exhibiting many Pitta qualities, that indicates a Pitta imbalance in that Kapha or Vata body type. In both cases, it is then time to follow a Pitta-balancing diet and lifestyle to help restore the level of Pitta in the physiology to its normal proportion.

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Factors that can cause Pitta dosha to increase in the physiology include a diet that contains too many hot or spicy foods, fasting or skipping meals, over-exposure to the sun or to hot temperatures, and emotional trauma.

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Signs that you need to balance Pitta:

  • Are you constantly critical, impatient, irritable?

  • Do you feel obsessed by work or a project, unable to stop for a break?

  • Do you wake up in the very early hours of the morning and then find it difficult to get back to sleep?

  • Is your skin feeling irritated or more sensitive than usual, breaking out or feeling inflamed?

  • Is your hair falling when you shampoo or comb it?

  • Do you have problems with heartburn or excess stomach acid?

  • Is your tolerance of other people or provoking situations lower than usual? Do you have temper outbursts over minor aggravations? Do you often feel frustrated?

  • Do you feel hot even when you are indoors? Do you feel thirsty all the time? Are your eyes red?

  • Is your speech often biting and sarcastic? Do you find yourself getting into arguments easily?
     

If you answered yes to many of the questions above, following a Pitta-balancing diet and lifestyle can help restore balance to Pitta.

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Read How to Balance Pitta Dosha or Request an Ayurvedic Consultation

Kapha Imbalance

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If your prakriti or original constitution has more Kapha in it, you will exhibit many of the characteristics and qualities of Kapha when you are in balance than people who have more Pitta or Vata in their make-up.  But if the qualities become extreme, or more pronounced than usual at a given time, then the Kapha in you has in all likelihood become aggravated or imbalanced, and needs to be brought back into balance.

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Factors that can cause Kapha dosha to increase in the physiology include a diet that contains too many deep-fried, sweet or heavy foods, over-consumption of ice-cold foods or beverages, exposure to cold and damp, daytime sleep, and lack of exercise.

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Signs that you need to balance Kapha:

  • Are you gaining weight easily, even though you feel like you don’t really have an appetite?

  • Do you feel tired even though you are not performing any physical activity?

  • Do you find it difficult to awake even after long hours of sleep? Do you wake up feeling un-refreshed, tired?

  • Is your skin feeling oilier than usual, with breakouts?

  • Is your hair oily and streaky even with regular shampooing?

  • Are you heavy and congested in your throat, head and chest?

  • Is your digestion slow? Do you feel heavy and lethargic after a meal?

  • Do you feel like you just want to sit and be a spectator?

  • Do you feel withdrawn? Is it difficult to deal with change? Do you constantly feel the need to “cling”?

  • Do you feel mentally unmotivated?
     

If you answered yes to many of the questions above, following a Kapha-balancing diet and lifestyle can help restore balance to Kapha.

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Read How to Balance Kapha Dosha or Request an Ayurvedic Consultation

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