Balancing Vata Dosha in Cold and Dry Northern Climates
Updated: Oct 5
As the weather gets colder and drier with each passing month from autumn to winter, it becomes more likely to disturb the balance of Vata. Symptoms such as anxiety, constipation, dryness, and a sense of being ungrounded are frequently associated with Vata imbalances. Use our Ayurvedic survival guide designed for colder regions to smoothly navigate the changing seasons. Explore six easy-to-follow suggestions for balancing Vata and get a free Vata recipe eBook as an extra gift.
Explore more on the Saumya Blog, selected top Ayurveda blogs and websites.
Balancing Vata in Northern Climates
Fall announces itself as the air cools around you, though the days may be warm or hot, the evenings and early mornings are cooler--now is the time to focus on balancing Vata dosha. As Vata season continues to unfold, it will become cooler, windier, drier and the leaves fall, and the ground turns brown.
The doshas are vulnerable to seasonal transitions therefore balance is of the utmost importance. In northern climates, it’s more of a whiplash than a subtle transition, as such, skillful care is not only needed, it's required.
In this article, we will walk you through what Vata season is, signs Vata dosha is out of balance, and ways you can balance or re-balance Vata dosha this fall.
Before jumping into Vata dosha, a few words about the doshas. Ayurveda, the knowledge of life, describes the world as being made up of five elements, Aakash (space), Jala (water), Prithvi (earth), Teja (fire), and Vayu (air). These five elements come together to form three distinct humors referred to as Doshas: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha.
Nature does not standardize. Just as there are no two leaves on a tree that are identical, there are not two humans who are the same. Everyone is a comprised of a one-of-a-kind mix of the Vata, Pitta and Kapha doshas. The doshas give shape to the physical body, sleep, digestion, hair, voice, intellect and more.
Look at the Saumya Ayurveda logo. The petals represent the five elements, and those elements combine to create each dosha. Earth and water comprise Kapha. Fire and water combine and Pitta manifests. Air and ether together create Vata.
Vata governs movement inside and outside of us such as the wind outside your window, synaptic movement in the brain and bowel movement.
Kapha governs protection and lubrication such as the immune system, synovial fluid in the joints, and the mucosal lining of the respiratory system.
Pitta governs metabolism such as food, touch, sunlight, and thinking.
Simply put, to balance the doshas, opposite qualities are the treatment. Kapha needs invigoration for motivation. Pitta needs to chill out, relax, cool off and let go of intensity. Vata needs grounding and soothing to stabilize.
Now that the groundwork has been laid about the doshas, let's move into Vata.
Let's Get Oriented to Vata
What is Vata Season?
Depending on your location and the climate around you, Vata season may vary. Generally speaking, it begins in the fall and ends in early winter. It may surprise you to learn that Vata will start peeking out long before the leaves peak.
In Minnesota, for example, Vata will begin to increase in subtle, or not so subtle ways, by the second week of August. It may be hot and humid in the day, but for those with Vata constitution or Vata issues, there is enough of an increase to feel it — mind and body.
Vata dosha is characterized by light, dry, cool, rough, mobile, and clear qualities. As such, Autumn is the classic Vata season. When Vata in the environment increases, Vata in us is likely to increase as well.
During seasonal transitions and in fall especially, bodies often become constipated, dry, cold, tight, sore, and in the mind, Vata can manifest as anxiety, sleep changes, and feeling scattered. Therefore, balancing the Vata is of the upmost importance for feeling good physically and mentally.
What is Vata Dosha?
Before we dive into different ways you can balance or re-balance Vata this fall, let’s discuss Vata Dosha.
In Ayurveda, there are three doshas that comprise a person’s constitution: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Each dosha is characterized by its own unique qualities. All three doshas are present in each of us, it is a matter of proportion of each dosha and yes, it is often a changing picture. Life events, seasonal changes, perimenopause, job changes, you name it--change can change the doshic picture. This is where regular follow up consultations go a long way to maintaining balance of the doshas.
We have a predominant dosha or perhaps a combination of doshas. Knowing your doshic picture will empower you to make the correct and healthiest choices for you, thereby enabling you to live a more balanced life.
Vata dosha consists of air and ether and governs all movement in the universe — whether that is respiration, bowel movement, digestion, or the movement or stillness of our minds.
Therefore, Vata is of primary importance for everyone as it is the movement or lack of movement behind everything.
Signs Vata Dosha is Imbalanced
One of Vata's qualities is mobility, governing movement inside us and outside. In northern climates such as Minnesota and Canada, this movement is dramatic especially from summer to autumn. Clients share that they were doing great all summer and then all of the sudden-wham--anxiety, constipation and poor sleep come seemingly out of the blue, out of nowhere.
In fact, that is exactly where those symptoms came from--out of nowhere--literally those doshic imbalances came out of the elements of air and ether, Vata!
For those in colder climates, seasonal consultations for the summer to autumn transition is key to maintaining balanced Vata AND this sets up success for maintaining balance into and through the long, cold, windy, dry winter.
As Alberta Clippers, high wind, dry, frigid temperatures sweep wildly across much of Canada and the USA, we need to stay in front of these dramatic changes. When we notice Vata dosha going out of balance, we need to address them and the sooner the better as once Vata gets blowing, it can keep going as does the wind on the great plains.
When Vata Dosha Becomes Imbalanced
30 Signs of Vata Imbalances
Body:
Dry skin, hair, lips, joints Dry digestive tract: gas, bloat, constipation Dry, scanty, irregular periods, or absent flow. When your period is present, imbalanced Vata manifests as anxiety, insomnia, sharp or stinging cramps, and blood discoloration General sense of feeling cold, hands and feet especially Poor circulation Tight muscles, twitches, muscle spasms and feeling clenched Tics and tremors
Aches and pains here, there, and everywhere at times Palpitations Tinnitus Dehydration Weight loss Difficulty gaining weight
Hair loss Fidgeting or other extra movement Dislike of cold and wind Difficulty with loud noises Light, interrupted sleep Difficulty sleeping, with waking, or difficulty and staying asleep Feeling weak, fatigued, loss of vitality Astringent taste, dryness in the mouth Sense of wanting to run or runaway Lack of focus or forgetful Difficulty concentrating, remembering
Mind:
Anxiety, nervousness
Panic attacks, fear
Restless, agitated
Dizziness
Feeling ungrounded, spacey, scattered, overwhelmed
Excess worrying and thinking in general (“cannot shut my mind off, it just keeps talking.’)
Feeling sped-up, racing mind
Confused
Excessive talking Shaky
How Do I Know If I Have a Dosha Imbalance?
Peruse these comprehensive and convenient lists of signs and symptoms of dosha imbalances.
As we are all comprised of Vata, Pitta, and Kapha, there can be an imbalance in any of the doshas, or a combination of dosha imbalances. Read all three lists. Does anything looks familiar?
How to Balance Vata Dosha this Fall
1.) Eat Vata Soothing and Grounding Foods
Food is medicine is part of Saumya Ayurveda's treatment trio. (herbs and Ayurveda lifestyle tools are too.) Favor warm, moist, well-cooked, highly nourishing foods such as soups and stews, roasted root vegetables and hard, winter squash (butternut, acorn, etc.), Generally speaking, sweet, sour, and salty flavors pacify Vata dosha.
When choosing foods, select items that are as close to their natural state as possible — as nature made them or as close to it. Do yourself a favor with flavor and select whole, natural foods.
"Fresh carrots are available in abundance now at local grower's markets. They store well along with other root crops. Think about it this way--where do carrots (and other root veggies) grow? Under the earth. Doesn't get more grounding that that. Enjoy this Ayurvedic food as medicine recipe." - Veena, Saumya Ayurveda
Vata Soothing Carrot Ginger Soup Recipe
This delicious recipe is perfect for Vata. Here’s what you’ll need to get started:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil or your best oil from your food program
1 cup chopped onions
3 garlic cloves, smashed
2 heaping cups chopped carrots
1½ teaspoons grated fresh ginger
3 to 4 cups vegetable broth
Sea salt and fresh black pepper
1 teaspoon maple syrup, or to taste (optional)
I like to blend up sunflower seeds and add them to the soup to thicken the base and add some protein.
Instructions:
Heat the olive oil or your best oil, in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and a generous pinch of salt and pepper and cook until softened, stirring occasionally for about 8 minutes. Add the smashed garlic cloves (they’ll get blended later) and carrots to the pot and cook about 8 minutes more, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the ginger then add 3 to 4 cups of broth, depending on your desired consistency. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the carrots are soft, about 30 minutes.
Let cool slightly and transfer to a blender. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Enjoy!
Balancing Vata Dosha in Cold and Dry Northern Climates
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2.) Learn Diaphragmatic Breathing for Deep Relaxation
There are several practices of pranayama. The foundation for all is diaphragmatic breathing. To practice any other pranayama without having established this foundation of diaphragmatic breathing is a mistake and may cause harm.
The unhealthy effects of breathing incorrectly on our mind and body is profound. We are born into the world breathing diaphragmatically, but our breath becomes un-educated as we grow. Now is the time to re-educate the breath to be more relaxed, sleep better, and manage emotions better by breathing diaphragmatically.
Through working with our breath, we come to know our being in a new, healing, and holistic way through balanced breathing. With this balance, we feel a sense of security, ease, comfort, and a relaxation of the nervous system.
When we lie down to relax, we see it is possible to relax the response to pain, negative emotions, and to the stress levels in our heart and mind and create a calmer, stiller environment within ourselves. Learn Diaphragmatic Breathing and Change Your Life.
Here’s how to get started: Reduce anxiety, increase calm, be centered
1. Lay in a comfortable, quiet space on a firm flat surface. You may use a yoga mat or blanket underneath you. Cover yourself with a shawl or thin blanket.
2. Relax your body
3. Place your right hand on your abdomen just below your rib cage. With your hand there you will see that the belly is rising and falling with each breath. What creates that rhythmic rising and falling is the diaphragm coming down and relaxing up. Contracting and relaxing.
4. You may place your other hand on your upper chest. As you are reclined, there will be very little movement in the chest. The chest is quiet, still.
5. In practicing diaphragmatic breathing there are 5 qualities to observe:
Deep, (relax tension in the belly and let the breath flow deeply filling the lungs gently and fully)
Smooth (flowing without jerks)
Even (inhalation and exhalation are about the same length)
Soundless (without forceful inhalation or exhalation)
Continuous (no pause, that is to say at the end of exhalation it flows directly into inhalation, weaving the breaths one into the other.)
6. Relax your body, relax your breathing, relax your mind.
7. Now, you will discover something fascinating — you are not the breather — instead, you will discover it is your body that is breathing. You are the observer of your relaxed, diaphragmatic breathing. Calm, grounded, balanced.
Fear, anxiety, worries, grief, and sadness are all of these are part of human life (and especially challenging for Vata) emotions that we all experience. However, they do not need to disrupt our breathing and our breath is the vehicle for comforting ourselves in the presence of these experiences.
Set aside a few minutes each day to lay down and relax and breathe diaphragmatically and find that breathing this way, relaxes your body, quiets your nervous system, and stills your mind. Enjoy our popular FREE guided practices Treat yourself and retrain your nervous system and create and carry a sense of calm with you off the mat and into every corner of your life.
3.) Follow Ritucharya, Your Ayurveda Seasonal Routine
Ritucharya is following the seasonal rhythms, to live in balance with what is unfolding in each season. It leverages the positive influences of the season, and mitigates the not so positive impacts.
Here are some tips to create a Vata soothing Ritucharya for fall:
Enjoy moist, warm, nourishing foods (opt to select foods that are in season such as root veggies and hard squashes)
Wake up and go to bed at the same time every day
Create an exercise routine that focuses on slow, gentle, restorative movements
Limit screen time. Aim to reduce technology consumption by 50% and shut it down and off at dinner time. Reclaim your private life.
Immerse yourself in the outdoors.
Take some time to reflect on whom and how you spend your time and energy. If it is not supportive of your path, consider re-prioritizing.
Incorporate a regular meditation practice into your routine, for example - use our 2-minute guided meditation throughout your day and our guided practices, 11 minutes in the morning and 11 in the evening as part of your daily routine.
Related Articles:
Ayurvedic Morning Routine | 6 Rituals for a Calm and Centered Day 10 Ayurvedic Evening Rituals for a Calming Night
4.) Focus on Slow, Gentle Movements which grounds and soothes Vata
Vata season is all about restoring and relaxing, as the world (and each of us) prepares for a rebirth after winter.
As such, don’t overexert your body through fast activities and exercise. Instead, focus on slow, gentle restorative movements and practices. Walking, hiking, biking, a soothing Vata yog-asana routine, and moderate cardio are ideal choices for this season.
5.) Saumya Ayurveda's 3 Step Process
3 Steps for Grounding Vata
There is a saying, "The mind is more in the body, than the body is in the mind." The Saumya 3 step meditation process shifts us from fight-flight-freeze mode, to rest-restore-relax mode. Give it a try for forty days and observe the changes. The more grounded and relaxed we are, the smoother life flows.
"The breath is the connection between the mind and body, so by training the breath, we become calm, focused, and grounded, we slow down the aging process by decreasing stress. These practices are so simple and easy to have as part of our daily life. We actually feel and look younger."
- Veena, Saumya Ayurveda
1. Learn Diaphragmatic Breathing and Change Your Life. When we re-learn to breath diaphragmatically, we move from the flight-fight-freeze mode, to rest, restore, relaxation mode from where we want and need to live.
2. Daily Guided Practices: 11 minutes in the morning and in the evening, as anchors of your daily Ayurveda routine.
3. Ayurveda Daily Routines: Ayurvedic Morning Routine | 6 Rituals for a Calm and Centered Day
"Choose a couple of practices from the routines that provide you with the greatest support. Perform them while applying our two minute meditation technique and your mundane tasks, just transformed into a mellifluous meditation. This is meditation applied to daily life." - Veena, Saumya Ayurveda
"Veena was able to help me regain my energy in just a few months and I’m feeling like my “young” self again! I love the food plan she designed for me, and all the supporting practices (am/pm routines, breathing techniques, herbs, and spice mixes) are so enjoyable to incorporate into my day. I highly recommend Saumya Ayurveda if you want to feel better and have more vitality.”
-Molly Rossini, Minnesota
Explore More: Ayurveda Breathwork Pranayama
6.) Take time for self-care as Vata benefits from rejuvenation
Vata has begun to announce itself. You may notice that cool, dryness has arrived. You are starting to hear the wind moving through the leaves creates a slightly different sound. Vata is subtle AND significant. It can catch us and take us for a ride (given its mobile nature) and before we know it we may experiencing those familiar Vata symptoms such as increased anxiety, constipation, changes in sleep and a general sense of feeling ungrounded, uncentered.
Take extra time for self-care this fall — an ounce of prevention will go a long way., Focus on abhyanga with our high-quality nourishing oils, nasya, guided relaxations, a good book, and a couch and warm blanket with a cup of Vata soothing Ayurvedic spiced warm milk before bed. It's calmness in a cup.
"When Vata is out of balance, we feel it. We feel anxious, ungrounded, uninspired, and uncertainty looms overhead. We need to reclaim our calm. We need to save ourselves. If not us who will? If not now, when? Well guided adjustments to food, lifestyle and herbs creates a lasting difference in our stress levels. Stress causes disease. We cannot change the world overnight, but we can create a resilience within us that helps us navigate choppy waters with inner stillness."
-Veena, Saumya Ayurveda
7.) Keep your head, ears, and neck covered and your feet warm.
Avoiding drafts, cool air, and especially cold air from the neck up is a simple and effective way to ground Vata. Warm hats, scarves, turtlenecks, and wool socks go a long way in keeping Vata dosha from flying away.
Balancing Vata in Northern Climates takes skill and planning as that change in fall hits hard and fast. Plan ahead and book your seasonal follow up consultation.
"Signing up for a for an Ayurveda consultation with Veena, I was hopeful that my mood would improve, that my energy would return and that I would feel like myself again. What I didn't expect was how simple it would be to get there. Veena's plan explains everything so clearly and I'm starting to feel better. I'm also learning how I got out of balance in the first place. With obvious knowledge and ease of experience, my plan is thoughtfully laid out in supportive steps that actually takes less time and are far less stressful than if I was trying to it on my own. And with warmth and humor, Veena has alleviated the pressure and guilt I often feel when I am unwell. I am excited for what is possible and grateful I found her, and I think you will be too." - Erin, Alberta Canada
“I've seen Veena at Saumya Ayurveda for several years--in fact, my family sees her. She has helped me with blood pressure, cholesterol management as well as helping me reduce overall inflammation. I sleep better, my stress has reduced, and my energy has improved.
During a period of high stress, I was waking with a racing heart and the herbal and lifestyle recommendations reversed it.
I recommend Veena--she will stick by your side and be there when you need her. She is responsive, comprehensive and effective."
-- Bryan Stenlund, Licensed Psychologist, Grand Rapids, Minnesota
Psst! Our clients say it best – so read and watch more of our client's stories.
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MEET VEENA: YOUR AYURVEDIC GUIDE
Veena is a Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner and meditation teacher, and monk.
She is President Emeritus and teaching faculty of the Meditation Center.
Veena fell in love with the traditional medicine used in her family’s home, learning herbal remedies at her grandmother's knee.
An experienced Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner, Veena’s deep, intuitive knowledge of Ayurveda empowers her clients to reclaim their fullest, most vibrant lives –mentally, physically, and spiritually.
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