Mood swings, changes in tone, appetite and skin condition – this is how, according to Ayurveda, dosha imbalance manifests itself in us. At the beginning of autumn, vata dosha (changeable, like the north wind) usually gets out of balance, and from the middle of the season – kapha (apathetic and gloomy, like a cloudy sky). By balancing them, you can get rid of the autumn blues and improve your well-being. I’ll tell you how.
Is the balance of doshas related to what is happening outside? Yes, because we are a part of nature, so all its fluctuations are reflected in our condition. And this usually happens according to the principle “like reinforces like”. Therefore, an excess of some dosha outside us provokes it inside our body. Don’t believe it? Then remember what happens to our mood and well-being in cloudy weather: many of us find it difficult to maintain vigor and a cheerful attitude.
From the point of view of Ayurveda, autumn is the time of prevalence of vata dosha. Its characteristic qualities are lightness, frivolity, transparency and fragility. And in some regions of Russia, autumn is exactly like that. But in many parts of our country, all this is mixed with manifestations of kapha dosha, which is characterized by rain, fog, high humidity, and a certain heaviness. Without proper correction of diet and lifestyle, this can disrupt the balance of doshas in the body and create health problems.
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Vata Dosha Imbalance
It is provoked by windy, cold, and dry weather. This is a positive factor for people with a pitta constitution with its hot nature. But for people with a vata constitution, this is a negative factor, since their nature is already cold. This will also have an adverse effect on people with a kapha constitution: their predominant dosha increases with excess cold.
Vata dosha imbalance in the body has clear signs. “Common symptoms of its imbalance are dry skin and mucous membranes, pain in the joints, bones, limbs, colds, various kinds of cosmetic problems, such as hair loss, dandruff,” explains Anuraj Rajendran. Nadya Andreeva also includes anxiety, insomnia, weakness, mood swings, cravings for sweets and fatty foods among the signs of vata “raging” in the body.
Kapha Dosha Imbalance
Kapha is usually aggravated by damp, cold and gloomy weather – rain, wet snow, heavy clouds. The predominance of this dosha in nature is well tolerated only by people of the pitta type: as mentioned above, it slightly “cools” their temperament. But those who have a vata or kapha constitution will rather suffer from its excess.
There are quite a few manifestations of excess kapha in the body. On the mental and emotional levels, kapha can manifest itself as a feeling of lethargy, a slightly depressed, apathetic mood, a reluctance to go outside, try something new, meet strangers. Physiologically, kapha can manifest itself as excess mucus, cellulite, nasal discharge, and respiratory diseases in general.
What Do Do?
You can restore the balance of all three doshas in your body by changing your diet, lifestyle, and cosmetic procedures. How to proceed?
1. Determine your constitutional type. If one of the cold doshas predominates in you, keep in mind that in the autumn-winter period you need to pay special attention to your diet.
2. Find out which dosha predominates outside today. If you look outside and see that it is cloudy, damp, wet snow or raining, then most likely you should pay attention to balancing kapha. At the same time, the change of seasons, any changes are always associated with vata. Therefore, in the fall, vata will be in excess in any case, even if today it is humid or just cloudy outside.
3. Choose an appropriate strategy, listening to your body. Have you noticed symptoms of unbalanced vata? Try to exclude dry and light foods and dishes (for example, chips, bread, muesli, crackers), as well as everything cold, from your menu. Reduce the amount of food with a bitter and astringent taste: they can lead to constipation and dry out the body from the inside. Focus on slightly spicy or sweet, oily or fatty foods in your menu (add ghee to your dishes, eat more nuts and seeds).
You should also reconsider your yoga practice. Vata is fragile, it will be balanced by a soft practice, with circular movements of the joints and a leisurely warm-up. “Sun Salutation”, exercises for the lower abdomen and lower back will have a positive effect,
Do you feel that your kapha is out of balance? Reduce the amount of fatty, salty and sweet foods in your diet, reduce the amount of dairy products and meat. Cold dishes should also be avoided. The emphasis in the menu can be on dishes with stimulating spices, hot soups and stewed vegetables.
Self-massage with warm sesame oil, herbal teas with the addition of ginger and honey will be useful for both “problematic” autumn doshas. Warming breathing, for example, bhastrika or kapalabhati, will help a lot. They warm up the body and improve blood circulation and lymph flow.
By balancing the doshas in accordance with the season, you can improve your well-being and mood.
