Eating For Vata or For Winter

The following suggestions should be followed if a) you have a Vata imbalance, or b) you are eating seasonally for winter. In Ayurveda, we eat with the seasons when balanced, or eat to pacify the aggravated Dosha(s) when imbalanced.

Vata Rhythms

The Vata within is naturally pacified in the spring and summer times of the year because of the warm and humid environment, as these qualities counter Vata’s wintery cold and dry nature. 

Vata begins to accumulate in the late summer, when sharp heat becomes prevalent, and into the late fall, when the heat yields to cool, crisp, and dry days.

Fall, the shift from summer to winter, aggravates Vata—specifically around the last week of October to the first week of November. Vata will continue to be susceptible to aggravation throughout the winter until about April, finally becoming pacified with the arrival of spring’s warmer and moist weather.  

Vata or Winter-Pacifying Foods

Winter is a time of hibernation, not growth or harvest. Therefore, we should focus on what the late fall harvest has provided (squashes, and root vegetables like beets, carrots, and potatoes), and the grains, nuts, seeds, dairy, and salted meats that would be in our ancestor’s storehouses and cellars. Beans, although harvested in the late fall, cause dryness and are hard to digest, leading to gas and bloating, and are best eaten in the spring and summer. The exception is mung beans, which can be eaten year-round.

Tofu can also be eaten if well-cooked with spices. Nuts should be soaked and some peeled (like almonds). Winter is a time for high fat and protein, and the foods listed above are either fatty or protein-rich, combating the stiffness that can set in at this time due to protein-deficiency.

The sour foods, like fermented goods, that would also be found in our ancestor’s pantries, are warming and also preferred at this time of year. Avocados, bananas, and oranges are also preferred in the wintertime. All of these moisture-rich foods also combat dehydration, along with sipping hot water and herbal tea daily. Winter is not a time to cleanse, as cleansing will deplete vital energy stores. Instead, it is a time to store and rejuvenate. Cold, raw foods are avoided, and warm soups, stews, and thoroughly-cooked and spiced foods are favored at this time of the year. The amount of dryness you accumulate in the winter will reflect the amount of mucous you experience in the spring. Keeping warm and hydrated during the winter, inside and out, is a must.