Balancing with opposites

Let's look at how our doshas affect the foods, flavors and even environments we crave.

VATA: Ether (empty space) + Air (wind)

• COLD + DRY

• Seasonally: Fall-Early Winter

• Commonly drawn to foods that are: cold, munchy crunchy, carbonated, smoke, citrus, raw foods

OPPOSITES TO BALANCE

• COLD needs WARMING

• DRY needs NOURISHING

PRACTICES

• Eating warming foods and drinks

• Cooked foods

• Enjoy electrolyte sea salt on foods and in water

• Grounding self-care ritual like salt scrubs + warm baths

• Using warming oils on the skin like sesame or mahanaryan

• Important to eat consistently to avoid drops in blood sugar

KNOW TO AVOID

• Raw foods

• Carbonated drinks

• Dry foods

• Self care rituals that are aggravating to dry like saunas, dry brushing, being in too much wind
  

PITTA: Fire (action) +

Water (water = digestive fluid) 

• HOT + WET

• Seasonally: Summer-Early Fall

• Commonly drawn to foods that are spicy, oily, sugar, nightshades, salty or fried 

OPPOSITES TO BALANCE 

• HOT needs COOLING

• WET Needs CLEANSING

PRACTICES

• Eating raw, wet, alkaline foods

• Eating 3 meals on time each day

• Taking time to rest and recharge

KNOW TO AVOID

• Fried or oily foods

• Too much saturated fat or meat

• Spicy foods

• Eating out a lot or avoiding too much table salt

• Taking on too much, be able to delegate tasks or work in groups

KAPHA: Water (liquid) + Earth (solid)  

• COLD + WET

• Seasonally: Late Winter-Spring

• Commonly drawn to foods that are heavy sticky foods, dairy, sugar, overeating

OPPOSITES FOR BALANCE 

• WET needs CLEANSING

• COLD needs WARMING

PRACTICES

• Eating light or raw foods

• Invigorating self-care rituals like doing steams + scrubs and

• Daily movement or exercise

• Eating 3 small meals a day

KNOW TO AVOID

• Heavy foods

• Doing too much for others

• Skipping meals