Let's dive a little deeper into vata dosha . People with a vata constitution have a low body weight, or fluctuate a lot with high lows and high ups, they are usually slim with narrow bone structures. A common feature is visible veins due to thin, dry skin. They are less stable in aspects such as digestion, eating habits, sleep habits; they rarely follow a schedule and are always up for an adventure. This is why they are very creative, but also why they are prone to imbalance more often. Vata digestion follows the rhythm of their unstableness. They infrequently eliminate, often go days without a bowel, and when they do eliminate, they pass dry, hard, cracked stools. Their appetite is infrequent as well and they tend to skip meals. 

Pacifying vata dosha is imperative to maintaining health and balance in the body despite our  dominant constitution. Vata is the cause of, for example, 80 illnesses and disease (just a relative number) while pitta and kapha make up half of that, (again just a relative number). Certain illnesses, may be mistaken for any other dosha, but have their origin set in vata. Vata wind can carry the other doshas out of their respective organs and place them as invaders in foreign organs; which ultimately leads to imbalance.

Understanding how vata energy functions in the body and how it interacts with the other dohas, is important for maintaining a balanced environment within the body. Some common vata related illnesses include: depression and anxiety, insomnia, constipation, dry cracking skin, weak and cracking bones, and possible infertility, among others. Let's learn how vata energy gets disrupted and aids in the development of these illnesses.

The Elements of Vata Dosha

All three doshas, as well as all living beings in the universe, have the five elements within them. These elements work in unison to provide the human (or living being) with the experience of life.

Vata dosha is composed of the air and ether (space) elements; the space that occupies the largest amount of space, such as the colon where waste solidifies. The wind element includes all gas-like substances that are dense, light, and dry. The wind element is primarily responsible for transportation, it is the air that carries all nutrients and all waste in and out of cells and organs.

Just as the wind can provide us with a gentle relaxing breeze, it can flip over a picnic table, tear the roof off of a house, and cause severe damage. Vata is the same in the sense that it is unpredictable, unstable, easily thrown off balance, and the origin of many disturbances.

The properties of ether (space) are soft, light not heavy, and smooth. Ether promotes these same qualities along with porosity. The properties of wind are light not heavy, cold, dry, and rough. Wind promotes these same qualities along with movement and aversion. Combined, these qualities make up the qualities of vata dosha; cold, light, dry, mobile, sharp, hard, subtle, flowing, rough, clear.

Vata out of Balance 

When vata dosha is out of balance, it is usually attributed to one or more qualities being too powerful. For example, constipation is dry, sharp, hard, and rough; which makes it a direct vata imbalance. To remediate constipation, the individual must consume substances with qualities that are opposite to those currently out of balance. Foods that are unctuous, soft, heavy, and preferably hot. Since constipation is also related to a weak digestive fire, hot food will encourage agni, the fire we need to properly digest food.

The first step to understanding vata dosha is understanding the qualities that make up her elements. Once we are able to identify those in nature, within our body and the food we eat, we can take the necessary steps to prevent an imbalance, or correct a current imbalance.