How To Balance Pitta Vata Dosha? 6 Points To Consider
I am basically Vata Pitta constitution. What you mentioned in vata diet, if I take that my pitta will go out of balance and what you have mentioned in pitta, if I take, cucumber, rose which is cool in nature according to qualities you have explained previously my Vata Dosha will go to imbalance state. So can you explain regarding the combination of Doshas, their effect and solutions? A reader asks. Let us find out answers.
While studying qualities of Tridosha, we learnt that Vata has lightness, coldness, dryness, roughness, minuteness and movement qualities.
Pitta has lightness, hotness, slight oiliness, piercing, smell, movement (fluidity) and liquid qualities.
When Vata and Pitta Dosha are imbalanced in a person, then the condition is quite difficult to treat, because, if we give cold treatment, then Vata will go up and if we give hot treatment, Pitta Dosha will go up.
How to solve this problem?
Table of Contents
Panchakarma based on site of Doshas
Vata is situated in large intestines and Pitta is situated in small intestines. Hence, if Virechana (purgation) treatment is administered, it helps to eliminate Doshas from both small and large intestines. This is the right approach, if Pitta is more dominant than Vata Dosha.
If Vata is more dominant than Pitta Dosha, then Basti enema) treatment will help in bringing both the Doshas to balance.
Type of food
Avoid light to digest items
As we have seen above, lightness is both the qualities of Vata and Pitta. Hence, this quality needs to be avoided and relatively Guru (heavy) foods, medicines and treatments need consideration.
Tastes and Doshas
Vata increases by the use of Pungent, bitter and astringent tastes.
Pitta increases by the use of Sour, Salt and Pungent tastes.
Hence, in Vata-Pitta imbalance, pungent taste (spicy foods) should be avoided.
Sweet taste balances both Vata and Pitta.
Seasonal regimen recommendation
Pitta is compared to fire and Vata is compared to air / wind. When both the fire and wind are increased, the wind accelerates the effect of fire. Hence coolant treatment needs to be given (though Vata has coolant quality).
For this, general summer regimen, (wherein body cooling is stressed, should be followed)
Summer regimen –
Food which are sweet, light (easy to digest), fatty, cold and liquid should be taken.
Take cornflour mixed with cold water and sugar / jaggery.
Take cold water bath.
Avoid alcohol or take in very low quantities. It will cause inflammatory conditions, it will make the body fragile and weak, increases burning sensation and causes delusion.
Take boiled rice, which is white in colour,
Meat of animals from desert region is recommended.
Not very thick meat soup is advised.
Rasala – curds churned and mixed with pepper powder and sugar is good to take.
Panaka panchasara, (syrup prepared with raisins (draksha), madhuka (Madhuca longifolia), dates (karjura), kashmarya, and parushaka fruits all in equal quantities, cooled and added with powder of cinnamon leaves, cinnamon and cardamom etc) and kept inside a fresh mud pot, along with leaves of plantain and coconut trees, and fermented should be drunk in mugs of mud or shell;
Cool water kept in mud pot along with flowers of patala and camphor should be used for drinking.
Buffalo milk mixed with sugar and cooled by moonlight and the stars should be used for drinking.
Read more about all seasonal regimens
Milk mango recipe video
Medicines and herbs
Other medicines and herbs that balance both Vata and Pitta Doshas –
Pineapple
Amla Murabba – a sweet recipe of Amla fruit
Coconut milk
Ripe and sweet Jungi Aam – Amrataka – Wild Mango (Hog Plum) – Spondias pinnata
Lauki – Bottlegourd – Ikshvaku (Katutumbi)
Ripe Kapittha – Elephant apple fruit
Giloy Satva – water extract of Tinospora cordifolia
Milk and ghee, of any animal, are good to balance Vata and Pitta.
Sweet lemon, Wheat, winter melon, raisins balance both Vata and Pitta.
Padmaka (Prunus puddum), Pundra (lotus variety), Vriddhi, Tuga (Bambusa bambos), Riddhi (Habenaria intermedia), Shringi (Pistacia integerrima), Amrita (Giloy), yashtimadhu (Glycyrrhiza glabra)
Sweet grapes
Madhuka – Madhuca indica
Priyala – Buchanania lanzan,
Parushaka – Falsa fruit – Grewia asiatica,
Rasanjana – Berberis aristata,
Ashoka – Saraca indica,
Shatavari – Asparagus racemosus,
Tanduleeyaka – Amaranthus spinosus L.
Sharkara – sugar
Vidari – Pueraria tuberosa
Palasha (Butea monosperma)
Chakramarda – Cassia tora
Gambhari – Gmelina arborea
Atibala – Abutilon indicum
Banapsa – Sweet violet – Viola odorata
Marshmallow – Althaea officinalis
Gudasharkara – Grewia hirsuta
Common Rue – Ruta graveolens
Ber fruit – Indian jujube – sweet variety
Raw mango cake:
Ripe mango fruits are squeezed to extract juice. The thick juice is spread over a cloth sheet, sun dried. When it dries up, repeated layers of juice is spread and a thick layered mango cake is prepared. This balances Vata and Pitta Dosha.
Foods to avoid
Avoid these – which cause Vata Pitta imbalance:
Nishpava – A variety of cowpea
Unripe Kapittha – Elephant apple fruit
Unripe Jangli Aam – Wild Mango (Hog Plum) – Spondias pinnata
Ayurvedic medicines
Ayurvedic Medicines useful in Vata Pitta imbalance:
Drakshasava, Drakshadi kashayam
So, though it is slightly difficult to treat when Vata and Pitta are increased together, there are effective treatment options.
Pittavrita Vata treatment
Treatment of Pittavruta Vata – Vata Occluded by Pitta:
पित्तावृते विशेषेण शीतामुष्णां तथा क्रियाम्|
व्यत्यासात् कारयेत् सर्पि र्जीवनीयं च शस्यते||१८४||
धन्व मांसं यवाः शालिर्यापनाः क्षीर बस्तयः|
विरेकः क्षीरपानं च पञ्च मूली बला शृतम्||१८५||
मधुयष्टि बला तैल घृत क्षीरैश्च सेचनम्|
पञ्चमूल कषायेण कुर्याद्वा शीतवारिणा||१८६||
pittāvṛte viśeṣeṇa śītāmuṣṇāṃ tathā kriyām|
vyatyāsāt kārayet sarpi rjīvanīyaṃ ca śasyate||184||
dhanva māṃsaṃ yavāḥ śāliryāpanāḥ kṣīra bastayaḥ|
virekaḥ kṣīrapānaṃ ca pañca mūlī balā śṛtam||185||
madhuyaṣṭi balā taila ghṛta kṣīraiśca secanam|
pañcamūla kaṣāyeṇa kuryādvā śītavāriṇā||186|| – Charaka Chikitsa Sthana 28
If the ailment is caused by the aggravated Vayu occluded by Pitta, then the patient is specially given cooling and heating therapies alternatively administration of Jeevaniya Ghrita (ghee cooked by adding Jeevaniya group of herbs).
The patient is given the meat of animals inhabiting arid land, barley and Sali type of rice as food. He is given Yapana Basti, Kshira Basti (2 types of medicated enema to be described later- vide Siddhi 12: 16), purgation therapy and milk boiled by adding Pancha Mula as well as Bala – Country mallow (root) – Sida cordifolia to drink.
His body is sprinkled with the oil, ghee or milk boiled by adding the decoction of Yasti Madhu, Bala – Country mallow (root) – Sida cordifolia or Pancha Mula, or by simple cold water.
42 comments on “How To Balance Pitta Vata Dosha? 6 Points To Consider”
canis
vata-pita imbalance, pungent taste (spicy) should be avoided, why you put pepper, cinnamon & cardamom on some foods suggested above.
Tks for your clarification!
Dr J V Hebbar MD(Ayu)
Hi Canis, a very good question. Actually, the spices in question are mentioned under the context of preparing the fermentation product – Panaka Pancharasa. Usually in any fermentation procedure, the spices are used. This is the reason why you see spices in Asava and Arisha preparation. The final taste of this product will be sweet, due to raisin, dates etc.
Nirbhaya Saaya
Dear Doctor,
I appreciate for presenting this article within a very short time. Thank you so much for clearing my query……I like the diagrammatic representation which will make us understand better. Thanks once again 🙂
Dr J V Hebbar MD(Ayu)
Welcome 🙂
nancy
Why is meat of animals from “DESERT” region recommended when balancing vata pitta doshas?
Dr J V Hebbar MD(Ayu)
These animals living in desert like lands, get adopted to the hot and windy conditions. Hence, they will have qualities to fight against these qualities (of Pitta and Vata Dosha).
Hence, the recommendation.
Mrigavarga – Harina (antelope, fawn) Kuranga (type of deer), Arksa (white footed antelope) Gokarna (Deer antelop), Mrigamatrika (Red coloured hare like deer), Shasha ( rabbit), Shambara (deer with branched horns), Charushka (gazelle) sarabha (eight footed animal) Etc. are known as Mriga 43.
These are different kinds of deer, antelope and bucks. Some of them are having horns, some are hornless, all of them are herbivorous and live in dry regions especially shrubby forests. In olden days they were being hunted mainly for food.
Vishkira Varga – Lava (bustard quail), Vartika (bush quail), Vartira (rain quail), Raktavartma (red eyed owl), Kukkubha (wild cock), Kapinjala (black partridge), Upachakra (small greek pheasant), Chakora (greek pheasant), Kurubahava, Vartaka (button quail), Vartika( bush quail), Tittiri (grey partridge), krakara (black partridge), sikhi (peacock), tamracuda (domestic cock), bakara (small creane), gonarda (siberian crane), girivartika (mountain quail), Sharapada (a kind of sparrow), indrabha (hedge sparrow), varata (goose) etc. belong to the group known as viskira (birds which scratch the ground with their legs and picks up their food.)
Pratuda Varga – Jivanijivaka (greek partridge ), datyuha (gallinule), bhrunagahwa (shrike), suka (parakeet), sarika (mynah), latva (wild sparrow), kokila (cuckoo), harita (grey peigon), kapota (wood peigon), Chataka (house sparrow) etc. belong to the group of pratuda (birds which peck the food and eat).
These three categories of animals and birds are classified as – desert-like land animals.
tarun
Sir, according to Menaka Gandhi human beings have large intestines than the animals that are carnivorous. Carnivorous animals can digest meat quickly approx 2-3 hrs which isn’t what a human being can do. So, the meat can probably rot inside & can give diseases as well.
So, why is meat necessary at all ? I don’t eat meat but still the issues are getting resolved. When there are vegetarian options available than why kill the animals ?
alpha1
Tarun
Menaka Gandhi has conveniently not told you that our digestive system cannot digest cellulose. So should I draw a conlusion that humans are not suited for eating vegetable matter?
Also Ms Gandhi hasn’t yet told you that humans can easily eat raw meat and digest it, but try eating raw rice or wheat and tell me what happens.
Dr Hebbar is very right in saying all this is a matter of personal choice and in my opinion also your lifestyle. Someone who has zero physical actiivty coupled with weakened digestive system will find it extremely difficult to digest meals containing meat.
sourabh
sir my parkriti is pitta and having vata pitta imbalance . i want to know kapalbhati parnayam effect on vata-pitta imbalance? an ayurvedic advised me that that it is internally heating you should not do..i stoped it and i am not doing from last 5 months.,but i am facing too much difficulty in studying. i feel dull. but when i do kapal bhati i feel my mind is open and energetic.please suggest me what should i do?
pinkie
doctor is there any formulation using Amaranthus spinosus.to treat migraine etc
Dr J V Hebbar MD(Ayu)
Ashoka Ghrita and Chandanadi tailam has this but they are not commonly used in migraine.
Jag Jivan
Sir, not sure which post exactly to ask this question. My nose is always dry from the inside. I apply cow ghee or sometimes sesame oil but it never gets moist on its own.
I’ve less stamina also because of this as I can’t breathe so well. Please advise.
Dr J V Hebbar MD(Ayu)
Please continue applying ghee to the inner side of nostrils, especially while going out.
Dr J V Hebbar MD(Ayu)
Please consider including good amounts of proteins in diet.
kanth
Sir, for vata pitta constitution with low body mass and malnutrion, please suggest any herbal constitution
kanth
SIR, IF I TAKE SMALL AMOUNTS OF ASHWAGANDHA ALSO MY HEART IS RACING, YOU SUGGESTED ME MANOLL SYRUP WHICH CONTAINS ASHWAGANDHA. AND Kushmanda avaleha , WILL IT DISTURB DIGESTION, BECAUSE SOME TIMES IAM EXPERIENCING POOR DIGESTION, ESPECIALLY AROUND MENSTRUATION.
Vijay kumar Bisht
Taken after food ,or meals too much cough became why?
Tilak Raj Gujrani
Dear Sir
Greetings of the day
If someone has vata-kapha prukruti, then how to treat? both are quite opposite. vata pacified by sweet, salt and sour but they aggravate kapha & pungent, bitter and astrigent while pacifiying kapha, aggravates vata. attributes of vata and kapha are quite opposite. so how to treat such persons?
Dr J V Hebbar MD(Ayu)
Please read here –
https://www.easyayurveda.com/2013/08/08/how-to-balance-kapha-vata-dosha-6-factors-to-consider/
Ash
Namaskaram, thank you for the valuable and elaborate advise in your blog. I am having similar problem, as I have pitta prakriti but vata is imbalanced. I like cold things as I feel very hot most of the time but that increase my vata. It’s such a contradiction in my body. I’m struggling a lot. I suffer a continuous pain at the bottom left side of my stomach and poor digestion. Constipation is also prevalent. Suggest please how to resolve the conflict. I am unable to follow any vata passifying diet as I feel very hot and feel like having cold things ????
Mona
Hello,
given the information in your article, I was wondering how a pitta-vata person should approach salt.
On the one hand, it really helps my digestion and has a profoundly calming effect on my nervous system, but on the other hand, it seems to aggravate my pitta dosha since it increases heat. I consider a moderate amount of salt to be healthy for our adrenals. How are we to proceed here?
You also mention that despite adding pepper and other hot spices to a meal, it is the resulting taste of the meal that ultimately counts and affects the dosha. Did I understand it correctly?
Thank you for your advice.
Dr J V Hebbar MD(Ayu)
You can use rock salt in small quantities. The final taste of the dish will have say, 60 – 70 % effect. The rest minute ingredients whose taste is masked will have the rest percentage of effect.
seshapani
sir. i have pitta and vata prakruthi.i have constipation problem.my skin on the back itches.pl suggest any herbal for my problem
Prabhati Sil
Sir. I have pitta dosh. When i take cold bath then i feel hot. Plz giive remedies. Thak you
Dr J V Hebbar MD(Ayu)
Lukewarm water is more suited for you for bathing.
S Manikanta Reddy
Sir my dosha is pitta – vata dosha. How to balance my dosha?
vasant
machines like VEDA PULSE which detect Vata Pitta Kpha in your body and detect unbalance of vata or pitta or kapha . Is there any medicines or group of medicine which directly balances the dosha . Veda Pulse directly detect tridosha and five sub doshas also.
Dr J V Hebbar MD(Ayu)
Knowing the Dosha increase is just the first step of diagnosis. The doctor has to know which tissues, which organs, which body channels are involved in the pathology to judge medicines.
Anurag
I have Indigestion(along with acidity), skin irritation(Psoriasis), Migraines(Sometimes) due to pitta dosh, Please suggest me…
Angarika
Is nose bleeding cause because vata pita dosa?
Dr J V Hebbar MD(Ayu)
Pitta Dosha.
Monika
I have both pitta n Vata imbalance, can I take warm water with ghee in morning?
Dr J V Hebbar MD(Ayu)
Yes.
Ashish parikh
This was extremely useful information when vata pitta both imbalance . Is the treatment same when the prakriti is only pitta ? But imbalance manifestation is more of vata ? Also during such condition there will be formation of ama . Most of the ama removal medicines are hot in nature. So how to remove ama ? Any ras aushadhis which will be more useful in such condition ? Will use of sativa and ushira be helpful ?
Dr J V Hebbar MD(Ayu)
Is the treatment same when the prakriti is only pitta ? But imbalance manifestation is more of vata ?
Yes.
To remove ama, amla and lavana rasa medicines are more useful.
Hiren
Is KapalBhati good for Pitta-vata Dosha ?
Dr J V Hebbar MD(Ayu)
No. It is good for Kapha Dosha.
Please read here
https://www.easyayurveda.com/2012/11/11/types-of-pranayama-effect-on-health-through-an-ayurveda-microscope/
F.Soul
I noticed that many of the things you listed were herbs and game meats. Are there any other foods that are easily obtainable in a supermarket that would balance a Vata Pitta constitution? I’m very active and find it hard to maintain muscle without eating meat, but i also have skin problems especially on my head. could you recommend any foods to help gain/maintain weight that would not aggravate my skin condition? would beef, turkey, pork, or eggs be ok? Cottage cheese was very helpful, but aggravates my Pitta dosha. Would adding sugar to it balance it out.
Dr J V Hebbar MD(Ayu)
Will publish a more comprehensive list soon.
F.Soul
Thank you Dr. Appreciate it and all the other info you provide on this site.
Manisha
Can you please suggest available Rasayan preparations for pitta vata imbalances?for Calming and replenishing ?
Dr J V Hebbar MD(Ayu)
Drakshavaleha
Kushmanda Rasayana