How to identify the Imbalances of Vata Prakriti and bring Balance to them?

Being born of the Vata Prakriti, I struggled much of my life with the imbalances of this dosha. In our Fundamentals and Anatomy of Ayurveda Course, we have learned a lot about the three doshas, Vata, Pitta, and Kapha, and their qualities. Vata dosha has the qualities of dry, light, cold, rough. Each of these three doshas, has five sub-doshas, which control different processes in the body. Vata’s subdoshas are Prana, Udana, Vyana, Samana, and Upana.

When I was born, I had clubbed feet, which indicated an imbalance in Vyana Vayu, due to the lack of coordination that I experienced. The first time I was hospitalized for breathing problems was at age 5. The experience of asthma at such a young age indicated quite a severe imbalance of Prana Vayu, as well as systemic dryness, a quality of Vata Dosha.

With the information that they had, my parents brought me to one allopathic doctor after another, with mixed results. They tried to provide good nutrition, though I displayed food allergies due to an imbalance of Panchaka Pitta, one of the Pitta sub-doshas. My primary agni, Jathra Agni or digestive fire, was deranged which caused poor digestion. This imbalance of agni continually kept my Vata in an imbalanced state due to weak digestion.

Since I began learning about Ayurveda, my teacher Khabir Southwick has helped me greatly improve my Jathra Agni and overall health condition. Since we’ve learned digestion is the foundation of good health, I know that my doshas are now more balanced.

We have added more ghee, dairy and a variety of whole foods to my diet and I’ve never felt better, and more in balance with my Vata constitution. Adding more oil, warm, heavy foods, and bulk to my diet has counterbalanced the qualities of lightness and dryness of the Vata dosha. Here in India, I’ve undergone four days of panchakarma to unblock my srotamsi or bodily channels, so that proper communication and metabolism of these channels can now occur. I feel that Ayurveda is and has been, the medicine with the most promise to keep all of us balanced, happy, and healthy. I look forward to learning more, and continuing to deepen my understanding.

Mark Andrew Jeron, Ventura, CA – USA