Air/vata type

But while all of us are prone to vata imbalances, such imbalances are most likely among vata types. These Air types are not necessarily more prone to depression—but when they do get depressed, that s how they tend to do it with a Western diagnosis of anxious depression, characterized by all the symptoms Jeff was experiencing—nervousness, sleeplessness, and excessive worry. 

SCORING Count the number of answers that were (this corresponds to vata, or Air type)... 

By the way, I myself am a combination type, both vata/Air and pitta/Fire. When Pm living a life of balance, I enjoy many of the good qualities of both types. When I get stressed or out of balance, I tend to fall into the problematic patterns of both. 

The first step, I told Jeff, is to understand what can throw vata energies off balance. There were two ways to look at vata disturbances. One is to remember that all of us possess all three types of energy— vata, pitta, and kapha—and that our vata systems are the most prone to imbalance. Just as air is less stable than fire or earth, so are vata energies more easily disturbed than pitta or kapha energies. 

Your Brain-Healthy Vata Diet How Air Types Need to Eat... 

Your Brain-Healthy Vata Exercise Plan Activities for Air Types Check out my suggestions in Chapter 6 for serotonin-building exercise suggestions, supplemented with these additional principles ... 

Just as the day has its cycles, so does the year, with seasons that are more or less conducive to the different energetic types. Vata is aggravated in the fall and winter, when the weather becomes dry, windy, and cold. If you re an Air type, you need to stay warm and keep your skin moist with baths, showers, saunas, and steam rooms, and use moisturizing oils and lotions. This is a particularly important time to follow the dietary suggestions in the chart below, sticking with favored foods and avoiding foods that are not recommended. When the weather is cold and windy, you need to pay particular attention to maintaining your exercise routines and daily schedule. 

Your Brain-Healthy Vata Routine Daily Life for Air Types Have a daily routine, even on your days off. When it comes to routine, the problem for Air types is that they often don t have one. Their tendency is to be scattered, rushed, and erratic. Many of my vata patients flounder when they have too much unstmctured time, such as when... 

Don t become too rigid. As we ve just seen. Air types need routine. But when their routines are harsh and unforgiving, Vata people tend to get stressed out, and the routine becomes counterproductive, an airless room or a burst balloon. Remember, your goal is balance—structure and rhythm, but not a punishing schedule. 

While everyone s life path is unique, certain themes tend to be predom inant for Air types. Selhacceptance is one prominent issue for such peo pie, since fear feeds their tendency to feel insecure, unworthy, or ashamed. Believing that they are not good enough as they are draws many vata people to the pursuit of self improvement. Ironically, what would really be healing and balancing for them is self acceptance. 

Vatas can likewise benefit from techniques designed to help clear the mind, particularly meditation with awareness of breathing, and then meditation with awareness of thoughts and feelings. The emotions that Air types find particularly sticky are fear and insecurity. Learning to release these toxic emotions frees you from their control. 

It s not only your mind that needs balancing if you re an Air type. Your spirit also needs sustenance. Inspiration is one key form of nour ishment for vatas, who thrive on becoming enthusiastic about new... 

Western brain chemistry connection When depressed, likely to be diagnosed with anxious depression or serotonin depletion may be helped by dietary and exercise recommendations for serotonin deficiency. Ayurvedic connection Corresponds in many ways to Air type, or vata may be helped by Ayurvedic Mind-Body medicine recommendations for Air types. 

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