Vata (Air) Derangement and Bloating

Vata (Air element) Derangement and Bloating

For the last few months I've been dealing with bloating. I wake up flat tummy; then about an hour later I look 5 months pregnant and feel horrible. The pressure is crazy, uncomfortable, and unbecoming. I am sorting through food allergies, gluten is already gone. Dairy is now being eliminated. I still love my Greek yogurt, but soon........no more; no more string cheese, no more yogurt, no more quick cheese snacks goodness. I need to get my belly health back.

Vata is one of the Ayurvedic doshas. Ayurveda is a 5000 year old medical tradition. It looks at balancing the internal body with the external environment. There are three doshas that represent the 5 elements Vata (air/either responsible for movement in body), Pitta (fire/water responsible for metabolism in body), and Kapha (earth/water responsible for structure & lubrication). Water is in 2 doshas because it makes up most of our body composition. Each person has all three to various degrees. This unique composition means that no two people will find balance in the same exact way. There are however, general principles at help to guide each of us to find balance.

There are foods that increase Vata. Bloating is one of the symptoms of too much Vata in the diet. Foods like eggs, gluten, dairy, simple sugars, broccoli, white meat chicken, and cabbage. So my dinner last night of broccoli, chicken, and potatoes was probably not the best idea to pacify my bloaty belly.