foods that balance that dosha. For example, if you have scored Vata 6, Pitta 15, and Kapha 8 in the Body
Type Quiz, refer to the section “Pitta Pacifying Diet” found in this chapter.
In order to know yourself better, familiarize yourself with the food charts that are applicable to your
body type, and choose to eat more of those foods that are on the “favor” list while avoiding those that are
on the “avoid” list. Those items in the “reduce” category should be eaten in moderation, that is,
occasionally and in small amounts.
You don’t need to become overly fixated about sticking to the food lists, especially if you are not just
one clear body type. However, these lists can be very helpful in your quest for discovering the most ideal
foods for you to return to a balanced state of body and mind. If you feel attracted to a particular food that
is not on your list, double check by doing the muscle test, and you will have a better sense of whether
your body can benefit from it or not. Both the food lists and the muscle test may help you to get to know
yourself better and to restore your natural instincts. If you are an experienced dowser, you can also use
dowsing tools to confirm the correctness of your choice of foods. If in doubt about what body type you
are, you may even use these methods to determine your exact body type. If most items on the Vata favor
list, for example, test positive for you, you are most likely a Vata type. If you suffer from chronic
constipation, and/or had such a tendency when you were a child, you are most likely a Vata type. Pitta
types are rarely constipated but have a greater tendency toward loose stools and frequent bowel moments.
Children usually share the same body types as their parents. For example, Pitta parents tend to give
birth to Pitta children who often have red hair, fair skin and freckles (if Caucasian white). In this situation,
the whole family can basically eat the same foods. If one parent, though, is a Vata type and the other
parent is a Kapha type, the children may not have such a clear body type configuration. In that case,
addressing each family member’s dietary needs can be somewhat challenging. However, if healthy foods
are offered to the children right from the beginning, they will soon let you know which foods are best for
them.
Vata Pacifying Diet
Favor: Warm foods and beverages; moderately heavy; added ghee, butter, oil; mostly high fluid-
containing and nourishing foods; foods that have the sweet, sour and salty tastes.
The Vata type—influenced mainly by the elements of air and space—is naturally sensitive to foods
that are light, dry and cold. Vata types lack the qualities of heavy, oily and hot that, when taken in the
form of food and beverages, keep them balanced. In addition, foods that contain the dominant tastes of
sweet, sour and salty pacify Vata, whereas those that are pungent as in spicy foods, bitter as in bitter
greens, and astringent as in regular black tea or beans, greatly upset it. A meal consisting of a lettuce
salad, hot vegetable curry with steamed potatoes, kidney beans and ice cream can derange Vata for many
days, whereas a meal consisting of an avocado with lemon and salt, stir fried asparagus, and Basmati rice
with butter and almonds can keep the Vata type balanced and strong.
Vata dosha is cold, dry, and light by nature, which are the qualities dominant in autumn and early
winter. Especially during that time of year, Vata needs to be soothed and nourished by soft and warming
foods such as hearty stews and soups, long-cooked vegetable casseroles, freshly prepared bread, puddings
and hot cereals. Butter, oils and cream, too, keep Vata in check. Since sensitivity is one of his
characteristics, the Vata type becomes upset when there is too much noise and disturbance around meal
times.
Vata types are the most likely to need a more nourishing breakfast. Hot cereals such as
oatmeal/porridge cooked with almond milk or oat milk soothe Vata, and so does cream of rice or cream of