How To Balance Your Dosha
Updated: Jan 3
Ayurveda can get confusing, especially if you haven’t got a good understanding of the basics. I believe it can be pretty simple, so I’m going to break it down the best I can.
My aim is to give you a practical, modern day way of incorporating this ancient practice into your life, starting today!
So hopefully you’ve identified your main imbalance(s). But if not, go to my last blog first, where I explain the symptoms of each. Click here to go to last blog!
First - you want to gently start to incorporate the recommendations for your dominant dosha (80% of your effort), then slowly add a few tips from the others if you have mixed imbalances.
It can take months to fully establish a routine so try not to stress and over do it as this will cause more imbalance.
Balancing VATA
(when you feel anxious, scattered, constipated, cold, “wired but tired”)
Goal: Warm, moist, heavy, regular, grounding
Diet
Eat warm, cooked, mildly spiced, oily, slightly sweet/sour/salty foods.
Spices - cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, ginger, cumin, fennel.
Oils - most are good but ghee, sesame, olive are best.
Veggies - most cooked vegetables are good but you may need to experiment to see what works best for you. Root veggies & sweet potatoes are a great choice as they’re very grounding. Leafy greens are also good for most.
Fruit - most sweet fruits are good. Bananas, mangoes, berries, cherries are a good example.
Protein - eggs, beef, darker chicken or turkey meat, fish.
Legumes - red lentils, mung beans.
Nuts - most are good in moderation. My personal favourite is almonds & almond butter! Yummy!
Grains - cooked oats, quinoa, rice, wheat, spelt, sourdough.
Dairy - most dairy is ok if you can digest it. Ghee, butter, cheese, cows milk, goats milk, almond milk, sour cream, yogurt.
Soups and stews, porridge, medjool dates with almond butter are a great snack.
Drinks - warming herbal teas with ginger and cinnamon for example. Room temp water. Chicory and barley coffee alternative (it’s yummy & feels like coffee). Warm milk with cinnamon or nutmeg is great to help calm the nerves.
Avoid / limit:
Raw salads, cold foods from the fridge (cook or warm up first) ice-cold drinks, anything dry like crackers, popcorn etc.
Caffeine, dark chocolate in excess
Bitter greens in excess (broccoli, kale)
Daily Routine
Eat your biggest meal at lunchtime (12–2 pm) when digestion is strongest.
Try and do everything around the same time each day, for example your meals, sleep, waking, your morning routine. If this isn’t possible because of work or other commitments, just do your best. For example; I struggle with insomnia so I can't always get up at exactly the same time each day as having a set wake up time makes the insomnia worse, so I just make sure to have the same routine once I do wake up, so my nervous system knows what to expect. I also make sure to have a set bedtime which works better for me. You can still achieve balance if you struggle the same way I do, we just have to do our best. Any improvements we make will help!
Avoid screens after 9pm. Bed by 10–10:30pm, up by 6–7am.
Warm oil massage (abhyanga) with sesame oil 3–7×/week (life-changing). It’s best to do on a morning before shower and leave the oil for around 30 mins before washing off. If this isn’t possible, you can also do it at night or after showering.
First, warm your oil, then start at your head massaging the oil into your scalp and work your way down your body, finishing at the feet. This doesn’t have to take a long time. I usually do it in 5 mins. If you don’t have time to do your full body, just do your head, stomach, joints and feet.
Herbs
Ashwagandha, shatavari, brahmi, jatamansi - research which you think will suit you best.
Lifestyle
Gentle yoga like Yin yoga, walking, tai chi (no intense exercise). Intense exercise aggravates your nervous system.
Say no to overstimulation (reduce screens, loud music)
Create a cozy, calm home environment
Daily 5–10 min meditation or breathing (alternate nostril breathing is gold)
Quick win: 1 tsp sesame oil + warm milk + pinch of nutmeg before bed → deeper sleep & calmer nerves.
Balancing PITTA
(when you feel hot, angry, irritable, inflamed, acidic, perfectionist)
Goal: Cool, soothing, moderate, forgiving
Diet
Eat cooling, hydrating, mildly sweet/bitter/astringent foods
Spices - mind spices like cinnamon, dry ginger and cumin, in moderation. Coriander, dill, fennel are great.
Oils - ghee or coconut oil.
Veggies - most are good. Cucumber and green vegetables are very cooling for pitta.
Fruit - most are good, just limit citrus fruits.
Legumes / grains - mung beans, red lentils, spelt, basmati rice, oats, quinoa, barley, wheat. Avoid yeasted breads. Spelt is a good option.
Nuts - coconut, almonds (soaked over night & peeled), sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds.
Protein - opt for white meat like chicken, turkey, cod. Avoid red meat or oily fish whilst imbalanced.
Dairy - cows milk, unsalted butter, ghee, soft cheese.
Drinks - room temp water, milk, rose water, aloe vera juice, coconut water, chicory and barley coffee alternative (it’s yummy & feels like coffee)
Whilst imbalanced - strictly avoid: chilli, garlic, tomatoes, vinegar, alcohol, coffee, fried food, red meat.
Daily Routine
Eat your biggest meal at lunchtime (12–2pm) when digestion is strongest.
Avoid screens after 9pm. Bed by 10-10:30pm
Opt for gentle walks, moonlight walks, swimming, gentle yoga, meditation over high intense workouts. Meditate daily, even if its only 5 minutes.
If you must do intense exercise, try to fit it in on a morning. If morning isn’t possible try to finish by 7pm.
Herbs
Brahmi, shatavari, amla, neem, ashoka
Lifestyle
Schedule “do-nothing” time every day. Practice BEING, not DOING.
Try guided meditations to help with perfectionism and need for control.
Practice cooling pranayama: sheetali or left-nostril breathing.
Wear cool colours (blue, white, green, pastels), avoid red/orange.
Quick win: Drink coconut water or rose-water.
Balancing KAPHA
(when you feel heavy, sluggish, congested, emotionally stuck)
Goal: Light, warm, dry, stimulating, moving
Diet
Eat light, warm, spicy, bitter & astringent foods
Spices - all spices.
Oils - mustard, safflower, sesame & ghee in moderation.
Veggies - most apart from very sweet veg like sweet potatoes or squashes. Green vegetables are great.
Fruit - berries, apples, cherries, grapes, lemons, limes, peaches, pears, prunes, raisins, strawberries. Avoid heavy and very sweet like bananas, dates, melons, pineapple.
Legumes - all lentils, mung beans, chickpeas, black beans.
Grains - quinoa, millet, barley, bran, buckwheat, oats, rice, rye.
Dairy - ghee, buttermilk, cottage cheese, goats cheese unsalted, skimmed goats milk. Use dairy in moderation.
Protein - chicken, eggs, fish, turkey, shrimp, venison.
Drinks - room temp water, coffee, cranberry or apple juices, prune juice, spiced herbal teas, peppermint tea, black tea, hot water with lemon.
Reduce or avoid: dairy, wheat, sugar, oily/fried foods, bananas, cold drinks.
Daily Routine
Wake by 6am (the earlier the better).
Scrape tongue after waking.
Vigorous exercise every morning (running, cycling, HIIT).
Dry brushing or garshana (silk-glove massage) before shower.
Keep the house warm and well-ventilated.
Herbs / spices
Trikatu (ginger + black pepper + pippali), tulsi, bibhitaki, turmeric, triphala.
Mix a teaspoon of raw, organic honey with triphala powder and take each night before bed. Mix with warm, NOT HOT water if needed. This has a mild laxative effect which should help release bowels in the morning.
Lifestyle
Try new experiences: travel, meet new people, change routine.
Minimal daytime naps (10–15 min max).
Try to be around people who make you feel good and laugh a lot. Listen to upbeat music.
Quick win: Start the day with hot water + ginger + lemon → fires up metabolism and clears morning fog.
When You Have Two or All Three Imbalances (Very Common)
Focus 70–80% on pacifying the dosha that is most out of balance right now (the one causing the loudest symptoms).
Use the other tips sparingly — they won’t hurt, but they won’t help as much until the primary one calms down.
Be patient: chronic tri-doshic imbalance can take 3–12 months, or longer, of consistent lifestyle to fully harmonise.
Start with just ONE new habit from your main dosha list today. In a week, add another. Small, steady steps beat drastic overhauls every single time.
Which tip are you starting with? Let me know in the comments — I read every single one!
Carlee x
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