The Vaat dosha is the most important of the three doshas. If Vaat becomes imbalanced for long enough and sufficiently enough, it can also cause the other two doshas (Pitta or Kapha) to become imbalanced.
Some major causes of a vaat imbalance include:
▪ irregular schedule
▪ eating old, leftover, dry, or too much or only raw food
▪ not eating enough or very less food/ usually seen in crash dieting
▪ eating too rapidly
▪ suppression of bodily urges, such as sneezing, passing gas, or elimination/ or not passing the urine or stools for too longer
▪ staying up late
▪ overstimulation of the senses
▪ overexertion/ over exercising
▪ excessive worry, fear, or loneliness
All of these things, especially when they are done repeatedly over a period of time, can cause vaat to increase.
Vaat out of Balance
We have seen functions of all types of Vaat in our body (in this post ) already. these are the symptoms when Vaat is aggravated.
Prana Vaat:
Worries, overactive mind, sleep problems, difficulty breathing.
Udana Vaat:
Dry coughs, sore throats, earaches, general fatigue.
Samana Vaat:
Slow or rapid digestion, gas, intestinal cramps, poor assimilation, weak tissues.
Apana Vaat:
Intestinal cramps, menstrual problems, lower back pain, irregularity, diarrhea, constipation, gas.
Vyana Vaat:
Dry or rough skin, nervousness, shakiness, poor blood flow, stress-related problems
Vaat Imbalance Psychological symptoms:
anxiety, nervousness, fear, loneliness, insecurity, restlessness, hyperactivity, giddiness, spaciness, and/or confusion.
Excess Vaat can also cause a racing mind, interrupted sleep, a lack of groundedness, a fear of commitment, and forgetfulness
Chronic insomnia, delirium, mental instability, blackouts, and severe depression
Physical Symptoms:
The home site of Vaat dosha in the body is the large intestine,
Early signs of Vaat-type digestive disturbances include burps, hiccups, gurgling intestines, excessive thirst, gas, bloating, and constipation.
Excess Vaat in the digestive tract can also cause an irregular appetite, mild weight loss, pain in the flanks, pressure under the diaphragm, a dry taste in the mouth, mass peristalsis, diarrhea, dry feces, and/or hemorrhoids. When Vaat is high, you are also likely to crave meat and fatty, salty, sour, or spicy foods.
Long-standing Vaat in the digestive tract can cause the stools to become hard, dry, dark, small, and bullet-like in shape. It can also lead to emaciation, irritable bowel syndrome, as well as anal fissures and fistulas
In the Circulatory System, Skin, Nails, Scalp and Hair
Excess Vaat in the circulatory system, skin, nails, scalp, and hair may cause goose bumps, dryness in the skin, lips, or hair, split ends, cracking skin, heels, nails or cuticles, and dandruff. It can also cause pallor, lusterless skin, poor circulation, cold hands or feet, insufficient sweat, eczema, and psoriasis.
Signs of more severe disturbance include severe dehydration, brittle nails and hair, deformities in the nails, dark discolorations of the skin, collapsed blood vessels, aneurysms, blood clots, and varicose veins.
In the Muscles, Bones, Joints, and Nervous System
Excess Vaat in these areas can lead to lack of coordination, weakness, muscle fatigue, quivering thighs, tightness, stiffness, and muscle aches, cracking, popping, or pain in the bones and joints, ticks, tremors, tingling, numbness, sciatica, nerve pain, a stiff neck, pain around the pelvic girdle, and vague or generalized pain.
More long-standing Vaat disturbances may cause muscle wasting, muscle rigidity, atrophy, joint dislocations, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, osteoporosis, scoliosis, kyphosis, lordosis, prolapsed organs, fibromyalgia, spontaneous bone fractures, incontinence, convulsions, seizures, paralysis, fainting, changes in thyroid function, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease.
Elsewhere in the Body
Some people notice breathlessness, bradycardia, tachycardia, or heart palpitations as excess Vaat begins to affect them.
For others, early signs include yawning, fatigue, hoarseness in the voice, receding gums, toothache, cavities in the teeth, dizziness, ringing in the ears, a pronounced sensitivity to loud noises.
Dehydration, excessive urination, or the absence of urination are also associated with excess Vaat.
For women, a Vaat imbalance can cause PMS symptoms including bloating, low back ache, pain in the lower abdomen, pre-menstrual cramps, insomnia, anxiety, fear, and insecurity. It can also cause irregular, infrequent, or painful periods, painful intercourse, and premature orgasm.
In men, excess Vaat can lead to low sperm counts, low libido, and premature ejaculation.
Long-standing Vaat disturbance can cause severe asthma, pneumonia, a blackish discoloration of the teeth, impacted wisdom teeth, deafness, club foot, foot drop, dwarfism, general malaise, an absence of menstruation or sperm, premature ageing, and a completely compromised immune system.