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Organic Vata Churna
As Indian immigrants spread across the globe and into Europe and America, they brought with them their belief in the power of Ayurvedic medicine. By the 1960’s, this became known as an alternative medicine in the western world. Ayurvedic medicine (“Ayurveda” for short) is often referred to as one of the world's oldest holistic (“whole-body”) healing systems. It was developed more than 3,000 years ago in India and is based on the belief that health and wellness depend on a delicate balance between the body, mind and spirit. Spices are considered "wonder foods" in Ayurveda and are key ingredients in many herbal formulations. An ayurvedic practitioner, when giving you advice, is as likely to recommend specific spices to include in your diet as to suggest herbal supplements for you to take.The word vata means to “blow or move like the wind” and Churna means “powder” in the ancient Sanskrit language.
What is Ayurveda?
Ayurveda medicine dates back to at least 3,500 BC (modern Christianity places the first book of Vedas at about 1500 BC). The Vedic period, or Vedic age, (1500 - 500 BC) was the period in Indian history during which the Vedas, the oldest scriptures of Hinduism, were written. Indian historians believe that Ayurveda dates back much further than that and before then was transmitted orally from one generation to another for thousands of years.The wisdom of Ayurveda is recorded in the ancient language of India known as Sanskrit (the primary ceremonial language of Hinduism). In Sanskrit, Ayurveda translates to "life (ayur) knowledge (veda)". The philosophy of Ayurveda teaches conceptual systems characterized by balance and disorder, health and disease. Health and disease are the result of the interdependence between the self, personality, and everything that occurs in the mental, emotional, and spiritual being. For optimal health it’s believed that harmony must exist between the purpose for healing, thoughts, feelings and physical action.
Essential to the Ayurveda system is the accepted belief that the function of all of creation, the animal, plant and mineral kingdoms, is based on the complex interactions of three fundamental energy complexes (often referred to as doshas). The three energies operating in the universe are the binding energy (or Kapha), the energy of transformation (Pitta) and the energy of movement (Vata). Each one commands a specific force in the body and is associated with specific sensory qualities based on the primal elements of earth, water, fire, air and space.
Vata Dosha qualities reflect the elements of air and space, Pitta Dosha qualities reflect the elements of fire and water and the Kapha Dosha reflects the elements of water and earth. Each person has all three Doshas within themselves, but typically only one or two of them dominate. The exact Dosha proportions determine one's physiological and personality traits which includes their individual likes and dislikes. For example, Vata dominate types are more comfortable in hot weather rather than cold and Kapha dominant types are more apt to crave spicy foods than the other Dosha dominant types. Pitta dominant individuals are passionate and dedicated, but can be overly competitive, intolerant, and irritable.
According to Ayurveda, when we’re in balance, we crave foods that are good for us. But when we’re out of sync, our mind, body or spirit connection is out of alignment with our body’s inner intelligence. According to the Ayurvedic theory of disease "beej-bhoomi", poor digestion is the root cause of most disorders and ailments. “Beej bhoomi” translates roughly to "breeding ground" ('beej' translates more accurately to "seed" and 'bhoomi' to "earth" in Sanskrit). This is considered a seedbed in which disease thrives when fed by unhealthy toxins. In Ayurveda, these toxins are known as ama (pronounced "aa-ma") which in Sanskrit means "immature, unripe or undigested". All toxic matter inside of you is considered ama - no matter if it is in the form of acid, bile, food or negative thoughts.
Most spices enhance digestion, and that's one of the reasons spices are revered in Ayurvedic cooking. Not only do they aid in digestion, but they also help remove accumulated ama, so they are valuable additions to your daily diet. Turmeric, cumin, coriander, fennel, mint, asafoetida (hing), black pepper, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg and cayenne are among the ayurvedic spices that combat digestive disorders such as gas and bloating.
Vata Dosha
Vata is said to govern all movement in the mind and body. It controls blood flow, elimination of wastes, breathing and the movement of thoughts across the mind. Vata is the dominant seasonal Dosha from mid-October to mid-February. Even for those with less Vata in their constitution, it’s important to take steps to keep Vata in balance during this time of year because of its seasonal influence.To keep Vata in balance, favor the sweet, sour and salty tastes and avoid bitter, pungent and astringent foods.
Vata Balancing Foods and Spices
Gravitate towards heavy, sweet and sour fruits, such as avocados, bananas, berries, cherries, grapes, mangos, melons, oranges, papayas, peaches, pineapples and plums. Vegetables should be eaten cooked and some of the better choices are asparagus, beets, carrots and sweet potatoes. In moderate quantities, some other vegetables are fine as long as they’re consumed in smaller quantities and cooked in either ghee or oil and with Vata-balancing spices. These include broccoli, cauliflower, celery, green leafy vegetables (chopped small, with thick fibrous parts discarded) and zucchini. Limit the amount of raw salads you consume.Vata-balancing spices include black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, ginger, mustard seed and salt in moderation.
The Story Behind this Seasoning Blend
We’re constantly looking to add new spices and seasoning blends to our ever-expanding arsenal and these can come from multiple directions. Some spices and chiles we’ve had our sights set on for quite some time but can’t come up with either a high enough, consistent quality product or we just can’t find a reliable supplier.Sometimes we get a request from one of our customers and this is one such blend. One of our local yoga studios had reached out to Penny a while back about coming up with the three Dosha blends, and as I dug into them more discovered that not only did they tell a great story but we could make these organic to boot.
Hat tip to Leanne, the founder of Yoga Dear, for this one.
How to Use
We advise adding This Vata balancing spice mix early to the cooking process rather than sprinkling it on prepared food. Works well when allowed to infuse with either ghee or oil before adding vegetables.What's In It
Organic fennel, sea salt, organic turmeric, organic ginger and organic cardamom.Flavor Profile
Earthy, warm with a slight anise-licorice aroma.Read More
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