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As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, most of us have been witnessing a multitude of changes in our lives. This has been a given. Everything has shifted and changed, yet there is one thing that has remained true. The need to maintain our balance. Learn how about thriving through balance: supporting your Dosha throughout pandemic in this article.

Fortunately, your Dosha gives you insight on how to navigate your needs!

Different personalities handle stress in various ways. Some of us prefer to cope through food, feeling drawn to the cupboard, or unable to find the energy to get off the couch. Others are full of inspiration and creativity. Their minds can’t stop wandering. They feel restless and unable to find a moment of mental stillness. When our body has shifted into an imbalanced state, it’s easy to fall off balance even further. But learning easy ways to help you regain your balance will help you thrive, maintain your goals, and allow you to transition through this time more easily. 

Ayurveda recognizes how we each have our own unique needs. What is best for you may not be best for your partner, your best friend, your neighbor, or even yourself six months ago! 

Here are some of the best Ayurvedic tips each dosha should embrace to make social distancing easier. It is a necessary supporting your Dosha throughout Pandemic.

VATAS

If you’re a vata, you may be feeling waves of anxiety, fear or worry. It’s easy for vatas to feel and become ungrounded. Their mind is continuously thinking, so it can be particularly challenging for them to focus. 

How you can thrive: 

• Create a routine and keep on a schedule – Set a sleep routine, a work routine, a regular meal schedule; incorporating a regular yoga practice, especially a more gentle type of yoga (like yoga nidra or pranayama yoga)
• Stay warm – Wear warm clothing. Eat soups and broths, avoiding frozen and raw foods such as smoothies and salads. Your digestion will thank you!
• Ground yourself – Connect to nature, placing your bare feet onto the earth. Practice grounding meditations and connect to your root and sacral chakras. Move your body in ways that are calming, soothing, and slow. 
• Self-care – Practice oil-pulling and self-oil massage with warming sesame oil. This allows you to give yourself the extra love and care you need right now. Try YouVeda My Essential Oils.
• Stay connected – continue to have phone calls and regular Zoom meetings with friends and family to avoid loneliness and isolation
• Tap into your creativity – Redirect your natural creativity, allowing it to shine. Discover new hobbies, color, draw, paint, or whatever you feel inspired to create to keep the mind busy.

PITTAS

As a pitta, you are more likely to experience anger about social isolation. You may be feeling frustrated or are having a hard time dealing with this lack of control. That’s ok! Here are some simple tools to help you support yourself and supporting your dosha. 

How you can thrive: 

• Stay moving, but without overexertion – Do a medium-level workout, yoga, or something not overly exerting but that allows your body to stay strong and feel connected.
• Take breaks – Simply take time to just be. Sit outside and watch the clouds go by, take moments to pause and focus on your breath (alternate nostril breathing). Visualize yourself underneath a beautiful waterfall. These will help balance the drive to stay busy.
• Avoid the media, statistics, and conspiracy theories – Instead, now is a great time to set goals or to learn something new. Finding productive ways to keep your mind in use and remain mentally strong while also maintaining a positive mindset.
• Grounding Self-Care – Pittas need extra grounding as well. Spending time in nature, kicking off your shoes, or a loving self-oil massage with coconut oil will quickly allow you to regain your balance. Add in YouVeda’s My Essential Oils for an added bonus of self-love.
• Eat cooling foods – Such as herbs, cucumber, leafy greens, and coconut. Avoiding spicy foods that ramp up the heat, garlic, or coffee
• Cooling down – Staying comfortable and cool is key to counteract pitta’s heat. Wear loose, cotton clothing. Take a cold shower or swim in the pool. 

KAPHAS

As a Kapha, you may be feeling overly sluggish, low in energy, and feel the need to soothe and comfort yourself with snacks and food. You may be feeling down and sad without your normal lives of stimulation and motivation. You may be feeling more depressed than usual, but here are some simple ways to bring life back into your world!

How you can thrive: 

• Movement is key – Practice an exercise you love every day! Have fun with it and feel free! This could be moving and shaking, dancing like no one’s watching, blasting your favorite tunes throughout the house. Whatever sparks your joy! Move it on through!
• Get outside and feel the sunshine! – Waking up early, taking a brisk walk outside, and feeling the sunshine will help Kaphas feel light, free, and energized for the rest of the day. Take frequent walks if you’re able to, even.
• Have set meal times – Kaphas are prone to snacking, so establishing a meal routine is key to avoid the desire to keep returning to the pantry. (Guilty!)
• Stick to light, energizing fresh foods – Bitter vegetable, dandelion greens, asparagus, and brussel sprouts. Avoiding anything heavy. Support your body with healing herbs and supplements such as YouVeda’s My Healthy Mood packs.
• Play more and have fun! – Bring out your inner child. Play games with others. Find humor in the little things. Revisit activities you loved to enjoy as a kid and see how you can bring it back to life now!

We each have a choice, every single day, on how we will embrace this time. Fortunately, we can always use Ayurveda to our advantage! Supporting your Dosha is possible. Thrive on!

Author: Carolyn Crews (YouVeda Wellness Contributor)