A lot of people find choosing what to eat to be confusing, with all the different diets and food items that are available. When you work with concepts from Ayurveda, however, the practice becomes a lot easier because food choices are guided primarily by the foods that are available in the current season. Even better if you can find them locally grown.

In this post we look at the fall season we are now entering and how to recognize its qualities in the foods we will be seeing in the grocery stores and on our tables in the months ahead.

Ayurveda teaches that this season is ruled by these qualities: cold, light, dry, rough, mobile, erratic and clear. Collectively, this is called vata dosha. We all have a certain amount of vata dosha in us. We experience it when feel creative, excited, and ready to tackle the next big project. But when there is too much vata dosha, we can feel physically cold, overwhelmed, can’t sit still, unable to sleep, anxious, afraid and even constipated. And when the weather outside is expressing these qualities during the fall, we are more likely to experience these unwanted symptoms ourselves.

Ayurveda has a solution: opposite therapy. If these qualities are causing us distress, we should practice the opposite qualities. For this article we will look primarily at food choices, but it helps to remember that there are also lifestyle, yoga and meditation practices we can do to balance vata dosha.

Hot balances cold: Eat hot, cooked foods during fall and winter. Soups, stews, roasted veggies, stir fry and baked casseroles are all excellent choices.

Heavy balances light: Root vegetables, dairy products and meats come to mind.

Wet and oily balances dry: Add oil to your foods, especially ghee when cooking and olive oil as a drizzle over cooked foods. Drink plenty of water and herbal teas to keep from becoming dehydrated.

Smooth and slippery balances rough: Eat foods that digest easily, such as basmati rice, in season fruit like pears and berries, in season veggies like sweet potato and beets, and warming spices like cardamom, cinnamon, garlic and ginger.

Slow balances mobile: Eat foods that are good for the digestive tract and take long enough to digest so the body can soak up all the nutrients. Examples include root vegetables and winter squashes, nuts and seeds, grains like oatmeal and quinoa, and digestive teas like licorice, slippery elm and fennel.

Steady balances erratic: Eat at regular times every day. Have a healthy breakfast (balanced protein and carb, low in sugar), make lunch your largest meal of the day and eat a small snack early in the evening. If you are not hungry before a meal, eat a slice of ginger or take 1-2 tablets of Trikatu to stimulate the appetite.

Cloudy balances clear: Look for more complex meals that include a variety of vegetables, heavy gravy or broth, lots of flavor to spur interest and enjoyment. It shouldn’t be too hard with the holidays coming up. Just remember to eat in moderation.

For a complete list of foods that are growing in your state right now, check out the Seasonal Food Guide.