Early 2025, there was a publication online by Stanford Medicine explaining how gut health is linked to overall brain functionality. Stanford Medicine called gut as a second brain, as gut also has neurons.

In December 2025, ScienceDirect added that bacteria Bacillus (like Lactobacillus in yogurt and fermented food) in our diet is not only connected to gut health – it also improves brain functionality by improving gut health.

In other words, how our gut health controls our brain’s efficiency.

It perfectly matches with the principle of Ayurveda – doshas and how their imbalance affects our overall health.  Dosha describes what you have in your body – large intestine, that reaches your gut eventually.

I have heard this term in my childhood from a rural Vaidya who was living next door – “oh that person has ‘Vichar-Vayu’, do this – this – and this – he will be alright.”

I always wondered — what that ‘Vichar-Vayu’ meant.

After studying ‘Charak Samhita’ I understood the term and meaning of. Vichar means thought and Vayu means air. Vichar-Vayu means mental disturbance caused by Vata imbalance.

Yes, Vata dosha is the main culprit behind all brain problems – mainly any issues caused by Vagus nerve malfunctioning. Other than that, Vata imbalance also causes gut related issues.

I would say – another link between gut health and brain health is Vata dosha.

How Vata dominance happens

👉 The first source is inherited Dosha (& imbalance) from parents -that is your Prakriti. If either of your parents had Vata dominance, you get it.

👉 In this high-tech time, people are choosing easy food over healthy food more often. No one has time & skill to cook.

👉 Hence, other most common causes of all Dosha imbalance are: junk-food, overeating and inactive lifestyle.

👉 Periodic stress can cause it too.

👉 Diet -any healthy dish that is prone to Vata dominance can cause it (like dry beans).

👉 Skipping (even healthy) fat in diet, entirely – fat calms Vata.

👉 Fasting or eating in irregular intervals may cause Vata dominance.

What Vata Imbalance Typically Leads To

Vata governs movement, nervous system activity, circulation, breathing, and mental flow.

When it goes out of balance, the effects usually show up in broad areas. I will start with two main categories related to the article above.

Mind Symptoms

• Daydreaming or overthinking overpowers reality (Vichar-Vayu)
• Short term memory problems
• Difficult to focus
• Feeling lightheaded
• Vertigo (unexplained)
• Mood swings
• Lack of patience – restlessness
• Light sleep or broken sleep
• Vision problems (unexplained)
• Prone to anxiety
• Dry or itchy eyes
• Eye twitching or eyelid drop
• Tinnitus (ringing in ears)

Gut & digestive symptoms

• Hiccups
• Excessive burping – bloating
• Constipation – diarrhea or bowl problem
• Irregular appetite and so energy
• Digestion issues

Skin & Hair

• Dry skin and dry hair
• Cracked heels
• Brittle nails
• Chapped lips

Circulation & Movement symptoms

• Lightheaded or dizziness
• Poor peripheral circulation
• Cold hand and feet
• Tingling in hand and feet
• Stiff joints – Stiff neck or stiff back
• Muscle tightness

Emotional symptoms – often get overlooked

• Feeling unsupported or alone
• Fear based reactions
• Quick emotional shifts

Vata Imbalance — Caused Symptoms Overview

How to balance Vata

We show multiple symptoms of Vata imbalance; however, it may differ person to person. Everyone has different Prakriti and so body reacts differently to certain imbalance.

Eat regular meals:

👉 Vata gets aggravated in empty stomach as well as overeating. That means – small, healthy and as per your need meals are very important to balance Vata.

👉 Do not fast or stay hungry for longer, even if you start intermittent fasting, start with minimum hours at first and increase fasting window hours gradually.

Walk around:

👉 People with Vata imbalance may not have that energy to do HIIT or any extensive exercises. Go for a walk or add a few minutes more to your walking schedule.

👉 Do chores or just walk around in the house.

 👉 If you are doing desk work, get up in your breaks and walk around a few times in a day.

Butter milk with rock-salt:

👉 Drink very thin buttermilk made from homemade yogurt* and water (at room temperature) with rock-salt to elevate Vata.

👉 Add few mint leaves in buttermilk for added benefits.

*Yogurt recipe: Warm one litter cow’s milk at medium heat in a thick bottomed pot until cream in milk forms a thin layer on top. Let it cool up to 100 degrees. Add a teaspoon of Greek yogurt or Dahi (live culture of edible – good bacteria) in the milk and stir. Warm up the oven (turn it off) and place that covered milk pot in – about up to 6–7 hours.

Include Healthy fats:

👉 Fat pacifies Vata, include good fats in diet like Ghee, Coconut oil, Avocado.

👉 Drink more water:

👉 Drink warm water, or room temperature water at least. Do not drink cold drinks or drinks with ice, favor warm teas.

Limit beans and legumes:

👉 Use beans and legumes in midday meal, avoid them in dinner to minimize the Vata.

👉 Add spices like black pepper or carom seeds while cooking dry beans or legumes.

Favor cooked vegetables:

👉 Use cooked vegetables more and raw vegetable less in your diet.

👉 Cook them with Ghee or Coconut butter for added benefit.

Eat warm oatmeal – **cooked well.

Pair cooked oatmeal with blueberries or garnish with yogurt – for prebiotic + probiotic benefit.

**Cook 1/2 cup instant oatmeal in 1 cup water with pinch of salt & pinch of black pepper, three dates finely chopped, few walnuts. Add half a teaspoon of Ghee prior to eating.

Vata Mobility

Even though Vata is originated from bottom half of our body, it affects upper body more.  In general, air moves up, the same way air in body moves up too. It feels in stomach as ache when it is trapped in intestine between heavy food.

Based on the same principle, hiccups can be elevated with this trick:

• Bend down from your west.
• Sip water slowly while in that position.
• Take 4–5 sips, wait 4–5 minutes and stand up.
• Repeat these steps a few times if you are comfortable or until hiccups are gone.

Vata dominance is more common in older people. If you noticed – grandparents are expelling (via fart or burp) air after dinner. As they age, their frequency increases.

How they can minimize it?

Brioveda Tips:

👉 Walk 10–20 minutes prior to dinner.

👉 Eat very light and cooked dinner.

👉 Eat very slowly, chew every bite well.

👉 Stay up right at least an hour (ideally three hours) after eating.

👉 Eat more yogurt and buttermilk around lunch, not with lunch.

👉 Just be careful – when you eat yogurt or drink buttermilk, do NOT consume it cold.

👉 If you can not make homemade yogurt, use Greek yogurt or Dahi.

I recommend homemade yogurt. As yogurt in market may have added stabilizers or sugar or any other preservatives. I have included a short recipe (above) to make homemade yogurt. If you need help, please contact.

If you want to verify if you have Vata dominance or not, take this Dosha quiz.