General guidelines
The nature of vata is cold, dry, light, unstable and erratic and therefore herbs, foods, beverages and lifestyle habits used to pacify vata should be opposite in nature, i.e. warming, moistening, heavy, stable and grounding.

Foods to emphasize
Fruits: most local seasonal fruits, in moderation; baked fresh fruits (e.g. apples, pears) and cooked dried fruits (e.g. prunes, figs, raisins etc.); tropical fruits including mango, papaya, pineapple, banana, sweet oranges
Vegetables: all cooked vegetables, especially root vegetables and squash, preferably steamed, boiled or baked; well-cooked onions and garlic;  leafy green vegetables prepared with spicy herbs and fat
Grains and cereals: oats, basmati rice, jasmine rice, brown rice, quinoa, amaranth, khus khus, whole wheat pasta, whole wheat chapati or tortilla
Legumes: adzuki, mung, tofu, tempeh miso; in small amounts, cooked well with herbs such as ginger and garlic and consumed with warm broth
Nuts and seeds: most nuts and seed in moderation, including sesame, almonds, pumpkin, walnut, cashew, sunflower, coconut, pecan, filbert, brazil, hemp, flax
Dairy: butter, gh?ta, yogurt, full fat cream, goat cheese, in small amounts
Meat and animals products: most animal products, including eggs, chicken, beef, pork, goat, lamb, fatty fish, buffalo, ostrich, wild game
Oils and fats: most oils and fats, including olive oil, butter, ghee, coconut oil, sesame oil, hemp oil
Spices and condiments: most spices in moderation, including cardamon, nutmeg, hing, ginger, cumin, cinnamon, garlic, saindhava , basil, rosemary, oregano, tamari, five-spice, black bean, soy sauce, nutritional yeast, vinegar
Beverages: warm water, herbal teas that have a sweet, warming and spicy flavor (e.g. licorice, cinnamon and ginger), fresh vegetable juices, almond milk, wine, dark beers
Sweeteners: fresh honey, maple syrup, jaggery, molasses

Foods to Avoid
Fruits: dried fruit (uncooked); bitter-tasting fruits such as cranberries, lemon, limes; unripe fruits
Vegetables: raw vegetables
Grains and cereals: granola, muesli, corn, millet, bread, popcorn, rice cakes, potatoes
Legumes: most legumes should be avoided
Nuts and seeds: none, except in excess
Dairy: ice cream, cold milk
Meat and animals products: none
Oils and fats: margarine, lard, corn, canola, peanut
Spices and condiments: chili, black pepper, mustard, horseradish, excessive salt to excess
Beverages: cold water, ice water, soy milk, coffee, spirits
Sweeteners: white sugar; any sweetener to excess

Lifestyle habits to emphasize
As the nature of vata is unstable, erratic and changeable it is important to emphasize ritual and routine, with regular hours for eating, sleeping, and working.  Slow meditative exercises such as hatha yoga and tai chi are helpful, as are anaerobic, muscle-building exercises.  Time should be spent in the natural world, in the mountains and forests, with children and animals, investigating creative and healing abilities.  The home and work space should be a well-ventilated, warm, safe, quiet, comfortable and nurturing.

Lifestyle habits to avoid
Excessive travel, excessive media influence (TV, radio, newspapers), excessive exposure to electromagnetic radiation (e.g. computer monitors), inadequate sleep, irregular hours, exposure to wind and cold , excessive sexual activity, exposure to noxious or stimulating odors.

Aromatherapy
Fragrances and scents to balance vata should be warming, soothing and clearing, such as chamomile, lavender, rose, geranium, neroli, vetivert, rosemary, lemon balm, peppermint, basil, sweet marjoram, bergamont, hyssop, lemon, clary sage, myrrh, frakincense, sandalwood, aniseed, cinnamon, eucalyptus and camphor.

Colors
Most colors are good for vata but natural pastel colours should be emphasized, not overly stimulating, bright (neon), dark or metallic colors.  Examples include small amounts of yellow, orange, red, with moderate amounts of maroon, purple, blue, green, hazel, tan, khaki, and ivory. 

Meditation
The goal of meditation in vaØttika conditions is to create an internal balance between the male and female energies, reconnect the spirit and soul to the physical body and develop an aura of spiritual protection.  This can be realized by the use of psycho-physical techniques as pranayama, meditating upon and ritually using sacred objects, and visualizing beneficent deities to ask for their assistance.  Modern day examples of paths that utilize these techniques include vajrayaØna and bhakti yoga.