Needless to say, my
anxiety level has increased and I have to pay attention to my own need to stay grounded and calm. Lots of meditation and movement, time in nature, and attention to NOT holding my breath in times of anxiety are all helping.
I have to ensure both that my husband doesn't lose weight with easy to eat meals, and that my anxiety is kept under control, so the best choice is a Vata pacifying diet. Vata is the energetic energy within which is made up of air and space (think light in weight, cold and ungrounded), and which can generate anxiety if that air and space gets out of hand. So Ayurveda draws on
the principle of opposites in order to balance a dosha. For the Vata dosha, we need denser foods rather than light salads, warm foods rather than cold, with some component of oil/fat rather than, say, a clear broth.