6 Foods to Balance Your Root Chakra

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Your root chakra goes by the name “muladhara” in ancient Sanskrit, with “dhara,” translating to a support or base, and “mula” means root. Like the roots of a mighty tree, this base chakra is associated with the earth element. In human life, it refers to those internal traits you need to feel grounded, including a strong sense of agency or belief that you can affect positive change through your actions and an unshakeable core sense of self. 

Your chakras are energy centers corresponding to various organs. It’s perhaps unsurprising that this chakra governs your eliminatory organs, colon, and urinary tract. It also correlates with the arterial blood that the heart pumps to your body’s tissues and your adrenal gland, which sits above your kidneys. 

Your root chakra also governs emotions such as fear, which isn’t surprising in light of modern science. For example, you make 95% of your body’s serotonin in your gut, although you probably associate this neurotransmitter with depression. Your intestines send many messages to your brain, impacting mood — who hasn’t experienced a “gut feeling” that they wish they had followed? 

When this chakra falls out of balance, you can experience symptoms such as the following:

• Lower back pain 
• Constipation and bowel problems
• Frequent urinary tract infections
• Weight gain or loss 
• Pelvic pain 
• Anxiety disorders
• Depression
• Eating disorders 

Keeping your root chakra in balance can improve your health and your life. You can use various methods, and combining several might be helpful if you feel your root chakra is severely out of balance. Exercise can help, as can meditation. Certain yoga poses can help you correct your root chakra, as can participating in activities that develop your sense of self. You can also experiment with crystals, aromatherapy, massage, grounding or earthing and reiki. 

Yet another way to restore equilibrium in your root chakra is by choosing the right foods. What should you add to your dinner plate? Here are six foods to balance your root chakra. 

Related Read:
• 7 Foods to Balance and Heal Your Sacral Chakra

1. Protein-Rich Foods 

Protein is the building block for your body’s tissues, so consuming more of it makes sense to help balance your root chakra. However, all sources of this macronutrient are not created equally. 

For example, red is associated with your root or Muladhara chakra, which might make you think of a thick, juicy hamburger. However, the WHO considers processed meat a carcinogen, and red meat is a probable one. That means they’ve found evidence it can be harmful, although other explanations may play a role.  Therefore, you might want to leave the steak for special occasions, opting for leaner alternatives most of the time. 

Instead, get your protein-rich gifts from the sea. The Harvard School of Public Health found that eating two servings of fatty fish per week could reduce your risk of heart disease by 36%. The omega-3s help protect your brain and heart health, unlike the saturated fat in beef or pork. You’ll consume fewer calories overall, too. 

Poultry is another option. What if you’re a vegan? Beans, nuts, and seeds are all excellent sources of plant-based protein, and seeds are especially good for your root chakra — more on that momentarily. 

2. Red Foods

Since the color red rules the root chakra, it’s also logical that foods in this color would help balance Muladhara. Here, again, western science corresponds somewhat with ancient wisdom. Fruits and vegetables with this hue are high in anthocyanins, a group of antioxidants that have the following properties:

• Lowers blood pressure: This matters because interoceptive cues — sensations from inside your body — can influence your mental state. For example, your brain might release the hormones that make your heart pump faster and harder but also misinterpret that sensation as a reason for additional panic, creating a vicious spiral. 
• Reduce your risk of heart disease: Heart disease remains the number one killer, so of course, you’ll feel more grounded if you take measures to reduce your risk. 
• Prevents neurological diseases: Cognitive decline frightens many older adults for a good reason. 
• Slows cancer growth: The Big C is definitely a reason for the kind of anxiety an unbalanced root chakra can produce. 

What are some red foods that are fabulous for your root chakra? Add more of these to your diet: 

• Strawberries
• Cherries
• Blood oranges
• Black plums 
• Blueberries
• Raspberries
• Cranberries
• Radicchio
• Red leaf lettuce
• Red cabbage
• Red cauliflower
• Radishes
• Eggplant 

3. Root Vegetables 

Since your Muladhara grounds you to Mother Earth, consuming vegetables that spring forth from this rich loam can help balance your root chakra. For example, beets are an excellent choice for their color, how they grow, and their rich, earthy flavor. They also contain high nitrate levels, which your body converts to nitric oxide. This stuff dilates your blood vessels, lowering your blood pressure and anxiety. 

However, root vegetables can be high in carbohydrates, which can be problematic if you follow a low-carb diet. Your best bet? Prepare the options on this list in healthy ways — a baked potato instead of fries — and eat them in moderation. Chow down on more of the following:

• Potatoes — especially the purple ones for the anthocyanin content
• Radishes
• Carrots 
• Parsnips
• Horseradish
• Beets 
• Turnips
• Sweet potatoes
• Rutabagas
• Onions 
• Celeriac
• Kohlrabi
• Salsify
• Fennel
• Burdock Root

4. Spicy Foods 

Moderately spicy foods can fire up your root chakra. Some Muladhara meditations feature picturing a warm red flame enveloping and cleansing this area. 

Not all spices burn your tongue, although the hot peppers that do contain capsaicin. This fiery stuff has considerable health benefits, including easing arthritis pain and revving up your metabolism, helpful if an unbalanced root chakra results in weight gain. 

Others contain other substances that benefit your health. For example, turmeric is a root spice used in Indian cuisine that contains curcumin, a powerful anti-inflammatory agent. It’s fabulous for decreasing chronic inflammation in the body. Ginger also possesses anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-microbial properties. 

Spicy foods to eat more of to balance your root chakra include: 

• Jalapeños 
• Serranos
• Cayenne
• Paprika 
• Turmeric
• Ginger
• Cinnamon 
• Clove 

5. Eggs 

Although your Svadhisthana or sacral chakra governs your reproductive organs, problems in this area can spill over into the root chakra. Eggs are a fabulous protein source for vegetarians who don’t eat meat but see no issue harvesting hen fruit if done humanely. They also contain the building blocks of life, which resonate with your root chakra frequency, reminding you of your connection to all life. 

6. Seeds 

Seeds are a fabulous source of proteins for vegans, those who eschew any products that come from animal sources. Like eggs, they contain many of life’s building blocks, including lignans that help balance the female reproductive system, making conception easier. You must have a solid foundation before building a family, so double down on sunflower, flax and pumpkin seeds if you feel something is amiss with your root chakra. 

Foods to Balance Your Root Chakra

Your root chakra ties you to the earth, and when it falls out of balance, you can feel like everything else has gone topsy-turvy. You can experience uncomfortable physical and mental health symptoms and a general sense that something is amiss. 

There are various ways to balance your root chakra, including diet. Adding more of these six foods that balance your root chakra to your life can help you regain your sense of self.