The Doshas
Vata
Vata reflects the qualities of air. Its characteristics are light, cold, dry, rough, and energetic. It is balanced by sweet, sour and salty tastes. Begins October 1 through Feb 1.
Pitta
Pitta reflects the qualities of fire. Its characteristics are hot, oily, liquid, sharp, and intense. It is balanced by sweet, bitter, and astringent tastes. Begins June 1 through Oct 1.
Kapha
Kapha reflects the qualities of earth. Its characteristics are slow, dense, soft, smooth, and heavy. It is balanced by astringent, bitter and pungent tastes. Begins Feb 1 - June 1.
Welcome to the Transition of Vata to Kapha season
KAPHA Season is from Feb 1 - June 1
Ayurvedic Medicine is based on the 5 elements: AIR, Ether (space), Fire, Water and Earth. These elements are forms of ENERGY. Everything is energy. We cannot have life without it. In order to stay in Balance we need to follow the rules of Nature. Our physiology is dictated to by these elements of Nature.
The Pro’s and con’s of the up and coming season KAPHA.
The element of water and earth predominate this season and are responsible for the body’s structure, and provides the “glue” or cohesion that holds the cells together. When these elements are in balance our joints are lubricated, skin is moist, immune system and vitality are strong. The expressive emotions of love, calmness and forgiveness flow easily. When the elements of water and earth (Kapha) are OUT of balance it leads to emotions such as attachment, possessiveness, greed and depression. Physical symptoms: congestive disorders, excess mucus, sinus related problems (are you doing your nedi pot?), allergies, sluggishness, dull aches, water retention, weight gain, acceleration of arthritic conditions, especially osteoarthritis, fibrocystic changes, issues with taste/smell and digestive related problems if you don’t follow the rules.
Keeping KAPHA Element in check:
- Favor Bitter, Pungent and Astringent foods.
- Tongue scraping, stimulates many meridians.
- Start your day with hot water, Lemon, Celtic salt and honey.
- Keep your digestive energy good by making a tea out of a combination of Fennel, cumin and coriander seeds. Add 2 tsp. of this combination of seeds to a cup of water, bring to a boil and let steep while you eat your meal. Sip on this after you are done eating.
- Dry Skin brushing, with a silk glove or loofah then apply Sesame oil topically, all over before shower, and do your feet and scalp before bed to decrease anxiety. Sunflower is more acceptable if Sesame seems too heating.
- Use Ghee as your major source of oil. One to two teas per meal will stimulate digestion. Only eat when hungry. Ice and iced drinks can decrease digestive secretion and cause undigested food (ama) in the body, this causes a multitude of problems. Drink things at room. Have your final meal 3 hours or earlier before retiring.
- Start to think in line with DETOX concepts, as we move forward into this seasons the body naturally wants to shed what we have held onto all winter.
- Sit down when eating, relax and enjoy the meal, NO computers, No Cell phones, NO power lunches. And eat your largest meal at noon time.
- Medicated Nasya oil and Nedi pot to keep those sinuses clear.
- Get to bed before 10 PM.
Living Seasonally
Taste
It is said in Ayurveda that one can get all one needs nutritionally by consuming all 6 tastes at each meal. The six tastes are sweet, salty, sour, bitter, pungent and astringent. But with each season there are 3 tastes that should dominate in each meal.
KAPHA EATING
A number of factors can increase the congestive affects of Kapha. One is simply eating too much sweet, heavy, dense food. Eating to late at night and drinking cold fluids especially with meals.
Digestion can get compromised this time of year, so break out the digestive tea:
(equal combination of Cumin, Coriander and Fennel seeds. Add 1 heaping tsp per cup of water; bring to a boil, steep, strain then drink. Always make this up fresh).
Support the liver - This is BIG, with 250,000 chemicals in our environment our liver is taxed on a regular basis. Dandelion Root tea is great for the lymph system and Liver and of course there are the Drainage remedies: Nestmann, Gemmotherapy- Juniperus, Rosemarinus, Traditional Ayurvedic - Kutki, Bhumy Amalaki, Amalaki, Guducci, OTHER: Milk Thistle, Bupleurum and Bitters.
Tastes to favor
Dr. Linda recommends consuming an alkalizing soup rich with minerals. Having a cup of soup every morning eliminates acid and will help to improve adrenal function, which is essential to recovery and decrease inflammation. In addition Dr. Linda recommends eating Kitchari, this is a complete protein dish that is easy to digest. To balance your dosha, check out recipes below.
Tastes to Favor:
Pungent - Spicey, Curries, Ginger, Wasabi, Cumin, hot peppers
Bitter - Green leafy Veggies, Gentian, Golden seal, Bitter elixirs.
Astringent - Beans, lentils, pomegranate.
No matter what the season, be aware of the ill effects of EM
EMF hazards
European Research is emerging daily on the ill effects of EMF’s on our health. You won’t find much of that research coming out of our country because of the electronic and telecommunications industries financial interest. Sad reality.
Our body is a highly sophisticated electromagnetic system and it thrives on what is called a tri-dimensional EMF system, that of the Sun (solar, invisible light and UV) and the Earth (Schumann resonance). These systems synch with our Healthy Biological Rhythms. Our nervous system and our Heart run on electricity. Our Mitochondria and Liver enzymes are also driven by this system.
Man made EMF is a two dimensional system and emits a much stronger influence then natural EMF. This system interferes with the electrical system of our body and alters our biological systems thus affecting the heart, brain, endocrine, and mitochondria. Because it alters our biology it will also increase inflammation.
Symptoms related to EMF sensitivity:
Insomnia, anxiety, depression, brain fog, dizziness/vertigo, frequent illness, HPA axis dysfunction (which translates to Adrenal fatigue), Hormonal imbalance, increased cancer risk.
Several researchers also believe this is one of the reasons why pathogens are more virulent. Such as in the case of the new Lyme. Pathogens (bacteria, virus, fungus, parasites) thrive and mutate more rapidly under the influence of man-made EMF’s. Organisms are more resistant to traditional treatment.
What can help:
Minimize Wi Fi exposure, put devices on Airplane mode as much as possible, do not sleep near circuit breakers and above all eliminate electronics from your sleeping area.
ENJOY THE SEASON