Ayurvedic Nutrition: Food as Medicine

by Anuradha Gupta, CAP, MBA, YT-200

“Pathye sati gadartasya kimaushadhanishevanaih
Pathye-asati gadartasya kimaushadhanishevanaih”

— Vaidyajivanam

“With a wholesome diet there is no need for separate medical treatment;
with an unwholesome diet, even treatment becomes questionable.”

Ayurvedic Nutrition: Food as Medicine

Justin is a 14-year-old obese boy who suffers from asthma. His mom is perimenopausal and anemic, while his father has type II diabetes and appears emaciated. As Ayurvedic Practitioners, we know that a vital part of their individualized protocols consists of guidelines on pathya (wholesome and beneficial) ahara (diet) and vihara (lifestyle).

In Ayurveda, food is considered mahabhaisajya, the most superior medicine. This is true for both prevention of disease and disease management. Food is poornabrahma, which satiates the mind, body, and spirit. An important mechanism encompassed within Ayurveda is epigenetics, whereby gene expressions can be upregulated or downregulated as needed to restore balance through proper management of diet, digestion, lifestyle, behavior, stress, and environmental factors. This, in turn, can have a transgenerational impact. 

This approach to healthcare is highly relevant in today’s world where lifestyle-based disorders abound, and we are inundated with processed and convenience food. An apple often costs more than a bag of chips! The following statistics are mind boggling: 

• According to the WHO (World Health Organization), globally, nearly 1 in 3 people suffer from malnutrition, obesity, and diet- and lifestyle-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like type II diabetes, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, stroke, and certain types of cancer.

• The United Nations has labeled the decade of 2016–25 as the “Decade of Action on Nutrition.”

• NCDs continue to be the leading cause of death, disability, and lost productivity, responsible for more than half of the global burden of diseases.

• Those conditions are a major risk factor for communicable diseases like COVID-19.

• Poor nutrition has become an even bigger health issue than smoking; if people can modify their diets, 1 in 5 deaths can be prevented globally.

• Six in ten adults in the US suffer from chronic lifestyle-based diseases; 42% are obese and over 70% are overweight.

• UNICEF has warned that poor diets are significantly harming the health of children globally.

Ayurveda as a lifestyle-based, preventive form of medicine is uniquely poised to provide solutions with its emphasis on diet and lifestyle. In a world widely plagued by an epidemic of stress, a meaningful definition of health must encompass becoming grounded (svastha—being centered and well established in the self) and the three pillars of health, Trayopastambha, which are ahara (a diet that supports physical and mental well-being and faciliates efficient digestion of of the four inputs of life: nutrition, breath, water and liquids, and perception), vihara or brahmacharya (balanced lifestyle in alignment with your higher consciousness and higher purpose) and nidra (sleep).

How is your agni?

The headlines from every magazine scream, “Lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks, try xyz diet or supplement, the ultimate solution to turn your life around.” If these diets, fads, and trends were the answer to nutrition, weight loss, or whatever else is being promised, why haven’t they caused a positive, lasting shift in people’s health? Many people are confused about food, feel guilty, want to lose weight, eat salads indiscriminately, juice for many straight days, subsist on smoothies…and unwittingly commit apathya (unwholesome practices)!

Ayurvedic nutritional concepts are unique for the following reasons:  

• We are what we digest, not what we eat. Our agni (digestive and metabolic fire) is the key to our well-being—the status of agni is the cornerstone of any Ayurvedic protocol.

• Nutrition includes food, water and other liquids, breath, and sensory perceptions.

In the context of our mind-body system, food and mental health are inextricably linked. Foods are classified based on the gunas. Foods may be characterized as sattvik (conducive to the clear, light state of the mind associated with a diet of fresh, pure, high prana foods, such as complex whole grains, fruits, and dairy); as rajasic (liable to increase desire and restlessness, as tends to result from eating spicy dishes, garlic, and onion); or as tamasic (apt to cause lethargy and heaviness—a defining quality of processed and stale food and certain meats).

*Practices like meditation improve our our mental and physical health by helping us process perceptions more effectively and helping us make better dietary choices! 

• Among the three considerations of what, when, and how much we eat, when we eat matters most. Aligning our bodily rhythms with the rhythms of nature is essential. Practicing dinacharya (daily routine) and ritucharya (seasonal transitional routine) guidelines for eating, such as having the heaviest meal at lunchtime when agni is strongest, are tremendously helpful in the optimization of our well-being.

• The ideal diet is individualized based on our constitution (prakriti) and imbalances (vikruti).

• Vyadhikshamatwam (immunity) became a buzzword during the pandemic. In particular, yuktikrita bala can be correlated to acquired immunity and is enhanced by a good diet that nourishes dhatus and their net essence, ojas, which lends bala (strength) to the body.

• Dietary recommendations are based on the shadrasa, or the six tastes. In a state of health, we should favor all six tastes to avoid imbalances or deficiencies, while being mindful to consume more of the tastes that balance our innate constitution.

Shadrasa (the six tastes) and their significance in balancing the doshas

My friend loves kidney beans while they make me feel terribly bloated. I do great with rice pudding (kheer), which she cannot stomach!

Just as everything in the universe is composed of the five basic elements (panchamahabhutas) prithvi (earth), apa (water), tejas (fire), vayu (air), and akash (ether); this is true of our bodies and food! Of the three doshas (energy principles), vata, the energy of movement, is composed of ether and air; pitta, the energy of metabolism and transformation, is primarily composed of fire and water; and kapha, the energy of cohesion, structure, and stability, is composed of earth and water. Each of the six tastes comprises a preponderance of certain elements that exert an effect on the doshas and dhatus—pacifying some and aggravating others, according to the principle of “like increases like” and “opposites balance each other!”

This concept can be intuitive. If vata is out of balance with sandhigata vata (osteoarthritis) and particularly with the ruksha guna (dry quality) present, then we know the counterbalance of unctuousness (snigdha guna) is needed to balance those qualities as part of the dietary recommendations or overall chikitsa. 

To recap, the six tastes with dominating elements are 

• Madhura (sweet: earth and water), pacifies vata and pitta

• Amla (sour: earth and fire), pacifies vata

• Lavana (salty: water and fire), pacifies vata

• Katu (pungent: fire and air), pacifies kapha

• Kashaya (astringent: air and earth), pacifies kapha and pitta

• Tikta (bitter: air and ether), pacifies kapha and pitta

So, what makes a diet pathya, or wholesome? 

A lady with GERD and migraines adds a lot of ginger, garlic, and tomatoes to her food, believing them to have terrific nutritional value. In the summer, she constantly snacks on nuts, has highly aggravated pitta, develops pittaja vidhradhi (boils), and seeks an Ayurvedic consultation. The apathya is very clear. 

A pathya (wholesome and beneficial) diet is tasty, healthy, congenial to the dhatus, srotas, doshas, manas, and chitta and helps prevent vikruti. 

According to the Boston Medical Center, although 45 million Americans are on a diet annually and 50% on crash or fad diets, we are still plagued by an obesity epidemic.

My friend, a dermatologist, is very healthy and pleasant, has wonderful skin and lustrous hair, but has always considered herself overweight. She is kapha through and through, and mamsa-saar, but sadly forever caught up in yo-yo dieting. An Ayurvedic understanding of prakriti has helped her…

 Eight factors determine whether food is wholesome (or unwholesome) as per Charaka Vimanasthana,

• Prakriti: Nature (rasa, virya, vipaka, prabhava); for example, heavy meats like pork pacify vata (by balancing vata’s inherent lightness)

• Karana: Processing; churned yogurt becomes takra

• Samyoga: Combination of foods changes their qualities

• Rashi: Quantity (even good food in the wrong quantity is harmful)

• Desha: Habitat and climate

• Kala: Time; the ripening of fruits can make them sweet instead of astringent; similarly, seasons impact what we should or shouldn’t be eating; for instance, we should avoid consuming foods that are very heating in nature in the summer

• Upayoga samstha: Rules governing food intake, which include eating warm, unctuous, cooked food, in the proper quantity (eating an anjali of food, with half the amount of space in the stomach for solid food, a quarter of it for liquids, and the remaining quarter should be left empty); eating mindfully, when hungry, well-paced, so you’re not eating too fast or slow, or on the go, washing up before eating, and chanting mantras (offering gratitude) before eating

• Upayokta: The person who consumes food that is satmya (that they have grown habituated or adapted to, in accordance with what is suitable for their given state and level of health or illness)

A 19-year-old with ulcerative colitis has been eating processed food for years; he cleans up his act by skipping lunch, having a chilled protein smoothie in the evening with berries, milk, and a synthetic protein mix, chugging a lot of cold water, and exercising after dinner. He loses weight but develops vicharchika. A year later, many kids in his dorm get gastroenteritis, but his case persists, presenting with atisara (bloody diarrhea), and finally results in a colitis diagnosis. 

Virudhahara: Incompatible combinations. For example, milk and sour fruits are considered incompatible. Ayurveda places a lot of emphasis on avoiding combinations of incompatible foods, as they can generate ama and over time lead to autoimmune conditions. Protein mixes, especially synthetic ones, are heavier to digest, and chilled foods dampen agni. A warm, cooked lunch made with whole foods, would have been better for this youth, and years of consuming processed food were additionally detrimental to his health and well-being. By developing an understanding of the causes of imbalances (nidana parivarjana), we can help to eliminate many simple apathyas we unknowingly commit.

Therapeutic dietary considerations  

Justin’s father has type II diabetes but even without a diagnosis, we do a standardized Ayurvedic assessment. In Ayurveda, there are 20 types of prameha. While we personalize his protocol, in general, laghu, or light ahara, is considered pathya. A proper diet for this case would feature mudga, kulattha, karela, methi, patola, rasona, jambu, amalaki, kharjura, and haridra) while an apathya ahara would include buttermilk, oil, ghee, jaggery, and meat of animals from marshy regions, to name a few.

There are special dietary indications for various types of vikruti, and shamana (pacification through diet, lifestyle, and formulations) or shodhana (cleansing) routes of management. We formulate what Dr. Jayarajan Kodikannath calls the Namaste Protocol—matching the current vyadhi avastha (stage of disease) and stage of samprapti (as determined by assessing the status of agni, ama, and the doshas, dhatus, and srotas) with the recommended chikitsa for samprapti vighatana, or breaking the pathogenesis.

A basic principle would be individualization for rogi and roga. Even if, for example, we advise langhana with fasting for jwara. Besides yukti (our logic), we are blessed with aptopadesha like Sushruta’s Dvadasha Ashana Vichara for formulating a diet beyond the samanya or normal diet advised for healthy people. For instance, ahara with ushna guna, heating potency, is advised during shodhana and for vata-kapha vikruti. Shita guna, cooling potency, is appropriate for those who have burning or daha, alcoholism, emaciation, or pitta vikruti. 

Ayurveda: Comparisons and Myths

1. Traditional Diets. Similar to Ayurvedic diets in many ways, these diets orginate from a region or ethnicity asociated with great health and longevity and include the Mediterranean (considered anti-inflammatory), Nordic, West African, rural Japanese, French Paradox, and Blue Zone diets. The food is fresh and not processed, local, and seasonal, favoring whole grains, beans, fruits and vegetables, fish, lean meats, and healthy fats; major drinks are water, tea, and some fermented and wine preparations. These diets are satmya to the population and easily digested! Portion sizes are smaller and meals are a community event. Active lifestyles that involve regular exercise are the norm in regions associated with these diets.

2. Food Based Dietary Guidelines. Over 100 nations have developed food based dietary guidelines (FBDG) like the food pyramid in the U.S., and they now include holistic, lifestyle-based suggestions, urging a balanced diet, less salt, fat, and sugar, more fruits, and vegetables, moderating alcohol, and reducing red/processed meat. Swedish and German dietary guidelines advise less meat because of its environmental impact; some guidelines address sustainability as we realize the impact we are having on nature; our sustained adharma, which is a major factor in climate change and janapadodhwamsa vyadhis like COVID-19 and Monkeypox. 

3. Other dietary trends. My friend’s son was medically advised to eat a keto diet to help manage his epilepsy, and it was carefully monitored. Rosie O’Donnell had a heart attack and opted for weight loss surgery; a pre-diabetic Janet Jackson chose Nutrisystem.

Some diets and cleanses are healthy and medically prescribed. Certain diets recommend specific nutrients or certain types of food, smaller portion sizes, and lifestyle changes like exercise. As Ayurvedic professionals, we honor and incorporate all dietary goals. including a quest for weight loss, where Ayurveda is very effective. But we need to be wary of media-driven trends like the latest detox and cleanse diets, the distortion of healthy standards by advertising’s and social media’s glorification of being thin regardless of your natural constitution, and risky fads like the sleeping beauty diet (sleeping to avoid eating) and the cotton ball diet (eating cotton balls dipped in juice or smoothies to manage hunger). Such practices and beliefs can be outright dangerous. Ayurveda recommends that diets be individualized to a person’s prakriti or vikruti and that they be holistic (attuned to mental as well as physical health) and sustainable.

Addressing Common Myths

Ayurvedic food does not have to be Indian, costly, or vegetarian. Charaka Samhita lists 8 types of meats and their properties. And any type of cuisine can be understood from the perspective of shadrasa and the basic principles of Ayurvedic nutrition.

Our quest as Ayurvedic Practitioners is to live life to our fullest potential and encourage our rogis to do so as well. How do we nurture ourselves? What dietary changes can we make in our lives to align with our practice? 

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About the Author

Anuradha Gupta is an MBA, Engineer, Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner, YT-200, and AD student at Kerala Ayurveda. She writes for Kerala Ayurveda, Art of Living, and Sri Sri Tattva and volunteers extensively. You can find her on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

Nourishing Agni on a Mental Level

Tending to agni (digestive fire) within the subtle realms

For thousands of years, the medicine of Ayurveda has prioritized agni as an important aspect of health and well-being. Modern medicine is now confirming the truth of what Ayurveda has been saying for thousands of years—digestive health is a key factor in our ability to feel well in our mind-body dynamic. We tend to think of digestion in relationship to the physical body, but digestion actually happens on the mental and emotional levels, as well as being a part of our ability (or lack thereof) to process and release experiences, beliefs, and emotions. If we are to step more fully into our wholeness and truth (svastha), then we are going to have to digest, move through, and release limited mindsets and experiences we hold on to.

What is health from an Ayurvedic perspective? 

Let’s back up and take a look at how Ayurveda defines health. In Ayurveda, to be in a state of health is not simply to experience the absence of disease. To define health in those terms is to reduce the totality of what we are to just the physical dimension of our being. The word for health in Ayurveda is svastha, meaning to be situated in oneself or content in oneself. This definition encompasses not just the bodily factors but also our senses, mind, and spirit—conveying a holistic understanding of health. Therefore, we are being guided by Ayurveda to tend to our whole being to nurture health, which means taking care of the digestive fire not just within the physical sheath but also the mental and emotional sheaths.

So why is agni important to health? 

According to one of the ancient texts on Ayurveda, the Charaka Samhita, a person is as old as their agni. “Agni is necessary for the normal process of digestion, and the subtle energy of agni transforms the lifeless molecules of food, water, and air into the consciousness of the cell.” Agni also exists within the mental and emotional body, helping to transform our experiences through the five senses so that they may be processed and then released. Within the realms of mind and emotions, agni transforms the sensory experience into understanding. Right understanding leads to great discernment (buddhi) and wisdom, which ultimately fuel the path of self-realization as it relates to Ayurveda’s sister science Yoga.

What happens when agni is impaired?

When the digestive fire becomes vitiated due to an imbalance in the three doshas, or bodily humors, our food or experiences may not be broken down completely, and as a result, nutrients are not absorbed efficiently, beliefs and emotions get stuck inside us, and the cycle of intake, digestion, and release is hindered. This situation can lead to an accumulation of metabolic waste (ama) in the body—physical, mental, emotional, and/or energetic. Ama is sticky, heavy, and foul, and clogs the channels (srotas) of the body, thus impeding the flow of prana (life force energy) and ultimately causing our health to deteriorate from the inside out. When prana can’t flow freely, the intelligence of the body is disrupted, which leads to confusion in the mind-body dynamic. This can result in excess heat—inflammation, stagnant water (water retention), stuck earth (lethargy), chaotic air (dryness and lack of focus), and so on. On a more subtle level, this can result in frazzled energy that may manifest as fear and anxiety, anger, self-centeredness, and a judgmental mindset, as well as lead to over-attachment, lack of motivation, and depression. All these different possibilities prevent our true nature from shining forth and hold us back from experiencing a deep sense of well-being.

But tending to agni is not just for the sake of the physical human experience. 

We must remember that Ayurveda is Yoga’s sister science, and Yoga is the experience and practice of oneness, wholeness, and dissolution of mental activity into the self. It is our ultimate purpose from the spiritual perspective. While Ayurveda describes a plethora of food recommendations and herbal protocols to support individual constitutions, manage seasonal changes, correct doshic imbalances, and optimize the health of agni, we must also remember that attending to our physical needs can only take us so far if we don’t engage the other aspects of our being—mind, wisdom, and spirit. And I have found that this level of practice usually requires simplicity, presence, and intention. 

Three simple practices to sustain agni that nourishes your mind, emotions, and energy: 

1. Put away the screens during mealtime—when our mind is inundated by scrolling, reading, analyzing, and engaging with a screen, energy is redirected from the digestive system to whatever we are looking at. But we want energy going to the digestive process to support agni, so focus on one thing during mealtime, your meal. Eat slowly and savor the array of tastes, colors, and textures.

2. Sit down at the table to eat—for the same reason mentioned above. When we are walking, talking, driving, etc. while eating, energy is dispersed among these other activities and not focused on the digestive process. Not to mention, this can be aggravating to the vata dosha, which can lead to a host of problems, including gas, bloating, dryness in the colon, and poor digestion. Carve out time in your busy day that’s dedicated exclusively to meals, and set an intention to eat in a way that nourishes your entire being.

3. Light a candle when possible—the fire element is the essence of agni, and to physically bring fire into your mealtime environment is a subtle way of strengthening your inner fire. It also brings a sense of sacredness to mealtime, which truly exemplifies its nature. Eating is a time when we consume gifts from the earth as nourishment for our vessel, thus allowing ourselves to have a human experience. When we fail to see life through this unifying lens of gratitude, we miss out on a good portion of accessible medicine and forget that Ayurveda is just is not just medicine for the physical body but also a healing salve for inner states of disconnection from our spiritual essence.

4. Upon waking first thing in the morning, look at the morning sun and imagine your body infused with its radiant light and that radiant light nourishing the agnis of your entire being. Ask yourself this: How am I doing (from a judgment-free zone)? And then follow up with this question: What will feel nourishing for today? And incorporate the answers into your day.

5. At the end of each day, take time to reflect on what felt supportive of your whole being and what didn’t, again with no judgment. And then offer up these experiences to something bigger than yourself either through journaling, meditation, mantra, movement, or any practice that allows you to release and let go. Imagine the experiences of the day dissolving back into the cosmic ocean from which they arose.

 Sometimes it’s in the simple practices we find profound healing.

about the author

Ashlyn Miller is a Student, Teacher, Ayurveda Yoga Counselor, and Intuitive Medicine Guide. She is the founder of Inner Woven Wellness LLC, a portal for wellbeing & spirituality that offers educational experiences in Ayurveda, Yoga, and Earth-based practices. Ashlyn supports people in embracing their True nature and highest sense of Self through holistic medicine and spirituality, encouraging an intimate, nourishing relationship with life.

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Eight tips for better digestion with Ayurveda

Ayurveda is an ancient system of health care. Ayurvedic theory is based on the tridosha concept: vata, pitta, and kapha. These tridosha are the backbone of Ayurvedic diagnostic and treatment principles, including those related to digestion.

The functions of the doshas

Everybody has all three doshas in their body but one is predominant. Only a few people have two predominant doshas. If all the doshas are balanced, then there is no problem. But when a dosha goes out of balance, it can create health issues.

Vata dosha is responsible for circulation and elimination, and it controls the nervous system.

Pitta means “which digests,” so it’s no surprise that it’s responsible for digestion and body energy.

Kapha dosha provides structural integrity. It acts as a cementing agent, giving your body its weight, mass, and stability.

Digestion: the foundation of health with Ayurveda

So many people are struggling with digestive issues. You already know that pitta dosha is responsible for digestion. Pitta dosha is also connected to agni, or digestive fire. Agni is the gatekeeper of good health.

According to Ayurveda, strong digestion is key to good health. When agni is imbalanced, digestive problems start to appear.

Improper digestion creates ama (toxins) in the body. Ama is the root cause of many diseases. Ayurveda says that your stomach, your digestive system, is the root of your body. If the root is strong, things are in order. If our digestion is imbalanced, diseases can develop.

Our wrong eating habits imbalance our agni. Everybody tries to eat good, healthy foods. But sometimes we don’t take our food on time. We don’t drink enough liquids. And maybe in couple of years, we start experiencing digestive issues.

Eight tips from Ayurveda for balanced digestion

Here are few tips to keep your agni and, ultimately, your digestion balanced.

1. Drink 2 liters (67.6 oz.) of water every day

Ayurveda recommends drinking four glasses of water on an empty stomach. And during the day it’s advised that you drink one glass of water every one and half hours.

The proper way of drinking water is to take one glass of warm water and drink it slowly sip by sip and finish it. Don’t just take a few sips now and a few more again after 5–10 minutes, because that will imbalance the digestive fire. Always drink warm water. Avoid cold and chilled things.

2. Always eat seasonal foods

Always eat fresh, cooked, and warm foods that are in season. Eat at regular mealtimes. Eat slowly.

Don’t freeze or store food for future consumption. Fresh, cooked food is alkaline. Stored food becomes acidic. So, follow the wisdom of nature, and eat foods that are in season.

3. Eat regularly, but not too frequently

Never skip breakfast. Your body, especially your brain, needs fuel in the morning. Food is fuel. There should be at least a 4-hour gap between two meals. The only exceptions to this advice are kids, old, and sick people.

4. Eat the right foods at the right time

Your food should be digested before going to bed because your body slows down when you’re asleep. Eat at least 2 hours before going to bed. Eat heavier foods in the middle of the day and lighter, easy-to-digest foods in the evening.

Avoid spicy, cold, fermented, and frozen foods. Always eat freshly cooked food.

5. Leave room for digestion

Don’t fill up your stomach. This Ayurvedic shlokha tells you how much to eat:

POORTE ASHNAINA ARADHA TRITYA UDKENTU
VAYO SANCHNNARTHA CHATURTH AVASHESHYAT

“One should fill half his stomach with food and
leave one-quarter for water and one-quarter for movement of air.” 

6. Exercise regularly

Walk and exercise regularly. As they say: “After lunch, rest a while, and after dinner, walk a mile.”

7. Spice it up

Drink ginger tea. Add cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, and cumin. Add ajwayan and turmeric to your food. Keep in mind that everything should be used in moderation.

Ayurveda uses foods, herbs, and spices as medicine. This shlokha sums it up: 

VINAAPI BHAISHJYAEVIDHUI PATHYADEV NIRVARTATE
NA TU PATHYA VAHINSAYA BHAISHAJANANM SHTRRRAI

“No medicine is required by a person who carefully follows the prescribed diet guidelines. But who does not follow the diet principles cannot be helped even by hundreds of medicines.”

8. Follow Ayurveda’s daily habit recommendations

Follow Ayurveda’s dinacharya, or daily habit recommendations, to help keep your body in balance and, ultimately, free from disease.

Ayurveda helps you stay healthy and return to balance when your doshas go out of balance. It works with lifestyle, diet, and herbal remedies among other things to better your digestion. Please check with your doctor or health care provider before using any ideas mentioned in this article.

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about the author

N.K. Dutta, DNM, CAP, is Surrey BC Canada based Ayurvedic Vaidya. His main objective is to educate and raise awareness in human beings about Ayurveda in the world. He has more than 40 years of experience in Ayurveda. www.ayurvediccure.co

Helping Your Client Have a Healthy and Enjoyable Summer

A BRIEF REFERENCE GUIDE FOR STUDENTS AND AHC PROFESSIONALS

By Ana Chassot-Petersen, AHP, C-IAYT

Like George Harrison’s song says, Here comes the sun. It is a classic lyric associated with the season full of light, energy, and warmth.

As Ayurvedic practitioners who understand the significance of the change in seasons and its potential impact on health and wellness, we can offer our clients advice that goes beyond taking precautions to prevent sunburn. We understand that with its abundance of sun and heat, summer is the season that can most aggravate the pitta dosha.

When pitta accumulates and is aggravated, it can cause harmful inflammation – a hot topic these days. Studies have shown that inflammation can be a catalyst for negative cell transformation and become a pathway, or samprapti, for chronic diseases and some types of cancers. It can also accelerate the aging process. As we also know, more broadly, pitta regulates digestion, body temperature, and hormone levels, among other vital processes. It is responsible for metabolic transformations beginning at the cellular level. 

Making the change in seasons a teachable moment

A change in seasons is an opportune time to educate clients about health basics. Conversations can cover important topics such as adjustments to daily routine, diet, exercise, pranayama, and more. Of course, recommendations need to be client-specific, recognizing each individual’s prakruti (physical constitution) and potential for pitta accumulation and aggravation.

Below are some practices I have found personally helpful during summer. I offer them not as general advice, but to illustrate the breadth and depth of how we can engage our clients and help them to have a safe and enjoyable summer.

Starting the day well

• Lemon water in the morning has a sweet post-digestive effect (vipaka) and helps to alkalize the body, which can be helpful in circumventing harmful inflammatory processes.

• Because pitta can accumulate faster during late morning hours, eating a small and cooling breakfast can be a good way to begin the day. Include fruits such as cantaloupe, pears, and apples.

• For a more substantial breakfast, I like porridge with a little ghee, cardamom, some coconut milk, and turmeric.

Keeping to a consistent meal schedule

• Sticking to the classic Ayurvedic schedule of eating three times a day, with no snacking in between, can help keep pitta in balance. If we snack, we can create an overactive digestive fire and fuel harmful fermentation in the digestive tract. 

• Eat fewer calories. Controlling calories will help maintain a balanced metabolism and avoid pittagenic ama accumulation. Additionally, research indicates that a calorie-restricted diet can enhance mitochondria performance, which is related to the pitta dosha. (Of course, this suggestion is not appropriate for those who need heavier foods – for example, clients who are underweight or in a vata-aggravated state.)

Making good food choices

• Naturally sweet, astringent, and bitter foods are the basis of a pita-pacifying diet. Good options for summer include soaked almonds, avocados, bananas, and spinach.

• Feed the mitochondria, giving cells the fuel they need. Spinach and kale can boost the energetic metabolism that converts fats and sugars into adenosine triphosphate, or ATP, an organic compound that provides energy needed during the summer months.

• Prevent inflammation by including sources of omega-3s and alpha-lipoic acid, such as chia seeds, avocados, Brussels sprouts, chicken soup, and bone broths.

• For me, as the warmer months approach, blueberries always come to mind. The beautiful shape and cooling color of this antioxidant fruit always remind me of cute candies and take me back to happy and playful summers. Blueberries and other berries, such as blackberries and raspberries, and sweet fruits, such as strawberries, can protect the liver (a pitta organ), pacify pitta, and help to reduce the accumulation of heat.

• While they are tempting poolside treats and staples at summer barbeques, salty snacks and spicy foods can aggravate the pitta dosha.

Including helpful spices and herbs

• Cooling spices can pacify pitta. I like dry ginger, coriander, fennel, cumin, cardamom, and mint.   

• One of my favorite summer teas is fresh hibiscus. Hibiscus is packed with antioxidants that can help protect and detoxify the liver. Honey or maple syrup can be added as a natural sweetener.

• Even though not considered a cooling herb, ashwagandha calms the central nervous system and alleviates stress and irritability that can result from heat aggravation.

• Brahmi is a cooling herb. It also helps with irritability that can result from too much heat. The combination of ashwagandha and Brahmi can be very balancing.

Hydrating

• Adequate intake of water and other liquids is essential during summer. Depending on your client and their surroundings, natural coconut water may serve well as a cooling, hydrating, and rejuvenating agent.

• Aloe vera juice is also a very cooling and anti-inflammatory option.

Exercising when it is cool

• Summer can be a great time for invigoration. Proper exercise can slow inflammatory processes and helps keep telomeres – the ends of our chromosomes – long and strong as our cells divide. Remember, though, that it is best to work out or do an asana practice in the cooler hours of the day, such as the early morning or evening.

• Yoga postures such as uttanasana (standing forward fold), bhujangasana (cobra), and makarasana (crocodile) can cool and restore.

Practicing some cooling pranayama

• Sitali pranayama, a cooling breathing technique, can help to pacify pitta, especially in the summer. In a sitting position, with the spine erect, roll the tongue inward and point it outside the mouth. Inhale through the mouth and exhale through the nose. I have found that a round of six, twice a day can do wonders to cool the body and mind.

Enjoying some aromatherapy

• Picking a scent that evokes beautiful summer memories can be a cooling and healing experience. The scent of gardenia transports me back to my youth in Brazil, where the gardenia fields in my neighborhood perfumed the air during my early morning summer walks.  

• Sandalwood, rose, and neroli are great scents to enjoy and promote relaxation in summer.

Using cooling massage oils

• Good choices for massage before showering are coconut, Brahmi, and sunflower oils.

Getting a good night’s sleep

• Long, hot days make sleep all the more important in keeping the doshas in balance in summer. Studies have linked a lack of steady sleep to pitta aggravation and physiological inflammatory responses.

Little darling, it’s been a long cold lonely winter. As we emerge to enjoy the good weather, we also can bring the light of Ayurveda to our clients and communities.

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About the Author

Ana Chassot-Petersen is a certified Yoga Therapist (C-IAYT), an E-500 RYT YACEP (yoga education provider), and a NAMA-certified Ayurveda Health Practitioner. Ana is also a journalist, TV and marketing promotions producer, and digital/TV content creator.

The Dangers of Self-Medicating with Herbs

by Manju Kolli

Before I had the joy of becoming an Ayurvedic Practitioner, I trained and served as a clinical pharmacist. My experience in pharmacy, spanning more than 15 years, has both informed and enriched my perspective on the Ayurvedic practice I have built.   

As a pharmacist, one of the most alarming and challenging trends I have witnessed is the surge in sales of over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, particularly those designed to alleviate symptoms of a range of increasingly common chronic illnesses. The growing use of OTC medications has been further fueled by their affordability, as well as by a rise in the number of prescription drugs that are now available over the counter.   

Abuse and overuse of OTC medications can have serious consequences. The dangers from misuse of certain OTC painkillers, cough medicines, antihistamines, antacids, and laxatives, for example, are well documented within the medical community, and there is growing public awareness of the perils as well. 

We are now seeing rising sales of herbal supplements, the market for which is currently valued in the multibillion dollar range and continuing to grow as increasing numbers of consumers seek natural remedies, both to prevent disease and to address chronic conditions. Additionally, the COVID-19 crisis is prompting many wellness consumers to look to supplements, including herbs, to boost their immune system.

Given my overlapping backgrounds in pharmacy and Ayurveda, I am acutely aware of the dangers of potential misuse of herbal supplements by consumers who may be self-medicating. This concern is shared by Ayurvedic and allopathic doctors alike. A friend who is a nephrologist even made a personal appeal to me to help save people’s kidneys by warning them of the dangers that lie in the misuse of herbal supplements.

The Science of Herbs

Although those of Indian origin tend to see Ayurveda as grandma’s wisdom-infused medicine, the reality is that Ayurveda is highly scientific in its approach to health and wellness. The well-developed rationales and principles underlying this approach and the logical treatment protocols it comprises have withstood the test of time. 

Foundational to Ayurveda is the understanding that we all have a distinct blueprint at birth. As we mature, age, and go through life’s varied experiences and challenges, the natural balance of our original constitution (prakruti) changes and can be pushed out of balance. This imbalanced state (vikruti) is heavily influenced by our dietary and lifestyle choices. 

Since a person responds to external triggers according to their particular prakruti, one person’s medicine can be another’s poison. This insight is true for most herbs just as it is true for most drugs.

Also essential to the proper use of herbs is a clear understanding of the Ayurvedic principle Karya Karana Bhava, which holds that no event occurs in creation without a cause. Simply put, there is a cause behind each and every disease. Ayurveda’s wisdom is used to address that cause in order to maintain health, prevent disease, and restore balance. 

Let us look at the common problem of indigestion. One study cited by the National Institute of Health estimates that one in four Americans suffers from it. 

There are many causes of indigestion. I have grouped together some common causes according to the dosha they can aggravate:

1. Excessive or high-impact physical activity or insufficient food consumption, aggravating vata

2. Spicy, salty, or sour foods, or excessive anger, aggravating pitta

3. An extremely sedentary lifestyle or consumption of too many sweet and heavy foods, aggravating kapha 

Trikatu (which comprises dry ginger, black pepper, and pippali) can be very helpful in curing indigestion, as well as the bloating it can cause; however, it is only truly applicable to one of the three scenarios listed above.

In the first scenario, indigestion is likely to have resulted from insufficient digestive fire because of a loss of tissue strength, with the influence of vata’s predominantly dry and light properties. Trikatu will increase these depleting qualities, due to its own inherent dry and light properties, which, in turn, will aggravate the indigestion.

In the second scenario, indigestion results from excessive pitta, and trikatu will likewise aggravate indigestion and pitta due to its hot potency.

In the third scenario, however, trikatu is indicated as an appropriate pacifying remedy. 

Here are some other examples of commonly available herbs that are subject to misuse: 

Tulsi is known for helping with cold and cough symptoms. If, however, a cough is due to depletion, and it is dry, tulsi will increase the dryness and depletion and could aggravate the cough.

Ashwagandha is frequently used to treat depression, help with fertility, and increase muscle mass. If a client’s symptoms are due to excess accumulation of ama (undigested food in the body), however, ashwagandha will only worsen the condition. 

Triphala is definitely an amazingly versatile herbal medicine that can help in many scenarios, but long-term use of it can create a harmful dryness in mucosal linings. 

Neem can help with diabetes by removing excess accumulation of mucus. Yet if neem is overused after it achieves the desired action, vata gets aggravated, creating an imbalance.

Even ghee, one of the most widely advocated superfoods in Ayurveda, can be misused. If a person is suffering from insufficient digestive fire (mandagni) and excessive mucus, ghee can further dampen digestion and exacerbate the problem. 

These are but a few examples of why it is essential to understand the nature of both the prakruti and the vikruti of clients, as well as the pathological road map of their disease manifestation, before prescribing herbal treatments. It is also important to use the optimal delivery method, including the Karya Karana Bhava, that will efficiently and effectively deliver the right herb to the right site and body system. 

As these examples illustrate, well-meaning friends can naively advocate for an herb that has worked very well for them but can be harmful for someone else. In contrast, a knowledgeable Ayurvedic Practitioner can help clients find and correctly use herbal supplements that are right for them.

Our Role in Educating the Public

As Ayurvedic Practitioners, we play a critical role in protecting public health. Here are three suggestions for increasing awareness of the benefits of herbal supplements and the dangers of self-medicating:

1. Ask your clients to reach out to you with any questions rather than try to self-medicate based on advice from friends or information they find on the internet.

2. Offer free talks in public venues, such as virtual or live forums hosted by local libraries.

3. Author articles for local newspapers to educate your community.

The increasing popularity of herbal supplements and remedies represents a potential turning point in public awareness and medical community acceptance of Ayurveda as a credible pathway to health and wellness. It is up to us as practitioners and students of Ayurveda to help people understand that herbs and herbal supplements must be used appropriately.

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About the Author

Manju Kolli is an Ayurvedic Practitioner based in California’s Bay Area, where she is the founding director of Ayurhitam, an Ayurvedic wellness clinic. Manju has more than 15 years of experience serving as an allopathic clinical pharmacist at the long-term care pharmacy PharMerica. A NAMA-recognized Ayurvedic Practitioner, she also teaches Ayurveda and has expertise in women’s and children’s health, gut problems, skin conditions, mental health, and allergies.