Pitta Dosha Diet

Your constitution is predominantly fire. An excess of the fire element creates heat in the body, specifically in the small intestines, liver, spleen, gall bladder, blood, and heart. When balanced, you are warm, adaptable, cheerful, goal oriented , have leadership qualities. An excess of fire causes heat -related behaviour, such as hot temper, being overly critical and impatient, skin rashes, allergies, eye problems , ulcers , diarrhea. The aim of Ayurveda is to create a balance between the elements of air, water, and fire. To bring fire into balance one needs to:

• Consume more bitter and astringent energies in the form of food, aromas, and herbs.
• Avoid hot foods (e.g. onions, garlic, red peppers), fermented or fried foods, salt.
• Eat every 4 to 5 hours.
• Avoid nightshades (potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, chilies) as they may cause allergic reactions.
• Don't combine milk with yeasted grains.
• Eat in a calm to celestial frame of mind.
• Increase consumption of sweet fruit juices and herbal teas.
• Consume cold, heavy, moist blander foods.
• Avoid alcohol and smoking because of their heating nature.
• Emotionally cultivate clarity rather than critical nature.

HERBOLOGY

DIGESTION: Coriander, mint, aloe, gentian, barberry, fennel, turmeric.

FRUIT: Most fruit is calming and cooling, harmonizing and thirst quenching. Apples, pears, pomegranates are excellent. Pineapples, cranberries, persimmons, melons, prunes, dates, figs, grapes, are also very good. Mangos, plums, and raspberries are helpful. Sour and certain other fruits, such as lemons, limes, apricots, bananas, cherries, papayas, peaches, and strawberries, will aggravate heat.

VEGETABLES: Most vegetables are also good for Pitta dosha, especially if eaten raw or slightly steamed. The best vegetables are cauliflower, cilantro, alfalfa sprouts, sunflower sprouts, celery. Second best is broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, lettuce, beans, peas, cucumbers, and okra. Finally, parsley, bell peppers, fresh corn, and squash are acceptable. Root vegetables (beets and carrots), nightshades (eggplant, tomato, potato), mustard greens, parsley, spinach, and sweet potatoes may cause difficulty. Hot spicy foods like chilies, garlic, onions, pickles, and radishes greatly increase the fire element.

GRAINS: Most grains are cooling for Pitta.The best are cooked whole wheat , basmati rice, oats, barley, granola, couscous, and quinoa. Finally, long grain brown rice, blue corn, and millet. Short grain brown rice , buckwheat, corn, and rye may be too heating and create Pitta discomfort. Whole grain pastas are good.Yeast-free breads are good; bread containing yeast should be toasted.

BEANS: Best is mung, which does not cause gas. Most beans are acceptable for Pitta dosha, though it is better to cook them with cumin or cardamom to aid digestion. Also good are adzuki, tofu, lima, kidney, soy, split , and chick peas. Lentils and peanuts may cause indigestion.

(Some practitioners accept various forms of lentils).

NUTS and SEEDS: The best are coconut and sunflower seeds. Seeds are a preferred source of protein over fish and poultry.

OILS: Ghee (clarified butter), sunflower, butter( unsalted), soy.

DAIRY: Ghee, boiled milk (then left to cool), yogurt lassi (1 part of organic yogurt to 1 part water), cottage cheese (unsalted).

SWEETENERS: Most sweeteners are good. It is better to avoid white sugar, honey, and molasses in excess.

ANIMAL PRODUCTS: Generally, it is better to avoid animal products except when needed for strength. Animal products give strength but are inharmonious on finer levels. Animal foods that balance Pitta include egg whites, chicken, and turkey (white meat).

BEVERAGES: Juice of aloe vera, apple, pear, berry, carob, vegetables according to above section , fig shake, boiled milk, other fruit juices mentioned above. Teas include alfalfa, barley, bansha, burdock, chamomile, chicory, chrysanthemum, dandelion, hibiscus, jasmine, lavender, lemon grass, nettle, raspberry, red clover, rose, saffron, sarsaparilla, mint.

YOGA: Sitting and prone positions are good for Pitta dosha. Shoulder stands (only if there is no heart problems) and back bends are also good. Deep breathing is calming.

MEDITATION: can be done anywhere at any time, lying down, sitting, walking.It can be with a mantra, with a thought, a feeling, looking at nature, thinking about God or Universal Energy, love or virtually anything that doesn't cause strain or worry. Practice giving up anger and impatience. Knowledge and devotion are the most important aspects.

LIFESTYLE: Take walks by the water or in gardens in the full moon. Work in flower gardens and practice sweet speech, forgiveness, and contentment. Moderate exercise. Walking is best.

Please Remember: Do not force anything! Listen to what your system tells you. One's intuition is the best doctor. Please enjoy these suggestions and feel an increasingly healthy and harmonious life.

History of Ayurveda

Ayurveda , the science of life, prevention and longevity is the oldest and most holistic medical system available on the planet today. It was placed in written form over 5,000 years ago in India, it was said to be a world medicine dealing with both body and the spirit.

Before the advent of writing, the ancient wisdom of this healing system was a part of the spiritual tradition of the Sanatana Dharma (Universal Religion), or Vedic Religion.
VedaVyasa, the famous sage, shaktavesha avatar of Vishnu, put into writing the complete knowledge of Ayurveda, along with the more directly spiritual insights of self realization into a body of scriptural literature called the Vedas and the Vedic literatures.

There were originally four main books of spirituality, which included among other topics, health, astrology, spiritual business, government, army, poetry and spiritual living and behavior. These books are known as the four Vedas; Rik, Sama, Yajur and Atharva.

The Rik Veda, a compilation of verse on the nature of existence, is the oldest surviving book of any Indo-European language (3000 B.C.). The Rik Veda (also known as Rig Veda) refers to the cosmology known as Sankhya which lies at the base of both Ayurveda and Yoga, contains verses on the nature of health and disease, pathogenesis and principles of treatment.
Among the Rik Veda are found discussions of the three dosas, Vayu. Pitta and Kapha, and the use of herbs to heal the diseases of the mind and body and to foster longevity.

The Atharva Veda lists the eight divisions of Ayurveda: Internal Medicine, Surgery of Head and Neck, Opthamology and Otorinolaryngology, Surgery, Toxicology, Psychiatry, Pediatrics, Gerontology or Science of Rejuvenation, and the Science of Fertility.

The Vedic Sages took the passages from the Vedic Scriptures relating to Ayurveda and compiled separate books dealing only with Ayurveda.

One of these books, called the Atreya Samhita is the oldest medical book in the world! The Vedic Brahmanas were not only priests performing religious rites and ceremonies, they also became Vaidyas (physicians of Ayurveda).

The sage-physician-surgeons of the time were the same sages or seers, deeply devoted holy people, who saw health as an integral part of spiritual life. It is said that they received their training of Ayurveda through direct cognition during meditation. In other words, the knowledge of the use of various methods of healing, prevention, longevity and surgery came through Divine revelation; there was no guessing or testing and harming animals.

These revelations were transcribed from the oral tradition into book form, interspersed with the other aspects of life and spirituality. What is fascinating is Ayurveda's use of herbs, foods, aromas, gems, colors, yoga, mantras, lifestyle and surgery.

Consequently Ayurveda grew into a respected and widely used system of healing in India. Around 1500 B.C., Ayurveda was delineated into eight specific branches of medicine. There were two main schools of Ayurveda at that time. Atreya- the school of physicians, and Dhanvantari - the school of surgeons. These two schools made Ayurveda a more scientifically verifiable and classifiable medical system

People from numerous countries came to Indian Ayurvedic schools to learn about this world medicine and the religious scriptures it sprang from. Learned men from China, Tibet, the Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Afghanistanis, Persians, and more traveled to learn the complete wisdom and bring it back to their own countries. Ayurvedic texts were translated in Arabic and under physicians such as Avicenna and Razi Sempion, both of whom quoted Indian Ayurvedic texts, established Islamic medicine. This style became popular in Europe, and helped to form the foundation of the European tradition in medicine.

In 16th Century Europe, Paracelsus, who is known as the father of modem Western medicine, practiced and propagated a system of medicine which borrowed heavily from Ayurveda.

There are two main re-organizers of Ayurveda whose works are still existing in tact today - Charak and Sushrut. The third major treatise is called the Ashtanga Hridaya, which is a concise version of the works of Charak and Sushrut. Thus the three main Ayurvedic texts that are still used today are the Charak Samhita (compilation of the oldest book Atreya Samhita), Sushrut Samhita and the Ashtangha Hridaya Samhita.

These books are believed to be over 1,200 years old. It is because these texts still contain the original and complete knowledge of this Ayurvedic world medicine, that Ayurveda is known today as the only complete medical system still in existence. Other forms of medicine from various cultures, although parallel are missing parts of the original information.

What is Ayurveda

Ayurveda is a simple, practical science of life, the principles and practices of which evolved through many centuries. Ayurvedic science is based on eternal wisdom of people who acquired the knowledge from experience and meditation more than 4000 years ago. Ayurvedic system is applicable universally to all those seeking harmony, health, happiness and peace.
The Classical Ayurvedic texts discuss all forms of science like biology, toxicology and subjects like philosophy and theology.

Ayurveda has its own views about principles and philosophy of life. Ayurvedic system describes man as a universe within himself which is a child of the cosmic forces. His existence is inextricably intertwined to the total cosmic manifestation. The entire universe, as well as the body is made up of five basic elements. These elements are Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Space.

The word Ayurveda is composed of two sanskrit terms - Ayu meaning life and Veda meaning knowledge. Therefore Ayurveda means the knowledge of life or science of life. It is defined as the science, through which one can obtain knowledge about the useful and harmful ways of life, happy and miserable types of life, conditions that lead to the above types of life, as well as, the very nature of life.

According to Ayurvedic medicine, human body consists of three primary life forces or biological humors, which are Vatha, Pitha and Kapha. These three doshas are called the tridoshas. A balance among these life forces is essential for proper health. Any imbalance among the tridoshas causes a state of unhealthiness or disease.

Ayurvedic system says that this imbalance is the effect of the constant reaction of the internal environment of body to the changes in external environment. It is only required that we bring back normalcy to the balance of these doshas, to bring back the state of health, happiness and harmony.
Other basic concepts of Ayurvedic system are the Saptha Dhathus (the bodily tissues), Srotas (Channals), Ama (toxins and filthy matter) and the trinity of life - body, mind and spiritual awareness.

The first step in the method of diagnosis in Ayurvedic form of medicine is to determine the constitution of the person. That means it is the patient who is diagnosed first and not the disease.
The same disease might appear in different forms in two persons because their constitution is different. Due to this variation in constitution the medicines and treatment may be different for two people with the same illness. This difference in treatment methods according to the constitution is essential to bring back the natural balance of the biological humors. The constitutional approach is the essence of the Ayurvedic system. Understanding ones constitution helps one to lead a life style that is most befitting her constitution, thus optimizing her health and creative potential.

According to Ayurvedic system, human body consists of three primary life forces or biological humors, which are Vatha, Pitha and Kapha. These three doshas are called the tridoshas. A balance among these life forces is essential for proper health. Any imbalance among the tridoshas causes a state of unhealthiness or disease. Ayurvedic treatment measures include internal medicine, external medicine, surgical treatment and psychotherapy.

Ayurvedic treatments can be classified under two groups - tonification and reduction.
Reduction therapies decrease excesses in the body while tonification methods nurture insufficiency in the body.
Reduction therapy has two parts called pacification and purification. Pacification is done with herbs, fasting, exercise, sunbathing and exposure to wind. Purification is a special form of therapy for elimination of the disease causing humors.

The power of Ayurvedic elimination therapy is its system for guiding the toxins to their sites for elimination. It consist of five parts - The pancha karmas - cleaning enemas, nasal medication, Purgation, Emesis and blood letting. All these require preliminary Ayurvedic practises of oleation and sweating.
Kerala a southern state of India, has developed its own Ayurvedic treatment modalities like Dhara, pizhichil, Navarakizhi, Elakizhi, Sirovasthi, Thalapothichil etc. which are highly effective in a number of diseases which include Motor neuron diseases, Arthritis of various kinds, skin diseases, heart diseases, peptic ulcer, Asthama, Peripheral vascular diseases and Gynecological disorders.
Ayurvedic pharmacology is based upon the concepts of rasa, veerya and vipaka. A vast variety of plants, metals, minerals, animals, birds and even mud and sand are used as medicines in Ayurveda.

Knowledge about Ayurvedic type of medicine is divided into eight branches. The branches are 1. Kaya chikilsa (general medicine), 2. Shalya (surgery), 3. Shalakya (ENT and Ophthalmology), 4. Graha (Psychotherapy), 5. Damshitra (toxicology), 6. Bala (Pediatrics and Gynecology), 7. Jara (rejuvenation) and 8. Vrishya (Aphrodisiacs).
Of the above the seventh one, that is rejuvenation therapy is a unique method which Ayurveda performs.