Prakruti and a Healthy Diet

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Respected Vaidyas and Friends,

 

The topic of Indigestion is of paramount importance. According to Ayurveda,

most

imbalances/vikruti (that can lead to "disease") stem from an imbalance in the

digestive

system. To remedy the Indigestion, one must eat according to their Prakruti

(constitution),

and/or their Vikruti (imbalance)

Let us approach this first with the food we eat. I believe most people have

forgotten

about food and the healing powers it has. It is easy to say to people "Eat a

healthy diet".

But what is a "healthy diet"? According to Ayurveda, a healty diet is one that

suits you as

an individual, as per your Prakruti or individual body/mind constitution, or in

the case

there is an imbalance or Vikruti, one that will bring balance to the imbalance.

 

To begin, one must know one's own Prakruti or constitution. To do a quick

self-

analysis, you can click http://banyanbotanicals.com/constitutions/index.html and

take

their short quiz. To check one's Vikruti or current imbalance, click on http://

banyanbotanicals.com/constitutions/vikriti.html#test I must stress that these

on-line

quizes are no replacement for seeing a qualified Ayurveda practitioner. Seeing

a skilled

practitioner is the best way to discover your unique Prakruti (constitution)

and/or Vikruti

(imbalance).

 

If you are not ill, discovering your own Prakruti is absolutely the best

way to find out

what foods are best for you. Once you know your Prakruti, you will know how to

eat, what

to eat, and what foods should be avoided, for the rest of your life. Once you

know your

Vikruti/imbalance, you will then know what foods to take to bring about balance

and

therefore, bring about true healing. Knowing your Prakruti and Vikruti is

invaluable

information regarding one's diet and general lifestyle.

 

*There really is no one-size-fits-all healthy diet in Ayurveda.*

 

Vata (V) type people: Vata is made up of the elements air and ether/space

(akasha). Given

that, Vata is light, cold, dry, subtle, and mobile in its qualities. Vata is

the very principle of

movement that governs all movement; that is, not only movement of your mind,

body (and

all of its gross systems), but also the movement of the celestial bodies such as

the Earth,

Moon, planets, galaxies etc. Microcosm mirrors Macrocosm. Typical Vata

imbalances

include: coldness, constipation, gas/distention, insomnia, hyperactivity, fear,

confusion,

and "lightning"-type pain.

Since V has the qualitites of dry, light, cold and mobile, this person (or

one who has a V

imbalance) will benefit from a diet that is the opposite in qualities, ie. foods

that are moist,

heavy, and warm. Examples of foods with these qualities are warm cooked oats

with ghee,

warm milk with spices such as ginger and cardomom; sweeteners such as raw honey,

jaggery, maple syrup, sucanat; oils such as almond, ghee and sesame; sweet

fruits such as

baked apples, avacodos, ripe bananas, cherries, lemons, grapes, peaches, plums

and

oranges; cooked vegetables such as beets, carrots, okra, sweet potatoes and

squash; nuts

and seeds such as lightly roasted (not dry-roasted) almonds and cashews; meats

(if you

eat meat) such as chicken, turkey, eggs, fresh water fish, lamb and venison;

legumes such

as split moong/mung; and herbs/spices such as anise, basil, bay leaf, cumin,

fresh ginger,

nutmeg, oregano, peppermint, saffron, rosemary, thyme, cinnamon, dill, fennel,

spearmint

and tumeric.

 

V-type people (or those with V imbalance) should avoid any foods that are

cold, light

and dry such as buckwheat, corn-flour products (chips, bread, tortillas), ice

cream, frozen

yogurt, white or brown sugar, safflower oil, any dried fruits; vegetables such

as asparagus,

Brussells sprouts, Alfalfa sprouts, cabbage, and all raw vegetables.. V-type

people should

avoid peanuts and peanut butter. A Peanut is really a lugume, and contains a lot

of air and

ether, which disturbs Vata. Most beans or legumes should be avoided in general

by the V-

type person. Moong/Mung beans (which are really a Pulse) are the best. Avoid

Aduki

beans, black beans, red/kidney beans, navy beans, pinto beans. Also, ALCOHOL,

carbonated drinks (including mineral water), undiluted fruit juice and COFFEE

should be

avoided completely.

 

**All body types, especially Vata, should not drink cold beverages. Try to

completely

eliminate ice from your diet.**

 

 

Pitta (P) type people: Pitta is made up of the element of Fire, (and some

say a little

water). It is hot, (and little oily) in quality. Pitta governs metabolism and

digestion. Pitta

governs the digestive fire (Agni) which converts the food you eat into a

substance that

your body can assimilate (Ahara Rasa). P-types when out of balance, manifest

signs such

as anger, resentfullness, abnormal heat levels in the body such as fever or hot

liver. P-

type people have a strong appetite, and of all of the body-types, can eat and

assimulate

almost anything, due to their strong digestive fire. However, there are foods

which P-type

people should take into consideration when thinking about their diet.

 

Foods that balance Pitta (or people with P-imbalance) are foods that have

the taste of

sweet, bitter and astringent. Some examples are: Grains such as barley,

basmati rice,

millet, oats, whole wheat; warm milk with ginger or cardomom; sweeteners such as

maltose, maple syrup and rice syrup; oils such as ghee (BEST) olive oil, sweet,

ripe fruits

such as apples, avacodos, coconut, dates, blue berries, black berries, lemons,

limes and

cantaloupe; lightly cooked or raw vegetables such as alfalfa sprouts, artichoke,

cabbage,

cucumber, lettuce, brocolli, cauliflower, leafy greens, seaweed and squash; nuts

and seeds

such as coconut/fresh coconut milk (best), sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds; meats

(if you

eat meat) such as chicken, egg whites, turkey; legumes such as moong/mung beans,

black

lentils, soybeans (including tofu); spices that are cooling or balancing to

Pitta such as

fennel, coriander, cardamom, dill, peppermint, and saffron.

 

P-type people (or with P-imbalance) should avoid the foods that will add to

their

already high level of heat in the body, ie spicy/pungent, sour and salty foods.

P-types

should avoid grains such as buckwheat and corn-flour products; dairy such as

buttermilk,

salted cheeses, sour cream, kefir, and yogurt/curd; sweeteners such as molasses

and

white sugar; oils such as almond, castor, flaxseed, mustard, peanut, safflower

and sesame.

(as noted above, Ghee is best for Pitta); sour fruits such as mandarin oranges,

sour

pineapple, sour plums, olives, tangerines, and all unripe fruit; vegetables that

are pungent

such as horseradish, chilis, mustard greens, tomato sauce, tomato paste,

radishes and raw

onion; nuts/seeds such as pistacio, Brazil nuts, pecans, and peanuts; all red

meats and

egg yolks; legumes such as red or yellow lentils; and spices that are heating to

the body

such as anise, asafoetida, horseradish, nutmeg, cloves, cayenne/red pepper,

sage,

fenugreek, and dry ginger; condiments such as chocolate, salt and vinegar; and

beverages

such as alcohol, spicy herb teas, sweet fruit juices, soft drinks and tomato

juice.

 

Kapha (K) type people: Kapha is made up of the elements earth and water.

Kapha is the

force behind the structure and stability of the body, and also the Universe.

Kapha is

heavy, cold, moist, and immobile or static in quality. A K-type person should

take these

qualities into consideration when thinking about diet. K-people should take a

diet that

will balance these qualities. Hence, foods that are warm, dry and light are the

best choice.

 

Foods that balance Kapha are foods that taste pungent/spicy, bitter and

astringent.

Examples are grains such as amaranth, barley, buckwheat, quinoa, and corn-flour,

dairy

such as warm skim-milk (with cinnamon), soy milk, and goats milk; sweeteners

such as

raw honey (or aged honey more than 6 months old), oils in small amounts such as

canola,

corn, flaxseed, safflower and mustard; fruits such as dried dates and raisins,

apples,

pomegranate, prunes and cranberries; vegetables eaten raw in summer and cooked

in

winter such as asparagus, brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, leafy greens, radish,

chilis,

carrots, cilantro, corn and cauliflower; nuts/seeds such as pumpkin and

sunflower, meats

(if you eat it- Kapha people thrive as vegeterians) such as chicken, turkey

(dark-meat

only), fresh water fish; legumes such as mung beans, red lentils, soybeans (tofu

and soy

milk), and split peas; spices that are warm and light such as black pepper,

basil, caraway,

sage, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, star anise, trikatu, and all other hot spices;

condiments

in small amounts such as catsup or vinegar are ok; beverages such as spicy,

bitter herb

teas, cranberry juice, pomegranate juice, and most "green" juices including

wheat grass.

 

K-type people (or with K imbalance) should avoid foods that will add to the

heavy,

moist and cold qualities of Kapha. Hence, foods that have the taste of sweet,

sour and

salty should be avoided by the K-type person, or a person with a K imbalance.

Examples

of this are grains such as oats, long/short grain rice (white or brown), wheat;

dairy such as

butter, buttermilk, cheese, ice cream, curd/yogurt; sweeteners such as fructose,

raw/

white/brown sugar, maple syrup (try to use only raw honey); oils such as almond,

avacodo,

castor, coconut, olive, peanut - all oils should be used very sparingly for

Kapha; sweet

fruits such as bananas, berries, cantaloupe, coconut, dates, melons, peaches,

plums,

tangerines; vegetables such as beets, eggplant, sweet potatoes, and all squash;

nuts/

seeds such as almonds, brazil nuts, pecans, walnuts, lotus seeds, pistacio,

macadamia and

cashews; meats such eggs, lamb, shellfish and all red meat; legumes such as

black lentils

and chickpeas; condiments such as mayonaise, and salt; and beverages such as

apple

juice, carrot juice, orange juice, and soft drinks.

 

The above suggestions are somewhat absolutes. There are exceptions and the

old

saying "All Things in Moderation" certainly applies here. If you are in

balance, you can

enjoy most foods without a problem. We are all a unique mixture of Vata, Pitta

and

Kapha, hence, our diet will be a mix of these absolutes. Generally, if you

listen to your

body, it will tell you what foods you need. The body-wisdom knows best;

learning to

listen to that voice can be the more difficult part.

 

Sadhana, or meditating on what you are eating, is a great way to listen to your

body-

wisdom. When there is food in front of you, your body will tell you one of two

things:

Either it is good for you, or not. Your body knows this just as the birds know

to fly South

for the Winter or the apple tree knows how to produce apples. Try to listen to

that subtle

voice, and, once heard, you will have no need for food lists or diet plans.

Listen to the

voice of your body, however subtle, and that wisdom will not only guide you in

your diet, it

will guide you in every aspect of your life.

 

 

Sincerely,

 

Tony Rouse