Question: Beginning three weeks before the clocks changed in the Fall, I’ve been overeating and craving sweets, such as chocolate and cakes, and salt including salt and vinegar crisps/chips. Previously, I was eating a lot of fruit; but, since the weather has become colder, I haven’t felt like eating fruit.

I suffer from depression, osteoarthritis and chronic pain and take prescribed medication for these conditions. I have recently lost 28 pounds and need to lose at least 35 more. What advice could you give me, please?

Answer: The seasonal change of Fall is aggravating to both vata (air/ether) and pitta (fire element), hence it is common to see the cravings for rich, greasy or sweet and salty substances. Gratifying these strong cravings will not help your weight loss.

You also mentioned that you have recently lost 28 pounds. If you lost that weight quickly, the sudden change can precipitate the entry of more vata in to the joints and bones and exacerbate chronic pain. Hence, I encourage you to plan gradual and steady weight loss. Since your symptoms of imbalance primarily involve the vata dosha, it is important to follow the diet and activities that balance vata.

Dietary Suggestions to Calm Vata

Favor cooked foods, served hot or warm; these are ideal for balancing vata. You can also cook foods with a little ghee (clarified butter) or coconut oil (if you are vegan). Ideally, Ayurveda encourages consumption of the sweet, sour and salty tastes to balance vata. Making healthy choices of these tastes is essential. Some examples include: cooked fruits, whole grains, basmati rice, soups, sea weeks, carrots, asparagus, sweet potatoes and summer squash, such as zucchini and lauki (Indian winter squash).

Limited quantities of any variety of nuts are recommended. Sweet fruits can be taken in moderation, such as: bananas, avocados, mangoes, apricots, plums, berries, coconut, figs, grapefruit, orange, lemon, melons, papaya, peaches, pineapples, rhubarb, kiwi, dates and nectarines.

Cooked fruits such as apples and pears; or dry fruits can also be taken with hot morning cereals. Whole grains as hot cereals can help support weight loss, satisfy your cravings and they are good for balancing vata. If you are a non-vegetarian, use fresh, organic chicken, turkey (mostly as soup with less meat), and seafood and eggs in moderation.

Vegetables become more digestible when chopped and cooked with vata-pacifying spices including: cardamom, cumin, ginger, cinnamon, salt, cloves, mustard seed, basil, asafetida (hing), cilantro, fennel, oregano, sage, tarragon, thyme and black pepper.

Basmati rice is ideal for balancing vata. Cook it with a little salt and ghee for added flavor.

If you can digest gluten, wheat can be a good choice. Flatbreads made with whole wheat flour and drizzled with a little melted ghee are also helpful for balancing vata.

Drink a lot of warm water throughout the day.

Avoid:

Please avoid cold beverages, dried fruit, as well as frozen or raw vegetables, cold cereals, corn, dry crackers and granola. Make sure you avoid white potatoes, peas and raw vegetables.

In order to balance vata it is also important to maintain stability and consistency in your daily activities. Try to get to bed before 10:00 P.M., awaken by 6:00 A.M., and eat your meals at regular times. Wear adequate clothing appropriate for the season and keep your head covered when the weather is cold. Perform a daily self-massage.

Light exercise that enhances balance and flexibility is best for your condition.

Question: My daughter is six years old. She is saying that her tummy hurts around her belly button side all the time. We went to the doctor and did a blood test, urine test, X-rays, an ultrasound and a stool test. Fortunately, everything is normal. She is still complaining that her tummy hurts. I mark that it is more after if she eats dairy in the afternoon or at night.

She is complaining now that her tummy and throat hurt too. Is it acidity at this early age?

Now the doctor has prescribed Prevacid for one month. I am worried because she tells me that she feels pain three or four times a day. For the past two months, I also try to do five minutes Yoga (anulom vilolm/alternate nostril breathing and kapalabhati/breath of fire) with her for the last two months. Still nothing is helping.

Answer: It appears that your daughter is suffering from weak digestive processes; this is especially affected when she is trying to digest milk products. I advise that you avoid giving her any diary for a week and see if her symptoms still persist.

Sometimes sudden changes in a child’s routine, such as starting school, changing schools or entering new environments can result in stress. An uncertain state of mind can influence the agni/digestive fire and cause cramping or tummy pain. Please assess the situation and see if any obvious recent stressful situations may be a factor in this case.

In any case, Ayurveda emphasizes enhancing one’s digestive capability for any digestive issues. Adopt the following lifestyle modifications:

1. Drink four to eight ounces of warm-to-hot water on an empty stomach in the morning.
2. Don’t give any cold cereals, cold milk or cold fruits in the morning, as these foods can result in slowing down of the digestive activities.
3. Make sure that she has regular bowel movements. Eating a tablespoon of raisins soaked in hot water (drain off the excess water before eating) can help regulate bowel movements.
4. Playing outdoors is helpful for healthy digestive activities.

These herbs and spices can be beneficial:

1. One-quarter teaspoon each of fennel seeds and cardamom seeds chewed well and swallowed after meals can reduce acid if there is excessive acidity. Or
2. One quarter-cup of hot water with one-half tablespoon of chopped mint leaves and one-half teaspoon lime juice with a little maple syrup, then strained, can be given for relieving a tummy ache. Or
3. one-quarter teaspoon ginger juice plus one-quarter teaspoon honey can be taken to improve the digestive fire. Or
4. Ayurvedic herbs like one-quarter teaspoon musta (Cyperus rotunda) and one-quarter teaspoon vidanga (Embelia Ribes) with honey. Take twice a day after lunch and dinner.

Avoid:

Raw tomatoes, ketchup, sauces, processed foods, oily fried foods and pungent (hot and) spicy foods.

The information provided here is for educational purposes only and should not be a substitute for medical care. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Before using any Ayurvedic remedies, consult with a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner or healthcare provider. It is important to rule out serious conditions when appropriate. This article represents the opinion and recommendation of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of LA YOGA Ayurveda and Health magazine.

Dr. Anupama KizhakkeVeettil is an Ayurvedic practitioner and licensed acupuncturist. She completed her degree in Ayurvedic Medicine from the University of Mangalore, India. She is teaching and practicing Ayurveda over decade. She earned a Masters Degree in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine from Southern California University of Health Science and is currently pursuing PhD in public health. She has presented papers in national and international conference. Currently she is working as an Assistant Professor and the lead instructor for the Ayurvedic program at SCUHS: scuhs.edu. For appointments please call (562) 943 – 7125.

By Dr. Anupama KizhakkeVeettil, Bams, Maom

Question: Are there any Ayurvedic dietary or herbal recommendations for a chronic and sometimes acute condition involving a healed ulcer and erythema (area of intense inflammation) in the stomach?

Foods that significantly aggravate my pain are: coffee, concentrated tomato products (such as salsa and spaghetti sauce) and alcohol.

I have eliminated these foods from my daily diet and feel better, but when I test my system with small amounts of these products, my pain returns. The pain I experience occurs in the mid-back, is focused at the base of my rib cage on the left side of my spine and lasts a couple days after my experimentations with food.

Subsequent to the healed ulcer/erythema findings, I tested positive for gluten intolerance, and have since eliminated wheat-based and gluten-containing products. Obviously, healing of my stomach lining still needs to occur and I would like to get a recommendation on how to facilitate the healing process using an herbal or Ayurvedic dietary approach and whether future “tests” are recommended.

Answer: Stomach and duodenal ulcers are very common in middle-aged men and women as this time is the pitta (fire element) phase of life. Conditions of chronic acidity are the most common causes that can lead to stomach ulcers. If treated in a timely fashion, stomach ulcers can be healed. However, if they are not taken care properly, bleeding in the stomach can occur. It is advised to keep monitoring this condition closely; if your stools change color to dark brown or black, please contact your primary care physician.

Stomach ulcer can occur as a result of hyperacidity. An increase in or imbalance of pitta (fire element) and vata (air and either elements) in the stomach can result in excessive secretions of acid. When this acid is constantly produced in excess, it has the potential to destroy the kapha (earth and water elements) that serve to protect the inside of the stomach lining in the form of the gastric mucosa. Initially, irritation occurs, which is then followed by destruction of the tissues, possibly leading to an ulcer formating. Even though, in this situation, all three of the doshas are involved, vata and pitta are the two primarily affected, so the treatment plan is predominantly focused on balancing vata and pitta.

Lifestyle Activities

• Avoid: alcohol, tea, coffee, carbonated water and smoking.
• Avoid: overly spicy, hot, oily or fried foods.
• Avoid: dry baked foods, pickles and hot sausages.
• Reduce stress levels.
• Manage stress levels through Yoga, meditation and qi gong.
• Find a schedule of timely sleeping and awakening.
• Take regularly-scheduled, balanced meals; including foods that are high in fiber.

Dietary Suggestions

Helpful foods:

• Moong beans (or mung beans)
• Whole grain rice
• Amaranth
• Quinoa
• Barley
• Brown rice
• Raw honey
• Milk
• Coconut water
• Bananas
• Barley water

Helpful spices:

• Coriander
• Cumin
• Fennel
• Choose Himalayan salt instead of regular salt.
• Choose ginger over cayenne pepper.
• Chewing cooling spices like cardamom can reduce or heal ulcers. (You can take two to three pods per day.)

Herbal Remedies

• Licorice milk can be helpful for stomach ulcers. Mix one part licorice with eight parts water and eight parts milk, cook over mild heat while stirring constantly. Continue this until the liquid is reduced by half. Drink it on an empty stomach in the morning.
• Coriander cold infusion is made from one tablespoon coriander seed, one teaspoon musta (Cyperus rotundus) and one-half teaspoon cardamom. Soak the herbal mixture overnight in eight ounces of cold water. The next morning, mix well, strain and drink on an empty stomach.
• Drinking one tablespoon of aloe vera pulp mixed with one teaspoon of triphala at night can be effective for purging excess pitta (fire element) and relieving stomach ulcers.
• The Ayurvedic ghee-based herbal formula for stomach ulcers is called sukumara ghritam. You can take one tablespoon of sukumara ghritam with warm water on an empty stomach in the mornings. This dose might vary according to the age and the needs of the patient; please contact an Ayurvedic practitioner before you think of taking any classical formulas.

If you have constipation, it needs to be treated. Taking the Ayurvedic herbal powder formula avipattikar churna can be helpful for constipation. Take one teaspoon avipattikar churna with one cup of hot water twice a day (morning and night).

Meditation and pranayama (yogic breathing practices) are essential for healing both mind and body.

The information provided here is for educational purposes only and should not be a substitute for medical care. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Before using any Ayurvedic remedies, consult with a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner or healthcare provider. It is important to rule out serious conditions when appropriate. This article represents the opinion and recommendation of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of this magazine.

 

 

Question: Are there any Ayurvedic dietary or herbal recommendations for a chronic and sometimes acute condition involving a healed ulcer and erythema (area of intense inflammation) in the stomach?

Foods that significantly aggravate my pain are: coffee, concentrated tomato products (such as salsa and spaghetti sauce) and alcohol.

I have eliminated these foods from my daily diet and feel better, but when I test my system with small amounts of these products, my pain returns. The pain I experience occurs in the mid-back, is focused at the base of my rib cage on the left side of my spine and lasts a couple days after my experimentations with food.

Subsequent to the healed ulcer/erythema findings, I tested positive for gluten intolerance, and have since eliminated wheat-based and gluten-containing products. Obviously, healing of my stomach lining still needs to occur and I would like to get a recommendation on how to facilitate the healing process using an herbal or Ayurvedic dietary approach and whether future “tests” are recommended.

Answer: Stomach and duodenal ulcers are very common in middle-aged men and women as this time is the pitta (fire element) phase of life. Conditions of chronic acidity are the most common causes that can lead to stomach ulcers. If treated in a timely fashion, stomach ulcers can be healed. However, if they are not taken care properly, bleeding in the stomach can occur. It is advised to keep monitoring this condition closely; if your stools change color to dark brown or black, please contact your primary care physician.

Stomach ulcer can occur as a result of hyperacidity. An increase in or imbalance of pitta (fire element) and vata (air and either elements) in the stomach can result in excessive secretions of acid. When this acid is constantly produced in excess, it has the potential to destroy the kapha (earth and water elements) that serve to protect the inside of the stomach lining in the form of the gastric mucosa. Initially, irritation occurs, which is then followed by destruction of the tissues, possibly leading to an ulcer formating. Even though, in this situation, all three of the doshas are involved, vata and pitta are the two primarily affected, so the treatment plan is predominantly focused on balancing vata and pitta.

Lifestyle Activities

• Avoid: alcohol, tea, coffee, carbonated water and smoking.
• Avoid: overly spicy, hot, oily or fried foods.
• Avoid: dry baked foods, pickles and hot sausages.
• Reduce stress levels.
• Manage stress levels through Yoga, meditation and qi gong.
• Find a schedule of timely sleeping and awakening.
• Take regularly-scheduled, balanced meals; including foods that are high in fiber.

Dietary Suggestions

Helpful foods:

• Moong beans (or mung beans)
• Whole grain rice
• Amaranth
• Quinoa
• Barley
• Brown rice
• Raw honey
• Milk
• Coconut water
• Bananas
• Barley water

Helpful spices:

• Coriander
• Cumin
• Fennel
• Choose Himalayan salt instead of regular salt.
• Choose ginger over cayenne pepper.
• Chewing cooling spices like cardamom can reduce or heal ulcers. (You can take two to three pods per day.)

Herbal Remedies

• Licorice milk can be helpful for stomach ulcers. Mix one part licorice with eight parts water and eight parts milk, cook over mild heat while stirring constantly. Continue this until the liquid is reduced by half. Drink it on an empty stomach in the morning.
• Coriander cold infusion is made from one tablespoon coriander seed, one teaspoon musta (Cyperus rotundus) and one-half teaspoon cardamom. Soak the herbal mixture overnight in eight ounces of cold water. The next morning, mix well, strain and drink on an empty stomach.
• Drinking one tablespoon of aloe vera pulp mixed with one teaspoon of triphala at night can be effective for purging excess pitta (fire element) and relieving stomach ulcers.
• The Ayurvedic ghee-based herbal formula for stomach ulcers is called sukumara ghritam. You can take one tablespoon of sukumara ghritam with warm water on an empty stomach in the mornings. This dose might vary according to the age and the needs of the patient; please contact an Ayurvedic practitioner before you think of taking any classical formulas.

If you have constipation, it needs to be treated. Taking the Ayurvedic herbal powder formula avipattikar churna can be helpful for constipation. Take one teaspoon avipattikar churna with one cup of hot water twice a day (morning and night).

Meditation and pranayama (yogic breathing practices) are essential for healing both mind and body.

The information provided here is for educational purposes only and should not be a substitute for medical care. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Before using any Ayurvedic remedies, consult with a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner or healthcare provider. It is important to rule out serious conditions when appropriate. This article represents the opinion and recommendation of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of this magazine.