Quite often we have the medicine we need right in our own kitchen.
Knowing how to use culinary spices and food to help support your
body-mind-spirit can be empowering. We ourselves are the most qualified
to know what our own medicine is. This resource exists to help point you in the direction of the medicine maker within.
Seeing Food With A New Lens
Click on the links and images below to enjoy the interactive teachings!
The food we eat can serve as a medicine if we understand some simple concepts, such as like increases like, and opposites, balance. Everything we consume (physically, mentally, emotionally) is composed of basic qualities, just as our individual body-mind-spirit is composed of these same qualities. The ability to identify even a few qualities present in the food, herbs, and spices that sit on our kitchen shelves, allows us to be our own medicine makers, one meal at a time.
The Six Tastes
Sweet
earth + water
Sour
earth + fire
Salty
water + fire
Pungent
air + fire
Bitter
air + ether
Astringent
air + earth
Through the lens of the six tastes, five elements, and three doshas, turning food into medicine becomes accessible in any kitchen; even on a single burner or outdoor fire. Like the doshas, each of the six tastes is composed primarily of two elements. Each of the elements, is composed of simple qualities, used to describe them, ourselves, and all substances.
Three Doshas
Vāta
ether + air
Pitta
fire + water
Kapha
water + earth
Five Elements
Ether
Air
Fire
Water
Earth
No single fruit, vegetable, or grain is composed of one single quality,
element, taste, or dosha, and neither are you. The way we combine food,
and use fire to transform it in the cooking process, affects the
expression of each element in the meal that sits on our plate. By
consuming all six tastes, we consume all five elements. When we tune
into the needs of the body-mind-spirit, we are able to make our own
medicine by adjusting how we incorporate the different tastes into our
meals on a daily, weekly, or seasonal basis.
Keep The Medicine Simple With The 20 Basic Qualities
Newsletter Archive
Start with the basics.
Āyurveda considers 20 basic qualities (gunas), or 10 pairs of opposites to describe substances, ourselves, and the world around us. Learn how to identify these qualities, and turn the food you eat every day into medicine.
1
The Qualities of Hot & Cold
The food we eat can serve as a medicine if we understand some simple concepts, such as like increases like, and opposites, balance. To get us started in our kitchens, let think about one pair of opposites that most of us are already familiar with in some way...
2
The Qualities Of Heavy & Light
Most of us know what it feels like to feel over full, sluggish, or heavy after eating. Heaviness can come due to the quantity of the food we eat, the qualities present in that food, and/or due to sluggish or dampened digestion. In this edition, we explore the qualities of heavy and light....
"There is no thing in this universe which is non-medicinal, which cannot be made use of for many purposes and by many modes."
- Vagbhata, Ashtanga 3Hridayam, Sutrasthana -
Kitchen Medicine Newsletter
Rooted in the basic principles of āyurveda, and the idea that we all
make medicine in our kitchens every day, this newsletter is for everyone
with a curiosity about food as medicine and the magic in your spice
rack. Receive simple, practical tools. Fancy kitchen NOT required!
Thank you!
From the ancient teachings of āyurveda to your own kitchen, you become the medicine maker and healer.
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From the ancient teachings of āyurveda to your own kitchen, you become the medicine maker and healer.
From the ancient teachings of āyurveda to your own kitchen, you become the medicine maker and healer.
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Making The Medicine
This resource is a practical way to embody the 6 tastes, 5 elements, and 3 doshas through the lens of Āyurveda.
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Sweet Taste
Food Examples: complex carbohydrates, most grains, sweet fruit, root vegetables (especially when cooked), meat, nuts, oil, dairy, sugar, cardamom, fennel
Elements: water + earth
Qualities: heavy, liquid/wet, cold
Action On Doṣa: decreases vāta and pitta, increases kapha
Sweet taste results from the combination of water and earth. It is heavy, moist, and cooling by nature. Sweet taste builds and strengthens all of the bodily tissues. It has a soothing and nourishing effect on the mind, stimulates salivation, is a mild laxative, soothes heartburn, relieves thirst, and increases milk production. Sweet taste naturally promotes a sense of love, compassion, and satisfaction.
When overused, sweet taste smother the digestive fire (agni), diminish the appetite, and lead to the build up of toxins (āma). In excess, sweet taste can lead to congestion, colds, pneumonia, candida, swelling, weight gain, diabetes, hypertension, and tumor growth. Excessive sweet taste can also contribute to unhealthy cravings and greed.
Sour Taste
Food Examples: fermented foods, citrus and sour fruit, alcohol, vinegar, yogurt
Elements: fire + earth
Qualities: moderately light, liquid/wet, hot
Action On Doṣa: decreases vāta, increases pitta and kapha
Sour taste is composed of earth and fire. It is hot, moist, and moderately light by nature. Used appropriately, sour taste stimulates digestions (agni) and acid secretion, reduces gas, increases circulation, is anticoagulant, increases stamina, stimulates the mind, and aids in healthy discrimination. It also helps to extract minerals such as iron, from food.
In excess, sour taste can lead to heart burn, ulcers, hot flashes, liver and gallbladder issues. Overuse of sour can create a critical, manipulative, and judgmental attitude, and cause the mind to be agitated and hyperactive.
In excess, sour taste can lead to heart burn, ulcers, hot flashes, liver and gallbladder issues. Overuse of sour can create a critical, manipulative, and judgmental attitude, and cause the mind to be agitated and hyperactive.
Salty Taste
Food Examples: all salts, rock salt, sea salt, tamari, seaweed, most condiments, salty ferments, most chips and other processed snacks
Elements: fire + water
Qualities: heavy, liquid/moistening, hot
Action On Doṣa: deceases vāta, increases pitta and kapha
Salty taste is composed of fire and water. It is hot, heavy, and moist by nature. Salt brings out the other five tastes in food, so when used appropriately it can enhance the flavor of all of the tastes. It strengthens the digestive fire (agni), opens the bodily channels, acts as a laxative, relieves spasms, and calms the nervous system when used appropriately. Salt promotes confidence and a zest for life.
While a little bit of salt enhances flavor, it can be addictive, and if used in excess will easily overshadow the meal entirely. It is important to strike a balance by using salt in small quantities. If overused, salty taste can disturb all of the doṣas, particularly pitta and kapha. In excess, it can lead to hypertension, water retention, kidney stones, skin conditions, inflammation, burning sensations hair loss, and premature graying. Too much salt can encourage greed, over-ambition, and hinder sensory perception.
Salt helps to maintain electrolyte balance in the body, but can also increase thirst and salivation. The element of water in its composition relates to its water retaining ability. From a simplified chemistry perspective, water follows sodium. This tendency to attract water, helps to improve the radiance of the skin and promotes overall growth in the body when used appropriately.
Pungent Taste
Food Examples: garlic, onion, chili peppers, horseradish, black pepper, ginger, asafoetida (hing), cumin, rosemary
Elements: air + fire
Qualities: light, dry, hot
Action On Doṣa: decreases kapha, increases vāta and pitta
Pungent taste derives from the elements of fire and air. It is dry, light, and the hottest of all six tastes. It aids digestion and absorption, and improves metabolic function. Pungent reduces congestion, removes blockages, improves circulation, and relieves pain and muscle tension. It will raise the body temperature and promote sweating and detoxification. Pungent foods wake us up and get us going when we need it, encouraging extroversion and the ability to speak out and be bold.
While the warming nature of the pungent taste is initially balancing to vāta doṣa, its' longer term effects are extremely drying, and therefore generally aggravating to vāta. In excess, pungent taste leads to ulcers, hot flashes, heartburn, skin conditions, inflammation, peptic ulcers, diarrhea, colitis, insomnia, tremors, and nerve damage. It can also kill sperm and ova, and lead to sexual debility. Overuse of can lead to anger, violence, hatred, and envy.
Bitter Taste
Food Examples: leafy greens, black tea, coffee, chocolate, radish, fenugreek, nutmeg, turmeric
Elements: air + ether
Qualities: dry, light, cold
Action On Doṣa: decreases pitta and kapha, increases vāta
Bitter taste is composed of air and ether. It is the lightest, driest, and most cooling of all six tastes. While bitter taste is often not appealing alone, it stimulates the appetite and helps bring out the flavor of the other tastes. Bitter taste is a powerful detoxifying agent; it purifies the blood and acts as a liver tonic. It is antibiotic, antiseptic, and anti-parasitic. It can help to sooth skin rash and burning sensations, reduce body temperature and fever, promote weight loss, absorb excess fluid, and dry-out āma (sticky toxic sludge) and congestion.
In excess, bitter taste can weaken the kidneys and the lungs, cause dry mouth, bone loss, and osteoporosis. It can also cause extreme dryness and constipation. Bitter foods deplete the bodily tissues, especially fat and reproductive tissue, which can lead to emaciation, malaise, and unsteadiness. Because air and ether are both cold and subtle elements, overuse can create a feeling of coldness in the body-mind-spirit, and lead to cynicism, loneliness, and agitation of the mind.
In excess, bitter taste can weaken the kidneys and the lungs, cause dry mouth, bone loss, and osteoporosis. It can also cause extreme dryness and constipation. Bitter foods deplete the bodily tissues, especially fat and reproductive tissue, which can lead to emaciation, malaise, and unsteadiness. Because air and ether are both cold and subtle elements, overuse can create a feeling of coldness in the body-mind-spirit, and lead to cynicism, loneliness, and agitation of the mind.
Astringent Taste
Food Examples: unripe banana, pomegranate, cranberries, fruit peel or rind, leafy greens, black tea, coffee, legumes, turmeric, coriander
Elements: air + earth
Qualities: dry, light, cold
Action On Doṣa: decreases pitta and kapha, increases vāta
Astringent taste results from the combination of air and earth. It is dry, cooling, and moderately light in nature. It is the least common of all the six tastes and many foods in this category overlap closely with bitter taste. Astringent taste is not as cold as bitter taste, but has a greater cooling effect on the body than sweet taste.
Astringent food constricts blood vessels and muscles, is antibiotic, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory. It is anti-diuretic, making it good for soothing diarrhea, but overuse can lead to constipation. Astringent promotes absorption of fluids, and is therefore a natural aid to stop bleeding and reduce sweating. In excess, astringent taste can lead to osteoporosis, dry mouth, muscle spasms, blood clots, and heart problems. The air and earth elements create a drying effect, which can dry up our physical body as well as our emotional and spiritual bodies. Astringent can be an aid to introversion, but overuse can promote fear and insecurity and fear.
Ether
Food Examples: sprouts, fresh vegetable juice, algae, psychotropic mushrooms
Qualities: clear, light, subtle, cold
Air
Food Examples: rough vegetables, salad greens, kale, collards, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, eggplant, legumes
Qualities: mobile, dry, light, cold, rough, subtle
Fire
Food Examples: citrus fruit, chili peppers, fermented foods, alcohol, vinegar, cinnamon, black pepper, ginger, garlic, onion, pungent/sharp spices in general
Qualities: hot, sharp, dry, light, subtle
Water
Food Examples: summer squash, cucumber, coconut, dairy products and milk, hydrophilic fruits and veggies in general
Qualities: heavy, cold, liquid,dull,soft, slimy, oily
Earth
Food Examples: nuts, mushrooms, meat, root vegetables, wheat, spelt, rice, oats
Qualities: heavy, dull, stable, dense, hard, cold
Vāta Doṣa
Elements: ether + air
Qualities: mobile, light, cold, dry, rough, subtle, clear
Pacifying Tastes: sweet, sour, salty
Aggravating Tastes: pungent, bitter, astringent
Vāta does well to eat larger quantities of carbohydrates in the form of whole grains like rice, quinoa, and wheat. This can be the majority of their meal (50%) with equal parts protein and sweet vegetables such as roots like sweet potato, carrot, and parsnip, or other seasonal vegetables that are sweet at that time of year.
Use of oil, especially warming oils like sesame or olive oil, in addition to butter or ghee are good for vāta doṣa. Since digestion is often quite sensitive for folks with a strong vāta constitution, portion size is an important theme.
It is best to avoid underwhelming or overwhelming the digestive fire (agni). Frequent snacking, rather than full meals is especially disturbing to vāta. Hard, dry, rough, and crunchy foods, such as chips, crackers, and popcorn are best avoided, and can have a negative impact on elimination, mental state, and emotional balance. Additionally, warm, cooked foods will serve vāta well, especially in the fall and winter seasons or in cold and dry climates.
Use of oil, especially warming oils like sesame or olive oil, in addition to butter or ghee are good for vāta doṣa. Since digestion is often quite sensitive for folks with a strong vāta constitution, portion size is an important theme.
It is best to avoid underwhelming or overwhelming the digestive fire (agni). Frequent snacking, rather than full meals is especially disturbing to vāta. Hard, dry, rough, and crunchy foods, such as chips, crackers, and popcorn are best avoided, and can have a negative impact on elimination, mental state, and emotional balance. Additionally, warm, cooked foods will serve vāta well, especially in the fall and winter seasons or in cold and dry climates.
Pitta Doṣa
Elements: fire + water
Qualities: hot, sharp, penetrating, light, liquid, oily, spreading, odiferous
Pacifying Tastes: sweet, bitter, astringent
Aggravating Tastes: sour, salty, pungent
Pitta does well with equal portions of whole grains, vegetables, and a protein source. Because their digestive fire (agni) tend to be intense, they can consume cooler, heavier food and some raw food without much difficulty. Bitter veggies likes greens and sweet root vegetables are great for pitta. If consuming animal protein, pitta should favor poultry over red meat and eggs, which can be overly heating.
Due to its oily and hot qualities, avoiding fried food and excessive use of fermented vegetables is advised. For anyone experiencing excessive fire or inflammation, minimizing food in the pungent, salty, and sour category can be helpful, especially in the summer or hot and humid climates.
Pitta tends to overeat if eating off schedule, as their appetites can be voracious. The term "hangry" can often be associated with pitta folks who delay or skip meals. Sticking to regular meal times is great preventative care for pitta. Including some fruit or vegetables, especially cucumber, between meals can be supportive when actual hunger exists.
Due to its oily and hot qualities, avoiding fried food and excessive use of fermented vegetables is advised. For anyone experiencing excessive fire or inflammation, minimizing food in the pungent, salty, and sour category can be helpful, especially in the summer or hot and humid climates.
Pitta tends to overeat if eating off schedule, as their appetites can be voracious. The term "hangry" can often be associated with pitta folks who delay or skip meals. Sticking to regular meal times is great preventative care for pitta. Including some fruit or vegetables, especially cucumber, between meals can be supportive when actual hunger exists.
Kapha Doṣa
Elements: water + earth
Qualities: heavy, slow, dull, cold, oily, unctuous, smooth, dense, stable, sticky, slimy
Pacifying Tastes: pungent, bitter, astringent
Aggravating Tastes: sweet, sour, salty
Kapha does well with fewer meals per day and no snacks. It is important for kapha to have strong, present hunger when eating. If the digestive fire (agni) is really low or damp, it can be helpful to spread meals farther apart, and be sure to eat well before going to sleep.
Cooling, heavy foods, especially dairy should be avoided unless properly prepared with pungent spices in small quantity. Kapha's plate should have a predominant quantity of vegetables, some protein, and a small amount of grain. Drier grains such as corn, millet, buckwheat, or barley are best.
Kapha does well with rough, cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, kale, raw salad greens, and sprouts. Heavy root veggies are not ideal. Lighter protein such as meat from smaller birds can be favored, while heavy, oily meat is better to avoid. Legumes, seeds, and less oily nuts are good vegetable protein for kapha. Incorporating pungent spices and food into the diet is beneficial for folks with a strong kapha constitution.
Cooling, heavy foods, especially dairy should be avoided unless properly prepared with pungent spices in small quantity. Kapha's plate should have a predominant quantity of vegetables, some protein, and a small amount of grain. Drier grains such as corn, millet, buckwheat, or barley are best.
Kapha does well with rough, cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, kale, raw salad greens, and sprouts. Heavy root veggies are not ideal. Lighter protein such as meat from smaller birds can be favored, while heavy, oily meat is better to avoid. Legumes, seeds, and less oily nuts are good vegetable protein for kapha. Incorporating pungent spices and food into the diet is beneficial for folks with a strong kapha constitution.
Cardamom (elettaria cardamomum)
Cardamom has an affinity with the respiratory, digestive, circulatory, and nervous systems. It has the ability to decrease mucous, congestion, sticky sludge, and toxins in the lungs and stomach (decreasing excess kapha and āma). This quality makes it supportive for respiratory illness or disorders as well as digestive issues. It is a digestive stimulant, but gentle enough so as not to create excess heat or pitta in the system when used in moderation and in compatible combination with other herbs. It can be used to reduce nausea, indigestion, bloating, and upset stomach. The affinity for the respiratory system makes it a useful herb in relation to bronchitis, asthma, and cold and cough symptoms. Cardamom has a calm and clear energy (sattva), while also being somewhat aromatic and pungent. These qualities can help to regulate the body’s circulation and heart rhythm while also calming the nerves.
Precautions: People with irritated or actively bleeding stomach ulcers should avoid using cardamom in large quantities. Folks who have had ulcers in the past and feel concerned about the possibility of reoccurrence or other fire/pitta related issues, should be mindful of how much, and in what they consume this herb.
Pippali (indian long pepper, piper longum)
Pippali is an excellent lung rejuvenation tonic and helpful in alleviating cold, cough, congestion, bronchitis, and laryngitis. It can be a supportive herb for those with asthma, long standing bronchial issues, and chronic/degenerative lung diseases. In addition to its’ affinity for the respiratory system, pippali also has an affinity for the circulatory and digestive systems. It can help with issues of poor circulation, stimulate the circulation of air/breath which can move vital energy or prāna through the system, address parasites, flatulence and bloating, loss of appetite, and kindle the digestive fire (agni) without aggravating pitta.
Pippali has a heating energy but a sweet post digestive effect, which means it is less drying and also less hot than herbs like black pepper, ginger, or cayenne pepper. This makes pippali a better choice for those with excess heat or inflammation in the body (pitta).
Andrographis (kalmgh,
andrographis paniculata)
This bitter herb is a powerful immunostimulant with antivaral properties. Its cooling energy makes it a good herb for calming or reducing pitta, while the pungent post digestive effect is supportive for kapha. If used in excess or not in balanced formulation, these same attributes could increase the light, dry, and rough qualities of vāta dosha. Andrographis can serve to enhance liver function, stimulate bile flow, and break up congestion in the lymphatic system. It can be used to help move constipated bowels, regulate irregular bowel movements, and clear toxins from the system (āma). Andrographis can also act as a cleansing and rejuvenating herb for the blood and skin (which is linked to liver function), and help with eczema, psoriasis and other forms of dermatitis or itch rashes.
Precautions: People who are pregnant or lactating should avoid this herb or use it minimally with guidance from a qualified practitioner.
Fennel (foeniculum vulgare)
Fennel is one of my favorite herbs. It is good medicine for me in all of its’ forms. I was so expressive about my deep affinity and affection for this plant during a class session once, that one of the students felt moved to send me a one pound bag of fennel seed powder. A gift that touched my heart and made me laugh. Fennel is considered to be a tridoshic herb, meaning that is can pacify all three of the doshas, which makes it a supportive herb for all constitutions or body types. It has calming, clarifying, refreshing, gentle, and peaceful qualities (sattva). Fennel has affinity for the nervous and digestive systems and supports plasma, blood, and muscle tissue.
Fennel is an excellent digestive aid for pitta, or people who experience heat/fire related digestive issues, such as heartburn and acid indigestion, who are otherwise unable to tolerate the pungency of things like ginger, garlic, or chili pepper. It can help to kindle the digestive fire and clear out toxins and metabolic waste (āma) without increasing heat in the body. Fennel helps to move energy downward, making it a good herb to relieve bloating, flatulence, and abdominal discomfort often associated with excess vāta. Where it is most supportive to kapha dosha (earth and water elements) is its’ ability to to clear bronchial congestion, especially when combined with ginger to add in a bit of needed heat.
The gentleness of fennel makes it a good digestive aid for adults as well as children, and is a supportive in relieving colic in infants. Likewise it is helpful to relieve nausea, and is often used to help pregnant people with morning sickness. For breastfeeding people, fennel can help to support the production of breast milk and if used by the breastfeeding person will also help to reduce colic for the baby drinking the milk.
Shatāvari (asparagus root,
asparagus racemosus)
Shatāvari is bitter, sweet, and cooling to the system. It is known as an excellent rejuvenating herb for pitta and vāta, and can increase kapha due to the sweet taste and sweet post digestive effect. Its ability to deeply nourish and build tissue while also being cooling and anti-inflammatory is what makes shatāvari an good herbal ally for folks in a weakened or debilitated state, as well as people experiencing excess heat in the form of inflammation, irritation, burning sensations, profuse menstrual bleeding, hot flashes, or hyperacidity. It is generally a good herb to support the immune system and protect ojas, our vital energy reserves and strength.
Shatāvari has an affinity for the blood, liver, lungs, kidneys, reproductive system, urinary tract, and GI tract. It can cool and purify the blood, while also sooth and nourish inflamed mucus membranes. Shatāvari is often used to support people with a uterus to help regulate the menstrual cycle, support the transition into menopause, and help to bring physical, mental, and emotional balance after a hysterectomy when combined with other nervous system calming herbs. It can also help to improve the quantity and quality of breast milk. Shatāvari is also used for people who are experiencing various forms of chronic fatigue, colitis, gastritis, IBS, herpes, diarrhea, urinary tract inflammation and infections, and ulcers.
Precautions: Due to the building qualities of shatāvari, folks with an excess of toxic build-up (āma) in the system, excessive mucus, or high kapha related issues should avoid or moderate how they use this herb.
Cinnamon (cinnamomum zeylanicum)
As a common kitchen spice, the medicinal power of cinnamon is often overlooked. The warming and stimulating properties of cinnamon promote digestion, absorption, and assimilation of nutrients in food and herbal compounds. Cinnamon is a wonderful herb to add to heavier foods, such as rice, potato, dairy, or meat in order to balance out those heavy qualities. Likewise it is useful to balance out an otherwise heavy or cold herbal compound.
Due to the hot and pungent qualities, it is pacifying to vāta and kapha and should be used with awareness and in appropriate combination so as not to aggravate pitta. Cinnamon can act as an expectorant, making it useful in alleviating sinus or chest congestion and is often used to treat colds, coughs, and the flu acting to burn toxins within the body.
Due to the hot and pungent qualities, it is pacifying to vāta and kapha and should be used with awareness and in appropriate combination so as not to aggravate pitta. Cinnamon can act as an expectorant, making it useful in alleviating sinus or chest congestion and is often used to treat colds, coughs, and the flu acting to burn toxins within the body.
Lavender (lavandula angustifolia,
lavandula x intermedia)
Lavender is well known as an aromatic, relaxing herb. And while that is true, there is so much more. Lavender is calming to the nervous system and can be used as a sleep aid. It can also help to settle anxiety, lift dark, heavy moods, and sooth a headache. The stress relieving properties make it useful in alleviating physical stress in muscles as well as mental and emotional stress. Especially when paired with rose, lavender can help to move grief and open the heart.
Lavender has bitter, cooling, and dry qualities. This makes it nice for cleansing and toning the of the skin. The bitter quality makes it useful as a digestive aid. With anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties, lavender can be used to treat some wounds or as an anti-septic wash or cleanser. Lavender is often used in combination with other herbs for yoni/vaginal steaming or as a steam for the head and respiratory system. With this powerful and versatile herb, a little goes a long way. Sometimes the scent alone is enough to calm the mind and relax the nervous system.
Licorice (yashti madhu, glycerrhiza glarba)
I use licorice, in varying quantities, in many of the products I offer. So much so, that I have to intentionally leave it out of some teas and compound formulas in order to accommodate folks who have an aversion to this sweet yet bitter herb. When used in appropriate combination, even a small amount can act as a harmonizing agent and enhance the overall effects of whatever it is mixed with. Licorice can help to soften and balance the dry or rough qualities of other herbs in a formula while adding some needed sweetness, making harsh tasting herbs more palatable.
Licorice is calming to the nervous system and is thought to awaken positive cellular memory, promoting a sense of satisfaction and contentment. It is nourishing and building for folks experiencing debility, exhaustion, adrenal fatigue, and the many stresses of our current, popular culture. It can also be a good herb for people recovering from overuse or abuse of stimulants, coffee and caffeine in any form, alcohol, and other drugs.
Its’ affinity to the respiratory system makes licorice useful in alleviating cough, congestion, bronchitis, laryngitis, upper respiratory infections, sinus infections, and soar throat. It has the ability to liquify and expel phlegm while also soothing inflamed bronchioles. Licorice also has an affinity with the digestive system, and can help to sooth inflammation of the GI tract. It can help move constipation, especially when the cause is dryness of the colon. Licorice is also helpful in soothing inflammation of the genitourinary tract, which can be caused by cystitis, vaginitis, urinary infection, and yeast infection.
Precautions: Though often safely used in small amounts as a harmonizing energy in heart formulas, people experiencing hypertension or chronic heart conditions should be aware of how much licorice they consume.
Tulsi (holy basil, ocimum sanctum)
Tulsi is native to India (and currently grown throughout the world) and considered to be a sacred, holy plant in the Vedic traditions, Hindu religion, and secularly within Indian culture. It is used to purify indoor and outdoor spaces and known for its’ ability to open the heart and offer a sense of serene clarity (sattva) while promoting overall health and well being. Tulsi acts on the emotional heart and on the physical heart, as well as the entire body-mind-spirit. Tulsi has an affinity for the nervous, respiratory, urinary, circulatory, and digestive systems. It has sedative, expectorant, antiseptic, and antibacterial properties. This plant is quite aromatic and beautiful to look at with its’ deep green leaves and tiny purple flowers. It is in the basil family, and looks similar to common basil plants. Bees and butterflies seem to love it as much as I do!
Tulsi’s affinity to the respiratory system, makes it effective for treating asthma, bronchitis, cough, and sinus congestion. It has a special relationship to the lungs in particular, which is where the body holds grief and deep-seated sadness. As it also acts to calm the nervous system and strengthen the heart, a practice of drinking tulsi tea or chewing on the fresh leaves can help to move grief and support a slow and steady healing process. As a heart tonic, it can act to promote oxygenation of the heart muscle through coronary vasodilation.
Tulsi has a calming effect on the senses, which is why I use it in both the Nasya Herbal Nose Oil and the Karna Purana Herbal Ear Oil. The antibacterial properties make it good for soothing ear infections, and the affect on the nervous system makes it helpful to sooth tinnitus and stimulate nerve damage that causes mild/moderate hearing loss. Tulsi can also help to relieve stress related, tension headaches, regulate blood sugar and cholesterol, promote absorption in the GI tract, sooth insect bites and skin diseases, and support good oral hygiene and gum disease.
Oatstraw (avena sativa)
Oatstraw (and oat in general) are nourishing to the nervous system, adrenals, and the heart. It is calming and soothing like a wanted hug. Oat can act as a buffer to the nerves in relation to the daily barrage of stress and stimulation we all experience, which eventually can lead to depression, anxiety, and low immune function. You can think of it like an energetic shield for protection from this modern, electronic, workaholic, overstimulating life. The mucilaginous quality of oat can literally protect and nourish the bodily tissues. Oat is soothing to both vāta and pitta. It can help calm the mind, cool the heat of anger and irritability (mental and physical), help with sleep issues, and is also soothing for the skin.
Rose (rosa centifolia)
Rose has been used for thousands years, across many cultures to sooth the mind, heart, emotions, and spirit. I love rose, and I use it in many formulas for tea as well as body oils. Just thinking about it as I write this, offers me an exhale and a feeling of calm relief. I once had some rose petal jelly that a friend made and my knees literally buckled as I felt a sense of great love wash over me. I slowly consumed that jar of jelly over time with a practice of spreading some on an oat cake each afternoon for several weeks as I was offering doula services to a friend and her family. This practice supported all of us as I was continually infused with cool, loving sweetness each day.
Rose has cool, sweet, bitter, and astringent qualities. Rose can help reduce excess heat in the body as well as the mind. It is a wonderful herb to sooth pitta dosha or anyone experiencing excess heat in any form, including anger, frustration, and negative thinking patterns. Rose truly does calm the heart and cool the blood, while invoking a sense of calm, clarity, and love. It has an affinity to the physical heart muscle as well as the emotional and spiritual heart. Rose can help to reduce internal and external inflammation, sooth irritated skin and eye conditions, cleanse the blood, and help with headaches caused by excess heat. It can also be supportive in calming the nervous system, reducing anxiety, and supporting the being through periods of grief and overwhelm.
Slippery Elm (ulmus ruba)
This herb tells us most of what we need to know by its’ name. Slippery Elm is slippery! It has mucilaginous qualities, making it useful to sooth a sore throat, cough, inflammation of the GI tract, and general soothing/moistening of the mucus membranes of the body. Topically it can be used to treat wounds and skin disorders. Slippery Elm is considered sweet in taste and is also cooling to the body-mind-spirit. This makes it a kapha increasing herb, as kapha is both sweet and cold. It is an excellent herb for pitta, which is hot in nature, and for vāta due to the moistening qualities (vāta is dry in nature). As with all herbs, the way we mix them and the method of intake will affect the overall effect of a formula.
Slippery Elm is considered to be an at risk plant by The United Plant Savers. It an herb that I use sparingly, and am extra careful as to where and how it is sourced. Often times, there are good alternatives, such as marshmallow, licorice, comfrey, or mullein, depending on the healing need. The only formula you will find it in within the apothecary on this website is the Respiratory & Immune Support Formula.
Brahmī (gotu kola, centella asiatica)
The name brahmī refers to the feminine or lunar aspect of higher consciousness (cosmic consciousness, higher power, god, brahman, great spirit, etc.) It is pacifying to all three doshas and is said to kindle the flame of intelligence and inner knowing. There are two plants with very similar qualities that are both referred to as brahmī. The one I most often use is gotu kola/centella asiatica because it is more readily available in the western part of the earth. The other is bacopa/bacopa monniera, which is a bit stronger in action.
Brahmī/Gotu Kola promotes cellular regeneration and is wonderful for rejuvenation of the entire mind-body-spirit. It can help to support memory, awareness, sleep, anxiety, immune function, and adrenal gland function. It is a blood purifying herb, and supports proper function of the liver, spleen, and pancreas, while helping with chronic skin disorders such as psoriasis and eczema. It has the ability to calm the mind and promote a sense of calm and presence. When used in oil, it is wonderful for the skin, and especially for use on the head, face and heart/chest. It has a bitter taste and goes well in tea blends with sweeter herbs. It is wonderful tea to use to support a meditation practice or anytime one wants to bring a sense of calm and ease into their being.
Chamomile (matricaria chamomilla)
Chamomile is well known as a gentle, relaxing herbs and is often used in bed time or relaxing tea blends. It had a mild sedative effect and can help melt tension in the body-mind-spirit. It is calming for pitta and kapha dosha, and generally the same is true for vāta. Due to its’ bitter quality, it can be aggravating to vāta, but only if used in excess without combination. It is a great herb for calming stress, anxiety, and restlessness in adults and children alike. Chamomile can help to sooth colic, gas, and flatulence. It can be ingested as a tea by nursing parents or given directly to young children for this purpose. Referring back to the bitter quality of chamomile, it can be helpful to sooth inflammation and draw out impurities. It is often used externally and internally for this purpose.
Ashwagandha (winter cherry,
withania somnifera)
A strong nutritive tonic for vāta dosha and symptoms of debility, fatigue, nervous system burn out, and people in their elder years. It can be supportive after giving birth or other types of intense physical exertion, as well as being supportive after a traumatic event that is not only physical but also mental or emotional. It can help to balance hormone levels, offer support with insomnia and anxiety, and promote clarity of mind and memory in people of all ages. Ashwagandha can be aggravating to pitta dosha, or people with excess heat in the body due to its warming energy. And because of its supreme tissue building properties, may be challenging for people with a lot of toxic build up (āma) in the system.
Precautions: High doses during pregnancy may cause uterine contractions. Lower/moderate amounts in proper combination are sometimes used during pregnancy when indicated. If you aare pregnant, please consult a healthcare professional.
Guduchi (tinospora cordifolia)
Guduchi can help to protect, support, and regulate the immune system in both chronic and acute conditions. It can protect the body’s strength and life force (ojas and prāna) while neutralizing toxins (āma), and is supportive to all three doshas, making it a good herb for all constitutions and body types. It is a nice herb to use for reducing inflammation, easing arthritis, soothing skin disease, balancing hormones, and calming neuromuscular pain. Guduchi can be used to prevent seasonal sickness such as cold and flu, and can help to ease related infections of the ear nose, and throat. It is also a supportive herb for those who experience seasonal allergies, autoimmune disease, liver or spleen issues, hemorrhoids, irritable bowel syndrome, and viral or bacterial infections.
Wild Yam (dioscorea villosa)
&
Vidari (alligator yam, ipomoea digitata)
I am discussing wild yam and vidari together in this section because their qualities are so similar, and I use them interchangeably based on what is available. As a tuberous root grown within the earth, this plant offers stable and grounding qualities. It is sweet in taste with a secondary, bitter note and also cooling to the system. As a demulcent and mucilaginous substance, it can help to soothe inflammation inside and out. It is soothing to the skin as well as the urinary tract, GI tract, and nervous system. It is a wonderful herb for soothing vāta and pitta in that it has nourishing and building qualities, which can subsequently increase kapha. It is helpful in cases of debility, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, general nerve pain, muscle weakness, and general exhaustion or burn out.
Wild yam and vidari have an affinity to the reproductive system and can help to balance hormones in bodies with all kinds of reproductive organs, making it helpful for people experiencing menopause, hormone therapy, or other kinds of hormonal shifts throughout the life cycle. It can support fertility by nourishing the ovum, toning the uterus, and promoting spermatogenesis, and also support lactation.
Bala (country mallow, sida cordifolia)
Bala is a sanskrit word that translates to strength in english. It is super nourishing and strengthening to all of the bodily tissues and has affinity for plasma, muscle, nerve, marrow, and reproductive tissues. It is a great rejuvenative tonic for vāta and pitta, and due to its heavy qualities, can increase kapha when used in excess or improperly combined. Kapha dosha is strong in nature, so if in stable condition does not inherently need extra strength. It is a wonderful herb after giving birth and for people in their wisdom years. I use it in the momma and baby massage oil, which is an equally good massage oil for elders and anyone experiencing debility, fatigue, or recovery. Bala can be supportive for folks experiencing chronic fatigue, muscle spasms or atrophy, nerve discomfort, menstrual disorders, fertility issues, osteoporosis, and osteoarthritis.
Precautions: People experiencing hypertension should use caution if ingesting (eating/drinking) this herb.
Eucalyptus (eucalyptus globulus)
The only product I am currently making with eucalyptus is the Nasya Herbal Nose Oil. Using it in this way, as a steam, or other method of inhalation, eucalyptus can help to cleanse and “disinfect” the respiratory tract, open the bronchi, and free up blocked energy so that prāna (life force energy) can flow. It is effective in alleviating symptoms of cold, flu, sinus infection, and upper respiratory infection. The antiseptic and astringent qualities of eucalyptus make it useful as a topical medicine for mild to moderate wounds and skin sores as well as the treatment of scabies, bed bugs, and fleas. It is also helpful in alleviating inflammation, muscular pain, and arthritis when used topically.
Precautions: People who are pregnant or experience kidney disease should avoid ingesting or eating eucalyptus. In general, moderation and knowledge of the source should be considered when ingesting or eating eucalyptus due to some mild, irritating effects on the GI tract if the older, less fragrant leaves are used. The young, aromatic leaves are best used for internal or external purposes.
Amalaki (emblica officionalis)
A wonderful rejuvenating herb that can strengthen the immune system and nourishes all of the bodily tissues . Amalaki is calming to all of the doshas, and especially pacifying for pitta. It is a rich source of vitamin C and iron, and remains stable even after heating. It can help to calm excess heat and inflammation throughout the entire GI tract while also nourishing bones, teeth, and hair. Amalaki has affinity with the liver, spleen, pancreas, lungs, eyes, and heart.
Precautions: Acute diarrhea that cannot be controlled or managed.
Motherwort (heartwort, leonurus cardiaca)
Motherwort offers a special kind of embrace and can impart a stable fierceness that allows us to step into our authentic selves. With a nourishing coolness this herb can help us tune into the rhythms of the moon and how those rhythms move within our own bodies. Whatever kind of relationship we may have with our own mothers or parental figures, motherwort offers a pure form of mothering we can all benefit from.
Motherwort is considered to be a cardiac tonic, and can have a regulating or calming effect on the heart. The physical heart muscle as well as the heart chakra or energetic heart space. It also has affinity for the nervous system and is useful in calming the entire body-mind-spirit. The pungent quality gives motherwort the ability to move stagnation and blockages, making it helpful for edema, blood clots, cysts, and scanty or absent menses. In consideration of the heart, it is useful to regulate tachycardia, angina, and palpitations. Motherwort can also help to calm convulsions or spasms and relieve nervous tension.
The qualities are bitter, somewhat pungent, and cooling. If used in excess over a long period of time, and without proper combination, it could aggravate vāta, but generally is well received by all constitutions or body types (all doshas). The bitter and cooling qualities make motherwort an ally for people with heat related, menopausal experiences such as hot flashes or night sweats, and is also supportive in regulating mood swings and menopause induced insomnia. Likewise it can be useful in supporting anyone with sleep issues or confusing mood imbalances.
Precautions: Motherwort can cause uterine contractions and should be avoided during pregnancy. It should also be avoided for those who are experiencing excessively heavy menstrual bleeding or too-low blood pressure.
Spearmint (mentha spicata)
Spearmint is cooling to the system, but its’ gentle pungency keeps it from being “too cold”, especially in a well balanced combination, which will be helpful for vāta. It is a nice herb for pitta, in that is can help to stimulate digestion without adding excess heat to the system. Spearmint can help clear a foggy mind and get our circulation moving, which makes it helpful to kapha dosha. It has an affinity to the respiratory, digestive, circulatory, and nervous systems. It is helpful to alleviate inflammation, heartburn, headache, gas, nausea, sinus congestion, sore throat, toothache, cramps, and nervous tension. Applied to the skin, it can help reduce swelling due to nerve or muscle pain (though peppermint may be a stronger more effective herb in this case, due to its’ much higher level of menthol).
Spearmint has a sweet quality, making it more subtle and less pungent than peppermint. You can even see and feel this difference by comparing the fresh leaves of a spearmint plant to those of peppermint. It is more delicate and soft, while still offering a beautifully aromatic minty flavor. Both of these minty beauties (spearmint and peppermint) have something valuable to offer, and tend more toward spearmint when making tea blends. It is generally a lovely harmonizing herb in combination, offering a layer of calm, clarity to the body-mind-spirit.
Turmeric (curcuma longa)
Anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, reduces toxins, improves digestion, strengthens joints and tendons, improves circulation.
Energy: heating
Effect On Doṣa: reduces vāta, pitta, kapha
Ginger (zingiber officinale)
Stimulates digestion, reduces gas, purifies blood, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, eases menstrual cramps, anti-nausea.
Energy: heating
Effect On Doṣa: reduces vāta and kapha, increases pitta
Cumin (cuminum cyminum)
Digestive aid, relieves gas, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, diuretic, flushes out toxins, contains antioxidants and iron.
Energy: mildly heating
Effect On Doṣa: reduces vāta and kapha, neutral for pitta
Coriander (coriandrum sativum)
Relieves gas, diuretic, soothes nausea, aids in treatment of urinary tract, anti-parasitic, calms muscle spasms.
Energy: cooling
Effect On Doṣa: reduces vāta, pitta, kapha
Black Pepper (Piper nigrum)
Stimulates digestion, loosens mucus, improves bioavailability of other herbs, stimulates sweat.
Energy: heating
Effect On Doṣa: reduces vāta and kapha, increases pitta
Nutmeg (myristica fragrans)
Aids digestion, soothes diarrhea and colitis, analgesic, anti-convulsant, sedative, stimulates menstruation, liver tonic.
Energy: heating
Effect On Doṣa: reduces vāta and kapha, increases pitta
Clove (syzygium aromaticum)
Aids digestion, analgesic, aphrodisiac, eases cough, asthma, and hiccups.
Energy: heating
Effect On Dosa: reduces vāta and kapha, increases pitta
Ether
Ether governs space. The qualities are clear, light, and subtle. It is associated with the ears, sound, and hearing. All empty space in the body is connected to the element of ether. The whole universe lives within ether. It is all pervading, omnipresent, eternal, and formless.
Air
Air governs movement. The qualities are mobile, dry, light, cold, rough, and subtle. It is associated with touch, the skin, giving and reeving. The pulsations of the heart, the expansion and contraction of the lungs, and all cellular movement and nerve impulses are connected to the element of air. Nothing moves or changes without air.
Fire
Fire governs transformation. The qualities are hot, sharp, dry, light, and subtle. It is associated with from, vision, and the eyes. Digestion, absorption, assimilation, and transformation of food, experiences, thoughts, and feelings are connected to the element of fire. Fire is the principle of radiance and the manifestation of awareness.
Water
Water governs cohesion. The qualities are heavy, cold, liquid, dull, soft, slimy, and oily. It is associated with taste and the tongue. Plasma, all mucous membranes, synovial fluid, and the lymphatic system are all associated with the element of water. Water is liquefied consciousness, and the medium in which all of the other elements maintain their function.
Earth
Earth governs structure. The qualities are heavy, dull, static, stable, dense, and hard. It is associated with odor, smell, and the nose. The bones, teeth, hair, nails, and all hard tissues of the body are associated with the element of earth. Earth is the crystallization of consciousness, and that which holds all of existence.
Summer
Fullness. Everything visible at once, the love, the grief, the complexity of it all held together. This is presence at its fullest: showing up completely, for someone else or for yourself, without needing to soften what's true.
Spring
New growth alongside grief. Spring reminds us that living and dying are never fully separate, life continues even in the presence of loss. This is a season for tending what's beginning, even while holding what's ending.
Autumn
Letting go. A season of release, of loosening what no longer needs to be held so tightly. In dying, this can be the slow unwinding: saying what needs to be said, and beginning to let go of what comes next.
Winter
Stillness and rest. The quiet after release, before what comes again. In death, this is the space held after someone has gone: not empty, but full of its own kind of presence.
Turmeric (curcuma longa)
Anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, reduces toxins, improves digestion, strengthens joints and tendons, improves circulation.
Energy: heating
Effect On Doṣa: reduces vāta, pitta, kapha
Cumin (cuminum cyminum)
Digestive aid, relieves gas, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, diuretic, flushes out toxins, contains antioxidants and iron.
Energy: mildly heating
Effect On Doṣa: reduces vāta and kapha, neutral for pitta
Fennel (foeniculum vulgare)
Relieves gas and cramping, expectorant, diuretic, treats coughs and hiccups, moves lymph, increases mental alertness, strengthens digestion without creating heat.
Energy: slightly cooling
Effect On Doṣa: reduces vāta, pitta, kapha
Cardamom (elettaria cardamomum)
Mouth freshener, reduces gas, expectorant, aids digestion, relieves asthma and bronchitis, laxative.
Energy: mildly heating
Effect On Doṣa: reduces vāta and kapha, neutral for pitta
Nutmeg (myristica fragrans)
Aids digestion, soothes diarrhea and colitis, analgesic, anti-convulsant, sedative, stimulates menstruation, liver tonic.
Energy: heating
Effect On Doṣa: reduces vāta and kapha, increases pitta
Ginger (zingiber officinale)
Stimulates digestion, reduces gas, purifies blood, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, eases menstrual cramps, anti-nausea.
Energy: heating
Effect On Doṣa: reduces vāta and kapha, increases pitta
Coriander (coriandrum sativum)
Relieves gas, diuretic, soothes nausea, aids in treatment of urinary tract, anti-parasitic, calms muscle spasms.
Energy: cooling
Effect On Doṣa: reduces vāta, pitta, kapha
Black Pepper (Piper nigrum)
Stimulates digestion, loosens mucus, improves bioavailability of other herbs, stimulates sweat.
Energy: heating
Effect On Doṣa: reduces vāta and kapha, increases pitta
Cinnamon (cinnamomum zeylanicum)
Aids digestion, increases appetite, stimulates liver, controls blood sugar, diuretic, expectorant, oil is analgesic.
Energy: heating
Effect On Doṣa: reduces vāta and kapha, increases pitta
Clove (syzygium aromaticum)
Aids digestion, analgesic, aphrodisiac, eases cough, asthma, and hiccups.
Energy: heating
Effect On Dosa: reduces vāta and kapha, increases pitta
Like Increases Like &
Opposites Balance
The concept of like increases like, and opposites balance is foundational to healing within the āyurvedic framework. The idea being that if we add like qualities, those same qualities will increase. If we add opposite qualities, the opposite will serve to balance out the other.
For example, if you have a bowl of cold water and you add ice to it, the water will become even more cold. If you add hot water instead, the water will first become less cold, slowly cooling the more hot water that is added. Soon the water becomes warm, and if you keep adding hot water, it will eventually become hot, which may or may not be what you want.
The idea is that by slowly adding the hot water to the cold water, or in the case of Kitchen Medicine, incorporating foods with hot or warming qualities if excess cold is an issue, you can ease your way back into balance.
When we are able to identify an issue, we can use the lens of the elements, qualities, doshas, or tastes as medicine by incorporating food, herbs, and spices with the opposite qualities of the issue. This can be as simple as noticing that your skin is dry and incorporating more oily, unctuous, and moist foods into the diet, while minimizing dry, rough, and hard foods.
We can also use this simple concept as the healing foundation for chronic health issues such as acid reflux, nausea, migraines, osteoarthritis, or systemic inflammation, as well as during acute illness such as cold, flu, or upset stomach.
For example, if you have a bowl of cold water and you add ice to it, the water will become even more cold. If you add hot water instead, the water will first become less cold, slowly cooling the more hot water that is added. Soon the water becomes warm, and if you keep adding hot water, it will eventually become hot, which may or may not be what you want.
The idea is that by slowly adding the hot water to the cold water, or in the case of Kitchen Medicine, incorporating foods with hot or warming qualities if excess cold is an issue, you can ease your way back into balance.
When we are able to identify an issue, we can use the lens of the elements, qualities, doshas, or tastes as medicine by incorporating food, herbs, and spices with the opposite qualities of the issue. This can be as simple as noticing that your skin is dry and incorporating more oily, unctuous, and moist foods into the diet, while minimizing dry, rough, and hard foods.
We can also use this simple concept as the healing foundation for chronic health issues such as acid reflux, nausea, migraines, osteoarthritis, or systemic inflammation, as well as during acute illness such as cold, flu, or upset stomach.
20 Basic Qualities
10 Pairs Of Opposites
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Building Qualities
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Lightening Qualities
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Heavy
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Light
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Slow, Dull
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Sharp, Penetrating
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Cold
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Hot
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Oily, Unctuous
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Dry
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Smooth
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Rough
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Solid, Dense
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Liquid
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Soft
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Hard
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Static, Stable
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Mobile, Unstable
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Gross, Big
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Subtle
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Slimy, Cloudy, Sticky
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Clear, Non-slimy
The qualities above are used to describe everything in the universe, including nature, food, herbs, substances, events, emotions, mental states, ourselves, and our relationships. These qualities provide a language in which to understand how we feel physically and emotionally, why we feel the way we do, and offer a pathway to restore
or maintain balance as needed.
These ten pairs of opposite qualities (gunas) are in relative relationship to each other and the larger context of the macrocosm. Nothing is absolute, and we consider the relationship between the individual subject and the outside circumstances. While the pairs express extremes on either end, balance is found somewhere in the middle.
or maintain balance as needed.
These ten pairs of opposite qualities (gunas) are in relative relationship to each other and the larger context of the macrocosm. Nothing is absolute, and we consider the relationship between the individual subject and the outside circumstances. While the pairs express extremes on either end, balance is found somewhere in the middle.
Seasonal Medicine In The Kitchen
We are the microcosm within the macrocosm, and as the energy of the day, season, and phase of life fluctuates so do the energies within our own bodies. What is happening outside of us is also happening within us. One of the fundamental principles of āyurveda is that our routines and dietary choices adjust slightly according to which season we are entering or the dominant climatic forces where we live. The doṣas accumulate during the season in which their qualities are most dominant. Adjusting the ingredients in our meals, and using of different herbs and spices medicinally can balance and minimize the effects of this accumulation.
Simply put, when it's cold outside, eat warm, cooked food. When it's hot and humid, bring in some cooler and/or drier foods. If we live in a very windy place (air element and vāta dosha), food with heavy, grounding, and stable qualities (earth element and kapha dosha) might be good medicine. Some of this comes naturally based on what is growing, and most of us tend to feel more excited about soups and stews as we move into fall, and cooler, lighter food in the spring and summer.
Simply put, when it's cold outside, eat warm, cooked food. When it's hot and humid, bring in some cooler and/or drier foods. If we live in a very windy place (air element and vāta dosha), food with heavy, grounding, and stable qualities (earth element and kapha dosha) might be good medicine. Some of this comes naturally based on what is growing, and most of us tend to feel more excited about soups and stews as we move into fall, and cooler, lighter food in the spring and summer.
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