Healthy
Digestion: What's Your Dosha?
by
Kathy Kornblum |
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To
improve our digestion and overall health we are supposed to
“Eat Well.” But what does that really mean? I have
found in my practice that each body is unique and the answer
is individual.
There
are three main theoretical frameworks that I draw from to help
myself and clients determine an individualized healthy diet.
The first is Ayurveda, a healing philosophy
originated in India. Drawing from the five elements of earth,
fire, water, air, and space, there are three primary life forces,
or doshas called Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Vata is a combination
of air and space. Pitta combines fire and water, and Kapha combines
water and earth.
Most
of us are one primary dosha with aspects of the other two. The
vata body type tends to be tall, thin, and dry, think of air.
Pitta’s are medium build, run hot, and are strong. Kaphas
are bigger boned, less active, and run cold and damp; earth
and water. Using these concepts one can determine which foods
might be nourishing and which irritating. For example, I describe
my body type as primarily Pitta. I tend to run hot, and damp
or phlemy. Hot foods are irritating to my system as are damp
foods such as cheese. A vata person is often irritated by cold
and dry foods such as cereal with cold milk. Kapha’s tend
to be cold and damp, so oily, creamy and sweet foods such as
ice cream are generally not good for them.
Using
tastes, we can have an idea of how foods affect the body. Bitter
foods and sweet foods are generally cooling. Salty foods are
warming and moistening. Pungent foods, such as ginger and many
other spices, are warming and drying. Sour foods are often warming.
Astringent foods, such as cranberries and apples are drying.
Pitta’s do well with sweet foods like carrots, sweet fruit,
grains and bitter foods. Vata’s do best with warming and
oily foods such as a stir fry with spices and olive oil drizzled
on top. Finally, Kapha’s do well with pungent, stimulating,
and astringent foods. Cranberries with cloves and cinnamon for
example, spicey beans, and full flavored stews.
The
second theoretical framework I sometimes draw from is The “Blood
Type Diet” theorized by James D’Adamo and his son.
According to them, our blood type indicates our ancestry and
thus the foods that are nourishing and those that are depleting.
People with O blood types often require diets with high amounts
of vegetables and animal proteins. People with blood type A
can handle more grains, vegetable, and less animal proteins.
People with blood type B and AB fall somewhere in between and
thrive on the most varied diets. I don’t follow their concepts
completely but I have found the overall framework to be useful.
Their books are interesting to read.
The
last concept in determining which foods are best for you is
internal wisdom. Listen to your own body, what is nourishing
and what is irritating. What are you being invited to eat from
spiritual aspects of yourself. Be careful of the part of yourself
that is drawn to chips and cookies. What does the deeper part
of you crave? Often times a craving for sweets is actually a
craving for more protein. Note your primary dosha, what is your
blood type and what intuitively feels right to eat. Good luck
on your journey, I will be continuing this series of healthy
digestion in the next issue. Good luck finding your unique diet
that will facilitate healthy digestion, absorption, and overall
good health.
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