Why cleanse the colon? | | Seasonal Kapha RecommendationsKapha Season – Winter/Spring 2006Kapha-Reducing Lifestyle Tips | To counter the slow, heavy and static nature of Kapha and the Kapha season we need to introduce quick, light and mobile activities into our lifestyle to help avoid imbalances. | | If you are feeling stuck in a rut, mentally slow, heavy and more tired than usual, now is the time to vary your daily routine, start something new, or go someplace exciting. | | Enjoy the sunrise. Excess sleep with aggravate Kapha, so get up early and avoid sleeping in. | | Regular exercise is very important. The more prone you are to Kapha imbalances, the more vigorous the exercise should be. | | Movement is great for Kapha, so run, bike, jump, skip and play as much as you can. | | Challenging exercises that avoid repetition and stimulate the mind like tennis, aerobics, various styles of yoga and martial arts are especially good for balancing Kapha. | | Us the power of your mind to combat inertia. Turn off the TV and read something inspiring, set goals and get busy achieving them. | | Stay warm and dry, but be sure to get outside, breathe fresh air and enjoy some sunshine. | | Enjoy lively music, dance, sing and celebrate life. | | Dress in stimulating colors like red, orange, yellow or green. | | Dry heat (sauna) is great for reducing Kapha. | | Take Triphala on a daily basis, especially if you are prone to constipation. | | Encourage yourself to be generous, flexible, and open to change. | | Spend plenty of time with loved ones and friends. Loneliness and depression are common Kapha emotional imbalances. | | Make a little extra time to take special care of yourself. Get a stimulating massage, meditation, and take your herbs. | | Follow a Kapha-reducing diet. |
Diet Tips& RecommendationAs we move from winter to spring, we should move from a vata-pacifying
routine to a Kapha-pacifying one: | In the winter we emphasize warm, heavy, an oily foods, as spring approaches, taper your intake of heavy and oily foods and begin to favor warm foods that are light and dry. | | Begin to move away from foods that are sweet, sour and salty and slowly reintroduce foods that are spice, bitter, and astringent. | | As spring arrives it is best to avoid dairy products altogether, especially if you are prone to congestion, instead choose soy or rice milk. | | If you must have cow’s milk, drink it warm and add a little turmeric or ginger to reduce its Kapha-aggravating qualities. | | Reduce heavy or sour fruits like oranges, bananas, pineapples, figs and melons. As they become available eat cherries, blueberries, strawberries and other berries, and dried fruits such as raisins and prunes. | | Avoid sweeteners except uncooked honey and reduce sugar products, as they will tend to increase Kapha. | | Eat beans and lentils. Tofu is OK in moderation. | | Reduce your intake of nuts and nut butters. | | Favor barley, buckwheat, corn, rye and millet. Minimize your use of wheat and rice. | | Enjoy all types of spices and spicy foods, but avoid salt. Salt aggravates Kapha by causing the body to retain moisture. | | Eat bitter greens like radicchio, arugula, endive, dandelion greens and cabbage. | | Vegetables to favor include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, green chilies, garlic and onions. Avoid tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet potatoes and zucchini. | | For non-vegetarians, white meat from chicken or turkey is fine. Freshwater fish are all right in moderation. Reduce intake of seafood, pork and red meat. Eggs are OK in moderation, but not fried, since oil and butter will aggravate Kapha. | | Reduce use of oils. Use mainly corn, safflower, sunflower and soybean oil or ghee (clarified butter). | | Take Trikatu after meals to promote healthy digestion and eliminate excess Kapha from the GI tract. (link to herbs) | | As in all seasons, eat hot, freshly cooked meals whenever possible and avoid leftovers and frozen foods. | | Also drink warm water and beverages and avoid cold or iced drinks. |
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Seasonal Kapha RecommendationsKapha Season – Winter/Spring 2006
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