On 12-Jul-05, at 3:11 AM, ayurvedaonline (AT) yahoogroups (DOT) com wrote:

>
> Another wealth of information here.
> IBS being a vata disorder does make it very difficult for me to
> wrap my head around since I have been treated mainly for kapha and to
> some extend Pitta (especially now in summer), so making the
> appropriate dietary adjustments is a real challenge.

you don't need to be treated for pitta because its summer
this is a confusion between preventative measures and therapeutic
measures
you need to focus on the qualities of the illness, which are related to
wind

> I have been following a low glycemic index diet, eating chocolate is
> an emotional nurturing I am well aware off and coffee may be as well.
>
chocolate serves a number of purposes, from modifying brain chemicals
to supplying nutrients like magnesium
try eating just cacoa powder, mixed with vanilla extract, stevia and
hot water - see if this is acceptable
otherwise, avoid it

> I believe that the cause for my problems is a raw food diet I put
> myself on last year, my digestion has never been the same since and my
> spleen is still holding a grudge.

yeah i see a lot of this - i think raw food diets cause big problems in most
people one factor is the ingestion of numerous microorganisms and parasites on
raw vegetables as your digestion improves you can challenge some of these again,
but probably stewed dried fruits (prunes, dates) with spices like ginger and
cardamom are your best bet now- but because u r diabetic you have to eat very
little of this, and maybe prepare it with a little butter,
cream or coconut milk to lower the glycemic index

>
> Vamana dhauti I picked up in reference to a yogic shat karma regime, it was
also suggested to remove excessive kapha in the lungs and bronchies in case of
shortness of beath and asthmatic conditions which I am dealing with on exertion
(unfortunately). I find it helpful though try not to overdue it and use my
discretion - no mucous build-up or shortness of breath meams no dhauti for long
periods of time.

there may be less harsh methods as well, by looking at the foods you
eat the generate mucus (dairy, sugar, flour), and using a few simple
remedies to get rid of excess mucus - yogi teas have a blend called
'breathe deep' with eucalyptus and black pepper which is pretty good;
nadi shodhana, kapalbhati, bhastrika etc.

i think some of these techniques like vamana and vasti end up creating more
problems because they overshoot the mark - we want to create balance, not
reaction - shamana (pacificatory) karma is what we need here

>
> Interesting that neem and karela are too cooling though I know that bitter
flavours tend to be cooling and downward moving, so again I'm guessing that it
may not be a good thing to take during bouts of
> diarrhea, do you suggest to cut them out completely for a while? I do try and
incorporate fennel, cardamom, coriander, ginger and pepper
> into my daily diet, orange peel I'm guessing to regulate qi (Chen
> Pi?)?

due to its panchabhautic composition the action of bitters is not
downward, but spreading and permeating, acting to empty, dry and
lighten, scraping out ama for elimination - however, its effect on the bowel is
similarly light and dry, which can promote constipation and can derange the ENS

a downward action is really only the activity of herbs with lots of
prithvi - thus roots with a bitter taste can have this quality,
although barks will often have this effect

i would keep bitters, but not as the chief herb but more supporting, to sink the
bile, but would choose those that have a comparatively warming activity, like
barberry, turmeric or yellowdock - neem and karela are too cold in my estimation

the aromatics should be helpful - chen pi regulates qi, but doesn't
support it - this is where the "tonic" herbs come in like codonopsis,
astragalus and ginseng

> I have been thinking in terms of spleen qi deficiency yet tend to
> think that it may be more of a large intestine problem? Maybe both? Which to
treat?

it sounds like a spleen qi deficiency, which is combined a vata-kapha
disorder of the upper GIT
often digestive problems begin in the stomach, for e.g. eating raw food is too
cold for the stomach, and can weaken agni
usually the entire GIT needs to be addressed, beginning with what we
put into our mouths, how we chew it under what conditions, and the
actions of the stomach, small intestine and then colon - its rarely
just a "colon" issue

>
> I do have a probiotic manufactured by a local (Vancouver) company
> you may have heard of: Bio Enzyme. Also grainfields drink with
> acidophilus. I try and keep my meds down so I'm not taking these
> things on a regular basis, are you suggesting to only use them with
> constipation then, and to only then use flax seed or isbagol ?

use probiotics periodically, rotating brands and strains during the
constipation phase, and lay off during the diarrhea phase; fibers are
best taken during this time too


> Is there anything I can use to substitute gan cao in the formula you
> gave? I know it is important to harmonize the formula though the
> taste and smell of licorice makes me gag, I think that is why I try to
> stay away from most chinese formulas now though for years I have been
> taking them while I was going to a college of TCM.

try ginger instead, or maybe a mint like spearmint
as tinctures, you might try to get them from a western-type herbalist
there used to be a store self heal herbs on the island - if not, you
can get this from gaia garden in vancouver


best...
Todd Caldecott
todd@...
www.toddcaldecott.com