Ayurveda Article - Weight Imbalance On Account of Pitta

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The Ayurvedic Approach to Weight Management:

 

Tips for Pitta-related Weight Imbalances

You would think that since Pitta dosha is associated with the fire

element, a person with high Pitta would not have any problem burning

up carbohydrates and sugars.

Yet if the person doesn't take care of the digestion, that can create

problems. For instance, if someone who is predominantly Pitta by

nature skips breakfast or other meals, that can create ama, digestive

impurities, because the digestive fire becomes too strong. In this

situation, stomach acids can "burn" the food and even damage the

stomach.

To understand how this happens, think of setting an empty pot on the

stove. The heat is on, but there's nothing to cook. Instead, the pot

itself gets burned. In the same way, if you have a strong digestive

fire but you don't feed it regularly, then the digestive enzymes go

out of balance, burn the food and create ama the next time you eat.

Many people with high Pitta dosha are overweight, precisely because

they are not eating regularly and as a result ama has coated their

digestive system. When ama blocks the channels of digestion and the

channels that circulate nutrients throughout the body, then

metabolism slows down and weight gain results.

In this case, the added factor of hyperacidity creates additional

problems, because the Pitta type's fiery digestion tries to

overcompensate for the ama and blocked channels by producing more

acidity. The person may take an over-the-counter antacid, but still

they gain weight because the body is now clogged with ama, and the

antacid does not address the underlying cause.

In this situation, the person should be really careful and consult an

expert in Maharishi Ayurveda, because it is very important to repair

the pot first, so to speak, and stop the damage to the stomach area

from excess digestive acids.

 

Dietary Recommendations

First of all, the person with high Pitta should get into the habit of

eating three meals a day, starting with breakfast. This is very

important, as otherwise the stomach will continue to be burned by

digestive acids. Eating a cooked apple or pears with cooked prunes or

figs for breakfast is a good idea, because it will soothe the

digestive fire but not overload it. Raw pears or other sweet, juicy

fruits are also good for people with high Pitta. Other recommended

breakfast ideas include a cup of milk boiled with a pinch of powdered

licorice and then cooled, or cooked oatmeal.

A vegetable that is good for weight management is daikon radish. This

white radish can be grated and added to dhal soups for a mildly spicy

flavor. Include sweet vegetables for lunch and dinner, such as

squashes that are white inside (zucchini, loki or yellow squash).

Steam them well and then sauté them in ghee with mild, cooling

spices

such as powdered fennel, small amounts of cumin and small amounts of

turmeric. You can add 1-2 cloves to dhal soups, vegetables or grains

as you cook them, because even though clove seems to be pungent and

sharp, it actually has a cooling effect if you cook with it but don't

chew it.

You can also boil water and let it steep with licorice root and

fennel seed. Drink it throughout the day to help digestion and cool

Pitta dosha. Licorice pacifies Pitta dosha, and fennel opens the

channels of digestion and circulation without aggravating Pitta.

(Please note: If you have high blood pressure or are retaining water,

licorice is not recommended--consult an expert trained in Maharishi

Ayurveda.) Yellow split mung dhal is a good source of protein when

cooked as a soup with spices. Quinoa and basmati rice, cooked with a

little olive oil or ghee, are recommended grains. If you are

overweight, and wonder why ghee or olive oil is recommended in

cooking, remember that in this case the stomach has been damaged by

hyperacidity, and healthy fats such as ghee and olive oil will

lubricate the area and help repair the damage. For a more detailed

list of Pitta-pacifying foods, visit <www.mapi.com> and click on the

Pitta icon.

Avoid eating pungent spices such as chilies, cayenne, and black

mustard seed. These will only increase the acidity. A person in this

situation may be drawn to heavy, cold, sweet foods to cool the

acidity. But heavy, cold foods will only make the problem worse by

creating more ama and blocking the channels of digestion and

metabolism. It's better to cool the digestive fire by cooking with

cooling spices, eating light desserts with your meal such as fruit

crisps, and by drinking light dairy drinks such as sweet lassi.

 

Sleep is Important

People who are predominantly Pitta should go to sleep before the

Pitta time of the evening (10:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.). Even if you feel

like you have a lot of energy then, or feel more creative, it's not a

good idea to stay awake during the Pitta time of night, because this

only aggravates Pitta dosha further. And if you stay awake during the

Pitta time of night, you will invariably get hungry and thirsty and

may eat packaged cookies or salty snacks, or drink soft drinks or

alcohol. All of these things will only disturb Pitta dosha further

and contribute to weight gain.

 

 

 

Note : This ayurvedic information is educational and is not intended

to replace standard medical care or advice.

Copyright MAPI, 2002.

 

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