Q re heartburn & pregnancy from JOY

[Guest guest]

Susan Joy Schleef

Martha,

This was just posted on the Ortho-Bionomy email list. Do you have any

input on this, perhaps from an e.o. perspective? If you send me

something, I can forward it to the OB list.

Joy

 

Joy,

As my training is peripheral around pregnancy medicine, I can only

report from others and what I would do, which includes using fennel

oil on the tummy, several drops ( " dilute with 1-2X carrier oil " to be

sure there is no reaction, and this only if the oils are organic) I'd

also add a drop or 2 to a liter or more of drinking water along with 1

drop peppermint; these are things my son and I have played with for a

long time, and I have used very effectively with pregnant clients;

quite safe when well diluted, quite cooling, and pitta reducing.

 

Ayurveda does have good this for that medicine, for sure, as below,

but I would prefer to also address cause; check her diet, lifestyle

and vikruti issues both for more effective relief of symptoms and for

eliminating cause and the other health effects of the same cause not

even discussed here.

 

I can report many of the factors we would look at from Dr. Vasant

Lad's books, The Complete Book of Ayurvedic Home REmedies, and

Ayurvedic Cooking for Self Healing co-authored by his wife Usha.

Heartburn happens easily with a tummy pushed by baby, so smaller meals

is of course inticated, but food combining can be a significant

aggravator, as is usually, an over hot digestive fire we call tikshna

agni.

 

On page 42 Ayurv cooking for self Healing discusses more deeply causes

and symptoms in the client's history often linked such as anger,

irritability, hot flashes, hypoglycemia, hate, envy, pain in liver,

nausea, vomiting, judgemental or critical tendencies, intense cravings

for candy, cookies, chocolate. Dry throat, lips and palate after

eating along with the heartburn all these things tend to go together,

symptoms of high fiery nature or habits.

 

Dietarily these include eating hot spicey foods, tomato and other sour

foods and drinks, red meats, lots of fried foods and other hard to

digest foods and heavily salted things. Not that we don't need some,

but especially during pregnancy, and with a more pitta/passionate body

type the tendency will be stronger for heartburn. Actually, even

drinking iced water with large meals can aggravate, or just the

tendency to overeat which is also present with tiksha agni.

 

Dr. Lad's suggestions which are appropriate (from both mentioned

books) for pregnant women include:

 

Use of more pitta reducing seasonings such as fennel, coriander,

cilantro, coconut, cumin, mint, rose.

Follow pitta pacifying diet, available online at www.mapi.com and

other ayurvedic websites, or better consult an ayurvedic physician

such as listed at www.sacredwindow.com/resources.html

Strictly avoid all hot spicy food.

No pickles, no fermented food.

Minimize or cut out citrus fruit and sour fruit.

Avoid overeating, take smaller meals.

For acid indigeston (I do not know the difference here from heartburn,

just reporting), take juice of 1/4 lime, mixed with 1 cup warm water

and 1 teaspoon rock candy or organic sugar.

For acute indigeston or heartburn, Into a cup of room temp water add

10 drops lime juice, 1/2 tsp organic sugar and 1/4 tsp baking soda.

Add soda last. Immediately drink the effervescent brew to neutralize

the acid stomach.

For heartburn, nausea or hyperacidity, take 1/2 lime and hold it on a

fork or stick over a flame. Put 1/4 tsp sugar and pinch of baking

soda on the lime. Let the fire penetrate the skin, charring it a

little. Cool and chew this up, skin and all! Also helpful for

headache, motion sickness, and morning sickness.

In season and as long as there is NOT diarrhea, enjoy fresh figs - eat

several at a time and take no water after for at least an hour.

 

Aloe vera is contra indicated during pregnancy, due to some tendency

to increase apana vata, the downward energy contributing to

elimination and childbirth, otherwise great medicine in gel form with

pinch baking soda for immediate relief.

 

I hope this discussion helps both for relief and for the bigger

picture, health for longevity, vitality, and healthy happiest babies!

 

Warm REgards;

Ysha (Martha)

 

Martha Oakes, D.Ayur.; Postpartum AyurDoula 14 Years

Sacred Window - Ayurveda for Mothers and Children

Care, Training, Aromatherapy

" 42 Days for 42 Years - The Keys to Rejuvenation After Childbirth "

PO Box 786, Fairfield, Iowa 52556

641 - 472-1695

www.sacredwindow.com