causes of mucous and rashes, part 4

[Guest guest]

Foods that directly or indirectly may contribute to increase mucous -

Some of these things are well known, some may be a " new " angle.

 

1. (in addition to previously posted causes)

2. gluten rich foods, (especially yeasted breads).

3. processed grains, (especially if not toasted nor helped with spices

etc)

4. dairy, especially cold

5. processed sweets, worse without the balancing good fats and protein

6. old foods, cold foods, canned, frozen.

7. excess sweet, creamy, heavy, carb tastes in general, even the

" good " ones sometimes.

8. Excess balance of acid forming foods vs alkaline foods. Note, the

contemporary alternative medicine approach is really big on this.

Ayurveda feels it is overblown, so do I by experience.

9. HOWEVER, when lots of holiday foods, sweets, heavy meats, and all

add up, the body may become prone to mucous.

10. Undoubtedly, I've missed something.

 

Foods for balance/reducing mucous

 

1. Most fermented or cultured foods increase digestive enzymes and

digestibility. (alchohol, maybe kefir & yoghurt, sourkraut, miso,

tempeh (vs tofu), pickles etc. Not so cheese.

2. Hot spicy foods and seasonings, including salsas, garlic, chiles,

cayenne, etc. Minimize or balance for these with rash!

3. middle of the road spices that support digstion, use in foods for

all meals (cumin, coriander, fennel, caraway, basil, thyme, oregano,

baking spices, et al)

4. Soups are best at this time as they support body's cleansing.- more

clear brothed ones, tomato based may be fine, pureed carrot usually

great especially for immune compromosed (more vit A in well cooked

than raw or crisp cooked!)

5. And the DANCE - Yet as elsewhere in this doc, drying foods often

may help or be needed. Crackers, rice cakes or tortillas instead of

leavened esp untoasted bread is among many subtleties.

6. citrus juices, hot apple spiced cider, fresh squzzzeds, vegetable

juices

7. keep bowels open with warm, moist, oily foods mostly not drying

branny things unless liver is showing too much fat and heat already or

with those overweight often need dry

8. Stewed fruits vs dried are more cleansing and alkalizing than

dried. Also, toast in soup instead of alone.. goes deeper than I'm

ready here.

9. pungent (spicy) dries it by heat esp stomach digestion, bitter

dries it by cool esp liver digestion, salt liquifies it, some sour

cuts and moves it

 

Best - Ysha

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the info Ysha!

 

Another way to look at it is mucus being related to Kapha - with

qualities of cold, wet, dull, heavy, and cloudy/sticky.

 

Foods with those qualities will increase Kapha and provoke mucus

production, especially in Kapha-predominant people, and kids in general

(who are going through kapha phase of life).

 

The opposite qualities reduce Kapha - and mucus - these being hot, dry,

sharp, light, and clear. Think, for example, black pepper!

 

Some grains can have variable qualities - e.g. fresh-harvested rice can

be stodgy and mucus-forming, while 2-year-old basmati rice is dry and

light.

 

Also think stimulating exercise, dry heat, warming massage. Warm packs

on the chest, and rubbing with hot Karpuradi thaila (sesame/coconut oil

with camphor), help with coughs, mucus and asthma.

 

Some obvious mucus-producing foods can be balanced by heating them, e.g.

milk, and combining with particular mucus-preventing spices, e.g.

cardamom and ginger.

 

A number of my clients with morning mucus and congestion have responded

really well by shifting their main meal to lunchtime, and having a light

meal (e.g. soup) at dinnertime.

 

Kapha people who are prone to mucus, but otherwise in good health,

benefit from regular vomiting - a yogic cleansing technique called

Kunjala. Drink a litre of warm water with 2 tspns salt, or a litre of

licorice tea. Then tickle the back of the tongue and voila! Do it until

all the fluid has been evacuated, usually accompanied by copious amounts

of mucus. Follow with a cup of ginger tea or similar to soothe the

system.

 

Hope this helps your " treatise " !

 

Best wishes,

Gerald Lopez

Auckland, New Zealand

www.ScienceOfLife.co.nz <http://scienceoflife.co.nz>

 

 

ayurveda , " Ysha Oakes " <AyurDoulas

wrote:

>

> Foods that directly or indirectly may contribute to increase mucous -

> Some of these things are well known, some may be a " new " angle.

>

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Hi Gerald -

 

Definitely helps the treatise for general Ayurveda, and helps

emphasise the dominant things for most people. The detailitis I went

to was due to some of the other reasons I've also seen with my 90 year

mom - who though having kapha aggravation in the lungs from combo of

inability/unwillingness to exercise sleeping though most of BOTH kapha

times of day now, and many other things on the lists, is thin and

needs building foods including to some extent kaphagenics. As well as

the black pepper and all that.

 

It is sometimes quite straightforward like your description, and

sometimes quite a dance where you can and have to look at things kinda

sideways also! Neither fragile elders nor early weeks' postpartum (or

pregnant) moms would be advised to do any vomiting therapies of course

either. And when it is not a client (who has experessed willingness

to do whatever you recommend) it is often the case we have to look at

it all and find where they will be compliant, what's in their kitchen

cabinets for today, what they can afford, or otherwise are able to do.

I " m sure you also find this is the case.

 

I enjoy the puzzle, as long as I get the opportunity to actually play

it out. Now my mother's live-in whom all the family prefer to keep for

good reasons otherwise, is not really up to speed with enough Ayurveda

or willingness to learn from what was originally composed for her ...

and Mom is going slowly downhill again. It is her time and her karma,

there is only so much any can do sometimes.

 

The very simple warm damp heat on her chest gives her great comfort

and relief. It is her time of life when vata is so high naturally,

the warm & moist are two of the qualities that pacify for her both

vata and the kapha in her lungs. (Old anxiety constricts). Vata and

kapha both respond so well to warmth. The sticky mucous loosens with

it too. It is wonderful to feel Mom's whole manner shift, relax, and

her breath get deeper and fuller.

 

The use of heat treatments after childbirth does wonders similarly.

In our practice we use hot water bottles, on key areas sometimes

including chest if congested, otherwise focusing on lower back and

belly. Not about mucous, definitely about reducing vata and

supporting comfort and circulation.

 

Thank you for summarizing back to simples. These words are key, even

when sometimes the plot has thickened ... and looking at more layers

may be helpful!

 

Namaste -

Ysha

 

> Another way to look at it is mucus being related to Kapha - with

> qualities of cold, wet, dull, heavy, and cloudy/sticky.

>

> Foods with those qualities will increase Kapha and provoke mucus

> production, especially in Kapha-predominant people, and kids in

general (who are going through kapha phase of life).

>

> The opposite qualities reduce Kapha - and mucus - these being hot,

dry, sharp, light, and clear. Think, for example, black pepper!