Spring Clean Your Body With Ayurveda!

When the Spring season comes around, the liver can become congested with fat as the begins its own natural detoxification cycle. In order to assist the body we can aid in the purge of fat soluble toxins, flush bile and encourage weight loss in the process. The following list of foods is a great resource for you to complete your own detoxification regimen in the comfort of your own home. Try adding these foods to your diet for at least 5 days and take note of the difference in your body. Good luck and Happy Spring Cleaning!

To Drink

Drink plenty of Warm Water or CCF Tea through out the day. This will help to flush toxins out of the body through your urine.

Eat Ama-Reducing Foods

Ama are toxins that build up in the body due to an improper lifestyle or diet. Too much Ama provides a fertile breeding ground for disease. The foods listed below will help to reduce the Ama building in your body.

• Fruits – Grapefruit, Lemon

• Vegetables – Cabbage, Cauliflower, Broccoli, Radish, Daikon Radish

• Beans – Green Beans, Chickpeas, Black Beans, Pinto Beans, Lentils, Navy Beans

• Bitter Greens – Kale, Chard, Collards, Sprouts, Asparagus, Arugula, Dandelion, Fresh Parsley, Fresh Tarragon

• Grains – Quinoa, Barley, Millet

• Protein – Pumpkin Seeds, Fish, Poultry

• Spices – Turmeric, Fresh Ginger, Raw Chopped Scallions

• Oils – Uncooked Olive Oil

Foods to Eliminate

• Refined sugar and flour products

• Canned, leftover, processed, and microwaved foods

• Fermented foods, including pickles and vinegar

• Fried foods

• Alcohol

• Caffeine

Acid Reflux & How To End It

Is acid reflux sneaking up on you during your day to day activities? Are those little antacid tablets not doing the trick? Let's see if Ayurveda can help remedy your stomach woes.

What is Acid Reflux? According to Mayoclinic, Acid reflux is the backward flow of stomach acid into the esophagus — the tube that connects the throat and stomach. Acid reflux is more specifically known as gastroesophageal reflux. During an episode of acid reflux, you may taste regurgitated food or sour liquid at the back of your mouth or feel a burning sensation in your chest (heartburn). (Mayoclinic) Occasional acid reflux can be eased with simple lifestyle changes such as: losing excess weight, avoiding foods that trigger heartburn, eating smaller meals, and possibly avoiding nicotine and heartburn. However, chronic acid reflux occurring on a weekly basis is a sign of a deeper imbalance and, if left untreated, could be a sign of a much larger issue.

Often, the common the remedy for acid reflux is to take an antacid which will indeed help the symptoms but not get to the root of the problem. It might also lead to more acid in the future. The Ayurvedic Tradition recommends that we determine the root cause of acid reflux and treat that accordingly in order to create balance in the body. A preventative approach is always the approach in the long run. Below, we will present several kinds of acid reflux that could be bothering you and how to treat them.

Hypoacidity:

Hypoacidity, also known as Hypochlorhydria, is a condition caused by the stomach being unable to produce hydrochloric acid. The cause of Hypoacidity includes: acid blocking drugs, loss of chloride, sodium and zinc through sweat, loss of hydrogen, also protein deficient diets. Symptoms of Hypoacidity include: bloating, gas, abdominal tightness, heartburn, indigestion, undigested food in stools, constipation abdominal cramping, foul smelling gas, and halitosis.

Hyperacidity:

Hyperacidity, also called Acid Dyspepsia, is a medical condition in which the stomach secretes too much acid. The cause is generally medications, alcohol, smoking, a stressful lifestyle and eating habits. There are many symptoms of hyperacidity: Raspatory issues, coughing, vomiting, heartburn, stomach and chest pain, flatulence and bloating, stomach ulcers, pain in ears, Gastroesophageal reflux, Pain in muscular contraction.

Gastritis:

Gastritis is a general term for a group of conditions with one thing in common: inflammation of the lining of the stomach. The inflammation of gastritis is most often the result of infection with the same bacterium that causes most stomach ulcers. (Mayoclinic) Gastritis can be caused by drinking too much alcohol, eating spicy food, smoking, extreme stress, long-term use of aspirin and over-the-counter NSAIDs as well as: infections caused by bacteria and viruses. Symptoms of gastritis can include: nausea, vomiting, and a burning pain in the upper GI Tract.

Overwhelmed Stomach:

Overwhelmed Stomach or Food Stagnation is caused when we don’t properly digest our foods, they sit stagnate in our stomachs and we accumulate toxic material, Ama. Food stagnation does not allow us to absorb the bodies necessary nutrients, vitamins that it would normally benefit from food. Overeating sweet, rich, oily foods such as ice cream, wheat and cheese can cause food stagnation. They can cause mucus to accumulate and slow down digestion, creating more issues in the stomach, leading people to believe they have heart troubles. Food stagnation can be caused for dehydration in the body which takes moisture away from the intestines and stomach or heat in warm climates which focuses heat and energy to cool your skin and causes a loss of blood flow to your organs. Symptoms of Food Stagnation can Include: Nausea, Loos of Appetite at Breakfast, Gas and Bloating, Dehydration.

Ayurvedic Solutions for Acid Reflux:

Now that you know of several possible causes for your acid reflux, you can take a look at these solutions with some knowledge.

1. Eat your largest meal between 10am and 2pm. This is the Pitta period, when the digestive fire burns strongest and digestive enzymes are working their hardest.

2. Eat mindfully. Eat Fresh. Eat foods for you your Dosha.

3. Avoid acidic foods. Foods such as: grapefruit, orange, tomatoes, raw onions, as well as cheeses will create and imbalance in your stomach.

4. Keep a gap of at least 2 hours between meal time and bed time. This will allow your food to digest properly. And be sure to get enough sleep.

5. Fresh Coconut Water will give you quick relief of acid reflux.

6. Avoid drinking chilled water. Drink warm water with fresh ginger throughout the day.

7. Add a teaspoon of warm ghee (clarified butter) to a glass of milk and drink this before bedtime. This will coat the stomach as a protective barrier against an acid attack.

8. A popular remedy is to eat ¼ teaspoon baked fennel seeds after meals.

9. Avoid high stress situations as our body is connected to the mind and can react to outside stimuli.

10. Drink Pomegranate Juice, while it tastes sour, it is actually astringent and will help to balance Pitta.

Good luck to you and your stomach! The journey is long. Seek balance.

How To Sweeten Your Life

In Ayurveda sweet flavors are associated with love, sharing, compassion and joy. We know this by how much we crave them and the emotional release we get when we eat them. We taste sugary flavors with the tip of our tongues. Sweet foods are well tolerated by Pitta Dosha and Vata Dosha. Sweet foods aggravate Kapha Dosha.

Americans however, over-consume sweet and sugary foods. According to the Center for Disease Control “The leading sources of added sugars in the U.S. diet are sugar-sweetened beverages, grain-based desserts like cakes and cookies, candy, and dairy desserts like ice cream.” Therefore, It’s important to know which sweeteners are best for our bodies.

Refined White Sugar

This sweet crystalline substance is extracted from sugarcane. This processed sugar gets its sweetness from sucrose, which is broken down by the body into an even ratio of glucose and fructose.

Evaporated Cane Juice

Evaporated Cane Juice is created by crushing sugar cane to extract the juice, then purifying that juice, removing the water and turning it into fine crystals. However, unlike refined sugar it still contains a bit of molasses. Otherwise, Evaporated Cane Juice is the sister of your table sugar.

Palm Sugar

Palm Sugar is a sweetener from any type of palm tree. Sources of Palm Sugar include: sources of palm sugar are the Palmyra, date, nipa, sugar and coconut palms. It is produced by boiling collected sap until it thickens.

Honey

Bees produce honey from floral nectar or other insects (aphid honeydew) through regurgitation, enzymatic activity, and water evaporation. The honey is stored in honeycombs and then harvested by humans. Honey can be purchased raw/unfiltered or further processed.

Maple Syrup

Maple syrup is made from the xylem sap of sugar maple, red maple as well as black maple trees. Sap is extracted by drilling holes into their trunks, the syrup is then processed by heating to evaporate much of the water, leaving the concentrated syrup.

Stevia

The sweetener, Stevia, is extracted from the leaves of the plant Stevia rebaudiana. Steviol Glycosides are up to 150 times the sweetness of Sugar. Stevia has 0 calories and has little affect on diabetes.

Sugar Alcohols

Sugar Alcohols are found in fruits and berries. The carbohydrates in the foods are altered through a chemical process into Sugar Alcohols more commonly know as: sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, isomalt, and hydrogenated starch hydrolysates. The benefit of this Sugar substitute is that it is not well absorbed into the body and that it operates as a laxative. The negative is that “sugar-free” or “diabetic” foods do contain these sugar alcohols which do, in-fact, elevate blood sugar levels.

Agave Nectar

Agave Nectar is made by extracting sap from the Pina (the center of the Agave plant) filtering it, then heating it at a low temperature. This process breaks down carbohydrates to sugars. Low temperatures are used in the processing of Agave, which is why it is considered a “raw” food. Agave Nectar is considered “Low Glycemic” meaning that it won’t trigger the body’s mechanism for fat storage.

Agave Syrup

Agave Syrup is modified to be no different than High Fructose Corn Syrup.

Brown Rice Syrup

Also known as “Rice Syrup” or “Rice Malt” is derived by culturing cooked rice starch followed by further processing. Studies have shown Brown Rice Syrup to contain significant amounts of Arsenic.

What does it all mean? Sugar is complex. You should try to limit your contact with any sweetener that is processed further than 1 to 2 steps. Raw Honey is a great Ayurvedic alternative to processed sugars. The Center for Disease Control suggests “Reducing the amount of sugary drinks and sugary foods each day and replacing these with plain water and fruit might be a good way to reduce added sugars intake.” Use whole fruits as a sweetener rather than using a sweetener. You’d be surprised at the amount of flavor a raisin or date can add to a bowl of oatmeal. Lastly, limit your intake of sweet foods. Treat yourself once a week rather than once a day and when you do, make that treat high quality. Really indulge in a decadent piece of cake or truffle don’t waste your craving on something that you know you won’t be satisfied with.

Happy Eating!