Ayurveda, known as the “science of life” is a holistic alternative health approach that originated in India, and is over 5000 years old.According to Ayurveda, people are made up of different combinations of the primary elements of air, fire and water. Corresponding to these are the three “doshas” or health constitutions in a person’s body. These are Kapha (Water), Vata (Air), and Pitta (Fire). Health is achieved through the ongoing balancing of these doshas within the body. When a dosha is out of balance, corresponding health problems can occur.A key ingredient in achieving this balance is diet, and eating foods that help to balance the other doshas. If you are seeking to increase your intake of Kapha foods, here are some helpful steps in evaluating and choosing them.
Instructions
Selecting Foods to Increase Your Kapha
1. Understand food energetics. Each food has a combination of energetics. This means they they have the ability to increase, lower, or have no real effect on any one more of the three doshas, Vata, Pitta and Kapha. When selecting a Kapha food, you are looking for those that increase Kapha, and preferably lower Vata and Pitta. If you are using an Ayurvedic guide, food energetics are often denoted as V, P, K. K+ means "increases Kapha."
2. Choose from among the following fruits to help increase your Kapha. Cranberries, Dates, raw Figs, Grapes, Limes, Melons, Oranges, Papaya, Peaches, Plums, and Tangerines.
3. Choose from among the following vegetables to help increase your Kapha. Root Vegetables tend to be more Kapha. These include Artichokes, Avocados, Beets, Cucumber, Winter Squash, Sweet Potatoes, and Yams, and raw Tomatoes.
4. Choose from among the following grains, legumes and nuts to help increase your Kapha. Oats, Rice, Wheat, Mung Bean, Soy, Almonds, Brazil Nuts, Cashews, Coconut, Macadamias, Pecans, Pinons, Sesame, and Walnuts.
5. Increase consumption of meat, fish and dairy products, all of which tend to be high in Kapha. However, this should be done in moderation, particularly if you are watching your weight and cholesterol levels.
6. Reduce your consumption of other foods that are high in Vata and Pitta to help increase your Kapha.
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