Eating for your Constitution

Please see the Ayurvedic Institute’s complete Dietary Guide so that you can start to become aware of foods that will help balance your constitution.

Throughout the program, it might be nice for you to introduce herbs into your diet. Herbal teas are a great and safe way to incorporate them. For example, Spicy teas, like ginger, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, orange peel, cloves, sage, mint, and chamomile, stimulate digestion and circulation. They are good for Vata and Kapha. Astringent teas, like alfalfa, dandelion, chicory, strawberry leaf, nettles, and hibiscus, are antacid, alterative, and good for Pitta and Kapha. They are best taken after meals.

Here is a list of ayurvedic herbs and their uses:

ANALGESICS (Stopping pain and cramping)

Turmeric, camomile, prickly ash, cloves, wintergreen, guggul, prasarani, sallaki

HERBAL ANTIBIOTICS (General antibacterial and antiviral action to treat infections, also mainly bitters)

Echinacea, golden seal, neem, katuka, pau darco

ASTRINGENTS (Stopping bleeding, diarrhea or sweating)

Agrimony, plantain, red raspberry leaf, white oak bark, turmeric, arjuna

HERBAL BITTERS (Cleansing the blood and lymphatics, countering obesity and regulating sugar and fat metabolism)

Barberry, gentian, golden seal, katuka, uva ursi, aloe, katuka

CARMINATIVES (Intestinal gas, bloating, cramping, diarrhea, malabsorption, vomiting)

Cardamom, fennel, fresh ginger, nutmeg, orange peel, basil, cloves

DIAPHORETICS (Colds, flus, sinus or lung congestion, chills)

Cinnamon, fresh ginger, peppermint, sage, yarrow, eucalyptus, mint

DIURETICS (Edema, painful, difficult or burning urination, urinary tract infections)

Coriander, corn silk, horsetail, lemon grass, parsley, punarnava, gokshura

EMMENAGOGUES (Promoting or easing menstruation and cleansing the uterus)

Motherwort, pennyroyal, rosemary, safflower, cramp bark, lodhra, turmeric

EXPECTORANTS (Dispelling phlegm and congestion and stopping cough)

Coltsfoot, licorice, mullein, mustard seeds, thyme, vasa

NERVINES (Insomnia, nervousness and nerve pain, anxiety)

gotu kola, calamus, chamomile, skullcap, valerian, shankha pushpi, brahmi, manduka parni

CIRCULATORY STIMULANTS (Conditions of cold extremity, weak digestion and degenerated organic functions)

black pepper, cayenne, cloves, cinnamon, dry ginger, long pepper (pippali)

VULNERARIES (Cuts, wounds, injuries, burns, usually used externally)

Aloe gel, chickweed, comfrey leaf, honey, plantain, turmeric

LAXATIVES (Strong bitter laxatives)

rhubarb, senna, aloebulk laxatives: psyllium, flaxseed; also Triphala as a mild laxative

HERBAL TONICS (Building the tissues and strengthening organic functions, for longevity and rejuvenation)

Vata: ashwagandha, garlic, guggul, licorice, haritaki

Pitta: aloe gel, comfrey root, licorice, shatavari, amla

For Kapha: elecampane, long pepper (pippali), shilajit, garlic, bibhitaki

Practices to balance Vata:

Mild exercise with calming yoga postures (sitting postures, lying postures, mahamudra, etc). or tai chi, mild sunbathing, but avoidance of wind and cold. Also mild and strengthening breathing exercises are good (like alternate nostril pranayama or So Ham pranayama, mentally chanting the mantra “So” on inhalation and “Ham” on exhalation and effortlessly allowing the breath to deepen). Strong physical exertion should be avoided. Physical rest and mental relaxation. This includes avoiding excess travelling and too much noise or distraction, allowing sleep during the day if tired, a secure and stable lifestyle, with happiness, joy and contentment. Increasing warmth with warm clothing and environment, warm colors like red, orange and gold with moist colors like white. Physical comfort, soft beds and pleasant environment with a good deal of self‑care is also good.

Adequate and nutritious diet. This includes dairy, nuts, grains like rice, wheat or oats, root vegetables, strengthening fruit or possibly meat, with mild spices like ginger, cardamom, cinnamon or fennel. One should try to eat more and improve nutrition. Overeating, however, should be avoided. Short fasts can be taken, one to three days, with spice teas like ginger and cinnamon.

Practices to balance Pitta:

Moderate exercise in cool air and wind, walking at night (especially under the moon) and other mild activities. Cooling type yoga postures, like shoulderstand, and pranayama (like shitali or lunar pranayama) can be done. Strong aerobic exercise or heavy exertion, particularly in the sun, should be avoided. Exercise should not cause strong sweating.

Moderate and cool diet: Such as sweet fruit, raw vegetables, green vegetable juices, cool grains like rice and wheat, mung beans, cool spices like coriander, cumin or fennel; avoidance of spices, salt and vinegar. Moderate fasting can be done along with cooling herbs, like dandelion or burdock, green vegetable juices or fruit juices like pineapple, coconut or pomegranate. If a little weak, more dairy products like milk can be taken.

Cool fragrances like sandalwood, vetivert (khus) or rose, applied as oils as well as inhaled, cool clothing and pleasant environment, cool colors like blue, green and white; resorting to cool breezes, moonlight and avoidance of sun, heat and fire. Meditations involving the positive direction of energy, peace, love, and forgiveness. Visualizations are good as well as creative or artistic expression.

Practices to balance Kapha:

Strong aerobic exercise like jogging in wind and sun, some heavy physical labor. Exercise should raise a strong sweat and leave the individual feeling tired, but not exhausted.

Light diet, with steamed vegetables, diuretic grains, and beans with hot spices like cayenne or ginger and reduction of water and juice intake. If possible, fasting from food and reducing water intake can be done for a day. Spices and honey can be taken in the process. Generally, there should be avoidance of sugar and sweet food, dairy, oils, meat, etc.

There should be avoidance of cold and dampness and exposure to dry heat, sun, fire and warm breezes. Use warm and dry colors like red, orange and yellow. The mind should be stimulated, activated and well-exercised.