Pitta—the Principle of Transformation

                  Pitta—the Principle of Transformation

Pitta is the combination of fire and water, with fire as the predominant quality of this dosha. Pitta translates as “that which digests.” Its most characteristic quality is that of transformation. It is most readily apparent as the energy creating body heat. Those persons who are seemingly unaffected by winter’s cold and wear T-shirts year round have strong Pitta in their constitution. Pitta imparts the necessary heat for the individual’s constitution and regulates metabolic transformations to keep up the radiance of the body. Pitta not only nourishes, it also senses the breakdown of tissues as they are transformed back into waste material (ama). Ama is a malfunctioning digestive problem. It represents undigested food and the waste tissues formed as feces, urine and sweat. Pitta regulates the cycle rotating between nourishment and waste.

Pitta manifests as our hunger and thirst to stimulate and provide nourishment. Pitta allows material and information to be changed into substances that are beneficial for the Life Force. It digests information and changes it into experiences and data that we can utilize. It governs digestion, assimilation, and nutrition. In the mind, it manifests as enthusiasm, vitality, interest, curiosity and love of life.

Pitta governs the region from the diaphragm to the top of the pelvis. Its home neighborhood is the abdominal cavity and its seat of balance is the small intestine. It is responsible for absorption of nutrients in the small intestine. This is the primary form of Pitta and manifests as the digestive fire. It moves outward, distributing nutrients to our tissues. It also has a discriminating function that separates beneficial nutrients from those that are not healthy. In normal function, it destroys that which is not beneficial. Pitta creates the ability of the mind to realize the true self. It directs us toward fulfilling personal goals and on the higher level for spiritual development. Pitta is responsible for visual acuity, perception of depth, color, size, and shape. When functioning well, vision is clear and the eyes are lustrous.

Pitta is responsible for the digestion of food. If the Agni is low, other tissues and the mind suffer from lack of the ability to transform intake into useable products. Then, ama or waste products begin to accumulate which can damage the tissues by creating sluggish function, obstruction to the movement of fluids or loss of body heat.

The Ayurveda practices for balancing Pitta energy promote a good appetite with strong digestive fire, heighten our enjoyment of live, and maintain the stability of our vitality. Therapeutically, these practices are used for inflammatory conditions such as arthritis, ulcer, colitis, acne, and sciatica. The psychological applications include conditions of anger, excessive self-criticism, dissatisfaction with life, and jealousy. Thai Yoga Therapy works by calming the agitated dosha, restoring balance and returning the dosha to its home site.

                 Nancy Adams, Certified Thai Yoga Therapist

Vata—The Principle of Motion

It is important to know that we are all born with an inherent constitutional balance of the three doshas. Air and ether combine to form the Vata dosha. Water and fire combine to form the Pitta dosha. And earth and water combine to form the Kapha dosha. When they are in balance, they create a state of physical and psychological harmony. When they are imbalanced they create a sense of dis-ease.

Vata is the combination of air and ether elements with air predominating over ether. Vata means “that which moves.” Vata is the principle of movement in the body and the energy that governs biological movement in the body. Vata regulates breathing, all movements of the muscles and tissues, the heart muscle, and all biological movements, including the single movements of the nerve impulses. It brings substances into the body, transports them to their beneficial sites for metabolism, and expels waste products from the tissues.

Vata governs the region from the waist down. Its home neighborhood is the pelvic cavity. Its seat of balance is the colon. Vata’s principle function is to create motion. It governs elimination. Its major motion is downward and outward, creating excretion of waste through urine, feces and also the release that is sexual climax. With dysfunction, it creates constipation, menstrual problems sexual dysfunctions, and problems with immunity. This is the most important of the doshas, because changes in it occur before all others. Bringing it to balance restores the system. In an imbalance state, it is the root source of all disease and pain. It especially creates respiratory disorders, mental problems, neurological disorders and difficulties of the head, specifically the brain.

Ayurveda works by calming the agitated dosha, restoring balance and returning the dosha to its home site. For example if the Vata is aggravated, it may produce symptoms in different sites, such as constipation, dull pain, dry cough, headache, and restlessness. While the doshas have their main region and home organ, they are all pervasive throughout the body. Each dosha produces symptoms that can be in any organ or tissue. Regardless of which dosha is imbalanced, balancing the Vata and returning it to the home region and function can balance all other doshas.

                 Nancy Adams, Certified Thai Yoga Therapist

Yoga, the Ayurveda exercise

      The dosha that is most likely to go out of balance is the one that dominates your body type, Vatas should be careful not to aggravate their Vata, Pittas their Pitta, and Kaphas their Kapha. But, the most active dosha in everyone is the Vata. The Vata is very temperamental it leads to the majority of short-term problems, especially if they are stress-related. I have been teaching yoga for eleven years. I have had many people with fibromyalgia come to my class thinking it would be good for them, just to be disappointed the next day; when they can’t get out of bed, because they have over worked the body. To be honest I didn’t understand either, until I started to study Ayurveda, balancing of the doshas, and how Thai Yoga Therapy plays into all that. Fibromyalgia is an imbalance in the nervous system; it is a way of your body telling you, you need to slow down. It is a Vata imbalance. All the fibromyalgia clients I have seen have been Vata’s. Vata’s do not generally enjoy the best of health. They have unexplained aches and pains, occasional sleeplessness, and they have a tendency to worry and be nervous. If the Vata is not balanced in these early stages, they become the most common visitors to the doctors’ office. Remember, ALL Illnesses are an imbalance in the doshas. Once you get them balanced you can return to wellness. Thai Partner Yoga Therapy can do wonders for people with fibromyalgia, and bring them to the point where they can do yoga. Yoga is an Ayurvedic exercise that simultaneously integrates the whole physiology—mind, body, and breath. It strengthens and stretches all the major muscle groups, lubricates the joints, conditions the spine, and massages the internal organs. Blood flow and circulation is increased throughout the body. With regular practice, you gain stability, suppleness, flexibility, and grace. Yoga balances the doshas just like Thai Therapy does, but if your Vata is aggravated doing a class could bring more imbalance. Yoga is great for a maintenance program after you have been balanced. I believe Vata aggravation is the most common disorder in America. I also believe that your body type is a mold you were cast in, it dose not contain your fate. To be tall or short, indecisive or determined, anxious or calm is to be a type, but there is abundant room for all the things that a body type does not control—thoughts, emotions, memories, talents, desires, and so forth. Knowledge of your body type helps you to evolve to a more ideal state of health. Western medicine, aims only for physical or mental health. Ayurveda wants to lift every aspect of life to a higher level.

                        Nancy Adams,  Certified Thai Partner Yoga Therapist

Recognize the signs for imbalance

       Half the battle to balancing a dosha is to be aware. A Pitta who is aware that his sweetness has gone away, that he takes an argumentative stance, has resentment, and is angry and hostile, would know to start a daily Pitta balancing routine. You don’t have to be strict and firm twenty-four, seven. Listen to your body, if you are Kapha, and you notice you are over sleeping, procrastinating, moving slower, have fluid retention in tissues, and you have sinus congestion and runny nose, you should probably balance your Kapha dosha. 

Being aware is the most important. If you are anxious, worried, your mind is overactive, you can’t relax, eat, or sleep, you have acute nerve pain, and lower back pain. You are probably an out of balance Vata. The first four things to do in any of these cases, is to start a dosha balancing diet, bring meditation, self massage, and exercise back into your daily routine.

What happened? How did all this start? It takes a pattern of behavior to throw a dosha out of balance. these are the most typical things to look for

If you are a Vata:

You have been very stress, and reacted to it with anxiety.

There has been a sudden change in your life, or a change in the season.

Your diet includes a great deal of cold, raw, or dry foods, including iced drinks.

You have been a diet or habitually skip meals.

You have slept poorly for more than a few days.

You have taken a trip recently.

You have suffered emotionally from grief, fear, or shock.

The weather is cold, dry, and windy.

If you are Pitta: you have been under stress and have reacted with anger.

You place excessive demands on yourself and others, and cannot bear to waste time.

You have eaten to much spicy, oily or fried food.

You have been exposed to impure food and water.

The weather is hot and humid.

You have been heat fatigued or badly sunburned.

    Doctor have found that only a tiny percentage of people who think they have food allergies test positive when given patch tests; what is generally wrong is a digestive imbalance, with Kapha a prime suspect. Excess mucus is being produced by wheat bread or pasta, milk, butter, cheese, or sugar, all of which aggravate the dosha. Diabetes, is the most dangerous Dapha disorder, and probably the most unlikely to be cured. But diabetics can lead much more comfortable lives if they follow the proper body-type program.

If you are a Kapha: diabetes runs in your family.

You have gained a lot of weight and feel depressed about it.

You eat a lot of sugar, salt, fatty or fried foods, and dairy products.

You are under stress and react by withdrawing, feeling insecure and unwanted.

You store and save things.

You act dependent or overprotective in relationships.

You sleep late more than a few days in a row.

The weather is cold and damp.
               Nancy Adams,  Certified Thai Yoga Therapist

Tips on how to balance the Kapha

       The key to balancing Kapha is stimulation. Kapha dosha is steady and slow. Kaphas need the stimulation of new sights and sounds, new people and events. They must stay active, without activity, Kaphas can become lethargic and dull. Even their digestive system is slow. When food is not digested completely (or if it is too heavy, oily, or indigestible to begin with), toxic residues called ama can clog up the system and eventually lead to disease. To balance the Kapha:

Meditate twice a day to get clear on your intentions and desires

Perform a vigorous self-massage with warm Invigorating herbalized oil

Exercise daily! This is the best way to avoid stagnation and the accumulation of toxins in the body. Kaphas are generally strong and well muscled, they tend to be natural athletes when they are young; but adult responsibilities makes most Kaphas sedentary. Which is sad because Kaphas benefit from exercise more than anyone else and should keep active at all ages.

Eat a Kapha-pacifying diet—it is important not to overeat if you are a Kapha type, because the tendency to become overweight is definitely present. Hot ginger tea taken at meals makes slow digestion more efficient, as does a teaspoon of whole fennel seeds chewed after the meal. If there is a lot of congestion, Ayurveda recommends favoring dry foods and astringent (puckering) tastes. Dry toast, apples, crackers, turmeric, and many raw vegetables are good for avoiding excess Kapha buildup and toning the digestive tract.

Reduce sweetness. Kapha is the only dosha strongly identified with a taste—sweetness. Irrespective of calories, Kaphas will gain weight and go out of balance if there is too much sweet food in the diet. Avoiding ice cream, milk, sugary desserts, wheat bread, and butter (all considered sweet in Ayurveda) will often make a dramatic difference with the runny nose, blocked sinuses, allergies, and lethargy that Kaphas suffer from when out of balance. Over the long term, too much sweetness causes diabetes, a serious Kapha disease. There is one natural sweetener—raw honey—that is actually good for Kapha. Taking a tablespoon or two (but no more) every day helps release excess Kapha from the system.

All beans are good for Kapha types except for soybeans and soybean-based foods such as tofu, which should be eaten in moderation.

Favor lighter fruits such as apples, pears, pomegranates, cranberries, and apricots. Reduce heavier fruits like bananas, avocados, pineapples, oranges, peaches, coconuts, melons, dates, and figs.

In general, all vegetables are recommended but reduce consumption of sweet and juicy vegetables such as sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and zucchini.

All spices except salt are pacifying to Kapha. Use pungent spices like pepper, cayenne, mustard seed, and ginger freely in your diet.

Reduce intake of all nuts and seeds. Favor pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds.

fresh, organic white meat chicken, turkey, eggs, and seafood are acceptable. Limit consumption of red meat.

A Kapha diet should be lively and full of energy to help spark the digestive and metabolic systems. Eat your largest meal at lunchtime and a smaller meal at dinnertime. Allow at least 3 hours to digest before bedtime.

Use small amounts of extra virgin olive oil, ghee, almond oil, corn oil, sunflower oil, mustard oil, or safflower oil.

Grains: Favor barley, corn, millet, buckwheat, rye. Reduce intake of oats, rice, and wheat.

Tips for balancing the Pitta

I hope I cleared some things up for some of you last week. Now, lets get back to balancing the doshas. We have already talked about balancing the Vata. These are not rigid rules to be agonized over. Don’t drive yourself crazy trying to stay balanced, the doshas shift by the hour, by the day, by the minute. Like I said before, listen to your body, it already has the instincts to help you stay balanced.

            Balancing your Pitta: Meditate twice a day to soothe the mind and relax the body. Meditation is very important for regaining inner calm. It reminds you to take time to wind down. Alternating rest and activity is the basic rhythm of life. Pittas have so much capacity for activity, they tend to ignore the rest aspect.       

Eat a Pitta-pacifying diet. Dairy can be helpful in balancing the heat of Pitta, take milk, butter and ghee. Sour, fermented products such as yogurt, sour cream and cheese should be used sparingly as sour tastes aggravate Pitta.

The sweeter fruits such as grapes, melons, cherries, coconuts, avocados, mangoes, pomegranates, fully ripe pineapples, oranges, and plums are recommended. Reduce sour fruits such as grapefruits, apricots, and berries.

The vegetables to favor are asparagus, cucumbers, potatoes, sweet potatoes, green leafy vegetables, pumpkins, broccoli, cauliflower, celery okra, lettuce, green beans, and zucchini. Reduce tomatoes, hot peppers, carrots, beets, eggplant, onions, garlic, radishes, and spinach.

            Exercise Pittas have more drive than endurance. They love an challenge, but they hate to lose; this motivates them more than the satisfaction of winning. If you chew yourself or anyone else out in any sport, walk away from it. Walking for a half hour a day will take the feistiness out of your system better than a competitive sport. Pittas who drive themselves at work all day find that a plunge in the pool after work cools them off and dissolves the day’s tensions. Pittas gain a large benefit from a leisurely stroll in the woods; it provides a change from their usual determined pace. The beauty of nature will sink deep into them.

            Perform a daily oil massage using cooler oils such as coconut or olive. It seems little, but it really is very big.

As you can see, the four basics apply to all doshas, in order of importance: meditation, diet, exercise, oil massage. This does not mean you can pick one or two of the most important and leave the others alone, all four work together hand in hand. Because Ayurveda works at such a subtle level of our bodies, symptoms can be relieved that are often quite mysterious by western standards, including unexplainable pain, anxiety, depression, fatigue, and so on. Western medicine tends to say that these are psychosomatic problems, that is, that they originate in the patient’s head. In reality, they originate at the early stages of dosha imbalance.

                                       Nancy, Certified Thai Yoga Therapist

A little Reveiw

         Last week I talked about meditation, one of the four things we need to do to balance the doshas. We all need to know how to take refuge. No matter how much you love your life, no matter how strong or motivated you are, you will be overwhelmed at times. If you don’t have a habit of taking refuge, life begins to feel like an endless treadmill, like a circle game. The week before that, I gave you tips for a Vata balancing diet.  Remember the Vata is the king dosha. If you balance the Vata the others will follow. Make sure when you do your daily oil massage you cover the whole body from head to toe with a light film of oil, massaging as you go. Then take your shower. Do not soap it off keeping a thin, almost undetectable film of oil on the body is considered very beneficial for toning the skin, balancing Vata, and keeping the muscles warm during the day. Vata types do best with sesame or almond oil; Pittas respond to olive or coconut and Kaphas benefit from light oils like sunflower or sesame.The week before that, I talked about the six stages of disease. I want to talk a little more about this. I told you that disease is easy to manage while in stages 1, 2, or 3. How do you know when stage 4—the first onset of symptoms—is about to commence? Bodies subjected to dietary, behavioral, and emotional imbalance over the years will always collect ama (toxic residue). Let me illustrate these steps, if excess Pitta has accumulated, maybe because you are a Pitta type who finds himself under heavy stress or suffering through the heat of a very hot summer. Once there is enough excess Pitta accumulated, it starts to move around the body, leaving the places where it is supposed to remain. It finds a place where ama is Present and gets stuck to the ama. There is no cause for panic. What your body is telling you at stage four is not that you are in serious danger but that you need to purify you tissues of excess doshas (Thai Yoga Therapy is very important for purifying the tissues). Once you do, Vata, Pitta, and Kapha will regain their natural balance. The basic approach of “talking” to the doshas through simple changes in diet and daily routine of the things we have talked about can bring dramatic results, even in cases of serious illness.
       Next time, dosha balancing diet for Pitta and Kapha. If you have questions, you can email me at the address on my blog.
                                   Nancy Adams Certified Thai Yoga Therapist