CHAPTER 6 A Life of Balance

CHAPTER 6   A Life of Balance
that you can use to actually
ught up in the destructive
ronomical. Many people argue that our modern way of
its ever-increasing comforts and material acquisitions doesn’t allow for a healthful way of life.
s a nation, the United States has become a health care system that makes us sicker,
becomes unaffordable for most, and pushes t rds the brink of financial bankruptcy. While
developing countries taken together, 65% of the
T his chapter is dedicated to the main procedures, methods and insights create a life of balance. once balance is achieved, good health results quite spontaneously. This
principle of natural law applies to every living being and to nature as a whole. Yet creating balance is not
something you will only have to do just once in life, rather it is an ongoing process that allows your body
and mind to function in perfect coordination and harmony with each other. A life of balance will equip
you with the ability to joyfully and passionately meet the constantly increasing challenges of our time,
endowed with the tools of physical and mental strength, creativity and wisdom.
The factors that could possibly disrupt your health have increased tremendously within the relatively
short period of the past few decades. Not so long ago, it was relatively easy to live in harmony with the
laws of nature and the environment. Now you have to be very alert not to get ca
effects of man’s creations. Many of the big city children grow up with the notion that food means junk
food; drinking water is not necessary, but soft drinks are; nature is something you watch on the
“Discovery” Channel, an American cable television station.
The costs of forsaking a life of balance are ast
fe with liA
dependent upon
he country towa
we are spending more on health care than most
population is unhealthy and suffers from one health problem or another.
Never before have we been in such a strong need of living a balanced life. Balance or good health of
mind, body and spirit is an option most of us can choose to create by following the simple, yet powerful
recommendations given in this chapter. A good number of guidelines presented here are derived from the
ancient medical science of Ayurveda. I have updated and improved them as a result of regular feedback
that was given to me by thousands of patients who have applied them in their daily lives.
113
Guidelines for Daily Routine and Diet
Regularity
► Follow the rhythms of nature as described in Chapter 5. This ensures that your body and mind can
function with ease and optimal energy.
R
►
egular rest and sleep: Bedtime: 9-10pm
Don’t worry if you have difficulties with falling asleep; just lie with your eyes closed and relax; and
ou will still get 90% of the benefit from m can help eliminate the causes of sleep
performing 100 squats in a row, you body will start relying on Chi for its energy requirements instead of
using up its physical energy resources.
► of physical ex y type (see section on “Balancing the
recommended for maintaining energy and flexibility. The Five Tibetan Rites as described in the book
y sleep. This progra
disturbance.
Regular exercise and physical activity
► Morning and /or evening walk.
► Surya Namaskara or “sun salutation” – the most ancient, complete and simple exercise program (see
illustration 9).
► Body squatting forms a very important, natural part of life among all tribal people. Benefits include:
- Improved respiration of almost all cells in your body. The squat incorporates the use of almost all the
muscles in your body.
- Increased Chi or life force through important meridians (which control most psycho-physiological
functions in the body).
- Improved pumping of fluids, aiding in removal of waste and delivery of nutrition to all cell tissues.
- Beneficial physiological stress to your hormonal system.
- The squat movement encourages easier passage of feces through the colon and more regular bowel
movements.
Start off with just a few squats, and increase the number by 1-2 each day. When you are capable of
Chose any other form ercise that suits your bod
Doshas”).
► Whenever you exercise, always inhale through your nose while keeping your mouth closed to avoid
harmful “adrenaline breathing.” Mouth breathing can lead to rapid depletion of one’s energy reserves and
trigger the release of stress hormones. You may exhale through your mouth if necessary. Aerobic
exercises are good as long as you maintain nose breathing (versus mouth breathing).
► Exercise only up to 50% of your capacity. Don’t allow yourself to become tired. For example, if you
can swim for 30 minutes before feeling tired, swim only for 15 minutes. In time, your capacity for more
exercise will increase. Over-exercising weakens the immune system and floods the blood with harmful
acidic chemicals.
► Expose your body to fresh air at least once or twice every day to ensure proper circulation and oxygen
supply to its trillions of cells.
► Regular practice of Yoga, Tai Chi, Chi Kung, Winsor Pilates, or similar fitness programs is highly
114
Ancient Secret of the Fountain of Youth by Peter Kelder is one of the most excellent exercise routines you
can follow.
► PranaYama: Five-minute breathing exercises to increase Prana or Chi (life force energy), as explained
below, best done before meditation and before eating.
► Meditation according to your choice: I recommend the “Technique of Conscious Breathing,” as
described in my book “It’s Time to Wake Up” and summarized in Conscious Breathing Meditation below.
Regular Mealtimes
► Lunch should make up the main meal of the day. Eat at around 12:00 – 12:30 p.m. (the best time to eat
is when the sun is in its highest position).
► Dinner should be light since the digestive power is low in the evening. A heavy meal taken in the
evening remains mostly undigested.
► Eat dinner between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. so that the main digestion is completed before bedtime and
does not interfere with your sleep.
► Eat your meals at about the same time every day, so that the digestive system can always perform at its
best.
► Eat according to your hunger level. If you are not hungry don’t eat. Wait until your natural appetite
(digestive power) has returned. Note: food cravings have nothing to do with hunger and should be treated
like an addiction (see Chapter 7, Employing Nature’s Healing Powers).
► Drink about 6-8 eight glasses of water each day. Pure and fresh water is best. Make it a daily habit of
drinking one glass of water about ½ hour before each meal and one glass of water 2-2 ½ hours after each
meal. This improves digestion and keeps the blood thin (for exact directions see section on ‘Drinking
Water – The Greatest Therapy of All’).
► Sit down when you eat, even if it is for a small snack. The digestive system is better able to secrete
balanced amounts of digestive juices when eating in the sitting position.
► Eat in a settled environment without radio, television or reading. Any distraction from eating impairs
the enjoyment of food and the ability of the body to supply the appropriate enzymes for digestion.
► Sit quietly for 5-10 minutes after the meal so that the food has a chance to settle in the stomach before
getting up from the table. Lying on your left side for a few minutes and going for a 15-minute walk
afterwards also greatly aids digestion.
Morning
Bowel Movement:
► For optimum health, the bowel movement should occur regularly in the morning after rising, ideally at
the end of the Vata period (at around 6:00 a.m.) while Vata is still strong enough to eliminate waste
materials from the system. Give yourself that extra time, but do not force a bowel movement. Never
suppress natural urges, as this may lead to great disturbance of Vata in the body and even cause internal
injuries.
► Every morning after rising drink one glass of warm water. This will help to end the “drought” of the
night and increase regularity of the bowel movement. Then drink a second glass of warm water, but add a
115
teaspoon of honey and the juice from one slice of fresh lemon. This helps remove AMA and harmful
bacteria from the gastrointestinal tract, and assist the intestines in eliminating any accumulated waste
material. Wait for at least 30 minutes before eating breakfast.
Regular Dry Brushing and Oil Massage:
► Quickly brush your whole body with a dry body brush made of natural bristle or a good natural loofah.
This will improve circulation, strengthen and rejuvenate the skin, and help with lymph drainage. The
brushing of the skin also opens the pores and increases effectiveness of the oil massage, if applied
afterwards.
► Abyanga or oil massage: Massage yourself with either sesame oil or else with coconut, sunflower or
olive oil (all cold pressed and unrefined, available from natural health food stores). Abyanga helps draw
out toxins and improve circulation. Conclude the massage with a warm bath or shower (see directions for
oil massage below). Sesame oil, in particular, quickly penetrates all the layers of the skin, binds to and
removes toxins of various kinds (including harmful fatty acids) and helps rid the blood vessels of plaque
and cellular debris. This supports the body in preventing and reversing hardening of the arteries. Abyanga
also stimulates growth hormone production and improves immunity (almost one third of the immune
system is located in the skin).
Breakfast
► If you are not hungry, skip breakfast (Kapha types rarely need breakfast).
► If hungry, eat a ucts (check for
wheat allergy!). Oatmeal or any other hot cereal with cold pressed coconut oil or unsalted butter,
u
ell as sour foods, including yogurt and
citrus fruit. All of these quickly subdue AGNI, which is naturally low in the morning. A breakfast
consisting of only fruit (other than citrus) is fine.
h Meal
light breakfast. Food choices may consist of light wholemeal prod
nrefined sea salt, almond milk, and perhaps stevia or xylitol sugar for sweetening makes a hearty,
nourishing breakfast. Wetabix or toasted whole-wheat bread with butter, are fine, too. Besides almond
milk, rice milk and oat milk are also good alternatives to cow’s milk.
Note: Soy milk should be avoided due to its natural food toxins (enzyme inhibitors, a possible genemanipulation,
and its potentially harmful effects on hormonal balance (if in doubt use the muscle testing
procedure of Chapter 1.
Also, do not add fruits to your cereals, as this lead to fermentation and toxicity.
► Avoid animal protein such as cheese, meat, ham or eggs as w
Lunc
► M
► A
beco
help intain thinness of blood and normal secretions of bile, it is best to
d k
► If
cook ked food, eating
ake lunch the main meal of the day.
void drinking beverages with the meal since this would dilute the concentrated digestive juices and
me a cause of indigestion and weight gain. Sipping a cup of hot water during the meal, however, can
increase the digestive power. To ma
rin a glass of water about ½ hour before lunch and again 2-2½ hours after lunch.
salad is part of your meal, eat it as a starter (avoid salad at dinner time,) and before eating any
ed food. Since raw food requires different digestive enzymes than needed for coo
116
these food items separately, i.e., one after the other, makes it easier on the digestive system. Eating raw
fo
N
od items after having eaten cooked foods will leave them mostly undigested and subjected to
fermentation. During cold days and in the winter, you may naturally desire to eat salads less often; this is
due to their strong cooling effects on the body.
ote: Make certain to use a full-fat salad dressing, such as olive oil and lemon for your salad. A team of
researchers at Iowa State University conducted a study that showed that the salad’s nutrients are only
digested and absorbed properly when consumed with a full-fat salad dressing versus as reduced-fat salad
dressing.
Evening Meal
► In the evening, Ayurveda recommends that you avoid eating meat, pork, poultry, fish, ham, eggs, nuts,
etc., because AGNI is too low at that time to handle protein foods, which during the day would require 6-
8 hours of digestion in the stomach. Be aware that production of digestive enzymes stops at around 8pm
and heavy food items will linger in the stomach until the early morning hours. At this time, the stomach
may discharge the mostly undigested food into the small intestine, giving rise to a decomposition process.
► Yogurt, cheese, fruits and salads should also be avoided in the evening. These foods have a naturally
high bacteria content. When exposed to the warm and moist environment of the stomach and small
intestine during the night, they end up causing indigestion and fermentation (along with plenty of low
quality alcohol).
► Oily, fried and deep-fried foods, as well as root vegetables such as potatoes (with the exception of
cooked carrots, beetroot, or white radish), are also very difficult to digest at night. Coconut oil is fine to
use.
► An example for a light dinner is freshly prepared vegetable soup served with whole wheat pita bread,
whole wheat toast, rye crackers, etc., all with unsalted butter, or coconut oil; or else cooked vegetables
with rice or other grain foods. The soup/vegetables may be seasoned with spices and herbs, vegetable
bullion, unrefined sea salt, as well as butter or coconut oil added during or after cooking.
General Guidelines
► It is best to avoid heavy, oily, and fried food; aged cheeses; large amounts of yogurt; onion and garlic,
especially in raw form; highly processed and refined foods; fizzy drinks, alcohol, coffee, regular tea;
artificial sweeteners; and sugar, except xylitol and stevia.
► Try to include one or two pieces of fresh fruit per day in your diet. If you use fruit juice, make sure it is
freshly prepared and no older than one hour (best diluted with water). Packaged fruit juices are
pasteurized, which makes them acid-forming, deprives them of natural enzymes, and depletes the body of
important minerals and vitamins. Many brands contain artificial sweeteners, which dehydrate the body
and may cause damage to the nervous system and immune system. Eat preferably one kind of fruit at a
time.
Fruit or fruit juices should always be taken on an empty stomach. Since fruits leave the stomach within
20-40 minutes without requiring any stomach action, it is better not to eat them with other foods, which
117
o
nly produce these enzymes if we have lived
th
ithout the skin, on a daily basis. This provides vital nutrients to the
cells of the body, and particularly to the eyes and bones. Remove the skin by placing the almonds in
oiled water for 10-15 minutes and then peel them.
ote: the skin contains harmful acids used to protect the nut from insect attack and fungus, and may cause
some irritation, even allergies, to s
►
two and then reheat them. With regard to vegetables, the life force (Prana or Chi energy) and important
e r one hour of cooking them. Frozen food is void of the life force.
F icrowaves used to cook food cause total disintegration of the food’s
molecular structure and destroy its life force. W
therwise leads to fermentation, bloating, and even diarrhea. The best times for eating fruit are midmorning
and mid-afternoon, or for breakfast with nothing else.
For optimal digestion, fruits should preferably be consumed when in season. When picked too early,
they have not reached their natural ripening stage and lack most vitamins and important sugars. They may
also be irritating the intestinal walls due to their high antibody content and enzyme inhibitors (which are
toxic to the body). once full sun-ripened these toxins become neutralized. Since fruits have a cooling
influence, they are less suitable during the cold season when we need more warming foods. The best types
of fruit are the ones that naturally grow in your environment. To properly digest fruits from another
country we require different digestive enzymes. We can o
ere for some time and our bodies have adapted to the new environment.
► You may take soaked dried fruit, e.g., sultanas, figs, dates, prunes, either for breakfast or as a snack
like other fruit. “Muscle test” which ones are the most suitable for you! Dried fruits also contain enzyme
inhibitors which can make them gas-forming and constipating. Soaking them breaks down these inhibitors
and makes them easily digestible.
► Eat 8-12 almonds, preferably w
b
N
ome sensitive individuals.
It is best to avoid leftover foods, with the exception of rice and beans, that you can keep for a day or
nzymes and vitamins dissipate afte
ruits should be eaten only fresh. M
ithout its life force, food cannot be digested and
assimilated properly. 6
► For deep tissue-cleansing, drink hot (ionized) water frequently: Boil water for 15-20 minutes. Keep it
in a thermos flask and every ½ hour, take 1-2 sips or more according to thirst. To have a cleansing effect,
the water must be boiled this long and be taken as hot as one would take tea. You may put a small piece of
fresh ginger in the flask. By boiling the water continuously for at least 15 minutes, large numbers of
(negatively charged) oxygen ions are generated. When ingested by taking frequent sips of this water
throughout the day, these negatively charged ions start to systematically cleanse the tissues of the body
and help rid them of positively charged ions – those associated with high acidity and toxins. If you have
excessive body weight, this technique can help you shed many pounds of body-waste without any major
undesirable side effects (see more details in Chapter 7).
► Avoid cold foods or beverages as they can “extinguish” AGNI, the digestive fire, for many hours.
They may also damage the nerve endings of the stomach. A hand, held in icy water, becomes numb.
Similarly, cold things make the stomach cells contract and prevent them from secreting proper amounts of
digestive juices. They also make the stomach insensitive to potentially harmful foods or beverages and
effectively disrupt its communication and potential warning signals to the brain. In addition, digestive
enzymes require a very specific environmental temperature to operate. By cooling down the enzymes’
6 There are numerous serious health problems resulting from regular use of microwave ovens. During a classic experiment on
several thousand healthy cats that were given highly nutritious, but microwave-treated foods for six weeks, all cats suddenly
died from starvation. The nutrients from these foods were in their body, but were not able to enter the cells. Destroying the life
force of food makes it useless to cells. Therefore, modern preparation or production methods are a leading cause of illness and
death.
118
e
larly during the summer period. Foods and beverages that are
o
Note: Pitta types should do
th
Drinking Water -- The Greatest Therapy of All
ely unrecognized problem prevalent in modern
societies today. Alcohol, coffee, tea, and soft drinks have become the primary choice for satisfying thirst,
e
m
nvironment, their digestive and anti-cancer properties begin to diminish too, predisposing a person to
excessive weight gain and even cancer. Also, the sudden cold influence, as caused, for example, by ice
cream or iced beverages, forces the body to increase its internal heat generation in order to compensate for
the harmful drop in temperature. This response wastes the body’s energy reserves and may make it feel
even hotter and thirstier than before, particu
f room temperature or warm are the most suitable and natural ones for the human body.
► Use the spices appropriate for your body type generously. You will find them listed in the Ayurvedic
food charts below. Spices not only enhance the flavor of food, but also contain vital nutrients and aromas
that help with the digestion and metabolism of food. People who suffer from low metabolism (mainly
Kapha types) can speed up their metabolic rate by as much as 30 percent by using warming or heating
spices in their food. Chili peppers or chili- containing spice mixes should be avoided, though, as they
affect the chest and cause mucus irritation in the stomach and intestines. If you like it hot, cayenne pepper
is the best option.
► If available, take ¼ - ½ glass of freshly prepared carrot juice before lunch.
e muscle testing for carrot juice before attempting this regimen.
► For one day per week or month take only a liquid diet (soups, freshly made juices, water, herbal teas,
ionized water, etc.). Then gradually build up to a normal diet again. This will greatly relieve the digestive
system and improve its ability to remove any accumulated toxic waste. Women benefit greatly if they
have a “liquid day” about one or two days before their monthly menstruation; it helps to make the
menstrual period more comfortable and effective.
Dehydration is perhaps the most common, yet larg
specially among the younger generations. The principal effect of these beverages, however, is to remove
water – the most important substance in the body – from the blood, cells and organs. Drinking enough
fresh water is an essential prerequisite for avoiding disease and slowing the aging process. Anyone who is
healthy and wants to stay that way needs to drink about 6-8 eight-ounce glasses of fresh water each day.
This will ensure that the 60-100 trillion in the body receive their daily-needed ration of water in order to
aintain efficiency of digestion, metabolism and waste removal.
Suggestions:
• Start the day by drinking one glass of warm water to end the “drought” of the night and remove
accumulated wastes from the excretory organs. As previously mentioned, this can be followed by a
glass of warm water with lemon and honey.
• About half an hour before each meal drink one glass of water. Doing this will keep your blood thin
and thereby enable it to take up nutrients and distribute them to the cells. The water also helps
increase the secretion of digestive juices and prevents bile from becoming too viscous. By contrast,
drinking a lot of water or other beverages with your meal dilutes the digestive juices, which greatly
undermines the digestive process.
• Following a meal, the blood uses up a considerable amount of water to distribute nutrients to the
cells and can, therefore, become water deficient quite quickly. Drinking another glass of water
approximately 2 ½ hours after each meal restores the blood’s water requirements.
119
These simple guidelines can help prevent the most serious major diseases that are prevalent in modern
societies today. Drinking sufficient amounts of water at the right times can and should be part of every
other therapy used in the treatment of disease.
per hydration of the body should be made gradually,
otherwise this m rson, that is, anyone who has not
ta
Add only about one glass of water per day to the amount of water you usually drink and check whether
urination increases. If it does, drink another 1-2 glasses. If not, reduce the amount to a third or half glass
o hat your kidneys begin to filter more water when you drink
more water. You don’t want to create a “dam” in your kidneys, which could end up flooding even your
lu
A note of caution: Any attempt to restore pro
ay cause serious harm to the body! A dehydrated pe
ken the minimum required amount of water and/or has depleted the cells of excessive amounts of water
by consuming caffeine or sugar-containing foods or beverages for a considerable length of time, is
susceptible to becoming ill. During dehydration, the body’s cells are no longer able to function efficiently.
To protect themselves against further loss of water they make their membranes less penetrable to water
diffusion by pulling in extra amounts of fats, including cholesterol. This survival mechanism, however,
prevents metabolic waste from leaving the cells, that consequently begin to suffocate in their own waste.
Some of the cells, in order to survive in this toxic environment, may eventually need to undergo genetic
mutation and become cancerous.
During the state of dehydration, the kidneys hold onto water and so does the rest of the body. At this
point many people start craving and overeating salt or salty foods because the body needs more salt to
hold on to the little water it has left. This, however, causes the kidneys to contract and filter even less
water than before. Urine becomes more and more concentrated and scarce. In this condition of extreme
dehydration it would be unwise to suddenly start drinking gallons of water. Since the cells have created a
barrier in order to save water, they are in no position to absorb this much water all at once. The water
would simply stagnate outside the cells and lead to water retention and weight gain. Given these
circumstances, the kidneys are not able to filter much of it (scarce urine) and any sudden intake of large
amounts of water can indeed cause severe lymph congestion, swelling, and in some cases, even death.
The transition from a state of severe dehydration to improved hydration should be very gradual and is best
monitored by a health practitioner who knows about the basics of water metabolism.
Guidelines for Gradual Re-hydration
f water per day. It is of principle importance t
ngs. In time, the kidneys will recognize that water is no longer a scarcity in the body and make the
necessary adjustments to increase urination. At the same time, the body will naturally decrease its salt
production and salt retention. When this occurs, the urge to eat a lot of salt or salty foods will also lessen.
This response is caused by the water’s own natural diuretic effects.
If you are on diuretic drugs it is important for you to know that water is a much more efficient diuretic
than any other drug can possibly be, and it has no harmful side effects. Diuretic drugs should be decreased
gradually and under supervision of a health practitioner. once the kidneys have no more difficulties with
eliminating urine, you can increase your water intake to the natural minimum daily requirement of 6-8
glasses a day. This will drastically reduce the health risks imposed by an illness. To undo years of
dehydration and be completely hydrated again, however, it may take up to a year, and sometimes even
longer.
120
A note of caution: When the body is dehydrated, it tries to retain its salt in order to hold onto water.
Once urination increases following improved hydration, these salts are gradually passed out with the
urine. If the hydration attempts are implemented too fast, those areas with the most salt retention may
develop lymph edema. Any emerging puffiness of or around the eyes or swelling of the ankles indicates
that the hydration process should be done more gradually. As the swellings decrease, you may resume
d
ticularly during the night, your body is most likely not
getting enough salt (or it is getting the wrong type of salt).
Both water and salt are absolutely essential for keeping the water metabolism balanced and for
generating enough hydroelect g water can be considered
to be the most important ther g in the body that doesn’t
d
gly sedentary lifestyle, which requires physical exercise to keep our bodies healthy and strong.
to enhance our capacity to digest
food, eliminate physical and emotional impurities, and increase firmness and suppleness, as well as our
ability to deal with stressful situations. Especially the lymphatic system, which drains toxic and noxious
s nective tissues of the organs and muscles, depends on the daily movement of all
e parts of the body. Unlike the blood, which has a heart to circulate it around the body, the lymph fluid
h
le for the breathing action of the lungs
(diaphr
squeezing their contents. This forces the lymph to move through the lymph ducts, such as the thoracic
duc
breathin testinal congestion) has a detrimental effect on
pro
of disea
rinking normal quantities of water. With increased water intake, your body will also be able to remove
any excessive salt. You should, therefore, be sure to take some unrefined salt7 as an important part of your
diet. If your untrained muscles start to cramp, par
ric energy to maintain cellular activities. Drinkin
apy of all therapies because there is simply nothin
epend on it. Drinking water and cutting out any energy-depleting (over-stimulating) influences should be
the very first treatment in the case of an illness, before attempting to do anything else. In most cases, the
problem will disappear naturally.
Exercise Yourself to Health
The Purpose of Exercising
Under normal circumstances, exercising one’s body would not be necessary. Man, like every other
animal, was meant to live in nature, have plenty of fresh air, and be involved in enough physical activity
to keep the body fit and vital. Technological and economic advancements, however, have led to an
increasin
The purpose of physical exercise is not only to prove to ourselves that we are able to defy the aging
process, look good, or prevent a heart attack. Exercise also helps us
ubstances from the con
th
as no such direct pumping device to do the same. The lymphatic system heavily relies on the breathing
apparatus and how well we use it. When the muscle responsib
agm) extends into the abdomen, it exerts great pressure on the intestinal lymph vessels, thereby
t. Thus, each inhalation and exhalation acts as an indirect pump for the lymphatic system. Shallow
g that accompanies a sedentary lifestyle (and in
per lymph drainage. Exercise can greatly improve lymphatic functions and thereby prevent multitudes
ses.
7 Regular, refined table salt (sodium chloride) is a major cause of heart, lymph, and kidneys problems and should be avoided.
See also section on the great benefits of unrefined salt in Chapter 7.
121
Physical exercise is a great immune-stimulant if done in moderation, and it also improves
neuromuscular integration in all age groups. Its effect of boosting self-confidence and self-esteem stems
to some extent from the improved oxygen supply to the cells and the resulting well being in all parts of
the body and in the mind. Exercise is an excellent means of increasing happiness in life, especially if it
involves challenges that require creativity.
The conventional approach to exercise believes that a good workout needs to take you right to your
limits, leaving you exhausted and tired afterwards. This is not true. Exercise that exhausts your body is an
indirect act of violence directed against it, and the body perceives this treatment as a kind of punishment
for not performing well enough. The pain that shows in people’s faces when they struggle through a tough
workout program is an indication that the body suffers from overexertion. This sort of exercise defeats its
very purpose. Any form of physical exertion upsets Vata and causes the secretion of abnormal amounts of
stress hormones such as adrenaline; this leaves the body restless and shaky. The body, thus depleted of
energy, is unable to do the repair work that arises from the strenuous workout, leaving the cardiovascular
system weak and vulnerable to other stress factors.
Post-exercise exhaustion is a serious cause of illness that affects many unsuspecting people who think
they are doing themselves a favor when they push their body to the limit. In the excitement of competitive
sports, you may not be aware at first how strenuously you are exerting yourself, but once the adrenaline
rush is over, the side effects start kicking in. Apart from exhaustion and possible injury, professional
athletes are more likely to suffer from immune deficiency which makes the body prone to infections of all
sorts. Athletes consume a lot more prescribed drugs than the average person does. The thymus gland,
which activates lymphocytes and controls energy supplies, may actually shrink in size and leave the body
weak and debilitated as a direct result of over-conditioning the body and stressing the mind.
Exercise According to the Doshas
Exercise is best done according to one’s capacity and psycho-physiological body type. A Vata type,
who has the lowest capacity for exercise, benefits mostly from such easy ways of keeping fit as walking,
dancing, bicycling, short hikes, balancing and stretching. Vatas generally do well with Yoga, Tai Chi, and
Chi Kung. Since Vata types experience energy in bursts, they should be particularly careful with not
overdoing it, because when their energy suddenly drops, they can feel depleted for a long time afterwards.
Pitta types, being competitive by nature, are equipped with more drive and energy than Vatas. They
generally are not satisfied with the more ordinary forms of working out. To achieve physical satisfaction
they need a more goal-oriented exercise program. However, they also don’t have boundless energy and
are better off exercising in moderation. Pittas feel challenged by hiking in the mountains, skiing, jogging,
swimming, playing tennis, or other sports that create in them a sensation of achievement.
In sports, you can easily recognize the unbalanced Pitta types. They are often bad losers and may get
angry if they feel they are “not good enough.” Pittas who get angry while performing should look for a
less competitive exercise program to increase their level of satisfaction. Since excessive heat is a sign of
unbalanced Pitta, swimming, which has a cooling influence, is one of the best forms of exercise for them.
A walk in the cool forest is another excellent way to pacify an unbalanced Pitta type.
Kapha types are the ideal candidates for a good or moderately heavy workout. Weight training, running,
rowing, aerobics, long distance bicycling, dancing for a long time, and playing football, basket ball and
tennis are all very suitable for a Kapha. The Kapha type’s steady energy gives him the necessary
endurance and stamina to last through long competitive games without feeling tired. Exercise will clear
122
out any excessive Kapha congestion, remove excessive water and fat, and improve general circulation.
his will leave him feeling refreshed and buoyant afterwards.
Basic Guidelines for Healthy Exercise
fr i
m
e, your
Stop exercising when you feel the need to breathe through the mouth. once you are forced to breathe
through the mouth, rather than through the nose, you have gone beyond the 50% threshold of your
capacity for exercise at that time. This is a sign that your body has moved into the adrenaline-breathing
ode, which uses up your basic energy reserves and depletes cellular oxygen. You have reached your
li
not through the mouth. Exercise to the point of
per a
- It is best to exercise during daylight. The best capacity for exercise is available during the Kapha
per i (5pm-6pm). The
b unlight – Medicine
of Nature).
- Ayurveda discourages exercising after sundown. Allow the body to slow down in the evening and
prepare itself for a restful and rejuvenating sleep. Never exercise just before or after a meal, as this
pairs AGNI, the digestive fire, and causes indigestion. However, walking for 15 minutes after meals
w cising to prevent the blood from
thick
Su
is ense that it
strengthens and stretches all the major muscle groups, massages all the internal organs, supports lymph
drainage from every part of the body and enlivens the energy centers and acupuncture points of the body.
This exercise program increas ine, and improves flexibility
of the joints. Grace, supplen al results arising from daily
practice.
T
- It is best not to exercise at more than 50% of your capacity, whatever that means to you. The purpose
of exercising is not to prove to others how capable you are, but to derive personal benefit and satisfaction
om t. If you are able to run for 30 minutes before you are tired, then make the choice to run only for 15
inutes. Getting tired during exercising defeats the very purpose of exercise. Feeling refreshed,
revitalized and energetic afterwards indicates that the workout has been successful. In due tim
capacity for exercise will naturally increase on its own.
-
m
mits when you feel your heart pounding violently or when you begin to sweat profusely or your body
shakes. In that case it is good to finish off with a short period of walking and breathing normally. The
basic rule is to always breathe through the nose and
spir tion once a day.
iod n the morning (6am to 10 am) and at the end of the Vata period in the afternoon
enefits of exercise increase dramatically when it is done in sunlight (see Chapter 8, S
im
orks as a good digestive aid. Always drink water before and after exer
ening and the cells from becoming dehydrated.
rya Namaskara (Sun Salutation)
Surya Namaskara (illustration 15) is one of the most ancient and integrated exercise programs around. It
an integral part of Yoga, which benefits both the mind and the body. It is unique in the s
es blood flow and circulation, conditions the sp
ess, as well as physical stability are the natur
Directions: Surya Namaskara consists of two cycles of twelve postures each. During the first cycle, in
positions #4 and #9 the right knee is brought forward to the chest, and during the second cycle it is the left
knee that is brought forward to the chest. Apart from this exception, all the movements are exactly the
same for both cycles. The twelve postures or positions are performed one after another in fluid sequence
123
a
nd the spine or
longate the body, inhale and when you bend or fold the body, exhale.
aYama
A r
brings balance on all levels of mind and body. For this exercise,
or ring finger of the same hand and exhale
3. Hold your finger there and inhale. Release, and once again close the right nostril with your
thumb and exhale through your left nostril.
4. Remain there and breathe
epeat this sequence for five minutes. Make sure to breathe in a relaxed and natural way while sitting
nd coordinated with the breath. It is important not to strain with this exercise because benefits can only
be felt when it is done easily and effortlessly. When you feel tired, lie down and rest, and breathe freely.
Begin with one or two complete cycles and see how you feel afterwards. This way, the exercise will
gradually increase your capacity for more. As a general guideline, men can eventually do as many as
twelve complete (double) rounds, ladies as many as six.
You will find that after a few cycles your breath will naturally adjust itself to the different movements.
After having done this exercise for a few days, the sequence of movements will be automatic and you will
no longer need to look at the instruction pictures.
Breathing Exercises (PranaYama)
Ayurveda recommends simple breathing exercises or PranaYama that help to refresh energy and restore
vitality to both mind and body within minutes. The word PranaYama is composed of two Sanskrit words.
Prana means “the life force” or “the breath of life.” It carries vital energy from the surroundings into the
body. PranaYama can cause an extraordinary balance in consciousness. Yama means exercise that
increases the flow of Prana and thereby stimulates all the functions of body and mind. PranaYama has a
deep cleansing effect and it purifies the nadis, which are the pranic currents of energy in the body.
The benefits of PranaYama include reduction of stress and tension, improved respiration and
circulation, as well as heightened awareness and clarity of mind. Especially those suffering from
respiratory ailments, headaches or migraines, and depression, may derive great relief from PranaYama.
For maximum results, any of the following three types of PranaYama (according to body type) should be
performed twice a day for five minutes each, preferably on an empty stomach in the morning and in the
evening, or when under stress. There is one PranaYama most suitable for each of the different body types,
although Vata PranaYama can be done by anyone suffering from any kind of affliction. Breathing should
be normal and effortless. For maximum benefit, one should sit straight but comfortably, and with eyes
closed.
Breathing should be coordinated with the movements of the body. Whenever you exte
e
Vata Pran
pe son of Vata constitution or Vata imbalance benefits most from alternative nostril breathing which
1. Close your right nostril with the thumb of your right hand and inhale through the left
nostril.
2. Then close the left nostril with the middle
through your right nostril.
in again.
R
straight and comfortably. This PranaYama supplies a larger and equal amount of oxygen to both
hemispheres of the brain, empties the lower lobes of the lungs from excessive amounts of carbon dioxide,
124
and makes room for more oxygen to be taken to the cells, giving them an “oxygen bath.” Vatas who feel
tense, restless, and stressed can quickly return to balance by practicing this PranaYama.
Illustration 15: Surya Namaskara
1.
11. 12. 2.
10. 3.
9. 4.
8. 5.
7. 6.
125
Pitta-PranaYama
A person of Pitta constitution or Pitta imbalance can “cool down” and enhance female energies in the
body by performing left nostril breathing. The left nostril corresponds to the cooling system in the body.
If it is blocked, the body is overheating. For this exercise,
1. Close your right nostril with the thumb of your right hand and inhale through your left one.
2. Then close your left nostril with your middle or ring finger and exhale through your right
one.
Repeat for five minutes, breathing normally and naturally, and sitting upright and comfortably.
Kapha-PranaYama
A person of Kapha constitution can literally warm up and increase male energies in the body by
performing right nostril breathing. The right nostril corresponds to the heating system in our body. If it is
blocked the body becomes too cold. For this exercise,
1. Close your left nostril with the middle or index finger of your right hand and inhale through
your right nostril.
2. Then close the right nostril with your thumb and exhale with your left one.
Repeat for five minutes, breathing effortlessly and sitting upright and comfortably.
Obese-Pranayama
A person who suffers from obesity should perform a fast PranaYama.
1. Sit in a comfortable position, take a deep breath and exhale quickly and forcefully through
the nose. You will naturally inhale after each exhalation.
2. Repeat for one minute, then rest for one minute.
3. Do this exercise for a total of five times, resting for one minute after each time.
This exercise speeds up the metabolic rate and is the equivalent of running two miles. You will begin to
feel hot and start sweating. It is important at this stage not to take cold or chilled beverages, as they shut
down AGNI and increase the build-up of fat in the body. Drink water of room temperature.
Conscious Breathing Meditation
Conscious Breathing is practiced in a comfortable sitting position and with eyes closed. It is best to sit
straight to make it easier for the body to breathe without strain. For maximum results, this meditation is
practiced for about 15 minutes twice a day, in the morning and in the evening, preferably before or at least
2-3 hours after eating food.
126
As you close your eyes, simply bring your attention to the end of your nose or to your chest and
experience the movements of inhalation and exhalation. Breathe easily and naturally. The longer you
practice, the more readily will your mind follow the rhythm of breathing and become relaxed. To go into a
peaceful state your mind does not have to stop thinking. In fact, the only mistake you can make with this
p
u would normally do in the sitting position.
d peaceful. If for a brief
moment your mind becomes still altogether, you will only be aware of yourself, without a thought or
feeling. For this brief moment you are Self-realized or “Self-referral” because your Self is the only thing
to which it can refer. It is for this instant that your mind has given up thinking; your body follows suit by
becoming very relaxed. This is th ectly coordinated, a moment of
healing for both body and mind. There your side, though, to produce
o
D
ractice is trying to stop thinking or prevent thoughts from coming. If you are carried away by thoughts,
feelings or emotions please do not do anything to stop them. Simply bring your awareness back to the
breathing, to your nose or chest and if the thoughts continue to be there, fine. An increased thought
activity during the practice indicates that stress is being released from the nervous system; stress release
naturally results in increased physical activity which, in turn, increases mental activity, i.e., thoughts,
feelings, mental pictures, etc.
Continue this process until you feel that about 15 minutes have passed. There is no reason to be anxious
about doing this correctly. Breathing is natural and having the attention on it is natural, too. There is
nothing you can do to improve upon what nature is already doing perfectly. Also don’t try breathing with
greater emphasis or deeper than yo
By repeatedly allowing your mind to follow the inhalation of fresh air into the body and the exhalation
of used air out through your nose, your mind will become increasingly quiet an
e time when body and mind are perf
is nothing you can possibly do from
r experience these moments. They occur when you expect them the least, i.e., when you are totally
relaxed about the process, with no expectations or effort.
With regular practice of conscious breathing you will find that this peaceful and relaxed state of your
mind will extend in time and accompany you during mental and physical activity throughout the day.
There will be a strong sense of calmness and of being centered and self-confident, even in stressful
situations or amidst noise and chaos. The depth of this experience will increase to the point that your own
unbounded awareness will coexist with the most dynamic activity of your body and mind.
irections:
1. Close your eyes and sit comfortably.
2. Bring your attention to the end of your nose or to your chest, and breathe consciously, but
naturally.
3. When you are aware of other thoughts, let them be there, and gradually bring your attention back
to the breathing.
4. After about 15 minutes open your eyes slowly.
5. Ideally meditate twice a day, morning and evening before eating.
Abyanga – Daily Oil Massage
The main purpose of Abyanga or oil massage as part of the Ayurvedic daily routine is to assist in
preventing the accumulation of physiological toxins (AMA) and to lubricate and promote flexibility of the
127
muscles, tissues and joints. The classical texts of Ayurveda indicate that daily oil massage promotes
softness and luster of the skin, as well as youthfulness. The skin is a major producer of endocrine
hormones and is connected to every part of the body through thousands of cutaneous nerves. Daily oil
m
alternative. To purify the massage oil “cure” it by heating it
ortionally more time on the head and feet than on other body parts.
• Next massage your arms. The proper motion is back and forth over the long bones, and circular
over the joints. Also massage hands and fingers.
• Now apply oil to the chest and a lar motion should be used over your
heart. Repeat this circular motion, following the “bowel pattern” from the right lower part of the
ckwise towards the left lower p
me areas are probably m to
help you.
and forth motion over the long bones and circular over
• Lastly, massage the soles of the feet. Since all body reflex points are situated in the feet, a good
amount of time should be spent on massaging the feet.
Ideally, one should spend about 5-10 minutes on the massage, possibly every morning. If there is not
nough time for a full body massage, then a mini-massage of 1-2 minutes on the head and feet is
preferable. After your massage, take a warm
the arms. This will leave a thin film of oil skin that is very beneficial for toning the skin and
uscles warm throughout the day. If, however, you have applied too much oil, a mild
e from natural ingredients can be used to wash it off. Sesame ular has a disinfecting
hich helps to ward off harmful
assage can, therefore, balance the two master systems of the body – the nervous system and the
endocrine system. The following are a few directions to assist you in learning the Ayurvedic daily do-ityourself
oil massage.
• Unless specific oil has been recommended for you, cold-pressed (also called expeller-pressed) and
unrefined sesame oil (not the Chinese roasted sesame oil) should be the preference. Although
sesame oil is suitable for all body types (for external use), if you find it irritating to the skin, you
may try olive oil or coconut oil as an
to about 100 degrees centigrade, the boiling point of water. Add a drop of water to the oil at the
beginning and when the water begins to splutter you will know that the proper temperature has
been reached. You may prepare the entire content of the bottle in one go or as needed.
• Before beginning the massage, the oil should be at or slightly above body temperature, especially
during winter time. Start by massaging the head if you intend to shampoo afterwards. Place a
small amount of oil on the fingertips and palms and begin to massage the scalp vigorously. Since
the head and feet are considered to be the most important parts to be emphasized during Abyanga,
spend prop
• After massaging the head, gently apply oil with your hands to your face and outer parts of your
ears.
• Massage both the front and back of the neck, and the upper part of the spine.
• You may want to apply a small amount of oil to your entire body and then continue with the
massage of each area.
bdomen. A very gentle circu
abdomen, moving clo art of the abdomen.
• Massage the back and spine. So ore difficult to reach, so you may want
ask your partner to
• Massage the legs. Like the arms, use a back
the joints.
e
shower or bath. Use soap only on the genital area and under
on the
keeping the body m
soap mad oil in partic
action, w microbes.
128
Diet According to Body Typ
e treated by di treated by any other means," said Moses Maimonides
edi ent model that was almost common
knowledge in ages past, but it is now increasingly being recognized as a matter of survival. Most chronic
iseases share nutritional deficiency as the number one cause for the underlying degeneration of cells,
or organs. Instead of food being modern food production has turned our best
an’s most harmful poisons. Much of the younger generations have almost completely lost
uch with the notion that they are what they eat. Even educated doctors tell their patients that their heart
attacks, cancers, and arthritic pains have nothing to do with the foods they eat. only very rarely does a
tion his patient about his eating habits, something that should
person to a series of tests that have no other purpose than to find a label and a corresponding
ds that
t for a
Buying into the illusion of cure is costly only to the patient. Everyone else profits greatly
rom it.
Since you cannot expect to receive much help from those who only know how to treat the effects of
lness and not its causes, you may need to take your health into you own hands. Foods have an almost
t the body’s bioc in several
eating a meal. You can easily powerful influence that food has on your body through
sting (see Chapter 1 for deta omething that to you, your
indigestion. Some be more damaging than ju rn.
hat eating meat in igger a heart at
er for you to figure o d lifestyles are ones for you,
hich body type you are. As discussed ea ier, different people digest and utilize the same food
in a different way. If a Vata and a Pitta type go to a restaurant and order the same meal, one of them may
el invigorated afterwards and the other one dull and heavy. The following food charts provide you with
ists of foods that are most suit each of the three main body types. In an ideal situation,
ld not require any lists to know what foods are good for you be r natural instinct would
ecision for you. But most pe ere already throw ance with their first taste
by formula, and whatever man-made foods became nourishment after
at. once a dosha is out of balance in your body, you tend to yearn for exactly those kinds of foods that
maintain that imbalance. For example, an unbalanced Pitta type may crave spicy, sour and salty foods,
lanced Kapha type chooses to eat cakes, candy, and oily foods. Our natural instincts also fail
ient our tastes towards al information, time schedules, and the promises of
three forces of nature (dosh sented in our body and individual way,
us has different requiremen arious nutrients con food. Our body is only
ze the nutrients of those foods that are suitable for our body type, just as certain feeds are only
in no
Now, first determine your body type or dominating dosha by reading the sections below and, perhaps,
filling out the body type questionnaire at the end of Chapter 5. Then look up the charts and choose the
foods that balance that dosha. For example, if you have scored Vata 6, Pitta 15, and Kapha 8 in the Body
Type Quiz, refer to the section “Pitta Pacifying Diet found in this chapter.”
es
“No illness which can b
(1135-1204). The use of food as m
et should be
cine is not just a treatm
d
tissues, our best medicine,
foods into m
to
doctor ques
he diseased
be dealt with before subjecting
t
drug or procedure for the symptom from which he is suffering. The treatment consists of metho
make the symptom(s) disappear. If successful, the patient is now considered disease-free, at leas
little while.
f
il
immediate effect on the body. In fact, it is known tha hemistry changes with
minutes of verify the
muscle te ils). If you eat s is outright harmful
stomach will signal
Research has shown t
foods can even
the evening
st causing heartbu
tack in the morning.
the most beneficial
can tr
So to make it easi ut which diets an
determine w rl
fe
specific l able for
you wou cause you
make that d ople’s doshas w n of bal
of manufactured ba their source of
th
and an unba
us when we or
ments.
nutrition
advertise
Since the as) are repre in a unique
each one of
ble to utili
ts for the v tained in
a
suitable for certain animals and not others. Try giving a rabbit olive oil to eat, and it will get sick
time. Give the oil to a rat, and it will have no problem digesting it.
129
So in order to know yourself better, famil self with the food charts that are applicable to your
body type, and choose to eat more of those foods that are on the “favor” list, and avoid those that are on
e “avoid” list. Those items in the “reduce” category should be eaten in moderation, that is occasionally
ts.
need to become overly fixa food lists, especially if you are not just
one clear body type. However, these lists are can be very helpful in your quest for discovering the most
eal foods for you to return to a balanced state of body and mind. If you feel attracted to a particular food
on your list, double check wit d you will ha ther your
an benefit from it or not. Both the food lists and the muscle te o get to know
f better and to restore your natural instincts. If you are an experienced dowser, you can also use
ools to confirm the correctness of your choice of foods. If in doubt about what body type you
re, you may even use these methods to determine your exact body type. If most items on the Vata favor
list, for example, test positive for you, you are most likely a Vata type, or you have a major Vata
enever I have used the word in the food charts, I s t that you use the respective
oderation, which m y and only sparingly.
VATA PACIFYING DIET
arm foods and beverages; m eavy; added ghee ; mostly high fluidoods.
Foods th eet, sour and salty tastes.
The Vata type – influenced mainly by the elements of air and space – is naturally sensitive to foods that
re light, dry, and cold. Vata types lack the qualities of heavy, oily and hot, that, when taken in the form of
ges, keep him balanced ds that contain the dominant tastes of sweet, sour and
, but those that are pungent bitter as in bitter greens, and astringent as
ans, greatly upset it. A meal consisting of a lettuce salad, hot vegetable curry with steamed
potatoes, kidney beans and ice cream can de for many days, whereas a meal consisting of an
vocado with lemon and salt, stir fried asparagus, and Basmati rice with almonds can keep the Vata type
strong.
cold, dry, and light by ich are the qualitie t in autumn and early
ecially during this time of ye ds to be soothed an y soft and warming
earty stews and soups, long cooked vegetable casseroles, freshly prepared bread, puddings,
nd hot cereals. Butter, oils, and cream, too, keep Vata in check. Since sensitivity is one of his
haracteristics, the Vata type becomes upset when there is too much noise and disturbance around meal
times.
Vata types are the most likely to need a mo ishing breakfast. Hot cereals such as porridge cooked
t milk soothe Va rice or of wheat. Vatas, however,
y caffeine-co as cof ir bitter and
astringent tastes and stimulating effects.
Vata types tend to suffer from constipation with dry and hard stools if they have too much rice, pasta, or
other wheat products, yet when eaten with plenty of well-cooked, juicy vegetables they are Vata
pacifying, too. Potatoes in any form are likely to cause Vata problems since they have a drying and
dehydrating effect. Popcorn is another typical Vata-raising food. Vata’s main rule regarding starchiarize
your
th
and in small amoun
You don’t ted about sticking to the
id
that is not h the muscle test an ve a better sense of whe
body c st may help you t
yoursel
dowsing t
a
imbalance, such as constipation.
Note: Wh “Reduce”
eans, not e
ugges
food items only in m
very da
Favor: W oderately h , butter, oil
containing and nourishing f at have the sw
af
ood and bevera
Vata
. Also, foo
salty pacify as in spicy foods,
in tea or be
range Vata
a
balanced and
Vata dosha is nature, wh s dominan
winter. Esp ar, Vata nee d nourished b
foods such as h
a
c
re nour
with almond milk or oa ta, and so does cream of
ges such
cream
get agitated and nervous b ntaining bevera fee or tea, due to the
130
containing foods, often referred to as carbohydrates, is to add copious amounts of fats, otherwis
tend to pass too quickly through the small intestine and end up being fermented by bacteria in th
intestine. This causes the typical bloating Vatas so frequently complain about.
Vatas also benefit from spices that
e they
e large
are mild, soothing, sweet, and heavy, as listed below. Since their
igestive fire (ANGI) tends to fluctuate and be rregular, ginger, cardamom, fennel, and cinnamon can
timulate the appetite and improve digestion. These help to reduce gas, a problem that Vatas are
articularly prone to develop.
only body type th ore salt in his body nefit from adding it to
is always better to g the cooking. Care is to be taken, however, when the
salt is eaten as dry, salted snacks, such as crisps. Processed, commercial salt aggravates Vata, whereas
unrefined salt calms it (also see Chapter 7).
It is better for the Vata type to choose unprocessed foods such as unsalted nuts, which are sweet, heavy,
an ch foods,
which means they should be consum s. Vatas can digest them more easily when
ey are ground or made into butters. But be careful with commercial nut butters. They become rancid
ithin a few days after grinding them, even if kept in the refrigerator. Nut butters are notorious for
causing food poisoning and inflam -intestinal tract. It is best to make nut butter fresh
nd keep it for no longer than 2-3 days. one of the best nuts for pacifying Vata are almonds (8-10 a day),
e skin.
sweet fruits are also very beneficial to the Vata, provided the pty stomach
the evening. Vata types should avoid fruits that have an astringent taste, as in unripe bananas or
ns, whereas the sour taste of grapefruit helps to pacify Vata.
The drying, cooling, and light elements of Air and Space/Ether are the most dominating elements in the
te Vata shows a natural aversion to the following foods:
E FOODS
ge families
dry, rough, and stale foods
r vegetables
low vegetable with tiny seeds (except
peppers)
• Greens a
t nig ruits and vegetables
• Most dry and compact legumes
Vata Food Chart
ds
i
p
The Vata type is the
is food, although it
at requires m
use it durin
and can be
h
d oily, all qualities that pacify Vata. Be aware that nuts and seeds are very concentrated and ri
ed only in small quantitie
th
w
mation in the gastro
aw
ithout th
Ripe and
y are eaten on an em
and not in
persimmo
Vata type, and in a balanced sta
AIR/SPAC
• All cabba
• All
• Bitte
• Hol
nd lettuce
• Mos htshade f
FRUITS
Favor
Avocado
ananas
erries
Coconut
Dates, fresh
Figs, fresh
Grapes
Lemons
Mango
Apricots Cherries Grapefruit
BB
131
Stewed fruits
Soaked dried fruits
elons (sweet)
Pap
Peach
Pineapple
Rhubarb
Tangerines
M
Oranges
aya
es
Plums
Reduce
pples
es
Dried Fruits, cooked Pomegranate ACranberri Pears Quince
Avoid
ersimmon Prunes Watermelon
be ripe, sweet, and b ach.
cooked.
P
Note: all fruits should e consumed on an empty stom Apples and pears should be
VEGETABLES
Favor
Artichokes
sparagus
d)
seedless
beans
Leeks, cooked
Okra (lady
rs), with fat
hite
s, cooked
Sweet potatoes with fat
Summer squash (yellow
crookneck, zucchini)
W
Winter squash (acorn,
buttercup, butternut)
A
Beetroot
Carrots
Celery(cooke
Cucumber,
Green
finge
Pumpkin, orange
and w
Radishe
atercress
Reduce
Broccoli
Collards
Corn, fresh
Jerusalem artichoke
ns
ps
Pla
Ra
Sp
Turnip greens
Lettuce
Mustard gree
Onion, cooked
Parsni
ntain
dishes
inach
Avoid
Bell peppers
Brussels sprouts
abbage
er
Eggplant
Endi
Kohlrabi
Peas
Potatoes, white
Swiss chard
s
id items, with the exception of cabbage, potatoes and sprouts, are acceptable if
ooked well, and with oil and Vata spices added. Raw vegetables should be avoided altogether.
C Cauliflow
Celery, raw
ve
Mushrooms
Onion, raw
Sprouts
Tomatoe
Note: The Reduce and Avo
c
132
GRAINS
Favor
ice, white
cooked,
al, not dry
Basmati r
Oats, cooked
Whole rice, well
Wheat cere
Wild rice
Reduce
Amaranth
Barley
Bulgur
Couscous
Whole Wheat Pasta
Quinoa
Rice flour
Unbleached white flour,
Whole wheat flour
Udon noodles
Avoid
C
Buckwheat Millet Rye
orn
Cereals, dried
Oats, dry
White flour pasta
LEGUMES, BEANS, PEAS
Favor
Aduki beans
Mung beans (split or whole)
Pink lentils
Tofu, cooked
Toor dhal
Reduce
Black chickpeas
Muth beans
Urad dhal
Avoid
Black beans
Black-eyes beans
Chick peas
Lentils, brown
Kidney beans
Lima beans
Navy beans
Pinto beans
Soybeans
Split peas
White beans
DAIRY
Favor
Buttermilk, home-made
C
Cow’s m
ottage cheese, home-made Unsalted butter, Yoghurt, home-made
ilk, certified raw Ghee
133
Caution: With the exception of ghee and butter, use these foods very sparingly. If they cause mucus,
coating on tongue, or congested nose/sinuses, discontinue immediately and avoid them altogether. Dairy
products can lead to serious lymphatic congestion and thickening of blood vessel walls (see more details in
section Milk Controversy of Chapter 14)
Reduce
Cheeses, hard and soft Goats milk Sour cream
Avoid
All commercially produced dairy products, including low fat milk and ice cream, with the exception of
unsalted butter and cream
NUTS AND SEEDS
Favor
Almonds
Brazil nuts
Pecans Sesame seeds, roasted
Cashews
Chestnuts
Pine nuts
Pistachios
Pumpkin seeds
Sunflower seeds
Walnuts
ote: peanuts should be avoided.
N
SWEETENERS
Favor
Bro
Date syrup
Honey, raw
Palm sugar
R k
Stevia
Sugar cane juice
Unrefined sugar cane
products
Xylitol
wn rice syrup oc sugar
Reduce
Barley malt Maple sy Molasses
rup
Avoid
H ated or cooked
White sugar
Sugar substitutes (Aspartame, Saccharin, Sweet’N
Low, NutraSweet,
N ida Albicans is an issue in your eeteners except s
oney, he
etc.)
ote: If Cand body, avoid all sw tevia and xylitol.
134
Oils/Fats
Favor
A
Unsalted Butter
GS
S
lmond hee
esame
unflower
Reduce
Coconut
M
Olive
S
Walnut
ustard afflower
Avoid
Animal fats, except butter and ghee
C
Canola Light fat products
Note: All refined and heat-pressed oils are harmful to your health!
orn Mixed vegetable oils Synthetically derived fats
HERBS. SPICES. CONDIMENTS
Favor
A
AAABB
B
Black pepper
C
C onut or mango
Cardamon
Cinnamon
Cloves
C
C
Dill, leaves or seed
Fen
Gom
Ginger, dried or fresh
Lem
Li
Mac
Mar
Mango powder
Mustard seeds, black and yellow
Nutmeg
Olives, black or green
Ore
ika
t
Thyme
Vanilla
llspice
lmond extract
nise
safetida
asil
ay leaf
lack cumin
arraway
hutney, coc
ilantro
umin
nel
asio
on juice
corice root
e
joram
gano
Papr
Peppermint
Rosemary
Sage
Rock salt
Unrefined Sea Salt
Savory
Spearmin
Tamarind
Tarragon
Reduce
Cayenne
Chili peppers
Coriander seed
C nd powder
Fenu
Garlic, cooked
H
M
Parsley
Saffron
T
N may use these spices in moderation but avoid raw garlic and all er and astringent
tasting spices and herbs.
urry, leaves a
greek
orseradish
int
urmeric
ote: You very bitt
135
BREWS, BEVERAGES, TEAS
All are acceptable except for:
AA
Caffeinated beverages
Carbonated beverages
old beverages
C
Pear juice
Prune juice
Pungent beverages
Tomato juice
Blackberry tea
Burdock tea
Dandelion tea
Power Drinks
PITTA PACIFYING DIET
ol or warm foods and beverag derately heavy; less adde s except for ghee
an il; foods that are of sweet, bi stringent tastes.
ype is naturally equipped w ong digestive power that allows him to choose from a
la ariety of foods than suitable for th ypes. His main adversary, however, is overeating.
As long as he does not abuse his is hard to throw him off balance. When
suffering from digestive trouble, ju d can restore his physical balance.
he dominating elements in the Pitta type are fire and water. Therefore, pungent and sour foods (both
have heating properties) as well as salty ining commercially alt) upset Pitta and
should be used sparingly. The sodium c s causes wa bsorption of
nutrients, and blood pressure problems. If used in moderation, unrefined sea and rock salt, on the other
hand, have beneficial effects even for the Pitta type. The dominating presence of the fire element makes
the Pitta type prefer cooling, refreshing foods and beverages, especially during the hot summer season.
greatly
ure which one of the two doshas is the
dominant one in your body, apply the muscle test for a couple of major food items from the Pitta list and
see whether the results match your body type score). Pitta types benefit more from bitter and astringent
tastes, both of which are contained in lettu s and green leafy vegetables. Legumes are mainly
astringent and are generally liked by all Pitt . ds that have cold, heavy, and dry qualities are
g uitable for the Pitta type. Mint, for example, has cooling properties whereas honey is
h and heavy compared to the light and heating properties of buckwheat or
atoes or cauliflower are very dry in comparison to the oiliness of eggs or peanuts. The
Pitta’s strong AGNI faces no problem in digesting the more dry, cold and heavy foods, and they are,
therefore, not gas-forming for him. Grain foods, on the other hand, cause him trouble if they are left
whole. Brown rice and heavy wholemeal bread can upset Pitta dosha, so does brown unrefined cane sugar.
T is the only one that can g white suga time. Maple and
foods,
s with
digesting meat and fish proteins. and cause circulatory problems.
Pitta types who eat meat or other animal foods on a regular basis develop a pouch around the
ach, hold on to excessive lymph fluid and suffer from coronary heart disease. Pitta types thrive on a
purely vegetarian diet, but fall ill if they don’t. Their digestive system is not equipped with the specific
lcohol
pple juice
C
ranberry juice
Favor: Co es; mo d butter and fat
d coconut o tter and a
The Pitta t ith a str
rger v e other body t
strong digestive power, it
st eating lesser amounts of foo
T
food (conta produced s
hloride in table salt ter retention, mal-a
Unlike the Vata type who benefits from oily, sour, salty, and heating foods, the Pitta type is
disturbed by them. (Note: if you are a Vata/Pitta type and not s
ces, herb
a types Foo
enerally more s
eating. Wheat is both cooling
millet; and pot
he Pitta type et away with eating r from time to
carob syrups are also more easily digested by the Pitta type, unless he eats these regularly and in large
amounts (which unbalanced Pittas tend to do).
The fats that are contained in meat, eggs, pork, etc., strongly irritate Pitta types. Fried and oily
too, perturb a Pitta’s stomach, causing heartburn and even ulcers. He also has great difficultie
These foods tend to heat up his body
Most of the
stom
136
enzyme systems needed to successfully handle flesh or other concentrated protein foods, such as cheese.
s and fruits and salads, greatly satisfy a Pitta’s stomach.
n make a balanced Pitta ba ggressive. So can alcohol, tobacco, and coffee.
T far too acidic for the alr ominated Pitta t nnel, and Liquorice
teas are all pacifying Pitta, whereas regular tea aggravates it. The liver breaks down regular tea into large
amounts of uric acid, which tends to cause sluggishness and thickening of the blood. Fresh, cool water is
th best beverage for this body type
Pittas are better off staying away from exican restaurants whereas Chinese and Japanese
em better. Salty snacks, like crisps, can also upset their sensitive stomach lining. Pitta types
th rocessed foods, pr ally grown. The or other
im contained in foods are more be felt by the Pitta type, and can even cause “food”
allergies. In many cases, it is not the food a type reacts to, but the dditives
they contain. Note: To test for food allergies, take your pulse; then place a small piece of the food under
your tongue and take your pulse again; if it is higher than before you may be allergic to that particular
food. clarified butter) is one of the main foods to pacify irritated Pitta and can be used for cooking,
and on breads. It pacifies imbalances resulting from excessive secretions of bile and stomach acid.
itta types should be particularly careful not to eat unripe and prematurely picked fruits, as they tend to
ment in the intestines and cause loose stool rties of the fire element
are dominating in the Pitta type, in a balan al aversion to “fire foods,” which can be
summarized as follows:
FIRE FOODS
ic
foods/medicines
• Meat and its products
• Fish
eating” grains
• Pickles
• es
lt and salty foods
• Sour/pungent fruits
and vegetables
• Oily foods
• Red-looking food
Chart
Carbohydrates such as vegetables, grains, pulse
A steak ca d-tempered and a
hese items are eady sour-taste-d ype. Mint, fe
e .
Indian or M
foods suit th
rive on fresh and unp eferably organic remnants of pesticides
purities likely to
the Pitt chemical poisons and a
Ghee (
P
fer s or diarrhea. Since the heating prope
ced state he has a natur
• Acid
• “H
• Vinegar
Hot spic
• Nuts
• Sa
Pitta Food
FRUITS
Favor
Apples
Coconut
Mel
eet
eet
Plums, sweet
Pomegranate
Dates, fresh
Figs, fresh
Grapes, dark
Mangoes
ons
Oranges, sw
Pears
Pineapple, sw
Prunes, soaked
Raisins, soaked
Watermelon
137
Reduce
Apricots
Avocado
weet
Lemons
Quince, sweet
Strawberries, sweet
Dried fruits, sweet
Kiwi, s
Limes
Avoid
Bananas Grape
erries
Cherries
Grapefruit
s, green
Papaya
Pea
our
Persimmon
Plums, sour
Rhubarb
e very sensitive to u ically treated fruits, which can cause
elated diarrhea and bloating.
B
Oranges, sour
ches
Pineapples, s
Note: Pitta types ar nripe, sour, and chem
fermentation-r
VEGETABLES
Favor
Artichokes
sparagus
ts
ollards
ucumber
Da
greens
ns
m
a
vegetables
Mushrooms
Okra
Parsnips
Peas
te
, white
ts
ers
quash (acorn,
buttercup, butternut,
spaghetti)
Watercress
Zucchini
A Bitter and sweet
vegetables
Broccoli
Brussels Sprou
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Chicory
CC
ndelion
Endive
Green bea
Jerusale
rtichoke
Leafy green
Lettuce
Potatoes, whi
Pumpkin
Sprou
Sweet pepp
Winter s
Reduce
Bamboo shoots
Carrots, cooked
fresh
reens
orange
n salad
greens
Celery
Corn,
Kohlrabi
Leeks, cooked
Mustard g
Parsley
Pumpkin,
Spinach
Tomatoes, i
Turnip
Avoid
Red Beets
Beet greens
arrots, raw
ggplant
sh
i peppers
Onions, raw and cooked
Radishes
ard
, cooked
Tomato sauces, ketchup
Turnips
CE
Horseradi
Hot chill
Swiss ch
Tomatoes
138
GRAINS
Favor
arley
ice, white
B Oats, cooked Wheat
Basmati r Pasta
Reduce
ereals, barley or wheat
es
heat
Unbleached white flour
Wheat bran
Whole wheat flour
Barley flour
Bulgur
C
Couscous, all typ
Pasta, whole w
Avoid
Amaranth
Buckwheat
Brown rice
Millet Pasta in excess
e
Corn Rice in excess
Oats, dry
Quinoa
Ry
LEGUMES, BEANS, PEAS
Favor
Aduki beans
Black beans
Black-eyes beans
Chickpeas
Lima beans
Mung beans, split or
whole
Navy beans
Pinto beans
Split peas, all kinds
Urad dhal
Note: Consume not more than 1-2 times a week, and avoid brown and pink lentils, as well soy beans, soy
milk and tofu (they contain at least two very toxic enzyme inhibitors).
DAIRY
Favor
Butter, unsalted Cottage cheese Ghee
Milk, certified raw (from nongrain
fed cows
Reduce
Lassi, sweet Yoghurt, home-made Cream cheese
Caution: With the exception of ghee and butter, use dairy foods very sparingly. If they cause mucus,
coating on tongue, or congested nose/sinuses, discontinue immediately and avoid them altogether. Dairy
products can lead to serious lymphatic congestion and thickening of blood vessel walls (see more details in
section Milk Controversy of Chapter 14)
139
Avoid
Buttermilk
Cheeses, hard
Commercial dairy
products, Goat’s
cheese
Ice cream
Sour cream
NUTS AND SEEDS
Favor
Almonds (8-10 a day)
Coconut
Pumpkin seeds,
raw or
Sunflower seeds, raw or
roasted
Poppy seeds roasted Water chestnuts, cooked
Reduce
W
alnuts
Pecans
Avoid
All other nuts and s
eeds
OILS/FATS
Favor
Coconut
Sunflower
Ghee
Unsalted butter
Reduce
vocado Olive Safflower
A
Avoid
Almond
Animal fats, except butter
pricot Sesame, dark
le, mixed
Canola
Note: All refined and heat-pressed oils are harm ur health!
A
Corn
Mustard
Vegetab
ful to yo
SWEETENERS
Favor
Barley malt
Date syrup
Fructose
up
Rock sugar
Palm
Stevia
White sugar, in
moderation
Maple syr
sugar
Xylitol
140
N th the exception of xylitol and stevia, eating sweeteners in large amoun can lead to
b problems and high acidity in the idiasis).
ote: Wi ts or regularly
lood sugar body (cand
Avoid
Brown, unrefined cane
ugar
syrup
Hon ept
for small
, 1-2
ns per
Molasses
Sugar substitutes
accharin,
’N Low,
s
Brown rice
ey (exc
amounts
teaspoo
day)
(aspartame, s
Sweet
NutraSweet)
HERBS, SPICES, CONDIMENTS
Favor
Apple cider vinegar
min
en
oconut, grated or
asted
/cream
eaves
es
Fennel
Mint
Saffron
Spearmint
Turmeric
Wintergreen
Black cu
Cilantro (gre
coriander)
Cr
o
Coconut milk
Coriander
Curry l
Dill leav
Peppermint
Rose water
Reduce
Almond extract
Basil, fresh
Black mustard seeds
Black pepper
innamon
Dill seed
Gin
Lemon juice
Olives, black
Orange peel
Parsley
Salt
Tamarind
Caraway
Cardamom
C
Cloves
ger
Mace
Nutmeg
Vanilla
Avoid
Allspice
e sauce
Asafetida (hing)
Basil
ay leaves
Gomasio
adish
powder
Mustard
Ma
Mayonnaise
stard seeds
Preservatives and additives,
ical
Pickles
Rosemary
Sage
Salt, iodized
ds
Vinegar
Barbecu
Anise
B
Catsup
Cayenne
Fenugreek
Garlic
Horser
Mango
rjoram
Yellow mu
Onion, raw
Oregano
Paprika
chem
Salty foo
Soy Sauce
Thyme
141
Brews, Beverages, Teas
All are OK except:
lcohol
everages (coffee, tea)
beverages
Chocolate beverages
Clove tea
Bottled, boxed juices
e
Grapefruit juice
Power drinks
Papaya juice
ces
ice
Sage tea
KAPHA PACIFYING DIET
foods; light and dry in texture; cooked without much wate all amounts of butter,
oil, and sugar; foods of pungent, bitter, and astringent tastes; foods and beverages that have a naturally
stimulating influence.
The Kapha type imbibes profuse amounts ater and earth elements. This makes him naturally
strong, heavy and stable. The qualities present in the air energies, however, are not well represented in his
body, which makes him naturally want foods that can give him the drive, movement and agility he
ties of
t, and
d are,
pha’s system. Potatoes, too, produce a similar
An ideal food for the Kapha type is the as legumes that help to cleanse his intestinal tract from
excessive mucus. Combined with heat-producing spices, they stimulate his digestion and help with the
re l of stagnant waste material. Many vegetarian Mexican and Indian dishes are good for the Kapha
ty ell is highly developed, the exotic smells of herb s satisfy him. His
often sluggish and slow metabolism can benefit greatly from an eye-watering spicy meal. A spicy and
bitter appetizer such as romaine lettuce with added pepper can kindle his AGNI, so can chewing on a piece
of fresh ginger. Kaphas don’t need or even want much of a salad dressing that is sour and oily.
enerally, Kapha types should make certain that there are enough pungent, bitter, and astringent tastes
present in each meal. Spices such as cumin, fenugeek, and tumeric are both astringent and bitter. Green
leafy vegetables, including kale and s ked with plenty of spices also help to pacify
Kapha, but care should be taken not to add too much water during cooking.
e summer, the Kapha’s bod eat fruits, salad vegetables.
T owever, can greatly upse nter, when his inly cooked
foods with hot spices. Cayenne pepper is especially beneficial for him, since it breaks down excessive
mucus. Chili pepper, however, can sometimes cause congestion in his lungs. Cooling foods such as dairy
ilk shakes, ice cream, cream, bu gary sweets, cakes, etc. make the Kapha’s system cold,
cause mucus congestion, and lead to heaviness, lethargy, and depression. Besides the dulling effect on the
A Banana shake
Caffeinated b
Carbonated
Cranberry juic
Ginger tea
Ginseng tea
Sour fruit jui
Tomato ju
Favor: Warm r; only sm
of the w
requires to maintain physical and mental balance. The Kapha dosha has the exact opposite proper
the Vata dosha, which prompts him to eat mostly Vata-increasing foods. These are the dry, ligh
heating foods. Honey, beans, and barley, for example, are foods that have a drying effect an
therefore, able to remove excessive fluids from the Ka
benefit in this body type.
tringent
mova
pe. Since his sense of sm s and spice
G
pinach, that are coo
During th y is warm enough to
in the wi
s, and some raw
hese foods, h t his balance body requires ma
products, m tter, su
142
Kapha type, they also increase his body weight, whereas the heating influence of pungent, bitter, and
astringent foods keeps his weight in check.
Fats and oils are far too heavy for the Ka should be used sparingly. Kaphas not only secrete
fats in their external skin, which makes their ooth and silky, but also through their internal skin –
the gastrointestinal lining. Unlike, the Vata type who must add fats to their food in order to digest it, the
K e supplies his own fats; hence th need to add them to th
ed foods quickly suppress this which is the lowest among all the body types.
However, expeller-pressed corn oil, sunflower oil or safflower oil are more digestible for him since they
p ities only). Ghee is a good choice, too, when used in cooking.
Salt or salty foods quickly imbalance the Kapha type because they tend to cause him to retain water.
Many Kaphas suffer from swollen feet and arm use of too much salt consumption.
ince the balanced Kapha type is mainly influenced by the elements of Earth and Water, he has a natural
aversion to Earth/Water foods, which are listed below:
EARTH/WATER FOODS
• Salty tasting foods
• Sweet, jui
• Sweets and sweet tasting foods
• Sweet, watery vegetables
• Cool, milky foods
• Sticky and cold foods
Kapha Food Chart
pha type and
skin sm
apha typ e reduced e food
Deep fri type’s AGNI,
ossess heating qualities (use in small quant
s beca
S
cy fruits • Oily foods
FRUITS
Favor
Apples
Apricots
erries
Cranberries
Cherries
Figs, dried
Peaches
Persimmon
Quince
Prunes
Raisins
B
Dried fruits
Pears
Pomegranate
Reduce
Grapes
Kiwi
emons
Man
Oranges
Strawberries
Tangerine
Tamarind
Limes
L
go
Avoid
vocado
Bananas
Coconut
Figs, fresh
Grapefruit
Melons
A
143
Papaya
Pineapple
Plums
Rhubarb
Watermelon
VEGETABLES
Favor
Asparagus
Beets
Bell peppers
Broccoli
sprouts
Corn, fresh
Eggplant
Garlic
Green beans
Jerusalem artichoke
egetables
ms
reens
Okra
Onions
Parsley
Peas
Potatoes, white
Radishes
Sp
Sp
Tu
Tu
W
Brussels
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Endive
Leafy green v
Leeks
Lettuce
Mushroo
Mustard g
inach
routs
rnips
rnip greens
atercress
Reduce
Artichoke
Parsnips
Plantain
Summer Squash
Zucchini
Avoid
Cucumber
Pumpkin, all kinds
Sweet potatoes
Tomatoes
Winter squash (acorn, buttercup,
butternut, spaghetti)
GRAINS
Favor
Barley
Buckwheat Millet
Corn Rye
Reduce
Amaranth
Basmati rice, white (small
amount)
Barley cereals
Cornmeal
Millet cereals
Oats, dry
Oat bran
Quinoa
Rye cereals
Rye flakes
Couscous Pasta, rye
Avoid
Brown
Oats, c flour Whole wheat flour
rice
ooked
Steamed grains
Rice
Wheat
144
LEGUMES, BEANS, PEAS
Favor
Aduki
Bl
Ch p
Beans Lentils, pink Pinto beans
ack beans
ick eas
Lima beans
Navy beans
Split peas
Reduce
Bl
Mung
ack-eyes beans
beans
Urad dhal
White beans
Avoid
Ki
To
dney beans Lentils, brown Soybeans
fu
DAIRY
Favor
all amounts ghee and butter, use dairy foods very spar Cc
aution: With the exception of sm ingly. If they
a
(see m
ause mucus, coating on tongue, or congested nose/sinuses, discontinue immediately and avoid them
ltogether. Dairy products can lead to serious lymphatic congestion and thickening of blood vessel walls
ore details in section Milk Controversy of Chapter 14)
Reduce
Ghee Butter Ice cream
Goat’s cheese, unsalted
t’s milk
Buttermilk
Cheese
Sour cream
Goa Yoghurt
hon
Lassi, spiced and with
ey
Cow’s milk
Dairy products
NUTS AND SEEDS
Reduce
Coc
onut
py seeds
Pumpkin seeds, roasted
Sesame seeds
Sunflower seeds,
Pop roasted
Avoid
All nuts
145
OILS/FATS
Reduce
ond
n
stard
Safflower
Ghee
Alm Sunflower
Cor
Not
Mu Unsalted butter
e: These oil/fats OK all in small amounts
Avoid
Apricot
vocado
Coconut
Olive
Sesame
Soy
Caution: All refined and heat-pre
A
ssed oils are harmful to your health
SWEETENERS
Favor
Honey, raw and unheated (but not more than one tablespoon a day) and stevia
Reduce
Barle
Mapl
y malt
Brown rice syrup
Dates syrup
e Syrup
Avoid
Brow
Fruct
lucose Palm sugar
All Sugar substitutes
White sugar
n cane sugar
ose
Honey, cooked
Molasses
Sugar cane juice
G
HERBS, SPICES, CONDIMENTS
Favor
All are good for K-types except mango powder, miso, olives, salt, tamari, vinegar
BREWS, BEVERAGES, TEAS
Favor
Aloe Vera juice
Apple juice
Apricot juice
Berry juice
Carob beverages
Carrot juice
Cherry juice
Mixed vegetable juice
Pear juice
Pineapple juice
Pomegranate juice
Prune juice
146
147
Note: all fruit juices should be freshly pressed, diluted with water, and taken on an empty stomach. Use only in
moderation, since too much fruit sugar can upset Kapha dosha.
Reduce
affeinated beverages Vegetable broth, salted
Almond drink
Almond milk
Grape juice
Mango juice
Lassi
C
Avoid
Alcohol Cold beverages Milk shakes
Banana shake
Carbonated beverages
Chocolate beverages
oconut milk
Comfrey teas
Grapefruit juice
Lemonade
Licorice t
Orange juice
Papaya juice
Sour beverages
C ea Tomato juice
Important for all body types
In the above food charts I have omitted beef, pork, poultry, fish, eggs and similar foods because they
can create major imbalances in all three body types (see section on vegetarianism). When heated, their
proteins coagulate, which makes even more harmful for the body. The animal foods chicken, turkey and
shrimp have a slightly less damaging effect. Dead foods are deprived of their life force. The body has to
mobilize extra energy to get rid of it, which may give you the incorrect belief that these foods make you
strong. The overall, long-term effect is physical, mental and emotional imbalance. Ayurveda claims that
these foods reduce Ojas in the body, which is the chemical equivalent of bliss. Bliss results when the body
vibrates at a high frequency.
-fried and oily foods, hard cheeses, leftover and
p ll as excessively sour and salty-tasting foods. Also,
overeating of any food prevents the body from producing Ojas, and leads to gastrointestinal problems.
r itself. In many cases, ghee is recommended in the diet. Ghee is
p
The following foods have similar effects: Heavy, deep
rocessed foods, refined and genetically altered, as we
Ghee – Its Value and Preparation
Ghee is clarified butter. Although it is prepared completely from butter, its properties, according to
Ayurveda, are very different from butte
articularly useful for the Pitta constitution; it helps to digest and absorb food better and makes food
tastier. Its benefit lies in the fact that it stimulates AGNI without fueling Pitta dosha. Also Vata and even
Kapha types benefit from ghee. Unless you have access to an Indian Health Food store that sells ghee, you
have to prepare it yourself, using the following recipe.
How to Prepare Ghee
1. Place any amount of unsalted butter in a deep Porcelain, Pyrex or stainless steel pan over
medium-low heat (be sure that the butter does not scorch while melting). Allow complete melting
to occur and then reduce heat to low.
147
2. In the next 30-40 minutes the water in the butter will boil away (approximately 20% of butter is
composed of water). Milk solids will appear on the surface of the liquid and at the bottom of the
pan.
3. Be alert to remove the liquid from the heat as the milk solids turn golden brown on the bottom of
the pan (otherwise, the ghee may burn). At this point, you may notice that the ghee smells like
ou should always be cautious. Another way
of doing this is to let the ghee cool down and then strain it by pouring it through a cotton cloth or
handkerchief directly into clean glass jars or bowls.
5. Ghee can be stored at ro eps indefinitely when kept in
the refrigerator. Put a teaspoon full (per fterwards. Ghee can be used
eneral Principles Regarding Diet
ellent appetizer and kindles
shing of cool water over face, neck, and hands before meals also
3.
thout interruption.
ount of two cupped hands full (your
ly one third of the meal should consist of liquid food (soupy consistency).
digested. Allow approximately 3 to 6 hours
depending upon the types of food consumed.
. If you desire to drink anything with your meals, it is best to sip hot or warm water. Avoid drinking
ities of liquids before, during, or within the first two 2½ hours after meals.
minimum requirements for water
ay need to increase the
rcising, or during stress.
ance to disease, impair AGNI, and cause mucus
0. Diet should be balanced by including all the six tastes – sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter and
t – in at least one meal per day. However, check out specific taste preferences regarding
popcorn and you can see tiny bubbles in the ghee rising from the bottom.
4. Strain the ghee while still hot or warm, pouring it through a cotton cloth into a stainless steel or
Pyrex-type container. At this point it is very hot, so y
om temperature for several weeks and it ke
person) into food or on food a
in the same way as cooking oil, in the place of butter, or as a digestive aid dripped over food.
Note: Caution should always be observed when handling hot liquids. Ghee should never be left
unattended during the heating process.
If ghee is not available, other good alternatives are coconut oil, olive oil and butter (check with your
body type list).
A Summary of G
1. A half teaspoon of grated gin
fire. Spla
ger taken with a pinch of salt is an exc
AGNI, the digestive
stimulates AGNI.
2. Eat in a settled environment and quiet atmosphere and with a settled mind. Company and
environment should be pleasant. Do not work, listen to music, read, or watch TV during meals.
Always sit down to eat. Eat at roughly the same times each day.
4. Eat neither too quickly nor too slowly (about 20 minutes) and wi
5. Eat to about ¾ of your stomach capacity, which equals the am
hands). Ideal
6. Avoid taking a meal before the previous meal has been
between meals,
7
large quant
8. Drinking excessive amounts of water (3-4 liters a day) may produce obesity and kidney disorders,
whereas drinking too little water causes dehydration. To meet the
take 6-8 glasses of water (at room temperature or warm) each day. You m
amount during hot, dry weather, when exe
9. Cold foods and beverages may reduce your resist
congestion.
1
astringen
your particular body type and physiological needs or imbalances in the previous section.
148
11. It is best not to heat or cook with honey; heat destroys it and makes it toxic.
least three hours between eating and sleeping.
the digestive process starts in the mouth.
14. Ayurveda does not favor the intake of too much raw food like raw vegetables, uncooked oat flakes,
5. It is best not to eat when the mind is dominated by strong emotions such as anger, worry, sorrow,
etc., but to wait until it has become more settled.
16. Sleeping after meals causes sluggishness, and increases Kapha and body weight. It is good to rest for
10-15 m
17. Food sh k.
uring Lunch
s before it can attempt the digestion of the more solid
12. Never eat just before going to bed. There should be at
13. Chew your food thoroughly –
uncooked grains, etc. Fruits are an exception as they are already “cooked” or ripened by nature (see
also about section of Chapter 14, Raw Versus Cooked Foods). The Pitta type is the only one suited to
eat more raw foods.
1
inutes after a meal and then go for a 15-minute walk.
ould always be delicious and pleasing to the senses and be prepared by a happy coo
Sequence of Dishes d
• Before you eat, be sure that your stomach is empty and that you actually feel hungry. If you feel
you need to kindle your digestive fire, AGNI, take ½ teaspoon of grated ginger with a pinch of salt
before eating. Spraying or sprinkling your face, neck, and hands with a little cold water before
your meal also increases AGNI.
• Liquid foods, such as soups, should be eaten towards the beginning of the meal, unless your meal
includes a fresh, raw salad. In this case, eat the salad first, followed by the soup. Normally, the
stomach first processes and removes liquid
and concentrated food items. Therefore, drinking a lot of liquid with your meals only sets you up
for indigestion.
• It is useful to know that the stomach does not operate like a washing machine, but stores the
ingested foods in layers, one on top of the other. To avoid digestive problems and flatulence I
recommend the following sequence of dishes. Foods listed are examples only. Ideally, choose those
foods that are listed in your body type food chart:
Stage A
Salads made with raw food items that may include lettuces, endives, avocado, chopped cucumber, grated
carrot, chopped celery stalk, bell pepper, hiccama, sprouts, cilantro, basil leaves, mint leaves, parsley,
young white radish, roasted or raw pumpkins seeds, sunflower seeds, etc. For the dressing, lemon juice or
Balsamic vinegar with olive oil (for Vata types), almond or rice milk with olive oil (for Pitta types), or a
little sunflower oil with herbs and spices (for Kapha types), are all good choices.
Stage B
Cooked vegetables such as asparagus, cabbage, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, okra, butternut, zucchini,
Swiss chard, snap beans, peas, Portobello mushrooms, or other wholesome fresh vegetables. To make the
vegetables more digestible and delicious-tasting, add spices and herbs (see your food chart), some fat
(about one tsp. coconut oil, olive oil, butter, etc.), unrefined salt, perhaps a small piece of vegetable
bouillon, coconut milk, or other natural condiments. Perhaps the easiest and most healthy method of
cooking involves the use of Waterless Stainless Steel Cookware (see details in section 9 of Chapter 7).
149
Note: Vegetables should be cooked exactly tender, not too little, and not too much. Both overcooked and
half-cooked vegetables create toxins, bloating, and dullness.
Stage C
Grain foods, such as Basmati rice, bulgur wheat, oats, barley buckwheat, millet, whole wheat couscous,
whole wheat pasta, or other grains. To digest grain foods requires fat. You may add spices, herbs and salt.
Stage D
ng Mung beans, lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans, etc. Add fat, spices, herbs salt,
an any stage D foods not more often than 1-2 times per week.
Dhal and beans, includi
d other condiments. Eat
Important for non vegetarians: Stages C and D should be omitted if you include animal protein in
your meal. Animal protein and starch foods, such as meat and potatoes, or fish and rice, cannot be
digested properly when eaten in the same meal.
The amounts of food at stages A and D should be small, at stages B and D more substantial. If desired,
the latter two stages may be eaten together. The total amount of food at lunchtime should not exceed two
cupped hands full.
Lunch does not always have to consist of all four stages. In fact, it is easier on the digestive system to
have not more than 3-5 basic ingredients in one meal, such as salad, vegetables, and rice.
Also, try to avoid eating two concentrated food items in one meal, such as rice with potatoes, rice with
bread, beans with cheese, pasta with cheese, chicken with bread or other starchy foods. The combination
of beans with rice, however, is fine.
Lunch should always include a substantial serving of cooked vegetables to support proper bowel
activities.
A Note on Legumes and their Digestibility
Due to the large amount of enzyme inhibitors and anti-nutritient compounds – antigrowth factors – there
is a limit as to how many legumes humans and animals can eat without suffering digestive problems. The
normal cooking process of up to several hours for most beans does not entirely destroy these toxic
compounds. Also, there are a variety of other substances in beans that cause gas. Mainly, these are the
indigestible carbohydrates raffinose, stachyose, and sometimes verbascose, which provide substrate for
intestinal micro-flora to produce flatus.
Most of the legumes' enzyme-inhibitors, which protect the plants against insect attacks or fungal
infestation, are not fully denatured by the normal cooking process. The protein alpha-amylase inhibitors,
for example, may represent as much as 1% of wheat flour and, because of their heat resistance, persist
through bread-baking. Consequently, they are typically found in large amounts in the center of loaves. For
that reason, when people eat a lot of the inner parts of bread, instead of the crusty parts, they tend to
develop flatulence.
The problem with the legume soybean is even more pronounced than found with other legumes or grains.
In soy products, because of the necessity of achieving a balance between the amount of heat necessary to
destroy the enzyme inhibitors and that which may result in damage to the nutritional properties of soy,
150
most commercially available edible-grade soybean products retain 5 to 20% of the enzyme inhibitor
activity (for trypsin) originally present in the raw soybeans from which they were prepared. This means
that soy products have a toxic effect on the body, and should not be consumed on a regular basis, if at all.
Likewise, eating other legumes more often than 1-2 times per week can impair immune functions and
ca
ose first that seem to be the easiest for you. As they become a
natural part of your way of life, you may discover that you can implement more and more of them in your
daily routin
Morning:
use GI-tract disturbances.
Yellow Mung beans (dhal), if soaked for 30-60 minutes prior to cooking (30-40 minutes cooking time)
contain the least amount of these compounds and are the easiest to digest. But, once again, the rule of
thumb is to not eat them more often than 1-2 times per week.
Ideal Daily Routine – Dinacharya
The following outline summarizes an ideal daily routine, which can help anyone to restore his health or
prevent illness from arising. Many people find that they can stick to some of the points but not to all of
them. This is fine. Begin implementing th
e.
• Arise early in the morning (before sunrise)
• Clean teeth, scrape and clean tongue
• Drink a glass of warm water
• Drink another glass of warm water, but this time with lemon and honey
• Evacuate bowels and bladder
• Dry brush the body
• Apply oil massage to head, body and soles of feet
• While massaging, swish 1-2 tablespoons of cold-pressed sunflower or sesame oil in your mouth for
3-4 minutes and then spit it into the toilet
• Warm bath or shower, ideally followed by a brief cold shower
• Yoga Asanas (postures) and PranaYama (breathing exercise)
• Meditation
• Light breakfast before 8am (optional for Kapha types)
• Work or study
Afternoon:
• Lunch at 12-1pm: Substantial meal according to body type and season
• Brief rest after lunch, ideally followed by a walk of 10-15 minutes
• Work or study
• Yoga Asanas and PranaYama (optional)
• Meditation (optional)
Evening:
• Dinner: Light meal according to body type, between 6pm-7pm.
151
• Brief walk for 10-15 minutes
• Pleasant relaxing activity such as listening to music
• Early to bed (before 10pm)
Note: Exercise should be done on a daily basis, away from meals (up to 1/2 hour before or 2-3 hours
after meals) and according to body type. The best time for exercise is in the morning during the Kapha
period or else during the late afternoon.
Vegetarian Diet – one Solution to Many Health Problems
Vegetarians Live Longer and Healthier Lives
It is not necessary to be a vegetarian to enjoy benefits from an Ayurvedic diet and lifestyle. However, a
b
yzed the effects of vegetarian diet on longevity,
h
und that the vegetarians live longer and also have
the Causation of Cancer: “I have found
of
easing intake of plant fiber, fruits and vegetables
an
alanced vegetarian diet is often considered necessary, particularly when the body is afflicted with disease.
Vegetarians have believed all along that living on a purely vegetarian diet can improve health and quality
of life. More recently, medical research has found that a properly balanced vegetarian diet may in fact be
the healthiest diet. This was demonstrated by the over 11,000 volunteers who participated in the Oxford
Vegetarian Study which for a period of 15 years had anal
eart disease, cancer, and various other diseases.
The results of the study stunned the vegetarian community as much as the meat producing industry:
“Meat eaters are twice as likely to die from heart disease, have a 60 percent greater risk of dying from
cancer and a 30 percent higher risk of death from other causes.” In addition, the incidence of obesity,
which is a major risk factor in many diseases, including gallbladder disease, hypertension, and adult onset
diabetes, has been found to be much lower in those following a vegetarian diet. Those who take less meat
in their diet have also been found to have fewer problems with cholesterol. The American National
Institute of Health, in a study of 50,000 vegetarians, fo
an impressively lower incidence of heart disease and a significantly lower rate of cancer than meat-eating
Americans.
Our diet is very important for our health. According to the American Cancer Society, up to 35% of the
900,000 new cases of cancer each year in the United States could be prevented by following proper dietary
recommendation. Researcher Rollo Russell writes in his Notes on
twenty-five nations eating flesh largely, nineteen had a high cancer rate and only one had a low rate,
and that of thirty-five nations eating little or no flesh, none of these had a high rate.”
Could cancer lose its grip on modern societies if they turned to a balanced vegetarian diet? The answer is
“yes” according to two major reports, one by the World Cancer Research Fund and the other by the
Committee on the Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy in the UK. The reports conclude that a
diet rich in plant foods and the maintenance of a healthy body weight could prevent four million cases of
cancer worldwide. Both reports stress the need for incr
d reducing daily red and processed meat consumption to less than 80-90g.
If you are currently eating meat on a regular basis and wish to change over to a vegetarian diet, unless
you suffer from a major cardiovascular illness do not give up all flesh foods at once! Start by reducing the
152
number of meals that include red meat, beef, pork, veal, etc., and substituting poultry and fish during these
meals. In time, you will find that you are able to take less poultry and fish also, without creating strain on
the physiology.
Note: Although the uric acid content of fish, turkey and chicken is less than in red meat and, therefore,
not quite as taxing to the kidneys and tissues of the body, the degree of injury that is sustained to the blood
vessels and intestinal tract from eating these coagulated proteins is no less than it is with the consumption
of meat (more details on this subject follow).
is feces. A study
conducted by the University of Arizona found there are more fecal bacteria in the average kitchen sink
than in the average toilet bowl. This would make eating your food on the toilet seat safer than eating it in
the kitchen. The source of this biohazard at home is the meat you buy at the typical grocery store.
The germs and parasites found in meat weaken the immune system and are the source of many diseases.
In
rom the escalating problem of
me
they say, is
tota
T
od-related illnesses and deaths.
M
Death in The Meat
Research has shown that all meat eaters have worms and a high incidence of parasites in the intestines.
This is hardly surprising given the fact that dead flesh is a favorite target for micro-organisms of all sorts.
A 1996 study by the Department of Agriculture (USA) showed that nearly 80% of ground beef is
contaminated with disease-causing microbes. The primary source of these bugs
fact, most food poisonings today are related to meat-eating. During a mass outbreak near Glasgow, 16
out of over 200 infected people died from the consequences of eating E. coli contaminated meat. There are
frequent outbreaks reported in Scotland and many other parts of the world. More than half a million
Americans, most of them kids, have been sickened by mutant fecal bacteria (E. coli) in meat. These germs
are the leading cause of kidney failure among children in the United States. This fact alone should prompt
every responsible parent to prevent their children from eating flesh foods.
Not all parasites act so swiftly as E. coli though. Most of them have long term effects that are noticed
only after many years of eating meat.
The government and the food industry are trying to divert attention away f
at contamination by telling the consumer it his fault that these incidents happen. It is very obvious that
they want to avoid hefty law suits, and bad mouthing of the industry. They tell you that you don’t cook
your meat long enough. It is now considered a crime to serve a rare hamburger. And if you haven’t
committed this “crime,” any infection will be attributed to not washing your hands every time you touch a
raw chicken, or letting the chicken touch your kitchen counter or any other food. Yet, the meat,
lly safe and meets the standard safety requirements imposed by the government. It evades all good
reason, except a strong vested interest on behalf of the government and meat industry, to even propose
such a “solution” to 76 illnesses a year.
he new mutant bugs found in today’s meat are extremely deadly. For you to come down with
Salmonella poisoning, you have to consume at least a million of these germs. But to become infected with
one of the new mutant bugs, you just have to ingest a measly five of them. In other words, a tiny particle
of uncooked hamburger making it from a kitchen utensil to your plate is enough to kill you. Scientists
have now identified more than a dozen food-borne pathogens with such disastrous effects. The Center of
Disease Control admits that we don’t even know the bugs behind most fo
uch of the problem resulting from the germ-infestation of meat is caused by feeding the farm animals
with foods that are unnatural to them. Cattle are now fed corn, which they are unable to digest, but makes
them fat very quickly. Cattle feed also contains chicken feces. The millions of pounds of chicken litter
153
(feces, feathers, and all) scraped off the floors of chicken houses are recycled as cattle feed. The cattle
industry considers it good protein. The other ingredients of cattle feed is ground up parts of animals, like
deceased chicken, pigs and horses. Giving the cattle natural, healthy feeds would be far too costly and so
unnecessary. Who really cares about what the meat is made of, as long it look like meat?
Combined with the hefty doses of growth hormones, the corn and special feeds shortens the duration of
fattening up a steer for market from a normal of 4-5 years to 16 months. Of course, the unnatural diet
makes the cows sick. Like their human consumers, they suffer from heartburn, liver disease, ulcers,
diarrhea, pneumonia and other infections. To keep the cattle alive until the deadline for slaughter at the
“ripe old age” of 16 months, the cows need to be fed massive doses of antibiotics. In the meanwhile, the
mic
I
many more meat-free foods that contain these proteins than there are
typ
scientific evidence as yet that might
ind
pool of harmful acids and waste, thereby laying a fertile ground for
dis
ent of it. By
robes responding to the massive biochemical assault with antibiotics, find ways to become immune to
these drugs by mutating into resistant new strains.
Those unfortunate cows that don’t drop dead prematurely due to all the poisons fed to them during their
short earthly existence experience an undignified and gruesome end of life in the slaughterhouse or meatpacking
plant. From there, the diseased, germ-infested meat ends up in your local grocery store, and a little
later, on your dinner plate, if you so dare.
s Meat Natural For Humans?
Vegetarians have been warned that they are not getting enough of the essential proteins humans are
supposed to eat on a daily basis. Although it is known that the eight amino acids making up these proteins
can be found in a simple meal of rice and beans (rice contains the amino acids that are missing in
beans, and beans contain the amino acids missing in rice), meat as a source of protein is still considered to
be the better option. Yet there are
es of meat. The fact that eating too much protein is linked to many more serious health problems than
eating too little protein is only rarely or not all considered in the protein discussion.
Typical disorders caused by over-consumption of protein are osteoporosis, heart disease, rheumatoid
arthritis, and cancer. By contrast, those who never eat animal protein as contained in meat, fish, eggs, or
dairy products, have very low rates of these diseases and don’t suffer from protein deficiency either,
provided they eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, grains, etc. There is no
icate a protein deficiency in persons who never eat animal protein, such as myself and billions of
others. By contrast, our modern societies consume at least 50 percent more protein than they actually need
to. We may not be suffering from lack of protein at all, regardless whether essential or nonessential, but
from over-consumption of protein. By filling up the connective tissues of our body with unused protein,
we turn the body into an overflowing
ease, including arteriosclerosis and bacterial or viral infection. To consider meat a natural food for
humans is, therefore, more than far-stretched, especially when it kills so many people.
At the root of the problem lies man’s inability to properly break down meat protein into amino acids.
Chunks of undigested meat pass into the intestinal tract and, along with them, parasites. Most of these
parasites, also known as intestinal flukes, can neither be destroyed by the heat applied during cooking or
frying nor by human stomach acid. Carnivorous animals, on the other hand, kill them instantly while
passing through the stomach. Their stomachs produce twenty times more hydrochloric acid than we do.
This massive amount of acid helps the animal break down the meat proteins into their essential
components. If a healthy young man eats a piece of meat, he may be lucky to digest 25 perc
154
co including bones and fibrous tissue. Parasites and
the acid “assault.”
valent among
m
till be able to cope with this
fo
latory system, die very
ra
e very advanced when the
m
d in the
n
ntrast, carnivorous animals can digest the whole thing,
other bugs cannot survive
The main digestive work in carnivorous animals takes place in their stomach and not in the small
intestine. Meat stays in their relatively short intestinal tract for only a little while. Our small intestine,
which is about 5-6 meters long (16-20 feet), processes most natural foods within a matter of several hours.
But if the food happens to be meat, it may stay in the small intestine for as long as 20-48 hours, by which
time much of it is putrefied or decayed. The rotting process results in the generation of the meat poisons
cadaverine, putrescine, and other toxic substances. These poisons begin to act as pathogens (causal factors
of disease) in the body. Since the remnants of undigested meat can be held in the large intestinal walls of
humans for 20-30 years or longer, it is not surprising to find colon cancers to be so highly pre
eat-eaters, but virtually non-existent among carnivorous animals and vegetarians. Colon cancer, in most
cases, is just another name for constant poisoning through putrefying meat. While being digested, meat is
known to generate steroid metabolites possessing carcinogenic (cancer-producing) properties.
The kidneys, which extract waste products from the blood, also suffer from the overload of meat
poisons, consisting mostly of nitrogenous wastes. Even moderate meat-eaters demand three times more
work from their kidneys than do vegetarians. Young people generally may s
rm of stress, but as they grow older the risk of kidney damage greatly increases.
After many years of regularly consuming meat the body may suddenly succumb to the floods of
poisonous substances emanating from undigested meat. A research study conducted in Germany showed
that middle-aged persons who consumed meat in the evening were more prone to suffer a heart attack
during the next morning. Too many proteins entering the blood can thicken it and drastically cut oxygen
supplies to the heart and other organs such as the brain.
Animal cells, unlike plant cells that have a rigid cell wall and a simple circu
pidly once they are cut off their blood supply. When the animal dies, its cell proteins coagulate and
destructive enzymes immediately begin to break down the cells. This, in turn, results in the formation of a
degenerative substance called ptomaine, which is a known cause of many diseases. Cellular destruction
applies to the cells of all types of dead animal flesh, as well as chicken and fish; all meat is poisoned with
decomposed and putrefied protein. A dead animal, bird, or fish is no longer “fresh.” Regardless what you
do with it. Putrefaction and bacterial growth start immediately after death and ar
eat is several days or weeks old, as is in most cases.
Whether it is E. coli, other bacteria, or enzymes acting on the dead ingested protein, they effectively send
the body’s immune system on a “mission of war,” hence the stimulating effect of meat. Depending on
one’s physical resources and immune capacity, the body may eventually get overwhelmed by the influx of
virulent poisons and destructive germs and begin to signal “dis-ease.” Those with the weakest immune
system are usually the first ones to suffer from meat poisoning.
Yes, food can actually become poisonous and kill someone! The kinds of poisons resulting from the
putrefaction (decomposition) of meat or fish in the body are some of the most potent ones foun
atural world. Many of the hundreds of thousands of fragile, elderly people lying in hospitals today will
be dying unnecessarily simply because they are given meat or fish to eat – an impossible feat for the
digestive system after an operation, a heart attack or during a treatment for a chronic illness. These
patients don't succumb to their illness, but from the putrescine, cadaverine, and infectious germs these
foods release, flooding their digestive system.
Man’s entire anatomy (jaw, teeth, and digestive system, hands and feet) shows that he must have
evolved for millions of years living on fruits, grains, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, etc. Before the pole shift
and sudden ice-age, no humans inhabited the cold regions of the world. They all lived in the warm,
155
tropical places where food was plant foods were plenty and accessible. But suddenly, without warning, the
tropical areas, such as Siberia, experienced a massive drop in temperature. Animals froze to death within a
moment while still chewing on tropical fruit. They were recently found fully intact with the fruits in their
m
ually absorb and make use of them.
As previously explained, once a fish or an animal has been killed, the oxygen supply to the cells is cut
off. This immediately starts the process of cell-destruction through intracellular enzymes. Unless you eat
t t dies, and yes, raw, all you will get is degenerated and putrefied
rotein. Unless treated with carcinogenic coloring agents, meat would start to look greenish/gray in a
m
outh, thousands of years later. Those humans and animals that happened to live in other tropical areas of
the world experienced more moderate climate shifts and survived the ice age. But they had to learn to live
with the seasons as we know them today. During the cold season, they had no other option but to kill
animals for food. This is when meat-eating and hunting became a necessity. Yet this has nothing to do
with the original constitutional design of the human body.
Non-carnivorous animals, including the human animal, have long bowels, designed for the slow
digestion of nutrient-rich vegetables and fruits. Our dental structure is only conducive to the cutting of
vegetables with incisors and to the grinding of grains and fruits with molars. Our short, dull canines have
no real capacity for slashing or tearing meat. We have, indeed, nothing in our anatomy that compares with
the sharp claws of a tiger or an eagle. The human hand with its opposable thumb is better suited for
harvesting fruits and vegetables than to killing prey. Had it been in our nature to eat flesh, we, too, would
have been equipped with the same or similar hunting faculties as carnivorous animals.
Misleading Theories
Unfortunately, mainstream medical and nutritional science base their theories not so much on the basic
processes that occur in the body, but rather on the contents of food. This can be very misleading, to say
the least. We are being told, for example, that when we lack calcium we should drink milk because it
contains a lot of calcium. We are not being told, however, that in order to digest and metabolize milk
calcium, we first must dispose of the phosphorus contained in milk. To process and remove the
phosphorus, though, we require calcium. Since there is more phosphorus in milk than there is calcium, the
bones, teeth, muscles, etc. have to supply the extra calcium. This fact alone makes milk to be a major
calcium-depleting food. Loss of calcium can cause osteoporosis and such diseases as Crohn’s and Irritable
Bowel Syndrome, diabetes, heart disease, respiratory ailments and cancer.
The above principle can be applied to almost everything else we believe is so good for us. Giving
vitamins to people with vitamin deficiencies can make their bodies even more deficient (more details in
Chapter 14). Those lacking in Omega-3 fats don't necessarily get rid of this deficiency by eating these fats
(contained in such foods as fish or linseeds). People whose digestive functions have been impaired don't
suddenly make better use of certain foods or nutrients simply because they eat more of them.
Just because fish has good things in it (ignore the mercury or other metals they absorb from the sea,
lakes, rivers, or the antibiotics, coloring agents and other food additives that are being fed to farmed fish)
doesn't mean that the body can act
he fish or chicken right away after i
p
atter of hours. Making matters worse, the cooking, baking or frying of meat, fish, eggs, etc., applies
enough heat to cause any proteins that may still be intact to coagulate.
The body cannot utilize coagulated protein for cell building. As a result, these now toxic
foods (coagulated protein is treated as a pathogen or disease-causing agent by the body) may at best
stimulate the immune system in the small intestine and enforce a strong eliminative response in the large
156
intestine. This immune response makes you feel as if you are being energized by these foods, but this is
far from being the truth. Deceiving as it may be, with each immune response, the body actually becomes
w
d
p
isn’t mother’s
m
that the air is
s
today.
ines without regard to a person’s individual body type or
possible physical imbalance.
nivorous animals have an unlimited capacity to handle saturated fats and
ch mple, who received one half pound of butterfat with their daily ration of meat
for two years, show no signs of damage to their arteries or change of serum cholesterol. By contrast, the
eaker; more liver bile ducts get clogged up with stones; and the cardiovascular system is becoming
congested with protein deposits in the blood vessel walls. These are the main causes of almost all chronic
diseases. Eating meat also stimulates the body’s growth hormones and male hormones, which can lead to
overgrowth of tissues. Many young men today are extra large, very tall, and have bulgy muscles,
something you rarely see in most regions of Asia, South America, and Africa, where meat is scarce an
lant foods plenty. Having an oversized, bulky body is a great disadvantage, for it can predispose one to
diabetes, heart disease, and other physical, as well as mental problems later in life.
As is the case with the strongest animals in the world, e.g., elephant, water buffalo, giraffe, horse, cow
and gorilla, humans don’t need to eat protein in order to produce it or make it available to the cells in the
body. A healthy newborn baby triples its size and the number of protein-consisting cells within its first
year, without ever eating any protein foods at all. You might object here by saying “But
ilk filled with protein?” Not by along shot! Human breast milk contains only a trace of protein, namely
1.1 – 1.6 grams of protein per 100 grams of milk. Most of the healthy children in the world don’t receive
any other food than mother's milk during their first year. With, let’s say, 1.4 percent of protein in breast
milk, this is by far not enough to account for the 15 pound weight increase within the first year.
Humans and most other non-carnivorous animals don't depend on protein foods to make or maintain
their muscles, cells and organs. Actually, we all derive our most essential nutrients come from the air we
breathe. Everyone knows that in order to live we need oxygen molecules from the air, but very few of us
know that we also need and make use of the nitrogen, carbon and hydrogen molecules
o densely saturated with. These four molecules are the ingredients of every amino acid. Our DNA and
the liver, like theirs, are perfectly able to synthesize these molecules into amino acids, and complete
proteins.
A protein deficiency occurs only in people whose liver and immune functions are seriously impaired. I
personally have not eaten any protein foods, i.e., fish, meat, cheese, milk, eggs, etc. for 32 years of
adulthood, and my body has hardly changed during all those years (being over 50 years old at the time of
writing this). But I have seen thousands of people who have aged prematurely or suffered debilitating
illnesses because of eating too much protein. There is no other time in human history where so much meat
and other concentrated protein foods have been consumed as
The Pitta body type is especially susceptible to becoming poisoned by protein foods, such as meat, fish
and cheese. They have a very limited ability to digest these foods. Naturally, the body doesn’t want to
digest something it doesn’t need and cannot make use of. I would be suspicious of any person or
institution handing out general food guidel
It is also worth noting that car
olesterol. Dogs, for exa
purely vegetarian rabbits quickly develop arteriosclerosis if they are fed meat or if as little as 2 grams of
cholesterol is added daily to their food. Humans, too, have a very limited capacity to digest and process
meat proteins and meat fats. If you placed a hungry infant into a cage with a chunk of meat on one side
and an apple on the other, which of the two do you believe would the infant choose to eat? Correct, the
apple! Place a lion cub in the same cage, and you will see the cub heading straight towards the meat. If
we listened to our basic instincts, we would discover that meat was never meant for humans.
157
Meat – A Major Cause of Disease and Aging
Populations who eat meat regularly have the shortest life spans and the highest incidence of degenerative
diseases. According to published reports on national health statistics from around the world, one out of
two people in the industrialized world will die from heart disease or related blood vessel disease. In other
words, heart disease is the leading killer disease in the world. In June 1961, at a time when medical
institutions were still unbiased and could be trusted, the American Medical Association reported that a
vegetarian diet could prevent 90% of our thrombo-embolic disease and 97% of our coronary occlusions.
This means, by adopting a vegetarian diet we would be able to almost completely eradicate heart disease.
pared with meat-eating, smoking seems to be only a minor risk factor for heart disease.
He t
populat
people uador and were surprised to find that except for two men, none
of th p
disease.
United art disease.
Ca e
cancer r
This in s even more important to find out where these protein
part
Meat co in the body by using up its
reso e
protein
Anoth ey ingest
larg
to make
if left u
nobody e toxic chemicals to make it look
red
Th m
wine, te
Food an
versatile
wine, o
turns ou
animals
appeare
There
animals are regula ulate growth, are fed appetite stimulants to “force”
them to eat non-stop, and are given antibiotics, sedatives, and chemical feed mixtures. There are already
ove em and to keep them alive. Most of the harmful
che any other drugs are added after the animal has
bee
Com
ar disease is virtually unheard of in societies where meat consumption is low and the majority of the
ion eats mostly traditional foods. A group of Harvard doctors and research scientists examined 400
in a remote mountain village in Ec
e eople above 75, including all the centenarians and a 121 year-old man, showed any signs of heart
All the villagers turned out to be complete vegetarians. Examinations of similar age groups in the
States would typically reveal a 95 percent incidence of he
nc r, the second most common killer disease, may largely be caused by meat-eating, too. Modern
esearch claims to have found specific protein compounds responsible for certain types of cancers.
itself may be a very important finding, but it i
icles come from. Putrefying meat is one answer and decaying protein of dead human cells another.
nsumption slows or hinders the complete removal of dead cells
urc s of energy, enzymes, minerals, and vitamins. Both undigested meat proteins and decaying cell
can, therefore, damage the human cells and impair genetic programming.
er reason why meat-eaters have more cancers than vegetarians may be the fact that th
e quantities of sodium nitrates and sodium nitrites, which are carcinogenic preservatives that are used
the meat look “fresh.” But meat is no longer fresh after the animal is dead. As already mentioned,
ntreated, animal flesh begins to turn into a sickly gray-green color within several days. Since
would buy the meat in that condition, the meat industry uses thes
and palatable, whereas in reality it is already decomposed and highly toxic.
e ost appalling news from cancer research, however, is that secondary amines, prevalent in beer,
a, and tobacco, react with chemical preservatives in meat and form nitrosamines. The American
d Drug Administration (FDA) has labeled nitrosamines to be “one of the most formidable and
groups of carcinogens yet discovered.” In other words, if you are a smoker or if you drink beer,
r tea and eat meat, you produce one of the most deadly toxins that can be found anywhere. As it
t, most meat-eaters also drink wine or beer and many of them smoke, too. When fed to test
, nitrosamines produced malignant tumors in one hundred percent of the animals; the cancers
d everywhere, including the lungs, pancreas, stomach, adrenals, intestines, and the brain.
are many other cancer-producing agents that a meat-eater’s immune system has to combat. Farm
rly injected with hormones to stim
r 2,500 drugs routinely given to animals to fatten th
micals are still in the animals at the time of death. M
n slaughtered. These drugs will still be present in the meat when it is eaten. But the law does not
require listing of the cocktail of drugs added to the meat. So, you will have no way of knowing what kind
of drug interactions and allergic reactions you could become a victim of by eating a juicy steak at your
158
favorite restaurant. It is difficult to imagine how many people today become sick for no apparent reason,
due to being drugged with poisonous medicines contained in the meat they eat. And when they go to see
their doctor, they are most likely given even more drugs to combat those already ingested.
One of the chemicals added to animal feed in the United States is the growth hormone diethylstilbestrol
(DES). The FDA estimates it saves meat producers in the United States $500 million annually. DES is
hig
ibiotic-resistant organisms in the consumer’s body.
F
ur pancreas to
sec ich
nk a
st Americans do, you can expect to develop insulin sensitivity.
Cu
ts their body chemistry, but also causes malformations and growth of malignant
tum
tes is mostly focused on how to combat the effects
of a disruptive lifestyle and unhealthy eating habits. Billions of dollars are spent on discovering everything
about the symptoms of disease, with little or no attention o h lying causes. By contrast, some
parts of the population in our Western society have adop a way of life and are
subsequently shown to have significantly lower disease rates p diabetes and heart disease.
These groups have no advanced medical knowledge or training to treat such diseases. Yet, they can claim
to have the highest success rates.
efits of a Vegetarian Diet
revealed that the cancer rate among Mormons, who are known to
eat only very little m than in the normal population. An even more
com
hly carcinogenic and is banned as a serious health hazard in thirty-two countries. According to another
report by the FDA, the antibiotics penicillin and tetracycline alone save the meat industry $1.9 billion a
year. Yet the drugs may be breeding deadly ant
oods made of animal protein are nearly always propagated as being the safest foods for people with
Type 2 Diabetes, and those who want avoid it. Nothing could be further from the truth. Most people
believe that high blood sugar just comes from eating too much sugar or refined carbohydrates. They are
correct. It has recently been proven that women who drink one regular soda such as Coke or Pepsi per day
have an 83% chance of developing diabetes, (one can of soda contains 45g sugar). However, sugar pales
as a cause for diabetes when compared with meat. Eating a normal size steak forces yo
rete more insulin than eating 12 times the amount of sugar contained in that one can of soda, wh
would amount to ½ pound sugar). In addition to that, if you also eat potatoes, a sweet desert, and dri
soda along with your meal, like mo
rrently, diabetes is the fastest growing epidemic in America (more on diabetes in Chapter 11).
Other very harmful effects that may occur as a result of eating meat are generated indirectly by the tragic
conditions farm animals are exposed to during their short lives. Most animals never see the light of day.
They spend their entire lives in cramped and cruel surroundings, merely to die a brutal death. High rise
chicken farms breed animals without exposure to fresh air or allowing them to take as much as one step.
This not only greatly upse
ors. The sick animals are slaughtered and sold to unsuspecting customers. In the United States, chicken
with airsacculitis (a pneumonia-like disease), which causes pus-laden mucus to collect in the lungs, are
permitted for sale. Other examples of common diseases include eye cancer and abscessed livers among
cows. Carcasses contaminated with rodent feces, cockroaches, and rust are routinely found in meatpacking
companies, but meat inspectors are very lax about enforcing regulations because this would
effectively close down the whole business.
Modern research on disease such as cancer and diabe
n t eir under
ted vegetarianism as
, es ecially cancer,
Ben
A major study conducted in California
eat, was 50 percent lower
prehensive, controlled study on 50,000 vegetarians of the Seventh Day Adventists, compared with the
same number of non-vegetarians of the same sex and age, produced similar results in the Oxford
Vegetarian Study. The members of the vegetarian group had an astonishingly low rate of cancer of all
159
typ
at vegetarians had far superior rates in all three
cat
ix their milk with blood. Their
life
ing
inc
es, their life expectancy was significantly longer, and they suffered significantly less from
cardiovascular disease than those in the control group.
In the same context, the “forced” vegetarianism of the Danes due to the allied blockage of Denmark in
World War I, led to a 17 percent reduction of mortality rates in the first year of meat rationing. Norway
experienced a similar positive side-effect from meat-rationing during the years of World War II (1940-
1945). There was an immediate drop in national mortality rates from circulatory diseases during the period
of meat shortage; the rates returned to pre-war levels when the population resumed meat consumption.
Studies from the University of Belgium, testing endurance, strength, and quickness of recovery (from
physical exhaustion) in vegetarians clearly showed th
egories. A study at Yale University proved that vegetarians have nearly twice the stamina of meat
eaters. Other findings confirmed that during endurance tests, the vegetarians were able to perform two to
three times longer than the meat eaters before reaching the point of complete exhaustion, and took only
one fifth the time to recover from fatigue after each test than their meat-eating counterparts.
The common belief that eating meat makes you strong is unfounded and misleading. The super-strong
elephant, gorilla, rhinoceros and horse all sustain their great physical strength and stamina by eating only
vegetation. on present evidence, there is nothing to suggest that meat is beneficial to our health. The fact
that populations like the Eskimos can survive on a meat diet without suffering heart disease is known. But
it is lesser known that they also drink the blood of the animal, which is alkaline and capable of neutralizing
some of the toxic effect of the meat. Still, the Eskimo’s average life span is not more than 40 years. The
Masai tribes of East Africa also live on mostly meat and milk, but they m
span is very short, too. A typical 45-year old man looks closer to 70 or 80 years of age.
Another major benefit of the vegetarian diet is that, statistically, vegetarians are thinner and healthier. on
average, vegetarians weigh about 20 pounds less than their meat-eating counterparts. According to the US
Worldwatch Institute, 1.1 billion people worldwide are underweight, and another 1.1 billion too fat. In the
US, 23 percent of adults are obese and 60 percent are overweight. But obesity besets poor countries too,
from Brazil to China. The traditionally “lean,” mostly vegetarian populations in the world are now quickly
following in the footsteps of the typically non-vegetarian populations. Eating meat is becom
reasingly synonymous with a higher standard of living. The country/subcontinent of India, for example,
which traditionally has been vegetarian for thousands of years, is rapidly adopting carnivorous eating
habits, much to be benefit of cardiologists and oncologists.
Harvard research showed that a vegetarian diet also reduces colds and allergies. Children especially
benefit greatly from meat abstinence. Studies show that vegetarian children have better teeth and are
afflicted with fewer children’s diseases than non-vegetarian children. They are also less prone to obesity,
high cholesterol, diabetes and heart disease.
Food For Thought
According to Harvard nutritionist Jean Mayer, we would have enough food for the entire developing
world if we ate half as much meat. Reducing meat production by merely 10 percent could release enough
grain to feed 60 million people! Albert Einstein had this to say about vegetarianism: “Nothing will benefit
human health and increase the chance for survival on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.”
He predicted that producing and eating so much meat would literally be killing us and our environment.
And Leo Tolstoy stated, “Vegetarianism is the taproot of humanitarianism.”
160
The world’s output of meat increased fivefold in the second half of the 20th century. Given the current
trend, by 2050, the increases in meat production will have reached a point where we could feed 4 billion
extra people with the plant food used to raise cattle. only 10 percent of the protein and calories we feed to
ou
dy. Although animal protein is not really what is needed in the world
today, the wasted protein could fill the food deficit around the world three times over. If your are
co
• one acre of grain produces five tim t aside for meat
production. An acre of beans or peas produces ten times more protein, and an acre of spinach
twenty-eight times more protein.
• one portion of meat contains only 20 grams of protein, whereas a 100-gram portion of beans
yields 35 grams of protein. The meat, however, costs about 20 times more than the beans do.
Being vegetarian saves not only lives, but also money.
• The food energy supplied by meat production uses 10 times more fossil fuel than the food energy
supplied by plant production. Given the current shortage of fossil fuel on the planet, meat
production may soon become unaffordable.
• Collectively, the world's livestock production produces 10 percent of all the greenhouse gases,
including 25 percent of the methane, among the most potent of all.
• Eighty-five percent of the topsoil lost in the USA each year is directly associated with the raising
of livestock. In this way, 4 million acres of cropland is destroyed every year. In the same way,
precious rain forests have to give way to satisfy the demand for more meat in the world.
• To grow one pound of wheat requires only sixty pounds of water, whereas production of one
pound of meat requires a staggering 50,000 pounds of water. To produce a pound of chicken uses
up 1,800 pounds of water. Large chicken slaughtering plants, in fact, expend up to 100 million
gallons of water daily, enough to supply a city of 25,000 people!
• The meat production process is so wasteful and costly that the meat-industry needs hundreds of
millions in tax subsidies to survive. You never pay just for the meat you eat; the subsidies come
out of your pocket. In 1977, the governments of Western Europe spent almost half a billion dollars
purchasing the farmer’s overproduction of meat and spent additional millions for the cost of
storing it. This trend has not been different in the United States and is worsening each year. All
this is precious money lost, thereby heavily burdening every national economy. In this sense, meat
consumption is directly impoverishing the wealthy nations. Any wars fought in the future will
revolve about energy, food and water, all three of which are heavily wasted through meat
production. The worldwide increase of meat consumption is driving the world closer and closer to
the brink of international conflict.
But Fish is Really Good for You, Isn’t It?
Not quite so. Besides the above reasons for avoiding dead and coagulated protein foods, tests on both
wild and farm-raised fish have revealed that their levels of toxic chemicals and metals are endangering the
lives of pregnant mothers, developing fetuses and young children. Does this mean it is acceptable for
r livestock are recovered in the meat we eat. In the case of the United States, for the 20 million tons of
humanly edible and nutritious protein that is fed to livestock yearly (apart from the waste products and
drugs), only about 2 million tons of meat protein is obtained; and out of that amount less than 27 percent
can be utilized by the human bo
ncerned about the world’s survival, consider the following numbers:
es more protein than an acre of pasture se
161
adults to eat fish? Scientists now say that sa ng considered to be one of the safest of
ll fish – should be eaten only once per month. We are exposed to numerous other sources of indoor and
utdoor pollution almos ost foods today. Our
immune system simply nd in fish, without
developing a toxicity situation.
Specifically, tests on farmed salmon uncovered high levels of toxins linked to cancer and birth defects.
The findings recently triggered a "scare-mongering" row as other experts insisted salmon was safe to eat
regularly – and important for a healthy diet.
Sales have increased up to 15 percent a year as more people eat oily fish to prevent heart attacks, or so
they are made to believe. But when samples from around the world – some from stores in London and
Edinburgh – were analyzed, it was discovered that levels of 14 "organochlorine" toxins, the most
haz n
and North American farm-raised salmo According to U.S. and Canadian
scientists and reported by the journal Science, f raced as the pollutant source.
While farm-raised catfish and trout, haddock, salmon, flounder, etc. are unsuitable for consumption
due to the toxic additives in fishmeal, d rmful than farmed fish due to
excessively high levels of mercury. .
be
now whether you win or lose. As always, the final judge is you, the consumer. If in doubt, I
suggest that you use Kinesiology muscle testing to determine whether fish is or is not conducive to your
health and well-being.
ts into water primarily through s nes and power plants. Algae
typically absorb the mercury and tiny zooplan ae. In turn, small fish eat the
zooplankton, and from there the mercury mo d chain, with the large, deepocean
fish at the top of the chain carrying the hi tration. Also waterways that are far
aw the Elkhorn River olorado River in the Western part of
the United States, are known to have mercury ental Working Group
(E ercury
• Walleye
• Largemouth bass
ur Type" is authored by Peter J. Adamo and has become widely known as the blood
type diet. Since I am constantly asked to give my input to this dieting system, I have decided to add my
comments here.
lmon, for example – lo
a
o t all the time – not to mention the chemicals contained in m
cannot afford such high concentrations of toxins as fou
ardous of which include PCBs, dioxins, dieldrin and toxaphene, were significantly higher in Europea
n than in fish caught in the wild.
ishmeal was t
eep ocean fish are even more ha
Even if fish consumption were shown to prevent heart attacks (for which there is no proof), would it
justified and wise to propagate it as being a healthy food when it is known to cause other chronic or
fatal diseases? Eating food that saves one person, but kills another is much like gambling. You can never
really k
Mercury ge olid-waste incinerators, mi
kton animals eat the alg
ves up through the aquatic foo
ghest mercury concen
in ay from any ocean, such as Nebraska or the C
contaminated fish. The Environm
WG) issued the following list of high-m fish:
• Swordfish
• Tuna
• King mackerel • White croaker
• Halibut • Marlin
• Sea bass • Shark
• Tilefish • Gulf coast oysters
• Pike
A Note on the Blood Type Diet
"Eat Right for Yo
162
I g
reserva
should
reduce
had an
dairy p
red me
animal
combin
Unf
records
discove
individ
thousan years on a vegetarian
die n
years a
our die
sudden
climate o vegetarian foods, until
mo e
Whe
months
liver, a
all this
illnesse
liver an . Forty gallbladder
atta
Y u
thicken l immune response in
ord t
The
functio
took a
conges
The
require
physica
req e
The ,
constitu
type fo
Ayurve
If co
for the
mother
a ree with and respect quite a few of Peter Adamo’s insights and perspectives, but have major
tions about others. The book suggests that you use your blood type to determine which foods you
be eating. According to the theory, when you eat foods that "agree" with your blood type, you
the risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, infections, and liver disease. Type A people supposedly
cestors that were farmers. If you are of this type, you should be a vegetarian and avoid meat and
roducts. According to the author, Type B had ancestors that were nomads; therefore you should eat
at and fish. Type O had ancestors that were hunters and gatherers; this means you should eat lots of
protein and little carbohydrates. Type AB, had mixed ancestry, and is supposed to eat a
ation of Types A and B.
ortunately, these theories are not supported by scientific literature, traditional knowledge and
of the world’s oldest medical systems, such as Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda. Adamo’s
ries have not been confirmed anywhere else. There is little or no distinction made between
uals who have lived in the Andes, the tropical rainforests, or plains of Africa for hundreds of
ds of years. The Indian subcontinent thrived and flourished for thousands of
t, a d so has most of the world’s population. And where does ancestry begin anyway? Two thousand
go, 100 centuries ago, or 60 millions years ago? How far do we go in the bloodline to determine
tary needs? When the ice age began, many vegetarians living in formerly tropical lands were
ly forced to eat animals in order to survive. Some ate a mixed diet, because of more moderate
s. Others in the all-year-round tropical places of the Earth continued t
re r cently. The proposed theory is highly inconclusive about all that.
n I went on the high protein diet, (very similar to Type O) at age five, I felt great for about 18
, like so many others who go on the popular Atkins diet. But then I started developing stones in my
dangerous arrhythmia, and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, among other diseases. I had no idea that
was due to protein poisoning. Ten years later I switched to a balanced vegan diet, and most of my
s went away within a matter of weeks. But I still had to live with the many stones produced in my
d gallbladder as a result of what would be known as the O-type blood diet
cks later, I cleaned out my liver and gallbladder and was finally free of any illness or discomfort.
o won't be able to notice the effects of a high protein diet until the blood vessel walls are welled
with excessive protein. Eating lots of animal protein triggers a powerfu
er o get rid of the foreign DNA and dead, coagulated, and damaged protein of meat, fish, eggs, etc.
immune response involves a powerful energy release, thereby cleaning out impurities, improving skin
ns, and making you feel more grounded. However, once the immune system is exhausted, which
mere 18 months in my case, the situation begins to backfire and the body becomes increasingly
ted.
blood type diet theory is flawed in the sense that it does not recognize the basic body type
ments generated by the three forces/humors of nature (Vata, Pitta, and Kapha) that control the
lity of matter and the body of humans and animals. only a fraction of the body's energy
uir ments are met through food, and there are many more influences on the body than the blood type.
6 000-year old medical system of Ayurveda accounts for most of these influences. one’s
tional body type is not as simply and easily determined as one's blood type. The theory of blood
ods is really based on guess work, not on science or time-tested traditional knowledge as found in
da, Chinese Medicine, Greek medicine, or ancient Egyptian medicine.
ncentrated protein foods were a necessary part of the human diet, as the blood type diet advocates
O-type, for example, why does nature not reflect that need when it formulates human milk in a
’s breast? Its protein content is a mere trace amount of 1.1-1.6%, provided to a baby at a time of
163
its bigg