Wegs and Ayurveda

[Sangye]

I'm making changes to my diet and lifestyle that are helping me taper pred, decrease Wegs symptoms and support good general health. At some point they’ll help me lose weight, too! These changes are mostly based on Ayurveda-- the holistic medicine system used in India for thousands of years. I'm not trained in Ayurveda but have used the basics for 15 years. It's intuitive and logical, easy for anyone to learn the basics.

I'm also incorporating some foods and supplements that are anti-inflammatory and/or I know I need them to get healthy.

Here are some Ayurveda basics to read:

Introduction
h ttp://www.ayurveda.com/online_resource/intro_ayurveda.pdf

Determining your constitution (general and current)
http://www.ayurveda.com/online_resou...nstitution.pdf (important to read the instructions!)

Which foods to eat to balance your constitution
http://www.ayurveda.com/online_resou...guidelines.pdf

Note: Ayurveda often uses herbal remedies. You should not use them without seeing a well-trained Ayurvedic practitioner. Tricky business with Wegs.

Another note: Since Ayurveda comes from India, it occasionally refers to Hindu practices/ beliefs if you go further in depth. Anyone of any faith can use Ayurveda without incorporating those aspects. None of the above links include references to religion.

Most people are a combination of two dominant constitutions. I’m about 60% Kapha (earth/water) and 40% Pitta (fire/water). Since my secondary constitution type is so strong, I need to follow a diet that "pacifies" both of them.

With excess Kapha, I feel lethargic, depressed/hopeless, gain weight, have mucous and feel cold. With excess Pitta, I feel angry/frustrated, gain weight, heartburn, sweats, inflammation and Wegs pain. Both have been too high for several years, so I have all those symptoms!

I have much more Pitta than I used to. I didn't realize that and have been eating mostly foods that aggravate Pitta (ie, increase Fire) for the past 2 years. I started changing that this month and I already feel much better.

[Sangye]

One of the worst Fire producers is chocolate. (I know. Throw your shoes at me now and get it over with. I can take it. ) I stopped eating chocolate last week and haven't had heartburn since. I wasn't eating that much, but I usually had some every day. Ayurveda isn't about eliminating foods but about decreasing or increasing them, and consciously balancing aggravating foods with pacifying foods. However, I couldn't find a way to balance the chocolate so I just stopped eating it.

Dark chocolate has more antioxidants, but is MUCH more fiery. In 2008 a Wegs ulcer on my leg exploded into a huge lesion and developed blisters on its borders that burned and itched like nobody’s business. Nothing helped. Even topical morphine didn’t control it. One day I was offered a bite (1 inch square) of organic dark chocolate. Within a couple minutes, new blisters formed and it became extremely itchy, like torture. Did I learn? No. I kept eating chocolate, in total denial.

[Sangye]

(I've split up these posts for easier reading, even though it looks like I'm replying to myself. )

Here are the food and lifestyle changes I'm making. I'm not going to be a Nazi about things-- that's not healthy, either.
- Follow Kapha and Pitta-pacifying recommendations for diet and general lifestyle
- Increase veggies and fruit (Weggies need much more than regular people)
- Increase fresh veggies (I've been relying on frozen too much because of a bad refrigerator)
- 2 vegetarian days per week (I don't believe vegetarianism is healthy, but 2 days are good for most people)
- Limit soy (not good for anyone)
- Greatly limit processed foods
- No sugar except small amounts of raw honey
- No dairy (if it's in something, I don't care.)
- Limit salt
- Pay better attention to signs of Kapha or Pitta imbalances!
- get to bed by 11:00 (I've been sliding into midnight, which greatly imbalances all constitutions)

[elephant]

Sangye, first of all I just got back and bought two large dark chocolate bars and m&m's.....Geez you mention blisters....don't want to eat them now.
Sangye, thanks for taking the time to do this!

[Sangye]

LOL-- it'll be interesting to see how many of us are chocolate addicts.

[Lightwarrior]

My printer is happily printing away. Thanks Sangye. Interesting, since I have been so tired lately, I've trying to listen to my body and find that I don't want meat. I don't crave chocolate but I don't turn it down either, I'll work on that. Time to read what I printed.

[Sangye]

I forgot to mention: Since most people are a combo of 2 main constitutions, you might look at the food lists for each and see conflicting recommendations. For example, to balance Kapha you should have warm foods and to balance Pitta you should have cooling foods--opposite!

If you have two strong constitution types, circle the "yes" foods for each that are in common. That's what to eat! For example, I'm Kapha-Pitta. Some of the foods that are okay for both Kapha and Pitta are raisins and pears.

Here's my list of Kapha-Pitta pacifying foods, in case anyone else is a combo of these types. It's handy to take to the grocery store! There might be others that are okay. I only put things I like to eat.

Veggies
Bitter veggies—kale, mustard, collard, dandelion; generally dark green leafy
Cabbage
Asparagus
Bell pepper
Broccoli
Brussel sprouts
Fresh corn
Cauliflower
Celery
Green beans
Leafy greens
Lettuce
Mushrooms
Okra
Parsley
Potatoes—white
Sprouts
Summer squash
Yellow squash
Cilantro—decreases Pitta, Kapha, Vata

Fruits
Mango
Berries (not strawberries)
Figs
Pomegranite
Prunes
Raisins

Legumes
White beans
Black beans
Aduki beans
Black-eyed peas
Chana dal
Garbanzos
Lima beans
Pinto beans
Split peas
Lentils—brown, red
Mung beans
Mung dal
Tempeh

Grains
White rice
Barley
Dry cereal
Granola
Oat bran
Sprouted wheat bread (Essene)
Popcorn—no salt or butter, occasionally

Meat/ Seafood
Chicken
Turkey
Shrimp

Sweeteners
Fruit juice concentrates—esp apple, pear
Raw honey—not much w Pitta

Other
Aloe vera juice
Barley Green juice

[elephant]

I suppose no hemorrhoids with that! Everything that is listed is so good for us! Thanks!

[Sangye]

Well, remember your own constitutions might be different. You have to take the little test to see. But if you're Kapha-Pitta, you can use this list.

[pberggren1]

This is a good thread Sangye.

Why do you think that being a vegetarian is bad? Does being a vegetarian mean just eating no meat?

Why no Soy or Dairy?

I eat ground Flax every day. Do you think that is safe?

I only eat chocolate at Christmas time when my Dad buys them.