Important Update June 2010

1.                 Seasonal Schedule.

2.                 Seasonal change is here. The Season of Fire and Water, Pitta.  

       New Diagnostic equipment: TD-Medical Adviser___

The Adviser diagnostic tool is a unique system Developed by a Russian Medical doctor, which allows very quick and precise assessment of organs, endocrine and autonomic nervous system status. Through the diagnostic algorithms’ (circulating electric impulses between organs and nerve plexus) the Adviser can define the condition of an organ and trace the primary weaknesses and strengths within the organism.  This now allows us to validate ones therapy and condition. It is a very cost effective and accurate. This is now part of the intake process.  

1. Seasonal Change is here

In the Ayurvedic system the summer season is referred to as Pitta season (fire and water). This season lasts from June 1- October 1.

Pitta is responsible for metabolism and all aspects of digestion. Digestion is not limited to gastrointestinal function.  It occurs in every cell of the body. How do you process and digest every experience, mentally, emotionally and physically? The health of the 3^rd autonomic segment (third chakra) reflects this.

If we notice that we are not feeling as well with this change of season then we should re-assess our diet, lifestyle, inability to feel the emotions within every experience instead of becoming them.

Whether we have created an imbalance because of improper lifestyle or we just happen to be fire predominant (the constitution one is born with) the summer is when these elements could produce a myriad of symptoms- Intolerance to heat, indigestion, heartburn, body temperature fluctuations (hot flashes), skin conditions, increase in inflammatory disorders, burning eyes, excess perspiration, exhaustion, colitis, acute infections, and any of the conditions ending in “itis”.

Emotions that rise when this element is high are envy, anger, criticism, agitation, jealousy, and hatred. One tends to be more critical, and can be referred to as a perfectionist.

Our biological fire governs the solar plexus and regulates our body temperature and metabolism: digestion, absorption, and assimilation, amino acids, production of enzymes and conversions of hormones. It is associated with light, vision, and intelligence. The fire element is necessary for all transformation, attention, comprehension, recognition and understanding.

          People who have an increased level of toxicity or whose detoxification pathways are sub optimal in function tend to be more acidic than others.   This translates into an excess of the fire element in systemic circulation (excess of free radicals). This is one of the main reasons we age and become more susceptible at a younger age to genetic predispositions. 

Your primordial nature (the nature you were born with) does not have to be Pitta for you to experience the symptoms that go along with high Pitta (fire/water).  But if you are more Pitta by nature, it is quite probable that when you are under stress or not heeding the rules of the season you will experience any number of the above listed symptoms.

A number of factors can increase Pitta to the point of aggravation. One is simply eating too much spicy (pungent) food such as, black pepper, tomatoes, cayenne pepper, spicy curries, red peppers, and jalapeno peppers. Sour and citrus fruits, such as grapefruits and sour oranges, can also increase Pitta. Eating rancid yogurt, sour dairy, too much garlic, tomato sauce, coffee, alcohol in general especially sour wine can also be harmful. Working near fire, smoking or lying in the sun can cause increased Pitta. Eating fatty fried food, or oily food such as peanut butter, can create nausea or headaches for those who have high Pitta. Too much salt intake can be over heating.

            Summer is the most difficult time for Pitta individuals. In hot humid weather Pitta types can easily become aggravated. When heat builds up in the system, one may become quite irritable or easily agitated and angered.

Guidelines for Summer

Individuals whose primary nature is Pitta or have an excess of this fire element should keep cool.

• In the morning, as part of your daily routine, rub 5 to 6 ounces of coconut oil or sunflower oil on your body before bathing. Coconut oil is calming, cooling, and soothing to the skin. Try Almond oil if you are depleted.
• Wear cotton or silk clothing; it is cooling, light, and allows the skin to breathe. Loose- fitting clothes are best; they permit the air to pass through and cool the body.
• The best colors to wear in hot weather are white, gray, blue, purple, and green. Avoid red, orange, dark yellow, and black, which absorb and retain heat and  aggravate Pitta

Good fruits for summer include apples, pears, melons, plums, and prunes. Watermelon and lime juice are also good in summer. Melons should always be consumed on an empty stomach. Try steamed asparagus, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cucumber raita, and white basmati rice, and of course Kichadee. For a more complete diet go to the web site (www.integrativeayurveda.com) and click seasonal update.

Add these to your spice rack:  Turmeric spice, mint, fresh basil, cardamom, cilantro, fennel, saffron, and orange peel.

Other hints for the season:

• Liquid Chlorophyll is a great element to keep in the fridge and add to water.
• Favor bitter, sweet and astringent tastes. Bitter Sweet Elixir (BIT12) by Wise Woman herbals through Emerson Ecologics is a great after meal formula for the season.
• Moon gazing
• Moon salutation
• Alternate nostril breathing: Left nostril activates the right hemisphere of the brain (female energy, cooling to the body).

      EATING GUIDELINES

Food is the source of life and Digestion is the root of all health. It nourishes, maintains and cures. We are what we eat—literally. The ancient authorities in Ayurveda say that food is our best form of medicine and no amount of medicine can overcome the effects of a poor diet. What is often overlooked is, how one eats is just as important as what one eats. Specifically, the quality of digestion is related to what is going on in the mind, in the body, in our environment, and in our emotions. The autonomic nervous system takes charge of digestion automatically but since it has two aspects, sympathetic and parasympathetic, which operate in a contrary manner, the results of digestion can be good or even bad. If one is emotionally charged while eating then the sympathetic nervous system functioning dominates—The blood supply is shunted to the peripheral muscles away from the stomach, etc, digestive juices stop flowing, and the peristalsis of elimination stops. Thus we produce AMA, the undigested food mass that clogs our system, creating arthritis and congestion along with promoting stagnancy allowing for bacterial proliferation and over growth of yeast and other pathogens and on and on. This is fundamental to the disease process. Ayurveda suggests the following to promote this vital element of health:

·         Eat only if hungry. Skip a meal rather then eat with incompletely digested food still in stomach. This would produce toxic by products of food, which degrades physiology and health.

• Eat at regular times in order to cultivate regular functioning of the GI tract. The GI tract functions only as well as your autonomic nervous system.
• Eat your biggest meal at noontime to take advantage of the body’s greatest digestive capacity.
• No food within 3 hours of bed time. Food in the stomach interferes with sleep and it never gets completely digested.
• Thoughts, emotions, frustration, much like material things are energies, which influence the quality and action of food. What kind of emotion is your cook experiencing while preparing your food? After you eat the food, you may know.
• Remove shoes before eating—releasing pressure on the nerves promotes better digestion.
• Eat only when sitting. Certain valves in relation to digestion just will not work if you are standing.
• Digestion requires one to be in a parasympathetic mode (relaxed), if not digestive enzymes and juices just do not flow.
• Eat with awareness—recognize and enjoy the taste, appearance, smell and texture of the food. This promotes emotional satisfaction and balance.
• Avoid ice drinks and frozen foods while consuming regular meals. Digestion is a thermagenic process (requires heat). Cold will suppress digestion.
• Sip on small amounts of hot water or warm lemon flavored water while eating.
• If you crave sweets after eating it is an indicator that your gall bladder is congested, chew on some fennel seeds, digestive seed tea (cumin, coriander, fennel) or bitters.
• Chew your food completely, 32 times for each bite. Salivary Amalase is stimulated by means of the tongue and chewing. This is the primary enzyme for carbohydrate digestion.
• If you are experiencing digestive discomfort and pain always eliminate wheat and take a break from dairy. Wheat is one of the most difficult foods to digest.
• Eat fresh foods; if you have to eat leftovers do it minimally. The older the food the less vital it is, so, it is harder to digest.
• Never eat Melons with any other foods. Do not eat Eggs with yogurt or milk. 
• Do not mix different kinds of proteins at one meal. Especially fish and meats. Different Proteins require different enzymes. In order to keep digestion optimal or improve on poor digestion this is key.
• Do not mix Fish with milk, yogurt or mangoes. This can develop skin problems
• Other incompatible foods: oysters and alcohol, beans and milk, proteins and starches.

2. GLUTEN AND WHEAT INTOLERANCE, a cultural Dilemma.

Every year it seems more and more people show up with Wheat and Gluten intolerances. I especially notice this during the spring season, which makes perfect sense from an Ayurvedic perspective. This can of course carry over into the next season because of the effect it has on digestion. Gluten is very hard to digest in itself. Spring is when our digestive capacity decreases because the body is putting more focus on systemic detoxification. If we over consume Gluten containing food during spring season we have put a stress on our system that will be carried over to the next.

The wheat we eat today has been bio-engineered to contain nearly 90 percent more gluten than the wheat our grandparents ate. And unlike other foods, grains must be "processed" by grinding them to help us digest them. Even with the grinding process, many people still have trouble digesting grains.

So it's no surprise that gluten sensitivity is growing. Some experts call it the "hidden epidemic of the 21st century."  In fact, of the 693 research papers published on the subject in PubMed, a service of the National Institutes of Health, nearly half study this "silent" or "hidden" form of gluten sensitivity. That's the kind of gluten sensitivity that doesn't show up as digestive distress. But can cause many serious health problems throughout your body.

Just as earlier diseases were misunderstood and misdiagnosed, so is gluten intolerance. This sensitivity may not show up on the typical IGG/IGA allergy tests. Symptoms can be delayed from 24 – 36 hours.

If you want a simple way to find out if you are gluten sensitive eliminate all foods containing it for 15 days, on day 16 eat foods containing gluten all day. For day 17 and 18 do not consume any gluten containing foods and note any increase in symptoms. My 2 favorite enzymes that are Gluten specific are Similase GFCF (code is SIM1) and Enteromend by Health Concerns (code is ENTE6) both contain Dipeptidyl Peptidase DPP-lV. The enzyme lacking in most who are Gluten intolerant. Both of these are available through Emerson Ecologics 800-654-4432.

One must also note that gluten is hidden in many unsuspecting foods. Below is a list of the many food ingredients and additives that may contain hidden gluten. If you are gluten intolerant, it is important to verify specific foods to ensure that they do not contain hidden gluten.

Baking Powder

 Binders

  Blue Cheese

  Brown rice syrup

  Caramel colorings or flavorings

  Cereal fillers, protein or starch

  Citric Acid

  Coatings

  Colorings

  Corn Starch

  Curry Powder

  Dextrins

  Dispersing Agents

  Emulsifiers

  Excipients (in prescription medications, for consistency)

  Extracts (in grain alcohol)

  Fillers

  Flavorings (in grain alcohol)

  Flours made from wheat, barley, oats, and rye

  Grain alcohol (beer, ale, rye, scotch, bourbon, grain vodka)

  Gum base

  Homeopathic remedies

  Hydrolyzed protein, Hydrolyzed plant protein (HPP), Hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP)

  Malt or Malt Flavoring (barley malt, malt vinegar)

  Maltodextrin

  Modified starch, Modified food starch (made from wheat)

  Mono- and di-glycerides (made using a wheat starch carrier)

  Natural flavorings

  Oils (wheat germ oil and others with gluten additives)

  Preservatives

  Soy sauce (when fermented with wheat)

  Spices (if anti-caking agent used)

  Starch (modified food starch, edible starch)

  Textured vegetable protein (TVP)

  Vegetable gum

  Vegetable protein or starch

  Vinegars (white, or malt)

  Vital wheat gluten (common in soy products)

  Vitamin E oil

Connie Sarros is an author of several excellent gluten-free cookbooks:

·         Wheat-free Gluten-free Recipes for Special Diets

·         Wheat-free Gluten-free Dessert Cookbook

·         Wheat-free Gluten-free Reduced Calorie Cookbook

·         Wheat-free Gluten-free Cookbook for Kids and Working Adults

All of her books can be ordered on-line at www.celiac.com and at her site: http://www.gfbooks.homestead.com/index.html

At the grocery store beware of anything that is processed. If it is not a whole food, it may contain gluten".

Check out this New Bakery in Randolph that specializes in Gluten free baking www.ALLCANEAT.com

In a quest to become more sustainable if you have an e-mail address please forward it to dr1linda@netzero.com and request paperless e-news so that you can receive these newsletters and schedules via email.

                    Pitta Pacifying diet

                                          *okay in moderation    **okay rarely

Fruit, Consume sweet

Sweet apples, Applesauce, Apricots, Avocado, sweet Berries, Coconut, Dates, Figs, red and purple grapes, limes, Mangoes, Melons, sweet oranges, pears, sweet Pineapple, sweet plums, Pomegranates, Prunes, Raisins, Strawberries, Watermellon.

Fruit, Avoid Sour

Sour Apples, sour Apricots, Bananas, sour berries, Cranberries, Grapefruit, Green Grapes, Kiwi, Lemons, green Mangoes, sour Oranges, Peaches, Persimmons, sour Pineapples, sour Plums, Rhubarb, Tamarind.

Vegetables, Sweet and Bitter

Artichokes, Asparagus, cooked Beets, Bitter Melon, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Cilantro, Cucumber, Dandelion greens, Fennel (anise), Green beans, Jerusalem artichokes, Kale, Leafy Greens, Lettuce, Mushrooms, Okra, black Olives, cooked onions, Parsley, Parsnips, Peas, sweet peppers, sweet and white Potatoes, Prickly pear leaves, Pumpkin, cooked Radishes, Rutabaga, Spaghetti Squash, Sprouts, winter and summer Squash, Taro root, Watercress, Wheat Grass sprouts, Zucchini.

Vegetables, Avoid Pungent

Beet Greens, raw Beets, Burdock root, fresh corn, Daikon Radish, Eggplant, Garlic, green Chilies, Horseradish, Kohlrabi, raw Leeks, Mustard greens, green olives, raw Onions, hot Peppers, Prickly pear fruit, raw Radishes, raw Spinach, Tomatoes, Turnip greens, Turnips.

Grains

Amaranth, Barley, Couscous, Durham flour, Granola, Oat Bran, cooked Oats, Pancakes, Quinoa, Rice (Basmati, white, wild), Rice cakes, Seitan, Spelt, Sprouted Wheat bread, Wheat bran (if you are intolerant to wheat do not consume)

Avoid

Yeast Breads, Buckwheat, Corn, Millet, Museli, dry oats, Polenta, brown Rice, Rye

Legumes

Aduki Beans, Black Beans, Black-eyed peas, Chick Peas, Kidney beans, brown and red Lentils, Lima beans, Mung beans, Mung dal, Navy beans, dried Peas, Pinto beans, Soy (beans, cheese, milk, powder), split Peas, Tempeh, Tofu, White Beans

Avoid

Miso, Soy sauce, Tur Dal, Urad dal

Dairy

Unsalted Butter, Cheese (soft, not aged, unsalted), Cottage cheese, Cow’s milk if not intolerant, Ghee, Goat’s Milk, Goat Cheese (soft, unsalted), Ice Cream, freshly made Yogurt* diluted sweetened with maple syrup.

Avoid

Salted Butter, Buttermilk, hard cheese, Sour cream, plain or frozen fruit sweetened Yogurt.

Animal Foods

Buffalo, white chicken, Eggs especially whites, freshwater Fish, Rabbit, Shrimp*, White Turkey, Venison.

Animal foods to avoid

Beef, dark meat Chicken, Duck, Pork, Lamb, Salmon, Sardines, Seafood unless otherwise specified, Wide body fish (shark, Tuna, Swordfish), Dark Turkey.

Condiments

Black Pepper*, sweet Mango Chutney, Coriander Leaves, Dulse*, Hijiki*Kombu*, Lime, Sprouts, cheltic Salt*, Saeweed*, Tamari*.

Condiments to Avoid

Chili peppers, Chocolate, Spicey mango chutney, Gomasio, Horseradish, Kelp, Ketchup, Mustard, Lemon, Lime Pickles, Pickles, Mayonaise, Salt in access, Scallions, Soy Sauce, Vinegar.

Nuts

Almonds if they are soaked and peeled, Coconut

Nuts to Avoid

Almonds with skin, Black Walnuts, Brazil nuts, Cashews, Filberts, Hazelnuts, Macadamia Nuts, Peanuts, Pecans, Pine Nuts, Pistachios, Walnuts.

Seeds

Flax, Halva, Psyllium, Pumpkin*, Sunflower

Seeds to Avoid

Chai, Sesame, Tahini

Oils

Sunflower, Ghee, Olive, Soy, Flax Seed, Primrose, for external use only Avocado, coconut and walnut.

Oils to Avoid

Almond, apricot, corn, Safflower, Sesame

Beverages        

Beer and dry White Wine, Almond Milk, Aloe Vera Juice, Apple Juice, Apricot Juice, Sweet Berry Juice, Black Tea*, Carob, Chai*, Cherry Juice, Cool Dairy products, Grain coffee undecafinated, Red Grape juice, Mango Juice, Miso Broth*, Mixed vegetable juice without tomatoe, Peach Nectar, Prune Juice, Pomegranate Juice, Rice Milk, Soy Milk, Vegetable Bouillon.

Beverages to Avoid

Hard red Wine, Apple cider, Caffeinated beverages, Carrot Juice,

Sour Cherry Juice, Chocolate Milk, Coffee, Cranberry Juice, Grapefruit Juice, Iced Tea, Icy Cold Drinks, Lemonade, Papaya Juice, Tomatoe Juice, V-8, Sour Juice.

Herbal Teas

Alfalfa, Bancha, Barley, Blackberry, Borage, Burdock, Catnip, Chamomile, Chicory, Comfrey, Dandelion, Fennel, fresh Ginger, Hibiscus, Hops, Jasmine, Kukicha, Lavender, Lemon Balm, Lemon grass, Licorice, Marshmallow, Nettle, Oat Straw, Passion Flower, Peppermint, raspberry, Red Clover, Sarsaparilla, Spearmint, Strawberry, Violet, Wintergreen, Yarrow.

Herbal Teas to Avoid

Ajwan, Basil, Clove, Eucalyptus, Fenugreek, dry Ginger, Ginseng, Hawthorne, Juniper Berry, Mormon tea, Pennyroyal, Red Zinger, Rosehips, Sage, Sassafras, Yerba Mate.

Spices

Fresh Basil, Black Pepper*, Caraway, Cardomom*, Cinnamon, Cumin, Dill, Fennel, Fresh Ginger, Mint, Neem Leaves*, Orange peel, Parsley*, Peppermint, Saffron, Spearmint, Tarragon*, Tumeric, Vanilla*, Wintergreen.

Spices to Avoid

Ajwan, Almond extract, Anise, Asofoetida, Basil, Bay leaf, Cayenne, Cloves, Fenugreek, Garlic, Dry Ginger, Mace, Marjoram, Mustard Seeds, Nutmeg, Oregano, Paprika, Pippali, Poppy seeds, Rosemary, Sage, Salt, Savory, Star Anise, Thyme.

Sweeteners

Barley Malt, Fructose, Fruit Juice concentrate, Maple Syrup, Rice Syrup, Sucanat, Turbinado

Sweeteners to Avoid

White Sugar, Honey, Jaggary and Molasses

 

Food Supplements

Aloe Vera juice, Barley Green, Brewer’s yeast, Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc, Spirolina, Blue-Green Algae, Vitamins A, B1, B12, D and K

 

Avoid

Royal Jelly**, Bee pollen**,Copper, Iron, B2, B6,C,E,P, and Folic Acid