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Sutras by Maharishi Vagbhata: Understanding Kapha

Continued from Understanding Pitta

Kapha represents the water and earth element. It has the qualities of cold, wet, oily, soft, steady, heavy. It takes care of lubrication, growth, strength, stamina, energy, production of mucous, gaseous exchange in lungs, repair, regeneration and sleep. It brings a sense of Support, stability, & Groundedness.

When kapha goes out of balance,

Weight gain, obesity
Although this can be quite an obvious symptom of a kapha imbalance, note that a vata imbalance can also sometimes cause a weight gain. A Kapha weight gain is usually centered around water retention, and is the result of slow, sluggish digestion.

Fluid retention, swelling, or edema
Water retention is usually related to stagnation in the lymphatic system, which is considered a “kapha” system.

Lethargy, excessive sleeping
Out of balance, kapha becomes heavy, slow, and dull. Regular exercise, even a half hour of brisk walking will keep this aspect of kapha in check.

Cold, congestion, cough, wheezing, asthma
Lungs is one of the primary sites of kapha, in the form of mucous and pulmonary fluid. An imbalance leads to congestion.

High cholesterol and triglycerides
Excess kapha in the blood can manifest as elevated cholesterol and triglycerides.

Diabetes
Diabetes is considered a kapha-type disease, usually resulting from improper functioning the the pancreas and/or excessive sweets.

Tumors
Kapha is also responsible for growth and any irregular or excessive growth in the body is considered a kapha imbalance. Benign tumors, such as lipomas, fibromas, or osteomas, are some such examples. [However, malignant tumors are usually considered a tridoshic (and more complicated) imbalance, please consult with your physician]

The causes of kapha imbalance are:

• Excessive sweet, salty, sour, oily, or fatty foods
• Eating heavy meals, or overeating
• Excessive fluid intake, especially of cold drinks
• Slow, sluggish digestion
• Excessive sleep
• Lack of exercise

Healing Kapha Problems

The best food item to control Kapha is jaggery. When Kapha is out of balance Phosphorus will be deficient. Jaggery has very high content of Phosphorus. Sugarcane juice also has Ph but jaggery has a higher content. The maximum amount of phosphorus is found in Kakvi or Raab or liquid jaggery – the stage just before solid jaggery.

The next best food item to control kapha is honey. Dry ginger (saunth) is another item, and is a hundred times more effective than fresh ginger.

People with kapha prakriti should end their meals with paan. The darker the leaf the better it is. Don’t add catechu / katha (brown paste). Other ingredients can be dry ginger powder (saunth), jaggery, rose jam (gulkand), aniseed (saunf), and cloves.

Over a hundred items in kitchen are known to control Kapha.

TRIPHALA – Amla, Harad, Baheda. Maharishi Waghbhat has written over 120 sutras for Triphala !!!

Harad:Baheda:Amla::1:2:3 this ratio is very important. (Equal proportion is to be used in very extreme cases, like radiation poisoning. As in Trifala amla is high and hence Vitamin C is high, in radiation illness Vitamin C is already very high in the body. Hence to balance this same proportion Trifala was given. This can also be used in Cancer treatment). Each of the above three fruits balance all the three doshas. Triphala reduces all the three doshas simultaneously.

Morning – either with jaggery or honey: It will work as a POSHAK: nourisher. It provides almost all required nutrients to the body. Consume triphala 40 minutes before breakfast to lose weight, or to treat ailments due to Kapha

Night – Milk or warm water: It will work as RECHAK: cleanser. It cleanses the digestive system as well as the rest of the body. Any kind of constipation can be cured with this. Consume triphala after dinner, and take for ailments like piles, fistula, and digestion related ailments.

Triphala is far more effective even than chyawanprash. One big teaspoon of triphala is to be taken in morning for losing weight. One small teaspoon in the night for Rechak use.

Amla is very good for losing excess weight. It is the best anti-oxidant in the natural world. Give a gap of a couple of weeks after taking continuously for upto 3 months. This helps the body to stay un-accustomed and avoid side effects.

Triphala should always be taken with milk, jaggery or honey. Taking with water is equivalent to taking it alone and it should not be taken alone for too long i.e. 90 days. Triphala can be given to children above 5 yrs, but best after 14 yrs of age.

Fenugreek (Methi) destroys Vata and Kapha, and increases Pitta. Soak it in a cup of warm water. In the morning chew the seeds and drink the water. Its very important to chew it while eating as it produces large amount of saliva. Pickles having methi are very useful for vaata problems. The effect of medicines is higher on the pickle than that of the fruit. Methi is pickle is much more effective than that taken in water since it is kept for many months. It works much better with oil – upto 20 times more effective. This is also applicable for carom seeds (Ajwain).

Lime Stone (Chuna) – is even better than fenugreek (Methi) for controlling Vata.

Controls all problems caused by Vaata. It also replenishes Calcium in the body. Calcium deficiency causes all kinds of pains, in muscles and bones, all bone problems, many blood related problems, Kapha problems are also caused by its deficiency. Calcium activates most other micro nutrients. Without it most other micro nutrients won’t be able to work. Calcium can easily be absorbed from milk, curd, butter milk, ghee, orange, mausambi, angoor, mango and banana. After 40-45 years of age body’s ability to digest calcium reduces. This is especially true for women. Now it needs to be taken separately – hence take Choona regularly. Hence the tradition of eating Paan in this culture. It is prevalent across the country without exception.

CINNAMON – Cures all problems related to Vaata and Kapha.

Cinnamon is more effective as a powder rather than leaf or bark. Grind it with jaggery and eat it. Drink warm water afterwards. Mix cinnamon powder with honey, lick and follow up with warm water. This takes care of upto 50 ailments.

Pranayama and jala neti are very helpful with nasal congestion, as they bring lightness to these areas of the body. Brisk walking or regular exercise helps those with kapha prakriti immensely.

Practicing abhyanga or dry brushing can stimulate the lymphatic system and reduce water retention. Depending on where the body is retaining water, certain yoga postures can also help to reduce swelling (such as practicing inversions for swelling in the feet and ankles).

Kapha Prakriti

Upto the age of 14 years, children are under the influence of kapha, which means they need more sleep. Imagination is very high during Kapha period, and anything that helps them imagine is great for them. Cartoons, video games and interaction with electronic devices hurt them and leave their system imbalanced.

The type of stories you tell them will affect the kind of character they develop. Stories should be long. Always answer their questions honestly. If you don’t know say so. Admit it and then work with them to find out. Once they find out the true answers from teacher they will lose all respect for you. When this happens you wont be able to control them at all. Let them sleep as much as they want. Never stop them from sleeping as it is essential for them. Upto 10 hrs a day is fine. Its better that the child takes this sleep in two parts. 1 – 4 yrs minimum 16 hrs. 4 – 8 yrs min 12 to 14 hrs, 8 – 14 yrs min 8 to 9 hrs. Kapha is heavy and hence the child needs to sleep more in order to keep the blood pressure under control. While sleeping BP is lower, and a child needs to sleep more to maintain BP. Children will become irritable and undisciplined if they are not allowed to complete their sleep quota as their Kapha is out of control.

Studying is only possible in effect of Pitta. When Kapha is bad, studying becomes very difficult. The area above the heart is the Kapha area. Children will frequently have ailments in this region, and this can be taken care of through oil massage. Children should not do any exercises, they should only play. Those under the effect of Kapha should not exercise, or do asana or pranayam.

Oil massage should be of entire body, and head and ears are very important. Massage should be followed by a warm bath. Massage till the child starts sweating in the arm pits or forehead.

Things that reduce Kapha should be used for bathing. Eg. Ubtan, Multani mitti, Chana atta, chandan powder, mota aataa, masoor daal ataa, moong daal attaaa. Soap should not be used as it aggravates Kapha drastically.

Oil can be also poured into the ears to control Kapha. Eyes are also the seat of Kapha. Ghee can be applied on eyes. Kajal is very useful in controlling Kapha (Sau veer anjan).

Children must be given milk, butter, ghee, oil, jaggery, curds, buttermilk, etc., maida is absolutely not allowed since it disturbs Kapha. Butter is better than ghee for children. Ghee should be consumed only in afternoon as pitta is increasing.

Out of control kapha can make one a criminal and murderer. If under control it promotes love and harmony. American children are considered the worst – shootouts in schools etc are proof. 10% of America’s population are children and out of this 10% or 30 lac children are in prisons. This is common for most western countries. The main reason is out of control Kapha. Of the total crime happening in these countries upto 65% are being committed by children. Direct result of out of control Kapha. It leads to violence directly. The simplest way to keep children safe from all types of negative influences is to let them sleep as much as they want to.

Schools that start early harm the children. It is not good for children to wake up early in the morning, as morning is Kapha time during which they sleep the deepest sleep. Best time for school to start is around noon.

Continue reading: "The Sacred Cow".

We thank Dr. Rajiv Dixit for making this information accessible. Click here to view his videos.

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