Sadhaka pitta

 Sadhaka pitta is the third sub-dosha of pitta. It has its main seat in the heart and has a lot to do with our emotions and our satisfaction with life. If you have gone through emotionally difficult experiences, it often shows up in imbalances in that sub-dosha. And life is not always that easy, so in my consultations, I often feel a vulnerable sadhaka pitta. If it goes too far out of balance, it can lead to cardiovascular diseases of various kinds as well as depression, memory loss, performance anxiety and chronic fatigue syndrome. To keep sadhaka pitta healthy and happy, consider the following:

• Try to avoid stress. It's not that easy in today's performance-oriented society. But you are not your performance. You don't get your value by being good at work or being a good mother, father, spouse, husband, daughter, son, etc. You have infinite value just by being human, and you don't have to do anything to deserve to be loved.

• Yoga and meditation, especially Transcendental Meditation, are great for sadhaka pitta in that you can clear away old mental debris and find the calm and peace that exists within all of us.

• Exercise is good, especially outdoors in beautiful surroundings.

• Eat food that you like and really enjoy it. Some foods that are particularly good for sadhaka pitta are pineapple, apples, pears, olive oil, almonds, squash, walnuts, cardamom and black pepper.

• Roses are also great for sadhaka pitta, and you can enjoy them through multiple senses. Of course, you can let the eyes enjoy their beauty and the nose their fragrance. But you can also eat them (but then they must be organic), for example, in the form of rose petal paste, or drink rose water or use the leaves as spices in teas and dishes. All that is good for sadhaka pitta and delicious.

• Avoid horror films and other unpleasant or negative media experiences.

• Spend time with people you like and give them your love – not out of duty but out of joy.

Good luck 🌹

Ranjaka pitta

 Ranjaka pitta is the second sub-dosha of pitta. It controls several of our internal organs, mainly the liver. It is also connected to the blood, especially the red blood cells and thus to the red bone marrow, where they are produced, and the spleen, where they are broken down, and the blood is purified. The liver is our largest internal organ and has many important tasks, for example, producing bile (which is needed in digestion); forming proteins and hormones; storing iron, vitamins and carbohydrates and filtering and detoxifying the blood. Imbalances in ranjaka pitta can lead to various liver and blood disorders as well as to irritability and anger. To keep ranjaka pitta in balance, the following points are essential:

• Avoid alcohol. The latest research has changed the view on alcohol. That large amounts of alcohol are harmful has been known for a long time. But in the past, there were theories that small amounts of alcohol were not a health problem but could even be beneficial to health. However, new research has shown that even a tiny amount of alcohol consumption is harmful, and the Nordic nutritional recommendations have therefore been changed to recommend that we do not use any alcohol at all. Of course, you should also avoid drugs and medicines that have not been recommended by a doctor.

• Eat organic food as much as possible to avoid pesticide residues (and contribute to a better environment).

• Avoid sweeteners and other artificial additives.

• Eat as little refined white sugar as possible, and do not drink soft drinks or energy drinks. Also, don't drink a lot of coffee or other caffeinated beverages.

• Avoid hard-fried and deep-fried food.

• Drink plenty of clean water - room temperature or warm - never ice cold.

• Use plenty of turmeric in cooking. Turmeric is very effective in cleansing the body, and it is better to use it in cooking than in the form of dietary supplements. Ginger and black pepper are also good.

• Eat sweet fruits such as melons, pears and grapes for snacks. Squash, cucumber, pumpkin and beetroot are good to use in cooking.

• Don't stress when eating. Eat in peace and quiet - enjoy the food.

• Good luck 😊

Pachaka pitta

 Pachaka pitta is the first of the pitta dosha sub-doshas. It has its seat in the stomach and small intestine. There, it controls the breakdown of food and the absorption of nutrients. It is, therefore, essential for our health. If it is in balance, it provides a well-functioning digestion where all the nutrients in the food are absorbed, and the residual products are eliminated. It gives us energy, well-being and general good health. If, on the other hand, it is out of balance, it can cause poor digestion, IBS, leaky gut, heartburn and stomach ulcers. Some of the most important things to keep pachaka pitta in balance are:

• Eat at regular times. The main meal in the middle of the day, lighter meals for breakfast and supper and possibly an even lighter snack. Don't skip meals!

• Eat according to your hunger. Don't overeat, but don't eat too little, either. Eat until you are reasonably full, not overfull, but not still hungry.

• Never be stressed when eating. Eat sitting down, in peace and quiet, chew properly and enjoy the food. Avoid reading, checking your mobile phone, watching TV, having lively conversations or doing anything else while eating.

• Please ensure the food is nicely laid out and visually appealing.

• Avoid overly acidic or strong products such as ketchup, mustard, chilli sauce and pungent spices.

• Instead, use plenty of mild spices such as coriander, anise, fennel, cardamom, turmeric, parsley, mint and basil.

• Avoid red meat and processed meat dishes.

• Use ghee and olive oil in food.

• As a snack, sweet fruits e.g. pears, melons or sweet grapes, are good.

• Exercise regularly but not within half an hour before and two to three hours after meals. However, it is good to go for a walk right after eating.

Good luck

Pitta season

 Now summer has really arrived. This means that we are in the pitta time of the year. Pitta is hot, sharp and full of energy. It makes us efficient and successful. But if it gets out of balance, it can make us irritable, angry and impatient and give us ulcers, eczema, inflammation and many other ailments. To keep yourself in balance this summer, you can therefore think about:

• Eat at regular times, with the main meal in the middle of the day. Don't skip meals.

• Drink plenty of water, room temperature or warm but not too hot and never ice cold.

• Eat juicy fruits such as pears and melons for snacks.

• Otherwise, prioritise green leafy vegetables, squash, pumpkin, cucumber, rice, quinoa, oats, shelled mung beans, olive oil and ghee. Avoid meat, especially red meat.

• Eat organic as much as possible.

• Feel free to drink boiled organic non-homogenised milk with cardamom with breakfast or before bed

• Use plenty of mild spices such as cardamom, coriander, anise, fennel, turmeric, mint, parsley and basil. Avoid strong condiments and ketchup, mustard and similar products.

• Go to bed early in the evenings.

• Exercise regularly at an appropriate level - preferably outdoors.

• Enjoy our beautiful world in summer garb – pitta is related to sight, so anything beautiful is good.

• Do not stress.

• Do yoga and meditate.

• Be lenient with the people you meet - don't expect them to be perfect

• Be kind to yourself. Enjoy life and summer - laugh and relax - try to appreciate the little things in life.

Pleasant summer!

Routines

 Good routines are among the most important things when it comes to creating health - both according to Ayurveda and modern science. Research shows that the body functions differently at different times of the day, which Ayurveda also emphasises. And although it may seem boring, you gain a lot by keeping the same times for food, sleep, etc., every day - even weekends. It is especially important for vata dosha, and it is the leading dosha. The most essential parts of an ideal routine are:

• Get up early, preferably before 6 and get out in the sun in the morning

• Meditate and do yoga morning and early evening

• Exercise in the morning (or if it doesn't work so early in the evening)

• Eat the main meal in the middle of the day and lighter meals in the morning and evening

• Be moderately active during the day. Do something meaningful that you enjoy but don't stress - and unwind in the evening without screens

• Go to bed early, preferably around 9.30pm

 Garlic is a plant about which there are divided opinions in Ayurveda. On the one hand, it has many health benefits. It clears out ama (impurities), reduces atherosclerosis, balances cholesterol, inhibits inflammation (e.g. arthritis) and is generally good for heart health, to name just a few things. On the other hand, it is also tamasic, i.e. not life-promoting and thus not good for spiritual development. And spiritual development is perhaps the most essential thing because it is about consciousness - who we are. At the same time, it is also not good for spiritual development if you have the physical problems that garlic can help with. So what do you do? I'm also a bit divided myself. I use garlic sometimes, but I try to do it sparingly. If nothing else, it's also delicious

Kapha

 Winter is almost over, and we have entered the part of the year dominated by kapha-dosha. That's when nature wakes up, and everything grows. It is also a time when we can grow, rightly or wrongly. It's the best time to build muscle, but it's also when we quickly put on excess fat and build up mucus if we don't live appropriately. To balance kapha, please keep the points below in mind, especially if you have a lot of kapha in your constitution.

• Exercise! Exercise is the most important thing to keep kapha in check. And now we have the chance to strengthen and build up the body. This is the time of year when we can exercise the hardest. Don't overdo it, but it's not wrong to make an effort as long as it feels comfortable. The best time to exercise is the later part of the morning kapha time, at 8-10 (9-11 when we switch to summer time). Alternatively, it is good earlier in the morning (but not before 6) or in the evening but not too close to bedtime. But some other time of day (not at night) is better than not at all.

• Don't sit still. Even if we exercise several times a week, sitting still for large parts of the day is not good. Jump up and move as often as possible. Take breaks from work and jump up and stretch or dance. And if you can vary standing or walking when you work, do it.

• Eat your main meal in the middle of the day and lighter meals in the morning and evening.

• Eat only enough to make you comfortably full, not overfull and don't eat until you're hungry again.

• Sit still when eating and focus on enjoying the food.

• If you are overweight or feel that you have a lot of impurities in your body, you can take one day a week when you only consume liquid food.

• Get up before 6 am and go to bed early, don't sleep during the day.

• Drink hot water before and between meals. Never drink chilled drinks.

• Eat hot food and use lots of spices. All spices except salt are good for kapha.

• Preferably eat vegetarian and at least avoid red meat. Prioritise vegetables and fruit.

• Make sure to get out in the sun now that it returns, preferably in the morning ☀️

• Be kind to yourself – play, laugh and enjoy life 😊