ALCOHOL

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 3 ratings, 233 likes

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Alcohol is a hot depressant. Initially, the heat combined with the relaxing qualties of alcohol dilate blood vessels, an aid to circulation. The heart, which is a naturally affectionate and social organ, predisposes one to fun and perhaps risky social...

AVOCADO

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 3 ratings, 864 likes

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The avocado fruit grows on trees, but does not ripen until after it has been picked. It has a pear shape, and a rough, dark green to black skin with tiny bumps, which earned it the name "alligator pear". Unlike other fruits, avocado isn't sweet at all,...

BEEF

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Red meat strongly rebuilds deficient blood. It is especially useful in late summer and early fall. Red meat increases Pitta and Kapha. Too much red meat clogs the lymphatic system (Kapha blocking Vata in rasa dhatu), and causes blood stangation...

BEER

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 128 likes

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Beer is Cheer Few people don't enjoy a cold beer on a hot summer's day. The paradox is that beer, although bitter and refreshing to taste, heats the body up. On a hot day, that increased heat leaves you thirsty and dehydrated,...

BLUE CHEESE

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Tangy and moldy, like gym socks but glorious all the same.

BRAZIL NUT

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Brazil nuts have received recent popularity for their ability to stimulate the thyroid. This warm, rich nut won't fail to please you either. It's buttery, oily tastes is universally appreciated.

BROWN SUGAR

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When Brown Sugar is called for in a recipe, you know that the result will be not only sweet, but rich in flavors and rustic. Brown sugar's homey-ness conjures images of Grandma's kitchen, breakfast pastries on winter mornings, rich and sweet. This is...

BUFFALO MILK

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Difficult to digest, heavy and cold. [Ashtanga Hrdayam Su 5:23]

BUTTER (UNSALTED)

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 314 likes

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Butter increases cholesterol, which is Kapha in nature. Eat organic butter only because the toxins are concentrated as the milk is concentrated. Ayurveda recommends ghee over butter because it is lighter for digestion. Every get thirsty after eating...

CHEDDAR CHEESE

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The richness of cheese promises nourishment, comfort and contentment. However, as it mixens and thickens mucus in the digestive tract with a thick, creamy layer of dairy, it bogs down digestion, and encourages candida growth. Once the richness enters...

CHICKEN

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The dark meat of chicken is oily and has a rich fat content, making it a grounding, nourishing meat for Vata and Pitta. Chicken is an excellent choice to balance conditions of dryness and debility by giving the body strong protein with a heavy dose...

CHICKEN FAT (RENDERED)

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Muscle fats ad juices are used for debilitated and convalescing patients in ayurveda. They are harder to digest than vegetable oils, heavier, and produce faster oleation in the body. Useful for dry Vata types.

COCONUT MILK

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Fronds of a coconut palm sway in a tropical breeze,...

CORN SYRUP

(1.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 35 likes

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Corn syrup may seem ideal for Vata individuals trying to gain weight. The fructose is converted directly into fat tissue, maximizing weight gain. However, corn syrup bypasses your natural appetite suppressing mechanisms, which lead to overconsumption...

COTTAGE CHEESE

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 2 ratings, 166 likes

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Cottage cheese is easier to digest and lighter than most other dairy products. Ysha Oakes recommends mixing Cottage Cheese with flax seed oil and spices like black pepper and turmeric.

CRIMINI & BUTTON MUSHROOMS

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 2 ratings, 150 likes

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Stay GroundedMushrooms have an earthy taste like the dark, rich loamy soil itself. This earthiness is a sign of mushrooms' ability to keep you grounded and calm your nervous system. They are considered tamasic in Ayurveda meaning...

EGG YOLK

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Egg yolks are satisfying, creamy and soft. They have a high fat and nutrient content, containing everything necessary to nourish a baby chicken. This makes egg a strengthening tonic. Egg yolks are creamy when raw, and have a dry, pasty...

GOAT CHEESE

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Fresh goat cheese, only a few days old, is much less Pitta provoking than other cheeses. Fresh cheese builds ojas. Use black pepper, other pungents, or cardamom to antidote the mucous forming properties of cheese.

GOAT MILK

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Less gooey than cow's milk, sharp, and easier to digest because the varied diets of goats include more pungent taste. Cures diarrhea.

GREEN ONION

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Like all roots cooked onion brings a grounding feel. Yellow onions are the standard onion in American grocery store shelves. White onions tend to be sweeter and crunchier. Red...

HEMP SEED

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 367 likes

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Introduction Heavy, oily and slightly sweet, hemp seeds are a hearty addition to your winter diet. These dense seeds nourish and build tissue, leaving you feeling strong, stable and sustained, even during the harshest months of...

KEFIR

(4.00 out of 5 stars) 3 ratings, 134 likes

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Kefir is a thin yogurt drink that cools and soothes as it refreshes. Its sour taste, like yogurt, improves its digestibility when compared with other dairy products. As it is less thick than yogurt, it also digests more easily than yogurt. Kefir can...

LAMB

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Lamb fat is heavy. Muscle fats are widely used in ayurveda for convalescing (recovering from illness). However, muscle (mamsa) and muscle fats (vasa) are heavy for digestion. Downstream, they cause 'sroto-rodha' or blockage of blood. After several days...

MILK

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 2 ratings, 281 likes

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Rich and creamy, milk is a soothing balm to both body and mind. As a schoolboy, I LOVED coming home to a cool, refreshing glass of milk. Milk's mild sweetness goes down easy. On hot days it refreshed me. On cold days, a warm glass of milk with hot...

NUTMEG

(4.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 190 likes

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Nutmeg is aromatic, astringent, and a sedative. It's aromatic quality makes it ideal for improving digestion, while astringent quality helps bind the stool. Nutmeg is thus the preferred spice for cold type diarrhea. Nutmeg cuts through fat of milk...

OYSTER

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Oysters are salty, watery, slimy, and fatty, all the qualities that are nurturing and soothing to Vata. Oysters are very Vata pacifying. In Chinese medicine (TCM) oysters are the number one food for reducing yin.