Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus) is another popular Ayurvedic remedy that can reduce excessive pitta, however, it must be taken under the supervision of an Ayurvedic physician.
Treatments
Creative Healing massage includes a cooling procedure that is good for counteracting excessive pitta (see Normalizing Body Temperature, page 57)
For massage, use essential oils like lavender, jasmine and sandalwood. The recommended base oils for pitta are sesame oil and coconut oil.
Have a milk bath as Cleopatra did. Simply add some milk into your bath water (cow’s or goat’s milk).
Take a flower bath, with petals of flowers floating in the bath. Try rose or jasmine flower baths.
Use meditation to calm the mind.
Listen to gentle and calm music.
Pitta Labour Issues
Factors to consider during delivery:
Labour tends to be shorter than average.
High blood pressure can develop during labour. This must be monitored – if pitta is highly out of control it may lead to eclampsia.
If there is increased pitta, it can lead to bleeding during delivery of the placenta.
It should also be noted that pitta mothers are more prone to post-natal depression. This can be prevented by keeping to the pitta protocol for diet and treatments.
Kapha Mothers
Typical characteristics
Large frame
Oily skin
Gains weight easily
A tendency for water retention
Drawn to sweet foods
Digestive sluggishness
Passive
Calm, steady
Lethargic
Slow to be irritated
Heavy sleeper
Kapha in balance: strong and calm
Kapha out of balance: dull and lethargic
During pregnancy
Can experience aches and pains in the joints and spine.
May experience breathlessness.
Prone to gestational diabetes – even the baby can develop diabetic tendencies.
Indigestion is common.
How to Counteract Kapha
Exercise
All forms of exercise benefit the kapha mother. Aerobic activity such as walking and swimming are ideal for boosting oxygen supply to the body and to the baby, and for supporting the heart, which is under more pressure during pregnancy. But keep an eye on your pulse and make sure your heart is working at no more than 120 beats per minute. Yoga and stretching build strength in the muscles, encouraging them to protect the mother’s skeletal structure. But avoid all twisting exercises and do not use your abdominal muscles at all, as they will have separated to allow room for the baby. Pilates classes should be avoided for this reason, but are excellent for post-natal recovery.
Food
Do not eat anything white or pasty – so avoid toast, bread, rice pudding and all puddings.
Avoid pasta, cakes, sweets, crisps and ice creams.
Avoid beef, pork and lamb. Chicken is allowed – two small portions per week.
Choose spicy foods.
Eat lots of green vegetables and light clear soups.
Fruits to enjoy: apples, apricots, cranberries, pears.
Vegetables good for kapha include: asparagus, celery, leafy greens, spinach, turnips, coriander, parsley.
Kapha-predominant mothers can also eat chicken, eggs, fish, goat’s milk.
Eat pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds.
Don’t over-cook grains; eat when just done.
Treatments
Warm baths are very beneficial. To make the bath more therapeutic you can add a few drops of essential oil of basil as this activates your endorphins and improves your mood.
Other essential oils that can reduce kapha and lift your mood are eucalyptus, camphor, neroli, tea-tree, juniper and fennel. Use in massage oils, or add a few drops to your bath.
In Sri Lanka and India, it is common to add medicinal leaves called Nirgundi to your bath. The botanical name of Nirgundi is Vitex Nirgundi. In ancient Ayurvedic texts this is prescribed to reduce kapha. It is best to use fresh crushed leaves. Alternatively a tincture can be obtained (see Appendix C, page 312).
Have regular lymphatic drainage massages (Creative Healing massage is very efficient for lymphatic drainage).
Alternatively, a simple self-massage can be given with dry finely powdered mung beans. The powder acts as a fine abrasive and as an astringent to draw out excess body fluids. A pinch of medicinal turmeric can be added to the mung bean powder. Triphala powder can also be used in powder massage; this is a powder made up of three fruits that suit all doshas. (Mung bean powder can be made yourself by crushing them in a coffee grinder to a fine consistency. Medicinal turmeric and Triphala powder can be obtained from any Ayurvedic supplier – see Appendix C, page 312).
Warm oil massage can be incorporated with powder massages. Triphala oil is available and this can be mixed with sesame oil and used for massage. This can be done as a simple self-massage all over the body with circular strokes, or it can be performed by an Ayurvedic technician. The Triphala oil and sesame oil can be obtained from any Ayurvedic supplier.
Reflexology is very good for reducing kapha. Focus on the lymphatic drainage reflex areas on the feet to make sure that the lymph drainage channels are kept clear. I recommend at least ten reflexology treatments from 20 weeks of pregnancy to term.
Kapha Labour Issues
Kapha mothers usually experience uncomplicated deliveries.
If kapha is not controlled during pregnancy the pregnant mother gets the classic ‘bloated’ look. Excess kapha means that the progress of labour can be sluggish with longer labours. Moreover, the baby can get stuck (due to congestion and oedema in the cervix and the pelvic tissues) and the mother may need a Caesarean.
Kapha mothers are prone to going past their due dates, if their excess kapha is not remedied in pregnancy.
Gentle Birth Method Recipes
Over the years, I have had many mothers come to me worried about what to eat and what not to eat. I fully appreciate that it can be daunting to work from both my own dietary guidelines and the Ayurvedic recommendations for each dosha, so I have slowly accumulated a roster of appropriate tasty recipes. A selection of these recipes, which are suitable for all doshas, can be found