Ayurveda Daily Journal – Day 10

Feb 12 (Day 10):
GENERAL IMPRESSIONS:
Hallelujah! I am on DAY 10: I am now officially a third of the way through my treatment! This morning was much easier than yesterday; I wasn’t nearly as hungry or nervous. The doctor was right…The calories from the ghee really stay with you. Another fun thing, they changed my hot water from cumin to ginger; I can’t tell you what a difference that makes. The ghee is making me a little loopy though, so I hope these articles still make sense.

THE TREATMENT:
I am also on day three of the “bitter ghee phase” of the treatment. (And, yes, that’s what they call it!) They increased my dose of ghee again, so today I drank about a third of a cup of the stuff. Let me tell you, it’s really tough to keep drinking  warm butter for that long. The doctor said that saturation symptoms should start to appear in the next day or so: headaches, nausea, sensitivity to smells and heat, even possible vomiting. What’s even more intimidating is that he wants me to continue the ghee for at least another day or two if possible; I just hope I can hold out.

THE DOCTOR:
Today, Dr. Sankar gave me some pretty cool insights on how the three doshas (bio-elements) manifest in the human body, comprising each person’s general constitution and well-being.

The doshas are the biological energies found throughout the human body and mind. These three bio-elements, known as vata, pitta and kapha, govern all of the physical and mental processes inside each of us. When one element overpowers the others, it can lead to problems not only with our health, but also with our satisfaction in life and ultimately, our happiness.

Vata people (just like the air and space that they resemble) tend to be very fast and changeable. Think of an Indian motorbike cutting in and out of traffic, always shifting and moving. These people are usually slender…more wispy-looking…like birds. Usually very enthusiastic, these people are very high energy, and always tend to embrace change, especially changing their surroundings. A career well-suited for the this type of personality? They make great purchasing agents and are well suited for any career that requires a lot of travel, as they always enjoy new environments and challenges.

People who have an over-abundance of vata energy sometimes won’t take the necessary time to develop a plan or think through their actions. As a result, they can make a lot of mistakes. Health issues you sometimes see when vata energy overpowers the other two doshas? Drying/cracking skin, tremors and shaking, osteoporosis, ADHD or general inability to focus.

Pitta people (with a constitution similiar to fire) are more like a race car. Think gasoline: hot, fast, and fierce. These people see things in black and white. The want things to be precise. Pitta people make great critics. They are also great managers because of their attention to detail. Additionally, they always want things to be visually appealing; beauty is very important to them.

Because pitta is a fire energy it always wants more: pushing, pushing, pushing. When a person has an excess of pitta energy, they want everything their way. Physical symptoms of an over-abundance of pitta are acidity, ulcers, oozing, skin problems. People with a predominantly pitta constitution also loathe heat…they want the temperature to be cold. (Makes sense since they’re on fire all the time.)

Kapha people, (with more water and earth energy) tend to be more grounded. Think of an SUV. Or even better, think of an elephant: big brain, great memory, slow and steady. These people work hard and get things done. The body type associated with kapha people is more sturdy-looking; they look as though they are built for work. (Dr. Sankar says that I have a Kapha Constitution but an excess of pitta…Go figure.)  Once kapha people begin something, they tend to finish it. These personality types do not like change, however. Physical symptoms of an over-abundance of kapha are obesity, sluggishness, cough and cold, blood clots, blockage, thrombosis, even paralysis.

WORDS OF WISDOM:
“It is wisdom to know others; It is enlightenment to know one’s self.” — Lao-Tzu (6th Century B.C.)