Elements: Fire π₯ ; Balanced by 'Cold' .
Hot Climate
"Hot" is anything that causes an increase in temperature or causes sweating. The body radiates heat from the blood through sweat. When the weather is hot, the blood vessels on the surface of the skin dilate and the heart rate increases, making the skin red and flushed.
Summertime is the season of poor appetite. Red skin is engorged with blood, leaving less blood for digestive organs. Hot weather makes the body relaxed, comfortable, and grounded. Pathological heat causes dizziness and fainting. The body becomes lethargic like the "lazy dog days of summer."
Sweating and secretions help cleanse the skin, digestive tract, circulatory, and lymphatic system. Saunas, baths, steam baths, sweat lodges, and exercise are among the numerous ways people cleanse with heat.
Heating Foods
Spicy food brings blood flow back to the GI tract. It stimulates the appetite, burns toxicity, and reduces tissues (burns ojas). Heating foods cause thirst, sweat, a burning sensation (as in
chilies), and even bleeding. For example, eating too many
chilies makes the body sweat. Chilies are hot because they irritate the digestive tract lining.
Eat too much turmeric and you might get angry. Turmeric is heating because it dilates blood vessels. Vinegar is heating because it is acidic. Generally, avoid heating foods in the summer.
Hot Water
Hot water is one of the most powerful herbal medicines. As hot weather brings blood to the surface of the skin, hot water brings blood to the GI tract. Flush with the blood, hot water improves digestion, absorption, and assimilation of food. Hot water improves circulation. It is a powerful diaphoretic that opens the surface of the body, and is the primary therapy for fever in Ayurveda.
Hot water is also a decongestant, liquefying all Kapha.
Effect of Heating Foods on the Nervous System
When there is too much heat, the mind becomes hot tempered, angry, irritable, or impatient. Heat increases courage and valor. Passion is hot. Heat generally projects the personality outward. Yogis spend time in cool mountaintop temperatures because it helps them turn inward.
Causes of Excess Heat
Any irritation or wound, fermentation in the small intestine, exercise, or too much clothing causes heat.
Liver imbalance, infection, hot climates, hot foods, and
Pitta imbalances cause heat conditions.
Signs of Excess Heat
The signs of heart and blood heat are red skin, red eyes, and a red tip of the tongue. The signs of liver heat are yellow eyes or a yellowish tinge to the hands and skin. Other signs of heat include rashes, acne, infection, fever, anger, irritability, and sweat. Heat relieves spasms and causes suppuration of wounds, liver spots, premature graying of the hair, and loss of hair. If you have poison ivy and eat heating foods or take a hot shower, the poison ivy may get worse.
Treatment of Hot
INGREDIENTS WITH HOT QUALITY
Nuts-Seeds
Acorn, Cashews, Chestnuts, Hazelnut, Peanuts, Pecans, Pine Nuts, Pistachio, Sesame Seeds, Tahini, WalnutsSpices
Ajwain, Allspice, Basil, Bay Leaf, Black Pepper, Caraway Seeds, Carob, Cayenne Pepper, Celery Seed, Chamomile, Chipotle Chili, Cinnamon, Cloves, Coriander Seed, Crystallized Ginger, Cumin, Curry Powder, Dill, Epazote, Fenugreek, Ginger (Dried), Green Chilis, Hing (Asafoetida), Jalapenos, Lemongrass, Marjoram, Mustard, Mustard Powder, Mustard Seed, Nigella (black cumin), Nutmeg, Orange Zest, Oregano, Paprika, Parsley (Dried), Parsley (Fresh), Red Chilis, Red Pepper Flakes (Chili), Rosemary, Safflower, Sage, Salt (Mineral Salt), Scallions (Raw), Star Anise, Tarragon, Thyme (fresh), Turmeric, Turmeric Root (Fresh)Ferments
Alcohol, Apple Cider Vinegar, Balsamic Vinegar, Beer, Chocolate (Cacao), Coffee, Kombucha, Miso, Olives, Pickle (Cucumber), Red Wine, Red Wine Vinegar, Sauerkraut, Tobacco / Nicotine, White VinegarMeats
Anchovy, Beef, Chicken Livers, Egg Yolk, Eggs, Lamb, ShrimpFruits
Apricot (fresh), Cherry, Currants (dried), Lemon, Mango, Orange, Papaya, Paw Paw, Peaches, Pineapple, Prunes (dried), TamarindGreens
Arugula, Celery Stalk, Dulse, Garlic Mustard, Mustard Greens, Seaweed (Hydrated), Spinach, Spirulina, Stinging Nettles, Turnip Greens, Watercress, Yerba Mate BlendRoots
Beets, Celery Root, Garlic, Garlic (raw), Horseradish, Parsnip, Radish (raw), Turnip, WasabiVegetables
Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Ketchup, Red Bell Pepper, Rutabaga, Sun Dried Tomato, Tobasco SauceGrains
Buckwheat, Corn, Corn Flour, Corn Meal, Corn Starch, Grits, Masa, Millet, Rye, Teff GrainsOils
Corn Oil, Mustard Oil, Olive Oil, Safflower Oil, Sesame OilSweeteners
Honey, Jaggery, Molasses, Sorghum Molasses
Comments
Post a Comment