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Acidity, Heartburn and Acid Reflux: The Ayurvedic Connection
The fire element is in the name, heartburn.
Ayurveda (the science from which yoga stems from), contains three main constitutions (or doshas) which form the philosophy: vata, pitta and kapha dosha.
Pitta dosha is ruled by fire and water, and the word “dosha,” translates to mean fault. Like a crack in the Earth (that is predisposed to a disaster like an earthquake), the doshas also reveal where a person may have a predisposition to a disaster like disease, especially if the person is not aware of their predisposition and does nothing to prevent the disease.
Heartburn is a common predisposition to those who are pitta dosha dominant, and often flares up during pitta season (summer). People who are pitta dominant, have high fire and water elements, just like heartburn is caused by too much fire element.
The belly area of a person is the home of the pitta dosha, and so if one thinks of the belly like an oven, one would avoid heating the oven until the food is burned– acidity evolves into heartburn and eventually acid reflux. Once there is a pitta imbalance, if vata imbalance didn’t proceed, it will follow (heat evaporates air and space).
In Ayurvedic philosophy, balance is prized for it’s medicinal application, therefore, one who experiences acidity would seek to find balance from fire with cooling properties.
Cooling foods sweet, bitter and astringent, including:
• Sweet fruit
• Coconut
• Avocado
• Basmati rice
• Sweet/potatoes
• Leafy greens
• Cucumber
• Bitter melon
• Turmeric root
• Dandelion root
• Aloe vera
• Fenugreek
• Neem
• Pomegranate
• Legumes
• Green beans
• Okra
• Chickpeas
• Cauliflower
• Coconut oil
If one thinks as the belly area as an oven, then to open the oven would cool the oven down. Therefore, some yoga poses that cool down the pitta person are passive backward bends like supported fish pose, wide legged poses like reclined wide-leg, gentle side bending like gate pose, and open twisting like low lunge open twist.
The pitta person experiencing acidity, heartburn or acid reflux is recommended to keep in mind a cooling lifestyle (like bathing in cool water), and grounding lifestyle to keep the flow downward (like floor yoga poses), and avoid over-heating, over-exertion, over-working, and distress.
Be well and stay cool during this fire-y pitta season. Seeking to understand your natural tendencies to prevent disasters with practical lifestyle habits? Contact an Ayurvedic consultant in your area, today.
