An SV Ayurveda explanation for End-of-Summer Excessive Pitta or AmlaPitta imbalances 

with Management Tips and Tools for Vata, Pitta, and Kapha

It’s Autumn. But don’t just automatically jump onto the detox bandwagon yet! Just because it’s a new season! And just because everybody is doing it! If you detox without addressing pitta and amlapitta imbalances reaped through the summer, you are wont to make things worse – you will further aggravate your vata dosha and surely catch that seasonal cold that preys on the physiology this time of year! There is one key factor we tend to overlook at the end of summer, and it’s the stomach. The stomach is a primary pitta dosha site, and at the end of Summer, with the increase of agni in the environment, pitta is always found in excess in our bodies. It makes us crave more sweet juicy fruits, or ice cold drinks, cake, cold salads, ice cream, heavy foods, did we mention ice-cream yet? And sweets, sweets, and more sweets! If you’ve read up even a little on Ayurveda at the source, not thought secondary sources that tend to mistranslate, you will learn that in the Fall, we do not only get Vata aggravated because the climate changes, and colder temperatures come in, but because our pitta dosha is so high that it actually unsettles Vata dosha. And here’s the trick: if you start to pacify Vata dosha with warming and heating protocols as Vata gets pacified through heat, you are only going to make and already aggravated pitta go more out of balance, and hence create a vicious cycle to keep Vata out of balance. What’s more, your craving for heavy and sweet things will go out of control, and here you go, suddenly you are sick with that bad autumnal cold. Surprised? But it’s inevitable at this point…. So what do you do? Pacify pitta, or more correctly amla pitta – sour pitta. Pitta that has accumulated and gone sour in your body.

By addressing and pacifying your primary pitta organ or locus, the stomach and digestive system, you can actually pave your way to a healthy Autumn and a pacified Vata that will keep things in check. But what is too much pitta?

It can be as simple as craving too many cold and sweet things, to a feeling of heaviness in the stomach; or also the feeling that no matter what we eat, we feel hungry! Never satiated. In extreme circumstances, amla-pitta appears as heartburn, acid reflux, bloating, gas, burping, and a sour feeling in the digestive system, sometimes accompanied by diarrhea, and burning in the recto-anal area are all symptoms of “amlapitta.” Amla means sour, and pitta stand for the fiery metabolic elements in our body according to Ayurveda.  Amlapitta, is described to be an excess of sour gastric juices, a sure sign of an imbalanced environment in the stomach. Amlapitta can manifest in different parts of the physiology, giving different symptoms either in the stomach, the ano-rectal pathways, or even the skin.

Once in a while, we might all have experienced mild cases of amlapitta depending on what we ate, how stressed we were, how old the food was, how much ketchup we douzed it in! If stomach acidity is recurrent, it should not be ignored or taken lightly.  When things become chronic,  amlapitta can cause lasting damage to the stomach, throat, colon, and ano-rectal areas, including bleeding.

Heartburn in the Ayurvedic physiology

We are all made of the same stuff as Mother Nature – the cosmic elemental energies of Soma, Agni, and Marut. These primary cosmic energies then go to make up the 5 elements of earth, water, fire, air, and space. In the Ayurvedic understanding of our bodies, ancient abstract concepts take on real concrete form. Ayurveda teaches us that our stomachs are powered by those same three elemental energies: air, water, and fire. In our stomaches, these energies have specific tasks: air ensures the churning movement that keeps the food in motion as it is getting digested and broken down in the stomach; water lubricates and keeps things moist so nothing get stuck; and fire is that which is actually responsible for breaking down, and processing the food in the stomach. This concept of the fire element in the stomach is key to understanding many key aspects of health, and specially heartburn or acidity.

In western terms, we think of the stomach as housing the digestive gastric fluids. In Ayurveda, these fluids are called “pachak pitta.” They constitute the fuel that fires the flame that cooks down the food. In order to digest anything you eat, you need fuel and you need a flame. It is very important to understand the difference between these two. They have distinct names in Ayurveda: pachak pitta and pachak agni respectively. Without a proper balance between the fuel and the flame, the fire will be too big and burn down evertyhing. If there is too much fuel (pachak pitta) it will soak and put out the flame.

Many factors can provoke pachak pitta or pachak agni so they get out of balance and over-excreted, creating an excessively acidic environment in the stomach – too much fuel or too much fire. You may then feel like no matter what you eat, you are still hungry; or you may actually have the feeling of a sour taste in your mouth; sometimes you may even experience stomach cramps; and of course, burping, and an overal burning feeling in your stomach.

Diet and stress are major factors that can imbalance the stomach, throwing off digestion, and causing discomfort in the body overall.  In our Western allopathic approach, we are told to minimize or eliminate the intake of acidic foods that can trigger or increase the production of sour metabolic digestive juices: a person is advised to eat less spicy foods; drink less alcohol; and manage a stressful job and lifestyle. But did you know that heavy foods that are not at all acidic by definition can also bring about acidity? Our current modern understanding of stomach acidity and heartburn is so limited and one-dimensional, that our treatments also, over-the -counter as well as prescription acid blockers, are unable to fix it!  Millions of people have to take anatacids to suppress their symptoms, only to find that overtime things are actually getting worse.  Long term, anatacids actually contribute to make their original condition worse.

In SVA, we understand that antacids don’t discriminate between the excessively high acid and the normal level of acids and enzymes needed to digest our food.  Anatacids block and freeze all the acid, often leaving food fermenting in the stomach and intestine as ama (toxins) and amavisha (hot, reactive toxins.)

Amlapitta can be managed effectively, but only if we understand thoroughly, as the Tri-Sutra verse show us how to. The sutra, or verse, says: “hetu ling aushadh gyanam.” This verse instructs us to look for the causative factors first, and not get stuck at the symptoms. It instructs us to observe and study the specific individual, inquire about diet and lifestyel, and only then draw a line of treatment for that person. This is only common-sense, right? Then why is it we tend to ignore every single time? When someone says “I have heartburn” we think of an antacid – either in supplement or other forms. It could be that their heartburn is generated from a completely different location, that the actual “hetu” or root cause is located in an unrelated organ or root cause. Tri-Sutra Ayurveda, or Ayurveda practised according to the precepts of that sutra, gives us protocols to help isolate and define the root cause of conditions in order to get 100% results.

The  Madhav Nidan, an ancient ayurvedic text, sheds ample light on amlapitta conditions. Written in the 16^th century, Mahdav Nidan is especially useful for diagnosis.  Starting with sutra (verse) 51 -1, we read about the potential hetu-s or causative/etiological factors for amla pitta or heartburn.

Amlapitta Nidāna 

Etiology and Definition of Amlapitta

• viruddha: literally means “incompatible food combinations.” For example: eating banana with milk.  Certain foods when eaten together or in close proximity with each other, create a ‘fight’ in the stomach and delay proper digestion. This is because they carry different chemical properties and require special attention in the stomach in order to be digested fully.  A full list of improper food combinations is given after the dietary recommendations sections.

• duṣṭā:  leftovers, that is, food on its way to putrefication, even if minimal;  contaminated foods (chemically enhanced or preserved), and decomposed foods (aged, etc) can cause amla pitta

• duṣṭāmla: Many types of sour foods are both bad (duṣṭā) and sour or acidic in taste.  These include drinks and foods like wine, beer, vinegar, lemon, hard aged cheeses, pickled eggs, meats, etc.

• vidāhi: Some foods ferment rapidly after ingestion, like milk gone bad or sour, and cause burning.  Other foods also tend to produce immediate burning in the stomach, like pickles, wasabi sauce, cayenne pepper, vinegar, etc.

• pittaprakopipānānnabhujo vidagdham:  in general, food items or drinks that aggravates pitta

• pittaṁ svahetūpacitaṁ: Pitta aggravation caused by the specific actions of a specific person.  ‘Whatever a particular person is doing that causes and increase of pitta in the stomach.’ A person with amla pitta may be able to isolate their own causative/etiological factors.  A physician may help  determine their client’s personal factors.

• purā yattadamlapittaṁ: Gradually these things aggravate pitta in the stomach

• pravadanti santaḥ: All scholars are calling that/identify that condition as amla pitta

 

Symptomatology of Amlapitta

• avipāk:  lack of complete digestion

• klamo: deep fatigue

• utkleśa: burping

• tikta: bitter taste in mouth

• āmlodgār: acidity and burping together

• gāragauravaiḥ: uneasy feeling

• hṛtkaṇṭhadāh: burning sensation in heart and throat

• āruci: lack of appetite and taste

• bhiścāmlapittaṁ vadedbhiṣak: Ayurvedic scholars call these symptoms amla pitta

 

The Downward movement of Amlapitta – when samana vayu, or the air and space principles in the stomach are aggraveted, they will carry amlapitta out of the stomach and downward into the colon:

• tṛḍdāha: when amlapitta moves down from stomach to colon, the colon burns.

• mūrcchā: vertigo, dizziness, light headed

• bhram: illusion, disorientation

• mohakāri prayātyadho: attachment to a thought or idea

• vā vividhaprakāram: comes in many ways

• hyallāsa: nausea

• koṭhānala: urticaria (red, itchy, burning bumps on skin)

• sādaharṣa: feeling uneasy

• svedāṅga: sweating

• pītatvakaraṁ: anemia (yellow skin tone)

• kadācit: happens (pītatvakaraṁ) often but not all the time

 

The upward movement of Amlapitta  – this is when samana vayu, or the air and space prinicple in the stomach, pushes amlapitta upward:

• vāntaṁ:  upward

• haritpītakanīlakṛṣṇamāraktaraktābhamatīva: vomit green, yellow, bluish, blackish, bloody (can be any or mixture of these colors)

• cāmlam: happens when too acidic

• māṁsodakābhaṁ: like color of meat

• tvatipicchilācchaṁ: slimy vomit

• śleṣmānujātaṁ: mucous comes up

• vividhaṁ rasena: can produce many different tastes in mouth

 

bhukte vidagdhe tvathavā’pyabhukte karoti tiktāmlavamiṁ kadācit|

mā. ni. ||51-5||

• bhukte vidagdhe: after eating burning starts

• tvathavā’pyabhukte: starts immediately or later

• karoti: creating

• tiktāmlavamiṁ kadācit: bitter, sour vomiting often happens in amlapitta

 

• karacaraṇa: hands, feet, legs

• dāha: burning

• mauṣṇyaṁ: deep, inner burning

• mahatīmaruciṁ: extreme loss of appetite

• jvaraṁ: fever

• kaphapittaṁ: kapha pitta fever (chill, heaviness, heat)

• janayati: creating

• kaṇḍū: itching

• maṇḍalapiḍakā: bumpy rash

• śatanicitagātrarogacayam: multiple bumps on body, but mainly throat

 

Prognosis of Amlapitta

• rogo’yamlapittākhyo: amlapitta disease

• yatnāt saṁsādhye navaḥ: with proper effort easy to cure in early stages

• cirotthito bhaved: chronic

• yāpyaḥ: curable (when chronic) but difficult

• kṛcchra: very hard to cure

• asādhyaḥ: not curable

• kasyacit: do not take these cases on

 

Varieties of Amlapitta  – involving Vata and Kapha dosha imbalances

• sānilaṁ: pure vata

• sānilakaphaṁ: vata and kapha

• sakaphaṁ: pure kapha

• tacca lakṣayet doṣaliṅgena: amlapitta appears as dosha based symptoms

• matimān bhiṣaṅmohakaraṁ hi tat: intelligent physician bases his protocols on these symptoms

 

Vata Symptoms of Amlapitta – Heartburn etc caused by vata imbalance

• Shaky, delirious, fainting

• Grinding teeth

• Tightness in jaws

• Colic Pain

• Person sees darkness

• delusional

• Inapproproate happiness – inappropriate happiness for the circumstances

• These are the symptoms of vata type amlapitta

 

Kapha Symptoms of Amlapitta – Heartburn etc caused by kapha imbalance

• Heaviness in limbs

• Rigidity of body

• Lack of taste and appetite

• Cold feeling

• Depressed

• Nauseous

• Coated tongue and mouth

• Lack of energy

• Itching

• Lethargy or excessive sleepiness, lassitude

• These are the symptoms of kapha type amlapitta

 

Vata & Kapha Symptoms of Amlapitta – V&K together)

• Both symptoms together called Vata Kapha

• Bitter

• Acidic

• Pungent

• Burping

• Burning in heart, throat, and diaphragm

 

Pitta & Kapha Symptoms of Amlapitta – P&K together

• Illusion

• Fainting

• Lack of taste and appetite

• Vomiting

• Fatigue

• Headache

• Sweet taste (sometimes) in mouth

• Excess salivation

 

Managing Your Amlapitta

Madhav Nidan gives us a wonderful description of the hetus (etiological factors) and the linga (symptoms) according to dosha(s) and the movement of amlapitta in the body.   I want to look further at two more points:

1. Modern hetus of amlapitta, and
2. Aushadh, or management phase

 

Modern Factors

• Consuming tea or coffee on an empty stomach

• Eating acid forming meals, specially for breakfast

• Skipping meals and/or not eating on time

• Consumign excessively spicy/sour foods

• Frequent use of dry, salty snacks (potato chips, popcorns, etc.)

• Use of excessive table salt

• Consuming fried foods

• EMF/RF (electro-magnetic fields & radio frequencies)

• Stress – Emotional and mental

• Improper or lack of sleep

• Frequent/regular use of alcohol

Your first step is to isolate the cause/etiological factors of your amlapitta. Go through the list above and the causes delineated in Madhav Nidan.  Then try your best to minimize/eliminate those causes.

The trickiest cause might be eliminating or reducing exposure to EMF/RF devices, as we are so wont to their daily use – cellphones, smart devices, computers, television. In this day and age, we are all inevitabely over-exposed to EMF/RF. Such devices pollute and corrupt the main pranic delivery channel, the shushumna nadi, that runs down our spine.  The shushumna nadi is marut or flow predominant.  When it goes off, the coordination between prana vata, that governs the brain and mind, and samana vata, that rules the stomach and intestine, also goes off.  The brain then has trouble guiding the stomach on how much digestive enzymes and metabolic gastric juices to produce, where, and when.  So too, EMF/RF can corrupt the space element of the body – the ‘deciding’ factor and the ‘material’ of the sandhis (gaps) governing transformations.  This includes the intelligent interaction of digestive enzymes, pachaka pitta, with the food we eat.   Some people, for instance, secrete digestive enzymes, in good quantity and quality; but due to the corruption of the sandhis in their cells, the interaction of enzymes with food goes off.   Even when they eat mostly alkaline food, amlapitta happens due to lack of intelligent interaction with the good food.

For that reason, I recommend my Flex ‘N Flow Cream be applied on the spine for all people with amlapitta.  Best way to use it is to have someone swipe your entire spine at bedtime, top to bottom, in a downward motion.  Apply and swipe 7 – 14 times.  Self-apply by swiping down your lower spine 2 x day.  This will re-instate more intelligence to the space element for better enzymatic interaction.  Also, get my booklet on electromagnetic toxins and use those simple tips.  These tips will help support the coordination of the brain and digestive system.

 

General Dietary Recommendations for Amlapitta

It goes without saying that we have to pay special attention to the diet, or ahar, in amlapitta conditions.  You simply can’t reduce hyperacidity in the long-term without eating the right foods in the right way.  In general, soma goes low in amlapitta; so we need to get more soma from all sources.   The following guidelines will help you get just the right amount of soma and transform that soma with the right amount of agni:

• Eat neutral/alkaline foods – not too sweet, nor too acidic.  Avoid all processed white sugar, it is very stimulating for heartburn conditions.

• Eliminate all your typical protein for a few weeks until the intelligence of the body and enzymatic interaction is restored.  Reduce lentils, paneer, chicken, fish, etc. My SVA Green protein recipe is an exception as it is particulary easy to digest and absorb and will not impede your metabolic fires.

• Add SVA Vegan Protein Powder to your diet.  Vegan Protein Powder has 35% high quality easy-to-digest protein.  Because it is semi-roasted, this nutritious powder will not cause acidity.  Pitta and VP type amlapitta should use the protein powder recipe #3. Do Not use the pro-biotic version.  Kapha & VK amlapitta should use #4 with the following modifications: remove garcinia masala and lime juice. Add one crushed piece of clove (no pro-biotic version). PK type of amlapitta, use #3 do not add Rose Petal Preserve.  Use less raw sugar – no pro-biotic version.

• Green Protein – made with chicken or paneer. Cook with Pitta Masala or spice mix below.  Whole coriander and fennel seeds must be individually lightly pre-toasted before grinding.

o 1-part ground SVA turmeric

o 6-part ground coriander seeds

o 10-part ground fennel seeds

• Favor fresh, summer zucchini or crookneck squashes and lauki – or loki is availabe at Asian or Indian markets.

• Jhinga Poshtu: a delicious Bengali recipe. Jhinga is also known as “toru” in Hindi. It is a somagenic, alkalizing vegetable found at Indian/Asian grocery stores.  “Poshtu” means poppy seeds.  Poppy seeds enhance the coordination between the brain, stomach, and colon – between prana, samana, and apana.   The delicious Jhinga Postu recipe below will cool amlapitta and calm stress-induce heartburn.  For amlapitta with mild diarrhea jhinga poshtu is the best.  This recipe is for all types of amlapitta except Kapha and Kapha/Vata – too somagenic for them.  Also, Do Not use in constipation or tendency toward chronic constipation.  Instead, use Tamarind Prune Chutney Recipe on page 43 of my Home Detox Manual & take Triphala for High Pitta, containing cooling fennel and rose.

• Jhinga Poshtu Recipe

o Jhinga – 2 long pieces.  Peel the skin and chop into small pieces.  Use approximately 16 ounces

o In 1 TBSP of Mum’s Ghee gently sauté on low heat the following spices (careful not to burn): cinnamon 1/2”; green cardamom 3 crushed pods; large cardamom 1 crushed; fennel seeds ½ tsp; sunthi powder 2 pinches; raisins 10 pieces; Soma Salt ½ tsp.

o Add chopped jhinga. Stir and cook 10 minutes on medium heat till soft.

o Dry toast separately 1 TBSP of white poppy seeds.  Grind to a fine powder. Sprinkle on the cooked jhinga.  Let stand covered five more minutes off heat.

• Soma Salt  Use only Soma Salt. It is avidahi or cooling because it contains high levels of calcium.  Regular salt is vidahi, heating, and forbidden for  amlapitta conditions.

• Cooking oils:  Most oils, including olive oil, are agneya – heating or stimulating to the digestive fires. Amlapitta needs cooling but not freezing energy.  Mum’s Ghee in moderate amounts supplies the best ratio of soma to agni.  Coconut Oil holds a lot of soma – but too much for high pitta (fuel) with low agni (flame).  Coconut oil may further block the digestive channels and the flow of enzymes.

• Khichari Recipe: Light and nutritious, this recipe is perfect for helping reset an aggravated digestive environemtn (high pitta and high agni) to a state of ultimate balance, or  samagni – balanced agni.  Use 1 TBSP of mung dhal to 4 TBSP of organic rice.  This will serve 1. Adjust amounts proportionately for your appetite and servings.  Dry toast the dhal and rice along with the spices for your amlapitta type – see below.  Then add ½ tsp of Mum’s ghee and briefly sauté.  Cook covered in 16 ounces of water till mushy (approximately 20 minutes.)  Add Soma Salt per taste.  Be careful not to burn any ingredient while toasting and sautéing.

o Vata imbalance prone: ½ tsp whole fennel seeds; 1/8 tsp turmeric; 1/8 tsp whole cumin seeds

o Pitta imbalance prone: No turmeric, no cumin.  Add ¼ tsp coriander seeds & one crushed green cardamom pod.  Alternately, use Pitta Masala.

o Kapha imbalance prone: No fennel.  Add 3 pieces of clove and 2 black peppercorns. (Cinnamon leaf from Indian grocery a wonderful addition, 2 leaves).

• Takra:  Pro-biotic drink to replenish the yoginis, friendly bacteria in your gut, and increase the intelligence of the colon.  For one glass/serving:

o Fresh home-made yoghurt, 20%

o Spring Water, 80%

o Pinch of Soma Salt

o Toast equal proportions of coriander seeds and fennel seeds.  Pulverize in a coffee grinder.  Use 1/4 tsp.

o Blend well at high speed

 

Virudd Ahar: Incompatible Food Combinations

Certain foods should not be eaten together in the same meal. Ideally, they should only be consumed hours apart from eachother.  In Sutrasthana 26 verse 81, Charak talks about ‘deha dhatu pratyanik’ or antagonistic food items for deha (body) and dhatu (tissues).  These combinations can be inimical, or hostile, to the stomach and/or bodily tissues, because they are bio-chemically incompatible. Consuming them together will create a hostile stomach environment.  Below is a list of several incompatible food combinations. However, the list is not exhaustive. Extend your own experience and know-how when you come across uncommon food combinations, or even in situations where you are exhibiting food sensitivity to common combinations.

Avoid consuming:

• Milk with almost any other food items – especially bananas, meat, fish, fruits, yoghurt, salt or salty food items. Milk is best consumed alone. Or with some grains such as rice, or oats, with sugar, or honey.

• Lemon with cucumber

• Dairy products (milk, yoghurt, heavy cream, cheeses) with nightshades (eggplant, bell-peppers, potato, tomato)

• Radish(es) with raisins

• Fruit – best to eat your fruits with other fruits, never with yoghurt, or milk products, or cheeses. Exception is when fruits are stewed or cooked, such as apples, then they can be consumed with oatmeal. Dried fruits, such as  dates or raisins may be consumed with milk.

• Melons – do not combine with cheese, or cream.

• Beans with fruit, milk cheese, eggs

In addition to maintaining an optimal diet for your body type, and avoiding food items that can aggravate or bring about imbalances in your amlapitta, I have put together some herbal formulations in cream or supplement form that can help you restore balance and maintain it.

 

SVA Transdermal Creams for Amlapitta Types:  Vata, Pitta, VP & PK

We select the transdermal route, applying creams or herbal preparations to penetrate and balance the body via the skin, when we want to take pressure away from the digestive organs. Transdermal creams bypass the digestive organs and are delivered directly to their target areas through the blood stream. Transdermal preparations reach their destination even faster and are highly effective yet very subtle. Here are some good creams you can use for amlapitta conditions:

1) Flex’N Flow Cream on spine – see previous directions above

2) DGL Transdermal Cream on stomach followed by Fennel TD Cream on stomach.  Massage lightly a few times in clockwise motion.  Apply after breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  DGL will supply somagenic action to the digestive system.  Fennel TD provides digestive stimulation with no risk of heating the body.  Great in high pitta, low agni conditions.

SVA Transdermal Creams for Kapha and VK Amlapitta

1) Flex ‘N Flow Cream as previously described

2) DGL (as above) followed by Pro-Pachaka TD on stomach area.  This protocol will open the nadis (vibrational channels) of the abdominal area to balance samana vata, and through the natural intelligence of samana vata, pachaka (digestive fire) will come back into balance without disturbing the integrity of kledaka kapha, (emulsifying and protective sub-dosha of the stomach).

 

SVA Tablets & Churnas (herbal powders) for Amlapitta

As we know, in Ayurveda, once size never fits all.  Based on the etiological factors and the type of amlapitta, I have made four SV Ayurveda formulas that can help you with your amlapitta imbalances: SVA Acid-Care Powder, Pro-Pachaka Tablets, Wild Amla Tablets, & Soma Cal Capsules.

Acid-Care Powder and Pro-Pachaka Tablets should be used in all types of amlapitta conditions.  Acid-Care Powder will help manage the over-production of acid before it starts.  Pro-Pachaka will increase the power of absorption, without heating or aggravating pitta.

Acid-Care Powder is a variation on the classical Ayurvedic formula called avipattikar.  With Acid-Care, this classical formula becomes even more powerful – yet gentler and safer.  Acid-Care Powder is tri-doshic to balance pachaka pitta, the sub-dosha of pitta governing the stomach, without aggravating kledaka kapha (the sub-dosha of kapha governing the stomach) or samana vata (the sub-dosha of vata governing the stomach).

Ingredients

• Misri: Organic Cane Sugar crystals to balance the pungency of other ingredients.  Very pitta pacifying

• Sunthi: Ayurvedic ginger for pitta.  Opens the channels and increases intelligence of enzymatic interactions

• Black Pepper (Piper nigrum): Action is similar to ginger. Balanced by mishri.

• Long Pepper (Piper longum): Channel opening and clearing, it is balanced by Misri.

• Triphala: Three-fruit formula – amla, haritaki, bibhitaki – to pacify all doshas of the GI tract.  Enhances intelligence of the colon to eliminate hot toxins (amavisha) that often get lodged in the colon when amlapitta moves down.  Scrapes hot toxins from this area.

• Vidanga (Embelia ribes): Inflammation causes the colon to lose its immunity. Vidanga supports the immunity of the small and large intestine.

• Green Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum): Enhances the absorption of protein molecules

• Tejpatra (cinnamon leaf): Neutralizes acidic toxins

• Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum): Balances kledaka kapha and opens the channels

• Clove (Syzigium aromaticum): Opens the channels even as it cools.  Post-digestive effect is cooling.

• Nishoth (Operculina turpethum):  White turpeth (root bark portion) slowly scrapes micro-molecules of amavisha from the digestive tract.  Works very well with triphala.

• Musta (Cyperus rotundus): Neutralizes excess pitta.  Cools and supplies energy to the mucous membranes of the stomach, small intestine, and large intestine.  Enhances intelligence of the intestines (what to eliminate, what to absorb).

• Soma Salt: Enhances absorption without clogging the channels. Is cooling and alkalizing.

• DGL Powder:  DGL (Deglycerized Licorice) cools acidic toxins and binds them (SVA proprietary ingredient – not part of classical formula).

• Pearl Bhasma:  Pearl bhasma (ash) is very somagenic, offering deep cooling and nurturing properties.  (SVA proprietary ingredient – not part of classical formula).

Directions:  Mix ½ tsp in four ounces of cool water.  Drink before lunch & dinner

Pro-Pachaka Tablets: This is an ancient classical formula that comes in 6 different variations. My father, Vaidya Kameshwar Mishra, used to favor one of these only. It’s the one that I also like to use. In the classical texts, it is called “dadimastak churn” or a churna (herbal powdered mix) of  “dadi” or pomegranate, and  “astak” means eight. So the name highlights the fact that the formula primarily contains pomegranate plus eight specific herbs/plants in powder form. This is a proven ancient formula for amlapitta, or sour stomaches.  Now, under its new SVA name, Pro-Pachaka, you will find it delivers powerful support to enhance the interaction of enzymes with the food.  This tablet is tri-doshic. It will help clear up udana – the areas of the chest & throat, balance samana – in the stomach & small intestine, & pacify apana or the colon area, without heating or aggravating pitta.  Purified trikatu powder (pippali, sunthi, & long pepper) is used in this tablet.  Trikatu is very heating (agneya).  Purified trikatu is cooled by soaking the raw ingredients in takra (ayurvedic buttermilk) before making the powder.

Ingredients

• Pomegranate (Punica granatum): Supports the interactions of enzymes with food.  Great anti-oxidant – wherever amlapitta is present we find amavisha. Pomegranate removes amavisha and supports/restores the mucous membranes of the stomach, lungs, and colon.

• Vanshlochan (Bambusa Arundinacea): Neutralizes acid but good balance of soma and agni.  Tri-doshic.  Vanshlochan can ‘soak’ kledaka kapha of the stomach if it is too high.

• Nagkeshar (Mesuaferra): Enhances enzymatic secretions and interactions

• Ajmoda (Carum roxburghianum): Supports enzymatic secretions and interactions without heating things up

• Pippali or Long pepper (Piper longum): Mild agneya to balance enzymes and open physical channels

• Sunthi: Ayurvedic ginger for pitta.  Opens the channels and increases intelligence of enzymatic interactions

• Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum): Agneya to balance kledaka and open the channels

• Long pepper (Piper longum): Mild agneya to balance enzymes and open channels

• Chavya (Piper cubeba): Highly aromatic and appetite enhancer plant that helps unblock enzymatic channels, enhancing the interaction between enzymes and the food, without heating up the system. It acts as a great carrier (yogvahi) for pomegranate

• Organic Sugar Crystals:  Cools and balances heat of the other ingredients

• Gum acacia: A natural binder for the tablets

Directions: One tablet after breakfast, lunch, & dinner.  After 15 days, increase to 2 tablets

Wild Amla Tablets: The Wild Amla Tablets are only for Vata, Kapha, and VK type amlapitta.  Pitta-predominate amlapitta should not use, nor should they use lime – or other sours in the diet – until the situation is corrected.  Why?  Their physiology cannot buffer the sour taste of amla or lime to the sweet vipak (post-digestive) taste.

Ingredients:  Wild harvested amalaki berry (emblica officinalis)

Directions: One tablet after breakfast. After 15 days, add one tablet after lunch.

Soma Cal Capsules:  The Soma Cal Capsules are very alkalizing and should be used only by those people with pitta-predominant amlapitta.  Balances all five pitta subdoshas.

Ingredients: Red coral branch tips – sustainably harvested, Organic red rose, – the formula is exposed to the fullmoon rays according to an ancient Vedic ritual, to imbue is with further cooling and somagenic properties.

Directions: 1 capsule after lunch

This formula is highly prized by Pitta body types, as it pacifies all pitta sub-doshas and organs (eyes, digestive system, liver, skin, cooling off the emotions as well). It also supplies easy to digest and metabolize calcium. Rose petals are prized for their cooling and settling properties on the digestive tract, as well as the emotional mind and heart.

 

Disclaimer

This product and statements have not been evaluated by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and are not intended to be used to diagnose, treat or cure any disease. All of the information above is intended to be used for educational purposes only and may not be used to replace or compliment medical advice.

 

I am very happy to announce my new cellulite course. An in-depth study of the why and the how to get rid of cellulite course with SVA understanding, tools, and formulations. You can join me and my team of SVA experts from anywhere in the world via live global streaming. Read the course description and the detailed course outline below. A total of 9 Chapters plus one for all practical tools, in addition to videos and live calls. Registration is now open with a super-early bird discount – expires September 15, 2016!

Cellulite Management Transdermally and from the Inside-Out: an SV Ayurveda Course – from Sutra to Science

With Vaidya R K Mishra, and a team of SVA experts

Start Date: November 5, 2016

• 12 videos totalling 2 hrs each posted on the electronic forum

• Printed study materials posted on the forum – 9 Chapters Plus In-depth Chapter on Practical Tools and Protocols

• Six Full Sessions of Live 1 hour Video Global Webstream – plus Q&A

• Ongoing Q&A on the forum – interact with Vaidya, SVA experts, and peers

• Sampler Kit with SVA Cellulite Formulations – a Gift Sampler for Practicum includes a total of 9 products

* Additional separate in-person attendance practicum and light panchakarma treatment at the Prana Center (based and organized on sign-up and attendance – fees and charges are separate from this current course). Date TBA.

Live Call Schedule

Saturday November 5, 2016

Saturday December 3, 2016

Saturday January 14, 2017

Saturday January 28, 2017

Saturday February 11, 2017

Saturday February 25, 2017

Total Cost of the course: $900.

Early Bird: 25% off, the whole course, sign up by September 15, 2016 – only $675

After September 15, 2016, sign up by October 1, 2016, and get 20% off – only $720

After October 1, 2016, $900.

Who Should Take this Course? This course is for anyone (health professionals or laypeople) who want to understand and address cellulite in a thorough SVA sutra to science approach. Here is what you can expect to come away with from this course:

1) What is cellulite; why and how cellulite happens; its differnt stages of development

2) What can you do to help reduce or eliminate it;

3) Practical massaging and marma techniques;

4) Research-based dietary guidelines: what to eat and what not to eat for celluliteprone physiologies.

If you are a health professional (Ayurvedic Practitioner, licensed medical doctor, Marma Specialist, Massage Therapist, Naturopath, etc.), this course will offer you additional supplemental SVA training and tools to help your clients reduce/eliminate cellulite.

Why this course now?

In my ayurvedic practice of 40 plus years countless clients, exasperated with no-result hype products available on the market, have sought me out for ayurvedic remedies to eliminate their unsightly cellulite. I began to research this condition to get a fuller understanding; however, putting together herbal formula(s) for cellulite and educational materials for its management sat on the back-burner while I remained busy with other projects. A few months ago, well-known health and ayurvedic wellness author, Lissa Coffey, inspired me to revisit my interrupted work, and put together a full cellulite-reduction educational program for health practitioners as well as individuals looking to eliminate their own cellulite conditions. I reviewed my past work but went even deeper researching the role played by ethnic/ cultural background; diet; age; gender; exercise and lifestyle trends; with special focus on the key role of hormones and related imbalances. All these factors play a major role individually or collectively in forming cellulite. I then began to research ayurvedic herbs to isolate internal and external (transdermal) actions for addressing cellulite. In total, I have narrowed down my list to 16 Ayurvedic as well as Western herbs. Most of these herbs have been tested in clinical trials with success. This inspired me even more to confirm the different categories of “hetu” (etiological/cause factor) and to build a SVA approach based program for addressing cellulite.

I have yet to locate the ayurvedic name for cellulite in any of the ancient texts. Despite this, we can confidently say that Ayurveda clearly discusses five key factors that correlate with cellulite formation, in the sense of a condition associated with unhealthy fat accumulation and hardening. I have isolated and identified these five factors after researching modern findings in light of my ayurvedic know-how. Based on this, I was able to create a hetu-based management program, and put together a samprapti chakra of cellulite. A Samprapti chakra is represented in a diagram as a circle that identifies the different pathogenic steps that create, literally, a vicious cycle for a condition. It’s a powerful way to understand the emergence of a condition, how it forms in the first place, and what are the factors that keep the cycle going, and therefore, what needs and can be done to break the cycle and arrest the perpetuation of a condition.

Five SVA Factors making up the Samprapti Chakra of Cellulite and Sroto Abhisanga

– clogging of circulatory channels through hardening:

1) Processed/synthetic/rancid “dumb” fats in the daily diet

2) Processed/aged/improperly prepared protein intake in addition to slow protein metabolism

3) Lack of proper exercise – based on one’s constitutional needs

4) Hormonal imbalances in women

5) Lack of intelligence in the liver

Once you study and understand these five factors, you will learn how to break the samprapti cycle in order to reduce or eliminate cellulite formation and keep it at bay. In this course, we will also cover a detailed understanding of the skin layers from the perspective of Ayurvedic physiology and anatomy, and see how the layers need to maintain intelligence communication at each level. In addition, you will learn how the role free-radicals (amavisha) and how they can accumulate and pollute the adipose tissue. The term for this condition is sroto abhisanga – rigidity and immobility in the body’s fat and muscle channels.

Therapeutic Test for Sroto Abhisanga: To counter sroto abhisanga, you will learn two simple tests to determine what kind of toxins and how much rigidity are in the srotas (channels) of fat and muscle, and therefore how to address them.

• Pinch Test

• Pressure (tapping) Test

SVA Cellulite Management Techniques and Products for this Course

• Mild PK (panchakarma) detox protocols for the whole body

• Detoxifying cellulite with topical detox herbs

• Transdermal creams for cellulite management

• Marma Point activation to break the samprapti chakra

• SVA Herbal Clay Wraps to breakdown local cellulite

• Lymphatic massage reduction on local areas of cellulite

• Herbal-Memory Nectars specific for cellulite management

• Herbal Teas to complement the entire program

• Raw silk Garshana glove massage to support lymphatic flow*

*Raw-silk gloves are used traditionally in Ayurveda for skin brushing. SVA Raw Silk gloves will be available on www.chandika.com shorlty. In this course you will learn how to use these gloves after the appropriate marma point activation techniques.

Hand Massage-induced Cellulite Reduction vs Machine-induced Cellulite

Reduction:

Several tools exist on the market to help eliminate cellulite. Some come with sideeffects (specially when they have an electric current flowing through them); others have no long-term studies showing their effecitivity. In SVA, we always work to assist, never force, our body. You will learn to use your fingers with transdermal creams, lymphatic massage, and marma therapy to do the job of these machines, but safely and with respect for your body.

Course Forum: All sessions of this course will be recorded and posted on an electronic forum for you to watch and review at your leisure. Also, all course presentation notes and other materials will be available for you to peruse during and for a limited period after the end of the course. You will also be able to ask questions on the forum and stay in touch with other course participants to exchange observations and share your experiences.

Course Practicum: This course also carries a practicum portion for those willing and able to travel to my Prana Center in Southern California. The practicum for the course will cover the following aspects:

• how to allocate and activate marmas,

• how to use/apply the transdermal creams,

• how to use/apply the herbal wraps and clays

The practicum will be offered in a small intimate setting in small groups, in order to allow each student a more individualized attention and learning experience. Also, students will have not one but a number of weekends to choose from for their practicum. These will be announced shortly.

SVA Instructors: I will personally teach the theory and basic and advanced principles of cellulite management. In addition, I am very happy to announce that several SVA experts, from different backgrounds, will be joining and assisting me in various aspects of this course: Lissa Coffey will join me in facilitating different aspects of this course; Dr. Mark Vinick is an expert in marma allocation and will teach hands-on marma therapy for cellulite – in person-practicums will also be video-taped and made available for those who can’t attend; Bonita Carol, trained in SV Ayurveda and panchakarma, will instruct the PK (panchakarma) hands-on training; Dr. Milena Takvorian-Mishra will be covering the portions on the relationship between sadhak pitta and the mind, in conjunction with the role played by the hormones in cellulite formation.

With this course, you can expect to gain indepth understanding as well as advanced practical skills to address and manage cellulite. I am confident that those students who have and run health practices will immediately acquire and be able to apply practical ayurvedic wisdom and know-how, as per the scope of their practice(s), to help their clients, or themselves, to help prevent, reduce cellulite, eliminate, and overall, break the cycle of unhealthy adipose formation.

Vaidya R K Mishra

Disclaimer

This product and statements have not been evaluated by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and is not intended to be used to diagnose, treat or cure any disease. All of the information above is intended for educational purposes only and may not be used to replace or complement medical advice.

As of yet however, I had not formulated products for cellulite or developed management protocols. First, I wanted complete confidence that my products and protocols would work, at least in the 1st and 2nd stages of manifestation.

 

Cellulite Management Transdermally and from the Inside-Out: an SV Ayurveda Course – from Sutra to Science

Course Outline and Chapter Details:

Introduction:

-Why an Ayurvedic approach is your best solution. How Ayurveda is a holistic protocol that addresses body, mind, emotions, spirit.

– Tackling the problem by understanding the individual’s make-up: metabolic type, ethnic/cultural background, age, mental, emotional parameters

Chapter 1: What is Cellulite? – from Sutra to Science

-The contemporary/scientific understanding vs the Ayurvedic: how do we define cellulite ayurvedically when it is not cited as a “condition” in the ayurvedic texts?

-How/why does one get cellulite formations?

-Why does it mostly affect women?

-Why has cellulite become a prevalent modern condition affecting so many women?

– Cellulite in men: clarifications and explanations

-Cultural differences – is cellulite more prevalent in the West (US/Europe) than in other countries?

-Our “perception” of cellulite. Why it’s never too late to start the routine.

-Evidence/sourcec of knowledge:

-Charak Samhita helps decipher the functioning of the layers of the skin, but the Sutra Samhita gives more wisdom about the deeper layers of the skin and how how the accumulation of fat results and impedes circulation.

-Body has 2 kinds of fat (1 fat is tissue that transforms to bone, 1 fat is “vasa” – like lard, not a part of tissue). Cellulite is not a fat tissue problem, it is vasa that forms cellulite. “Bad” fat gets into the muscles and gets stuck and polluted

-When we know how/why this fat forms then we know how to disperse it.

– Developmental Stages of Cellulite: early, in-progress, and advanced

– Where/when to draw the line

Chapter 2: The Emotional Component

– Times/circumstances in life when cellulite is prone to appear: early hormonal phases of puberty; childbirth; menopause.

– Other factors tied to emotions and hormones: why/how pent up emotions, or emotions that we hold onto, can lead to cellulite. What to do about it. Finding bliss – Ananda. Also: issues of self-esteem tied in with hormonal shifts.

– Ayurvedic Psychology: Ayurveda has a unique way of evaluating the emotional spectrum. It offers us insights and the workings of the emotions beyong the categorization of the doshas. In SVA, we pay particular attention to Sattva types. These help us determine how much endurance we are naturally endowed with to handle emotional stressors. The Sattva is also repressed or supported by environmental factors such as diet, lifestyle, and social behavior. Three primary categories of Sattva

• Heen Sattva, low emotional endurance. This weakens more in negative environment, when not eating in time, eating spicy foods, drinking alcohol, etc aggravates this. Doubting, unsure, cranky, grumpy. Low Self Esteem. Can be boosted to Medium

• Madhya Sattva, medium self-esteem. Sometimes negative, sometimes positive. Can be boosted to High.

•• Pravar Sattva, high self-esteem. Positive, confident, spiritual, even in the face of the greatest challenges.

In this section we will be discussing other key concepts that involve Sattva and its workings in relation to the brain and heart, with special focus on the “heart lotus” and the quality of the aura of the lotus.

-Emotional strength/weakness impacts the mind. The mind governs metabolism, it regulates the secretions of enzymes in the stomach, and the workings of the pancreas, it also communicates with the neurotransmitters. When the mind gets stressed, the body produces cortisol to buffer the stress effects, the body thinks it needs protection, to hold onto fat, so toxins accumulate, cellulite forms. This is one of the common reasons.

Chapter 3: The Cellulite-Cancer Connection.

-Why it is important health-wise, not just beauty-wise, to get rid of cellulite.

-Findings on the connection between cellulite and cancer

Chapter 4: Ayurvedic Anatomy of the Skin.

– The physiology of the skin as seen by modern and ancient perspectives.

– the Sutra to Science

-Psychophysiology of the skin (how the psyche impacts the skin in cellulite formations; other skin imbalances in relation to the mind/heart conjunction, such as eczema, acne, etc.)

-Pathophysiology in perspective of cellulite

-Formation of cellulite – the Samprapti Chakra of Cellulite

Chapter 5: Tools that don’t work – and those that will!

-Looking at various approaches to cellulite and understanding why each of them do not give the expected results: ground coffee beans and caffeine, endermologie, etc… Cellulite “myths” – (funny examples, old wives’ tales)

– not looking at whole person, big picture, all the factors (food, skin layers, emotions)

-Why SVAyurveda’s program works:

1) Physically looking at the structure of the skin and what disturbs that healthy structure

2) Functional Considerations

3) Intelligence – the skin-mind communication

Chapter 6: From the Inside-Out

– Starting with what we eat. The relationship between the process of digestion and tissue metabolism. How food can turn into fatty deposits/cellulite. Why it goes where it goes. Areas of body prone to cellulite and why they are targets.

-What to avoid eating to prevent cellulite. Dietary guidelines.

-What to eat so you don’t get cellulite: specific herbs and why they work – and herbal tea to help with cellulite elimination.

– What to eat to get rid of cellulite – select spices and ingredients, such as Garcinia cambogia

Chapter 7: From the Outside-In – the Transdermal Strategy

-Treating cellulite transdermally – how/why SVA transdermal protocols work

-Transdermal detox and Transdermal rejuvenation

-How to, when and why to use: Understanding absorption, transdermal application, ritual

-Garshana Massage – dry, lymphatic massage

-Herbalized Lotions – firming creams, transdermal Magnesium, Boswellia, Guggulu, Zinc)

-SVA Herbalized Soaps

-Marma points

Chapter 8: Movement and Marma to Release and Circulate

-The role of exercise. The best exercises to do. Exercises that don’t work or that one shouldn’t do.

– Yoga and Marma-Yoga to reduce cellulite

Chapter 9: Total Dietary, Herbal, Transdermal Tools and Protocols

SVA transdermal creams, herbal clay wraps, and herbal oils using 16 wellresearched herbs – new formulations and their usage

-Daily Routine and products to add to your dinacharya

-Chemical and Toxin-Free Living: Soap Nuts, Oral Care, Hair Care, Makeup, Skin Care

-Diet: Targeted diet(s) to remove free-radicals, open and soften the channels, purify muscles, purify and soften the skin, and break-up the micro-crystals in cellulite areas: Kulthi bean and Barley help reduce fat and purify the muscles.

– SVA Vegan Protein Powder Recipes

-SVA Formulations: Firming lotions, Flex’n Flow – firming and toning of the skin go side-by-side to avoid saggy skin at any point of cellulite elimination.

-Bath: Bath Pouches for fat & water soluble toxins

-Cellulite Massage Oil

-Garshana – in-house made SVA gloves for dry skin brushing

– Daily Treatments: Quick self-treatments on daily basis

-Weekends: Specific, long treatments for weekends, i.e. Cellulite clay packs to mobilize the toxins

– Practicum training for allocating the marmas related to anatomical areas of cellulite

-Finding balance and maintaining it: how to travel well and what to do while away from home

-Home Panchakarma (PK) – specifics for Cellulite

Additional Practical Ayurvedic Protocols and Tools for the Health Professional: A more powerful program for cellulite management performed under professional supervision

-A 7-week PK program and Diet requiring your supervision

-Swedena (steam bath) herb specific for cellulite

-Professional clay wraps

-Specific virechana (mild purging protocols)

-Shirodhara (oil streamed on head) for relaxation

-Strong herbal baths

– Marma PK massage with Professional Oils

-Special Detox Oils with greater detox power

 

For more information call 818-709-1005 or email info@prana-center.com

 

In volume 1 of the Pulse and Marma II Conference and Practicum recordings (August 5-7, 2016), you will find SV Ayurveda presentations  that cover topics such as: chronic pain management through SVA formulations; ground-breaking SV Ayurvedic perspective on understanding and approaching thyroid gland and associated imbalances; the why and how of the healing power of sound and SVA mantras; what to make of SV Ayurveda in the context of mainstream Ayurveda; SVA cooking and Chef Training courses in New York City; and a fascinating historical look into the possible ancient roots of Vaidya Mishra’s SVA lineage.

Volume 2 covers all the hands-on practicum sessions for allocating SVA Marma points on the body and the face; the SVA Kurma treatment; Pulse Practicum with Vaidya Mishra; plus a concluding round table.

All available presentations for the talks are also included in this set.

•Vaidya R.K.Mishra: Live Sutra Recitations to awaken Vidya plus SVA Pulse Demystified
•Lissa Coffey: SVA vs Mainstream Ayurveda: Points of Contact and Transcendence
•Dr. Mark Vinick: SVA Body Marma Allocation with Special Session on Spinal Points
•Dr. Marianne Tietlebaum: Thyroid vs SVA Protocols, plus special session on: Autistic Children Speak
•Dr.Kimberly Hoffman: Hands-on Practicum on SVA Kurma Protocol plus Special Session on SVA Face-Lift Marma Massage
•Divya Alter: Get your SVA on in NYC at Divya’s Cafe!
•Dr. Douglas Beech:Pain Management with SVA plus Special Session on Pulse and Marma Biofeedback Loop
•Chris Minkowski: Notes on the history of the Śaka lineage 2