Ayurveda knowledge

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Symptoms of the three doshas

From an Ayurvedic point of view, allergies can be a disorder of all doshas (disease-causing factors). Depending on the symptoms, we can recognize which dosha is in need of treatment: typical Vata disorders are manifested by a dry cough, shortness of breath and dizziness. Pitta symptoms are heat, redness, eye symptoms and a runny nose. If Kapha is the disruptive factor, this manifests as mucus (especially in the sinuses), difficult breathing due to blockages, congestion and bloating.

In the case of typical hay fever, all symptoms are often present at the same time. The dosha that produces the main symptoms should then be treated. The optimal Ayurveda therapy for allergies and hay fever always begins with a bowel cleansing or, even better, with a complete Panchakarma cleansing treatment. This tackles all the causes of the illness at their roots and balances them out. However, even a single purgation (e.g. with a little castor oil) can be very beneficial for food allergies.

The treatment of hay fever should be started before the symptoms begin. It makes sense to change your diet accordingly in winter and carry out the cleansing treatment in spring. In most cases, the focus should be on lowering Vata and Kapha.

 

Dietary recommendations for allergies and hay fever

The diet should be Kapha and Vata lowering, both prophylactically and acutely. For this purpose, cooked and mildly spiced dishes are particularly digestible. A regular eating rhythm and the avoidance of food combinations that are difficult to digest, such as milk with fresh fruit or meat products, should be observed. All acidic foods (citrus fruits, tomatoes, dairy products), seafood and nuts are also detrimental to the health of allergy sufferers.

However, millet, barley, rice and some spelt are recommended, while oats and corn should be avoided. As far as vegetables are concerned, cooked beet, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, cooked cucumbers, cooked onions, a small amount of potatoes, radishes, sprouts, zucchinis, eggplants, a small amount of asparagus and pumpkin are good. Raw fruit should generally be avoided and eaten cooked or steamed instead. Dates, grapes, figs, papaya and pears are particularly good. Honey is particularly recommended as a sweetener.

For further therapy with herbs, frankincense is very suitable as a substitute for cortisone. To reduce Kapha, there are mixtures of pungent herbs in tablet form, but also as oil for the nose. To reduce Vata, there are herbal mixtures in oil for local rubbing. Special breathing exercises can be learned in yoga, which are helpful as prophylaxis.

We wish you a cold-free spring!