Ask the Ayurveda Expert

Cholesterol    Digestive Gas    Heartburn    Hemorrhoids

Question

I was working with an Ayurvedic doctor and had fantastic results in reducing heartburn. Now the doctor has moved away. What would you recommend?
—A.P. of Michigan

Answer

Heartburn is due to too much stomach acid. It's an imbalance in Pachaka Pitta which is responsible for breaking down the food you eat.

Digestion is like cooking a soup. There are three basic elements, the heat (Pachaka Pitta and Pachaka Agni), the broth (Kledaka Kapha) and stirring the soup (Samana Vata). Good digestion, like a good soup, requires coordination among all three factors.

To restore balance, follow a Pitta balancing diet and routine.

Dietary and lifestyle recommendations

• Take Herbal Aci-Balance formula. It helps balance stomach acidity.
• Chew on a few fennel seeds four times a day. Half the seeds should be baked and half raw.
• Favor sweet, bitter, astringent, heavy, dry and cooling foods.
• Reduce sour, pungent, salty foods.
• Take Rose Petal Preserve, especially during hot summer weather (Pitta season).
• Add Pitta Tea and Pitta Churna seasoning to your diet.
• Drink a little cool milk but not with meals.
• Have an apple boiled with 2-3 cloves at breakfast.
• Regular daily bowel movements are important. Psyllium seed husks or Herbal Cleanse can help.
• Favor fresh foods. Avoid leftovers and alcohol.
• Try to eat your main meal at midday.
• Avoid hot temperatures and prolonged exposure to the sun.
• Try to avoid stressful situations.
• Don't overwork. Make sure you get enough rest and leisure time.

Please note: This ayurvedic information is education. It does not replace medical advice or treatments.