Ayurveda, Treatments for Heart disease, Kapha dosha, Heart Health Infocenter, Holisticonline.com

Heart Disease

Ayurvedic Treatments for Heart Disease Based on Your Mind-Body Constitution

Treating Kapha-type heart disease

Recommendations:

Kapha type heart disease is caused by the development of high cholesterol through a Kapha-increasing diet.

Follow an anti-kapha diet. (see Below.) Avoid sugar, dairy, cheese, butter, eggs, fatty meats, lard and salt. Draksha herbal wine may be taken.
Keep consumption of vitamin/mineral supplements to a minimum. The B vitamins may be taken. However, avoid vitamins A, D and E.
A ruby or garnet set in gold may be worn on the right ring finger. Ayurveda doctors say that this strengthen the heart.
Take herbs that encourage the breakup of phlegm. Examples are: guggul and myrrh. (take the tincture 10-30 drops twice a day). Other useful herbs include bayberry, cayenne, cinnamon, motherwort, arjuna, calamus, and cardamom. Arjuna preparations and Trikatu with honey are herbal combinations often prescribed by Ayurveda practitioners. You may also take equal parts elecampane and pippali (or cayenne) taken with ghee for Kapha heart disease. Take one gram after meals.
Avoid licorice. It increases cardiac edema.
Apply camphor, mustard or cinnamon oil to the chest.
Chanting of OM may be helpful for its clearing and opening action.
Cayenne is used by western herbalists for reviving the heart after attacks. Cayenne with ghee is excellent for Kapha heart disease and useful in Vata conditions. However, it is found to aggravate Pitta.

The anti-Kapha diet is light, dry and warm. Avoid cold, oily and heavy foods. Eat three meals a day. Lunch should be the main meal. Weekly fasting is helpful. Most or all of the daily food should be consumed between the hours of 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Dietary guidelines:

Vegetables, which are generally light and dry, are good.
Take: broccoli, cabbage, celery, carrots, peas, mushrooms, asparagus, lettuce, radish, turnips, chard and chilies.
Avoid "wet" foods such as sweet potatoes, tomatoes, corn, okra, and cucumber.
All vegetables should be steamed and spiced before being eaten.

Fruit: Avoid fruits that are watery. Dried fruit, apples, cranberries and pears are acceptable.

Grains: Avoid all grains except barley, corn, millet and rye.

Beans: Take beans that are drying and increase air. Tofu, mung beans, adzuki beans, kidney beans, soy beans, lima beans, lentils and split peas are good. Avoid chickpeas.

Animal products are harmful. Avoid. If you have to eat meat, go for chicken and turkey. They are preferable to beef, pork, lamb and fish.

Dairy: Avoid all dairy products except goat's milk, soy milk and buttermilk.

Nuts and Seeds: Avoid all nuts and seeds except sunflower and pumpkin seeds.

Oil: Avoid heavy and moist oils. Small amounts of corn oil, soy oil, canola, sunflower oil and mustard oil may be used.

Avoid all sweeteners, except honey.

Spices, such as cayenne, mustard, garlic, ginger, cloves and cardamom, are excellent. Hot spices are especially good.

Herbal tea, spiced tea and regular tea are good for Kapha-type heart disease. Small amounts of water are acceptable, but it should never be taken cold or as ice.