What kinds of foods you’re allergic to depends on your Ayurvedic dosha
Pitta people are allergic to hot, spicy foods, fermented foods, sour fruits, tomatoes, potatoes and eggplant, according to Dr. Lad. He says that kaphas develop allergies to dairy products and cold beverages. And, he says, vatas may have allergic reactions to hard-to-digest foods such as popcorn, beans and raw vegetables. No matter what your dosha, says Dr. Lad, the symptoms of food allergies include constipation, burping and hiccupping. (For more information about the Ayurvedic dosha, see To avoid adverse reactions to foods, find out what your dosha is and follow the proper diet for that dosha,. We also offer the following remedies.
· For pitta allergies, Dr. Lad suggests eating cooked apple pulp (peel, core and mash the apples to make the pulp) with a pinch of cumin and one teaspoon of ghee, or clarified butter (for a recipe, see “How to Make Ghee” on page 26). Eat a small amount, about ½ cup, twice daily, at least an hour before or after a meal, he says.
· For kapha allergies, Dr. Lad suggests drinking licorice tea. To make the tea, he says to blend ½ teaspoon of licorice (which is available in most health food stores), ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon and ½ teaspoon of coriander, then steep the mixture in one cup of hot water for ten minutes. Don’t strain out the herbs before drinking, he says. His suggested dosage: Sip about an ounce of the tea every half-hour for the first few hours, then for the next few hours, sip an ounce every hour. Continue as needed, he adds.
· For vata allergies, Dr. Lad recommends another variation of licorice tea: Mix ½ teaspoon of licorice, ½ teaspoon of honey and 1 teaspoon of ghee in a cup of hot water. As with the other tea, do not strain out the herbs before drinking. He says to sip an ounce of the tea every half-hour for the first two hours, then for the next few hours, sip an ounce every hour. Continue as needed, he adds.
One cautionary note from us: We say people with high blood pressure should not drink licorice tea. For them we 4 recommend cinnamon/clove tea as an alternative. His recipe: Steep ½ teaspoon of cinnamon and two or three cloves in a cup of boiling water for ten minutes. Sip an ounce of the tea every half-hour for the first two hours, then for the next few hours, sip an ounce every hour. Continue as needed.