Cancer and Ayurveda

Cancer and Āyurveda: Understand your Constitution In a birth chart, many influences have to be considered to find out one’s body type. Consulting an experienced Āyurvedic doctor will help you to understand your body constitution. Generally, the Āyurvedic dośa (body constitution) related to Cancer is kapha. Let's use this scale: If you experience symptoms such as lethargy, a feeling of heaviness, nausea, chills, looseness of the limbs, coughing, mucus discharges, breathing difficulties and a tendency to sleep too much and high cholesterol, you may be suffering from kapha imbalance. Other symptoms can be inertia, congestion, stagnation and circulation problems. There may be a tendency toward obesity and boredom, depression, apathy, laziness, and mental dullness may be present. 28 Moon in Cancer If you are easy going, forgiving, physically strong, stable and reliable, slow to anger, active and positive minded, have a strong immune system, full of mental resolve, rational thinking, endurance, adaptability, long term memory, then your kapha is balanced. If you are easy going, forgiving, physically strong, stable and reliable, slow to anger, active and positive minded, have a strong immune system, full of mental resolve, rational thinking, endurance, adaptability, long term memory, then your kapha is balanced. Here are some of the common characteristics of people who have predominantly kapha body constitution: Here are some of the common characteristics of people who have predominantly kapha body constitution: Relaxed disposition, slow paced Relaxed disposition, slow paced Loving, forgiving, compassionate personality Loving, forgiving, compassionate personality Stable nature, reliable Stable nature, reliable Faithful Faithful Physically strong and heavy and large body, enduring constitution Physically strong and heavy and large body, enduring constitution Slow speech, good memory power Slow speech, good memory power Large watery eyes Large watery eyes Prone to heavy depression Prone to heavy depression Gentle, self sufficient Gentle, self sufficient Excellent health, strong resistance to disease Excellent health, strong resistance to disease Slow to anger, greedy, envious Slow to anger, greedy, envious Tend to hold on to things, possessive of people, money Tend to hold on to things, possessive of people, money Physical problems generally include colds and congestion, sinus, headaches, respiratory problems including asthma and wheezing, hay fever, allergies, and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and constipation. Physical problems generally include colds and congestion, sinus, headaches, respiratory problems including asthma and wheezing, hay fever, allergies, and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and constipation. How to manage kapha? How to manage kapha? Kapha people are prone to lethargy, sluggishness and overweight. Therefore, they need activity and stimulation more than the other types of constitution. Daily exercise is a must for them. Getting out of the house, walking and actively seeking new and different experiences, breaking their routine is also valuable. They should learn to be receptive to useful change, renounce impediments to progress, implement life Kapha people are prone to lethargy, sluggishness and overweight. Therefore, they need activity and stimulation more than the other types of constitution. Daily exercise is a must for them. Getting out of the house, walking and actively seeking new and different experiences, breaking their routine is also valuable. They should learn to be receptive to useful change, renounce impediments to progress, implement life 30 Moon in Cancer 30 Moon in Cancer solutions and choose foods, mental attitudes, behaviors, exercise, relationships which can help them to balance kapha characteristics. Food items to balance kapha: Kapha people should consume little fried or fatty foods; avoid icy drinks, sweets or excessive amounts of bread. Butter, ice cream, cheese and milk should be avoided; they are among the worst foods which aggravates kapha. The consumption of salt should be kept in check, as it creates water retention in kapha body types. They should enjoy plenty of fresh vegetables, raw fruits and salads. Pungent, bitter, and astringent tastes decrease kapha influences. Black pepper, ginger, cumin, chili, and some other spices provide the pungent taste; bitterness is provided by some green leafy vegetables like lettuce, endive and some green vegetables and beans provide the astringent taste, like cucumber and unripe fruits.