Boost Your Sugar Metabolism with Natural Herbal Remedies
Date Posted:15 June 2011
When you eat, the energy from the food is turned into the fuel your body needs to stay healthy and strong. This process is known as sugar metabolism. In many people, however, this transformation isn’t as effective as it could be. Maharishi Ayurveda practitioners believe that this is due to a Kapha dosha imbalance, combined with a sedentary lifestyle. Using natural herbal remedies to create a Kapha balance can kick start the metabolic process.
First of all, how do you know if you have a Kapha dosha imbalance? Some people are more likely to have more Kapha in their mind/body makeup; these people tend to be good-natured, easy-going, and of larger-than-average build. Because Kapha dosha is a combination of water and earth elements, you may find that you have a lot of moisture in your skin (from the water element) and possess an even temper (representing the stability of the earth). Other qualities a Kapha person is likely to exhibit include strength of character, loyalty and good long-term memory.
To bring your Kapha into balance, you need to introduce more of the other three elements: fire, space and air. This is the only way to prevent a Kapha-related imbalance in your system, which could manifest itself as respiratory congestion, an oily complexion, lack of energy or weight gain.
The fire element can be introduced to your diet through food with strong, spicy flavours. Choose from fresh ginger, black pepper, cumin, turmeric and chillies. Add these to soups and stews to boost a slow metabolism. Try the Kapha Churna spice mix, which is a combination of ginger, pepper, coriander, sugar, turmeric, salt and cinnamon. This will support the digestion and the assimilation of food, and is recommended with heavy foods.
The space and air elements come from astringent, bitter flavours, such as beans, pulses, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, apples, pears and pomegranates. Incorporating these foods into your diet will balance your moist Kapha dosha. Light, non-oily foods have space and air elements and are easy to digest. Avoid sweet, sour and salty flavours, which will increase Kapha dosha.
How and when you eat is just as important as the ‘what’, for invigorating your metabolism. As tempting as it is, never skip meals, especially breakfast. Make sure you always eat a light, warm breakfast to kick start your digestive system. Stay away from cold foods, such as cereal with milk, and sour flavours, such as bananas, as these will increase Kapha and can be difficult to digest. An ideal way to start the day is with a cooked, chopped apple or pear with a helping of prunes, seasoned with cinnamon or cardamom.
Try to always eat your heaviest meal at lunchtime (as close to noon as possible, as this is when your digestive fire, or agni, is strongest). Eat plenty of vegetables seasoned with some of the spices mentioned above, with a piece of fruit for dessert. Eat similar foods in the evening, but in smaller portions. Eating a large meal late in the evening — as many people do — leads to a build-up of ama, the sticky, toxic residue that can lead to poor health and weight gain. Try to eat three regular meals at the same time every day, and avoid snacking to let your previous meal digest thoroughly. To reduce ama, sip hot water or spicy, stimulating Kapha tea throughout the day. Avoid ice-cold drinks, which will put out the digestive fire.
As well as these simple steps, natural dietary supplements from Maharishi Ayurveda can help you to balance your Kapha dosha and make that sluggish digestion a thing of the past. Be Trim 1 and Be Trim 2 support balanced appetite and fat metabolism. Be Trim 1 is designed for those who gain weight easily with a normal appetite, while Be Trim 2 is aimed at those who have excessive appetites and are prone to stomach acidity.