Feeling heavy, bloated, congested?
Author: Linda Sinden Date Posted:11 June 2018
Winter time can aggravate an already underlying condition making it necessary to take stock and do something about it. Raewyn’s story below shows how poor digestion can lead to a serious build up of phlegm and increase risk of serious illness.
“I came to Linda because my lungs and sinuses were congested and nothing was moving it. Also, I couldn’t digest anything. It didn’t matter what I put in my mouth, I felt heavy, bloated and dead. I found people critical and was very reactive in what I said.
I had visited my doctor and my cholesterol was up. My increased risk of heart disease was pointed out to me via a graph that showed me in an increased risk range with an upward trend. I was concerned about the picture I was seeing and how uncomfortable I was feeling.
Putting all this together, seeing Linda was my next step. I had seen her many years ago and realised that it was time to return to what had worked for me previously.”
The root cause
Raewyn explained that she had been eating what she called ‘junk’ food regularly and grazed eating carrots and other foods while cooking dinner and snacked on sweet treats. She knew that she was congested but didn’t know what to do. Her digestive capacity (what we call agni as it is the fire that cooks our food in the digestive process) was diminished. This typically leads to coating of the intestines with impurities (ama) from incomplete digestion, which Raewyn was experiencing as constant bloating and nothing she ate felt comfortable.
As agni provides the power for digestion and metabolism, thought and movement Raewyn was starting to feel really uncomfortable. The impurities had accumulated in her tissue development and was impairing fat metabolism thus high cholesterol and weight gain. In addition absorption of nutrient for bone health was likely to be impaired also. As Raewyn is 65 years old this is a concern for calcium absorption and bone health in the future.
Raewyn sees herself as a young person who loves to garden and be active and wants to maintain it.
What we did
- We recommended a Vata diet with heavy foods eliminated to balance Vata and Kapha simultaneously.
- Raewyn took the following Maharishi Ayurveda products: Congest Assist, Clear Throat, Elim Tox, Digest Tone and Rejuvenation for Ladies.
- She had a light breakfast of freshly stewed apples and prunes, ate her main meal at lunch and a light soup in the evening.
- Raewyn favoured light and warm food, no raw or cold foods, limited her animal protein to lunch, reduced her fat intake, only ate fresh food and freshly prepared, avoided hard cheese, sour cream, yogurt, chocolate, sweets and desserts.
- She drank a special digestive that she prepared for herself around mealtimes and sipped hot boiled water regularly through the day.
- More rest was recommended.
The results
In 3 weeks she felt much better. Here is what she said:
“I know what I am doing now balancing Vata and Kapha. When I wake I feel a pleasant feeling in the body. I feel hungry now. There is a light feeling in my body from the stomach upwards even after eating. Mucous has greatly reduced and is pretty non-existent. I’m amazed it has gone so quickly as I had been really congested. I am experiencing constipation so that’s what we need to address now.
The Congest Assist, Elim Tox and diet has really made a big difference. I can eat now without fear of discomfort. I didn’t do this to lose weight, yet 6 kilograms have dropped off. I’ve stopped eating the rubbish food. My daughter has said to keep doing what I am doing as I look very even now.”
If you have an underlying digestive imbalance think about addressing it as a “stitch in time can save nine”.
Wishing you the bliss of balance.
Linda and the get balance team.
Linda Sinden has been a practising Maharishi Ayurveda Consultant since 1990 and is a regular contributor to our weekly Insights. She has a practice in Auckland, New Zealand and also provides phone or Skype sessions for those who need assistance, but don’t have a consultant in their vicinity. Email: lindasinden@orbislife.co.nz Skype: Linda.Sinden |