Ayurveda and Herbs

If you haven't read the Doshas page, I recommend you read it before this section.

Herbs for Vata

Vata can be restless and always in motion. It has the qualities of cold, dry, light and mobile. Diaphoretics are a good choice for Vatas in many cases. They help becuase of their moistening quality. They help moisten dry skin and many have a warming quality to them. Heating diaphoretics are best. Vatas have been known to have problems with gas, therefore carminatives are helpful in that area and nervines might be suggested for their nervousness. An example of each follows. I will keep it to Western Herbs right now.
So keep these in mind as you go through your day, maybe note how you feel after having these herbs in your tea or meals. Read our disclaimer.
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Carminative: cloves, ginger, fennel, chamomile, allspice, cumin

Nervine: chamomile, nutmeg, peppermint, oat straw, basil

Diaphoretic: ginger, basil, cinnamon, coriander, lemon grass
**Chamomile and pepermint hold all three qualities***

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Herbs for Pitta

Pitta can be very driven, always wanting to learn new things, and on the emotional side be critical and get angry very easily. The qualities of Pitta include sharp, hot, light, liquid, mobile and oily. First and foremost should be the "cooling" aspect. Bitter herbs would be preferable for their being cold and drying in nature(antipyretic). Cooling diaphoretics, remember there are heating and cooling diaphoretics. Lastly, lets mention alteratives. Disclaimer

Diaphoretics: Catnip, Marshmallow, Motherwort, Nettles

Bitter: Blessed thistle, hops

Alteratives: Blackberry, Black Cohosh, Calendula, Cleavers, Cumin

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Herbs for Kapha

Kapha can be slow, not highly driven, happy to just go along. Emotionally they like to hold on to things. It is recommended that Kaphas need to move more and need to exert themselves a little. Herbs for Kapha need to be warming, drying, lightening in nature. Also, since Kapha also has the quality of water, so diaphorectics would be good for Kaphas. They would promote sweating through the skin. Since Kapha also has sluggish digestion, carminative and stimulant herbs would be suggested. Disclaimer

Diaphoretics: Catnip, Marshmallow, Motherwort, Nettles, Sage

Carminatives: All Spice, Wintergreen, Tarragon, Thyme, Spearmint, Saffron

Stimulant: Yerba Mate, Ginseng, Tumeric, RoseHips, Ginger

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