Saturday, January 2, 2010

BALANCING SEASONAL TASTES AND BODY TYPE TASTES

BALANCING SEASONAL TASTES AND BODY TYPE TASTES
The apparent contradictions between the tastes and qualities beneficial to each body type, and the tastes and qualities suggested by the cyclical nature of the seasons are to be understood in the following way: The tastes which are generally good for each body type may become heightened or prevalent in the body and external environment due to seasonal influences. For example, of the six tastes, the pungent flavour naturally predominates during the summer; although considered a generally good all-year taste for Kapha types, it needs to be used in the summer season with discretion. This is because in summer the pungent taste prevails out of the six tastes.(According to the seasonal accumulation of the doshas, in summers there is decrease of kapha and the pungent taste also causes decrease in kapha and increase of vata which may lead to vata/kapha disorders)
Similarly, the salty taste which predominates during autumn, although considered a generally excellent all-year taste for Vata types, needs to be reduced during the autumn season, even by Vata types(According to the seasonal accumulation of the doshas in autumn there is alleviation of pitta, the salty taste also causes alleviation of pitta  which may lead to pitta disorders).
In the early winter, the sweet taste predominates, and although generally an excellent all-year taste for Pitta types, needs to be reduced during the early winter, even by Pitta types. (According to the seasonal accumulation of the doshas in winter there is increase in kapha and sweet taste also causes increase of kapha which may lead to kapha disorders)
Table 16
TASTES OF THE SEASONS
Northerly Phase (Winter Solstice to Summer Solstice)
Season
Dry Tastes
Element Composition
Dosha
Late Winter
Bitter
Air and space
Vata
Spring
Astringent
Air and earth
Vata & Kapha
Summer
Pungent
Air and fire
Vata & Pitta
Note: the dry tastes are created by the progressive northward movement of the sun
Southerly Phase (Summer Solstice to Winter Solstice)
Season
Dry Tastes
Element Composition
Dosha
Rainy Season (early fall)
Sour
Earth and fire
Pitta and Kapha
Autumn
Salty
Water and fire
Pitta
Early Winter
Sweet
Water and earth
Kapha
Note: the moist tastes are created by the progressive southward movement of the sun

Beneficial Tastes According to Doshas
Vata     :           sweet, sour, salty
Pitta     :           Sweet, bitter, astringent
Kapha: pungent, bitter, astringent
           
Table 17
SEASONAL TASTE ADJUSTMENTS

VATA
PITTA
KAPHA
LATE WINTER
Major: sour, salty, unctuous
Major: sweet, sour*, salty,* warm, unctuous
Major: sour,* astringent, pungent, warm, moderate unctuous
Minor: sweet
Minor: bitter, astringent, cool, light
Minor: bitter, salty, dry
SPRING
Major: sweet, salty, warm, moderate unctuous, alkaline
Major: sweet, bitter pungent*, warm
Major: pungent, moderate astringent, alkaline, ward, dry
Minor: sour, pungent
Minor: astringent, cool, alkaline
Minor: bitter, salty
SUMMER
Major: sweet, sour, warm, moderate unctuous
Major: sweet, bitter, cool, moderate unctuous
Major: bitter, astringent, moderate sweet, warm, dry
Minor: bitter, salty, cool, light
Minor: astringent, light
Minor: pungent, cool
RAINY SEASON (early fall)
Major: sweet, moderate bitter,* salty, moderate unctuous, warm
Major: bitter, astringent, moderate salty, moderate sweet, warm, moderate unctuous
Major: bitter, astringent, pungent, warm, light
Temperate Climates
Minor: sour
Minor: pungent, cool
Minor: salty, sour, dry


Major: sweet, bitter, salty,* warm, moderate unctuous

Tropical and Semitropical
Major: sweet, salty, moderate unctuous, warm
Minor: astringent, pungent
Major: moderate salty,* pungent, bitter, warm, moderate unctuous.
Climates
Minor: bitter, pungent

Minor: astringent, dry
AUTUMN
Major: sweet, sour, warm, light
Major: sweet, bitter, astringent, cool, light
Major: bitter, astringent, moderate sweet, warm, light
Minor: salty, astringent
Minor: pungent
EARLY WINTER
Major: salty, bitter,* moderate sour, warm unctuous
Major: bitter, astringent, moderate pungent,* warm, moderate unctuous
Major: pungent, astringent, bitter, warm, moderate unctuous
Minor: pungent, sweet
Minor: sweet
Minor : salty

*Vata types: If strong tendency to Vata disorders, use bitter as  minor tastes and increase the use of sweet and salty tastes during the seasons indicated.
*Pitta types: If strong tendency to Pitta disorders, use sour, pungent and salty as minor tastes and increase the use of bitter, astringent and sweet tastes during the seasons indicated.
*Kapha types : If strong tendency to Kapha disorders, use sweet,sour and salty as minor tastes and increase the use of pungent, bitter and astringent tastes during the seasons indicated.

[ vata, pitta & kapha disorders can be seen in the charts mentioning increase in the respective doshas in DOSHIC IMBALANCES ]

Table 18
SEASONAL DO’S AND DON’TS
Climates
DO
DON’T
Late Winter
Sour, salty, moderate sweet, unctuous, substantial quantity of food
Excess sweet, pungent, bitter, dry, cold, raw foods
SPRING
Pungent, astringent, moderate sweet, moderate salty, warm, moderate quantity of food
Sour, excess sweet, bitter, too many fluids, cold
Summer
Sweet, bitter, astringent, cool, moderate unctuous,
Salty, sour, pungent, hot, insufficiency of fluids
sufficient fluid
Rainy Season (early fall) Temperate
Sweet, moderate sour, moderate salty, warmfood,
Pungent, bitter, astringent,  light, cold food.    excess unctuous                   
Troplcal and Semitropical Climates
Sour, salty, unctuous, moderate sweet, moderate unctuous, warm
Pungent, bitter, astringent, excess sweet, cold, dry
Autumn
Sweet, bitter, astringent, cool, light, non-oily
Sour, salty, pungent, hot, oily, excess food, heavy foods
Early Winter
Salty, bitter, astringent, moderate sour, warm, moderate unctuous,
Sweet, excess sour, excess cold, dry, excess food, raw foods
Moderate quantity

The “Seasonal Don’ts” may be used occasionally as a minor taste. See previous chart

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