AYURVEDIC PERSPECTIVE ON GOOEY
Gooey is identified by anything gelatinous (such as oatmeal), or by mucus congestion.
Gooey foods are slimy, smooth, and sticky. Gooey foods increase mucous and sometimes even resemble it. Sugar and all foods with a sweet taste are gooey because they create more mucous.
Mucous, Yellow Sputum, & Runny Noses
Ayurveda differentiates between three types of congestion. Thick white mucous is pure Kapha, coming from thick, gooey, sweet blood plasma (lymph). Yellow or green sputum is Kapha mixed with Pitta. A thin, watery runny nose is a sign of Vata ama irritating mucous membranes. Gooey foods aggravate Kapha and Pitta mucous only.
Mucous & Cheese
One day an adventurous Ayurveda practitioner will try the following experiment: collect a cup full of mucous, then boil it until it becomes thick. It will resemble cheese. Cheese is concentrated mucous and should be avoided when mucous is present. Avoid all dairy products when Kapha mucous is present.
Wheat & Glue
Glue is gooey. As kids, we made glue from flour and water. As adults, we bake flour and water into bread. Then in our mouths, we chew it back into glue. Wheat aggravates Kapha people in the blood, making it sticky and gooey. Wheat aggravates Vata people in the colon because it is difficult for Vata to digest. Wheat transforms into a sticky glob of stool once it enters the cecum, the beginning of the colon (located on the lower right of the abdomen). There, the fermenting food bloats the colon. Celiac is Pitta in nature; it is an allergic reaction to wheat in the small intestine.
Gooey Foods & the Skin
Sometimes the skin becomes so dry even oils won't penetrate. Instead, rehydrate extremely dry skin with gooey-ness. For example, make a paste of oatmeal and apply directly to the skin. After ten minutes, clean the surface and use oil to seal in moisture.
Gooey & the Digestive Tract
The inside of the digestive tract closely resembles skin. Dry skin often indicates a dry colon. While wheat is too sticky, other foods like oatmeal effectively coat a dry colon, helping to keep it moist.
Gooey Foods & Wound Healing
Unless a wound is infected, gooey foods help wounds heal quickly. Cholesterol is gooey. High cholesterol runs in my father's family and his wounds heal more quickly and effectively than my Vata wounds, which always leave a scar.
Protecting Tissues
The dull aspect of gooey coats and protects delicate tissues. Dullness pacifies aggravated doshas and slows down all bodily functions, depressing activity and dulling the mind. Thick, viscous, gooey blood is hard to circulate and creates stagnation. Stagnant, slimy blood reduces circulation of oxygen, depressing metabolic activity and thyroid function (see
sweet taste).
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