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College of Ayurvedic Diet & Digestion


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Spirulina Benefits (According to Ayurveda)
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Table of Contents

How Does This Ayurvedic Food Improve Wellness?

CLINICAL AYURVEDIC REVIEW

Blue spirulina is less fishy, higher calcium, and an amazing blue food dye.

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Is Spirulina Good for My Ayurvedic Diet?

Find out by taking this free, easy quiz. You'll learn your body type, and whether 'Spirulina' is a good fit. Complete the basic quiz in 1 minute, or go deeper with additional quizzes at your own leisure to learn more about your body.

Take the Quiz

AYURVEDA'S GUIDE TO VITALITY & WHOLESOME NOURISHMENT

Your Ayurvedic diet is tailored to your individual body and your specific imbalances. With an Ayurvedic diet you feel joy and satisfaction because what you are eating truly nourishes and balances you. Disease results from diets and lifestyles that are incompatible with your nature. By eating a personalized diet matched to your body, you experience optimal health. See How it Works.

Metabolic Nature of Spirulina

See a complete list of all biocharacteristics.

METABOLIC NATURE

Metabolic Nature

Ayurveda assesses metabolic imbalances through 20 main biocharacteristics (gunas). Aggravating them weakens your body and causes imbalance. By knowing which biocharacteristics are habitually imbalanced in your body, you will be able to identify and correct metabolic imbalances before you get sick. Every biocharacteristic has an opposite which balances it (i.e. hot balances cold). You restore balance by favoring diet and lifestyle choices that increase the opposite biocharacteristic.

Find Out More

LIGHT

ABOUT LIGHT BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Lightness is identified by reduced weight.

LEARN MORE ABOUT LIGHT

CLEAR

ABOUT CLEAR BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Clear refers to anything that cleanses or flushes out wastes, or that digests ama.

LEARN MORE ABOUT CLEAR

DIFFICULT

ABOUT DIFFICULT BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Difficult refers to anything that is difficult to digest, or takes a long time to digest.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DIFFICULT

HOT

ABOUT HOT BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Hot is identified by increased body temperature, metabolism, or inflammation.

LEARN MORE ABOUT HOT

MOBILE

ABOUT MOBILE BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Mobile refers to anything that stimulates the nervous system, muscles, or activity.

LEARN MORE ABOUT MOBILE

TASTES

The 6 Tastes

Taste is used to sense the most basic properties and effects of food. Each taste has a specific medicinal effect on your body. Cravings for food with certain tastes indicate your body is craving specific medicinal results from food. Taste is experienced on the tongue and represents your body's reaction to foods. Sweet taste causes physical satisfaction and attraction whereas bitter taste causes discomfort and aversion. Kapha should use less sweet taste while Vata and Pitta would benefit from using more sweet taste. One of the first signs of illness is that your taste and appetite for food changes. The six tastes are sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent. Do you crave foods with any of the tastes below?

Find Out More

SALTY

ABOUT SALTY BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Salty refers to anything with salt, or high mineral content.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SALTY

BITTER

ABOUT BITTER BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Bitter taste has cholagogue action - it is cold, clear, light, and stimulating. It increases digestive enzymes and is laxative, and drying.

LEARN MORE ABOUT BITTER

DOSHAS

The Three Doshas / Body Types

Ayurveda is a metabolic theory of medicine that explains individual health, tendencies, and disease patterns through the concept of doshas, which can be understood as your metabolic patterns and tendencies.

Each dosha reflects a distinct metabolic nature and describes strengths & weaknesses in bodily function, and how these affect energy levels, digestion, susceptibility to disease, and many other tendencies.

Your metabolic nature not only affects your physical characteristics, but also influences your mental thought patterns, confidence, and enthusiasm.

Ayurveda balances these metabolic strengths & weaknesses to support your body's vitality and prevent recurrent disease cycles. This support is a critical aid, especially in chronic or incurable disease conditions.

The 3 metabolic body types (doshas), are Catabolic (Vata), Metabolic (Pitta), and Anabolic (Kapha).

Through dosha, Ayurveda empowers people to identify metabolic imbalances early, break repetitive patterns of disease, and cultivate habits that support long-term vitality and well-being.

Ultimately, these metabolic patterns also provide a framework for understanding yourself, including body, mind, and spiritual tendencies.

Find Out More

PACIFIES
Kapha pacifying
AGGRAVATES
Pitta aggravating Vata aggravating

GREEK MEDICINE / TEMPERAMENTS

The Four Temperaments / Humors

Ayurveda & Greek Medicine were the dominant form of medicine along the Silk Road from England to China and South Asia. They work by assessing your metabolic type, patterns, and nature. Greek medicine recognizes 4 metabolic temperaments, Melancholic, Choleric, Sanguine, and Phlegmatic.

Find Out More

PACIFIES
PHLEGMATIC

ABOUT PHLEGMATIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Wet & cold. When out of balance becomes congested, stagnant, and overweight. Loving, trusting, and patient.

LEARN MORE ABOUT PHLEGMATIC

SANGUINE

ABOUT SANGUINE BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Hot and oily with a moderate metabolism and a well nourished body. Vigorous, vivacious, outgoing and generous, and prone to impulsivity and self indulgence. Bullish and intense when out of balance.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SANGUINE

AGGRAVATES
CHOLERIC

ABOUT CHOLERIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Has a hot and dry metabolic nature. Enthusiastic, vibrant and bright. In excess burns up fluids and ojas, irritable. Corresponds to high bilirubin in the blood that irritates and heats up the body and liver.

LEARN MORE ABOUT CHOLERIC

MELANCHOLIC

ABOUT MELANCHOLIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Cold and dry with a slow, variable or erratic metabolism. Colicky, tense. Withdrawn, pensive, anxious, and hesitant. Analytical, intelligent, detail oriented and creative. Prone to ojas depletion, dehydration, an overactive nervous system, and depression.

LEARN MORE ABOUT MELANCHOLIC

Other

Subdosha:
Vayu Prana

Medicinal Benefits, Uses & Herbal Actions of Spirulina
Experiences are Personal
Experiences vary according to the person and constitution. Individual results may vary. The list of herbal-actions below has not be approved by the FDA and should not be used to treat a medical condition.

(see all)
Digestion:
Spleen Tonic

SPLEEN-TONIC

An herb that strengthens spleen function by improving strength of the blood. Spleen tonics Builds agni, brighten the person's appearances & firms up tissues.

SEE ALL 'SPLEEN-TONIC' FOODS / HERBS

Energy Vitality:
Nutritive

STRONG NUTRITIVE

An herb that is strengthening and nourishing.

SEE ALL 'NUTRITIVE' FOODS / HERBS

,
Tonic

TONIC

A tonic herb restores function through strengthening tissue. This can happen through a combination of nourishing the tissue, and invigorating tissue metabolism. The tonic should not be withering, as in caffeine.

SEE ALL 'TONIC' FOODS / HERBS

Immune System:
Anti Inflammatory

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY

Reduces inflammation in the body. Different herbs and carriers target different body systems.

SEE ALL 'ANTI-INFLAMMATORY' FOODS / HERBS

Heart & Circulation:
Blood Tonic

STRONG BLOOD-TONIC

An herb that produces more blood cells in the body, or otherwise improves blood cell quality or hemoglobin content. Helpful for anemia and other types of deficiency.

SEE ALL 'BLOOD-TONIC' FOODS / HERBS

Bone & Joint:
Chelates

CHELATES

Binds to toxins such as heavy metals making them more soluble for elimination by the body.

SEE ALL 'CHELATES' FOODS / HERBS

Constituents:
Nitric Oxide

STRONG NITRIC-OXIDE

Improves circulation by dilating blood vessels. Protects blood vessels from damage. Improves athletic performance, libido, immunity, and brain health.

SEE ALL 'NITRIC-OXIDE' FOODS / HERBS

Foods with a Similar Nature to Spirulina

  • Stinging Nettles

    Stinging Nettles has these Actions in Common

    Nutritive, Anti-inflammatory, Spleen-tonic, Blood-tonic, Tonic

    LEARN MORE

  • Quinoa

    Quinoa has these Actions in Common

    Anti-inflammatory, Tonic, Blood-tonic, Nutritive

    LEARN MORE

  • Coconut Cream

    Coconut Cream has these Actions in Common

    Anti-inflammatory, Tonic, Blood-tonic, Nutritive

    LEARN MORE

  • Coconut Flakes

    Coconut Flakes has these Actions in Common

    Anti-inflammatory, Tonic, Blood-tonic, Nutritive

    LEARN MORE

  • Coconut Butter

    Coconut Butter has these Actions in Common

    Blood-tonic, Nutritive, Anti-inflammatory, Tonic

    LEARN MORE

  • Pomegranate

    Pomegranate has these Actions in Common

    Anti-inflammatory, Spleen-tonic, Blood-tonic, Nutritive

    LEARN MORE

  • Sorghum Flour

    Sorghum Flour has these Actions in Common

    Anti-inflammatory, Spleen-tonic, Blood-tonic, Nutritive

    LEARN MORE

  • Grape

    Grape has these Actions in Common

    Blood-tonic, Nutritive, Anti-inflammatory, Tonic

    LEARN MORE

  • Bone Marrow / Fat

    Bone Marrow / Fat has these Actions in Common

    Tonic, Blood-tonic, Nutritive

    LEARN MORE

  • Rabbit

    Rabbit has these Actions in Common

    Tonic, Blood-tonic, Nutritive

    LEARN MORE

Herbs & Supplements with a Similar Nature to Spirulina

  • Saw Palmetto

    Saw Palmetto has these Actions in Common

    Tonic, Anti-inflammatory, Nutritive, Spleen-tonic

    LEARN MORE

  • Chyavanprash Nutritive Jam

    Chyavanprash Nutritive Jam has these Actions in Common

    Anti-inflammatory, Blood-tonic, Nutritive, Tonic

    LEARN MORE

  • Amalaki

    Amalaki has these Actions in Common

    Anti-inflammatory, Blood-tonic, Nutritive, Tonic

    LEARN MORE

  • Ashwagandha

    Ashwagandha has these Actions in Common

    Anti-inflammatory, Blood-tonic, Nutritive, Tonic

    LEARN MORE

  • Pitta Massage Oil

    Pitta Massage Oil has these Actions in Common

    Anti-inflammatory, Blood-tonic, Nutritive

    LEARN MORE

  • Bala Taila

    Bala Taila has these Actions in Common

    Nutritive, Tonic, Anti-inflammatory

    LEARN MORE

  • Shatavari Ghee

    Shatavari Ghee has these Actions in Common

    Anti-inflammatory, Nutritive, Tonic

    LEARN MORE

  • Almond Oil

    Almond Oil has these Actions in Common

    Anti-inflammatory, Nutritive, Tonic

    LEARN MORE

  • Guggulu

    Guggulu has these Actions in Common

    Blood-tonic, Spleen-tonic, Anti-inflammatory

    LEARN MORE

  • Bala

    Bala has these Actions in Common

    Anti-inflammatory, Nutritive, Tonic

    LEARN MORE

  • Amritarishta (Amrutharishtam)

    Amritarishta (Amrutharishtam) has these Actions in Common

    Spleen-tonic, Tonic, Anti-inflammatory

    LEARN MORE


Joyful Belly is a recognized college of biocharacteristics medicine.

TRADITIONALLY INDICATED FOR
THESE SYMPTOMS

Spirulina may be beneficial for these symptoms. The suitability of any food for a condition is highly dependent on the individual. Please see your doctor before using this food to treat a medical condition.

View other ingredients
for Spring

Spirulina is recommended for Spring. Check out these other Spring foods here.
VIEW ALL SPRING FOODS MORE FOODS FOR KAPHA MAIN INGREDIENT PAGE

HOW DOES EATING AYURVEDICALLY MAKE YOU FEEL?

Eating Ayurvedically makes you feel nourished and energized. Food digests with ease when right for your body type (dosha). Healthy digestion is seen as the cornerstone of well-being in Ayurveda. Healthy digestion generally prevents illness. If you do get sick, a strong digestive fire reduces the severity of illness and increases your resilience. It also improves your mood. Once you begin eating Ayurvedically, you will feel refreshed, vital and strong.
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About the Author

John Immel, the founder of Joyful Belly, teaches people how to have a healthy diet and lifestyle with Ayurveda. His approach to Ayurveda is clinical, yet exudes an ease which many find enjoyable and insightful. John also directs the Joyful Belly College of Ayurveda, offering professional clinical training in Ayurveda for over 15 years.

John's hobbies & specialties include advanced digestive disorders, medieval Catholic philosophy, & botany. He holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Harvard University. His wife and family of 7 kids live in Asheville, NC.

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Comments & Impressions of 'Spirulina'

Do you like 'spirulina'? Why or why not? What makes it unique? Is there something else you'd like to know about 'spirulina'?

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 3 ratings, 118 likes
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Carrie Hoffman Williams, AZ
2020-07-12
“Fermented would be less recommended because fermented foods are diuretic, and Vata needs to hold on to liquids."
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