ALCOHOL

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 3 reviews, 145 likes

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Alcohol is a hot depressant. Initially, the heat combined with the relaxing qualties of alcohol dilate blood vessels, an aid to circulation. The heart, which is a naturally affectionate and social organ, predisposes one to fun and perhaps risky social...

ALOE VERA GEL

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 review, 450 likes

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Aloe includes more than 250 species of flowering succulents and is native to Africa, Madagascar and Jordan. It is closely related to cactus, yucca and onion. For thousands of years and across many cultures, aloe has been used to heal a variety of...

ALOE VERA JUICE

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 review, 279 likes

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Aloe includes more than 250 species of flowering succulents and is native to Africa, Madagascar and Jordan. It is closely related to cactus, yucca and onion. For thousands of years and across many cultures, aloe has been used to heal a variety of...

APPLE (COOKED)

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 review, 700 likes

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In Norse mythology, apples are said to provide eternal youthfulness. Apples appear in many religious traditions, including the bible, often as a forbidden fruit. Apples originated in Western Asia, where its wild ancestor still grows today. There are...

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 6 reviews, 431 likes

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Often used for weight loss, vinegar strongly increases the flow of bile. Bile is a fatty, oily substance made by the liver, and stored in the gall bladder. It helps you digest fats. Since bile is also a fatty oily substance, draining bile from the...

ARTICHOKE

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Artichokes, a member of the thistle family, are a hepatoprotectant. Artichoke may be gassy for those with weak digestion. Artichoke is very high in fiber. It's chologogue properties, together with its high fiber content make it ideal to flush toxic...

ARTICHOKE HEARTS

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See the Ayurvedic Analysis of Artichokes page.

ARUGULA

(4.50 out of 5 stars) 2 reviews, 353 likes

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Its sharp peppery flavor is a sign that arugula is light and easy to digest for those with slow, cold digestion, or to help take a heavy meal and "lighten" it, so your body can assimilate the nutrients of the entire dish.

BALSAMIC VINEGAR

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Vinegar heats up digestion, but aids fat metabolism. Balsamic vinegar is made with red wine, which is hotter than other vinegars.

BARLEY

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 review, 282 likes

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Barley has an ancient history, and was first cultivated in the Near East.

BEET GREENS

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 review, 140 likes

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The astringency of the beet can cause a fuzzy feeling on the teeth.

BEETS

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 review, 376 likes

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Beets come from the south of Europe. They are a member of the amaranth family. The beet has a long history of cultivation stretching back to the second millennium BC.

BITTER MELON

(4.00 out of 5 stars) 3 reviews, 149 likes

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The bitterest member of the gourd family, bitter melon is a popular vegetable in south asia from India northward to China.

CARROT

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 2 reviews, 406 likes

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Ancestors of the wild carrot came from Iran and Afghanistan, the center of genetic diversity for carrot. Carrots were bred from a species of wild carrot, called Queen Anne's Lace. Originally they were grown for their aromatic leaves and seeds. Since...

CILANTRO

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Cilantro is the leaf of the coriander seed. Both the leaves and the seeds have citrus overtones. Cilantro, as a cooling herb, pairs well with hot spicy dishes.

COFFEE

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 review, 186 likes

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Coffee as a SacramentWhat are your rituals around coffee? Coffee has become a sacrament in our culture. A client reports, "The only time my husband and I relax together is over coffee." My response, "If your marriage is dependent...

DAIKON RADISH

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 review, 86 likes

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Daikon is native to southeast and east Asia. From white to purple to green to pink, Daikon comes in several varieties. It's also known as white radish, winter radish, long white radish, oriental radish, and mooli. In Japan, many types of pickles are...

DANDELION LEAVES

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 review, 241 likes

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When most people think of dandelion, they think of pulling this pesky weed out of their manicured lawn. It's the poster child for weeds. This is especially ironic because colonists brought the dandelion to the Americas as an important medicinal plant....

ENDIVE

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Endives are more bitter and cooling than other greens.

FENUGREEK

(4.50 out of 5 stars) 2 reviews, 180 likes

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Fenugreek s one of the oldest medicinal plants. It has been used since 4000BC. It's name means "ram's horn clover". It was found in the tomb of Tutankhamen.

GARLIC

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Regarded as both a force for good and evil, folklore and superstition abound when it comes to this little but poignant member of the onion family. A garland of garlic kept evil spirits and vampires away in the west. In an eastern Islamic myth, garlic...

GHEE

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 3 reviews, 295 likes

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Trying to cut down on butter at the movies? Try popcorn with ghee and cinnamon. Ghee is golden and delicious. Children love it. It is also great as a garnish drizzled over food. For details on how to make ghee yourself search for "ghee" in the recipe...

GRAPEFRUIT

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 review, 182 likes

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Grapefruit is a relatively new addition to the citrus family. It is a hybrid first discovered in the 18th century. Described as tart, tangy, or sweet, the grapefruit is said to be one of the "Seven Wonders of Barbados, because legend says the fruit was...

HIBISCUS

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Hibiscus is from the same family as okra, cotton, and chocolate. More obscure members include durian, marshmallow root, & kola nut.

KALE

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 review, 305 likes

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Start with lacinto kale if regular Kale is too bitter but make sure you eventually switch over to the real stuff.

LEMON

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The origin of lemons are a mystery. Do they come from southern india? burma? or china? Speculation abounds. Genetic study reveals lemons are a hybrid of a sour orange and a citron.

LIME

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Limes are strongly sour, thus encouraging secretions in the digestive tract and salivary glands. These secretions improve taste, digestion, and regular elimination (functioning as a mild laxative) Limes and Cleansing Lime's sour...

MUSTARD GREENS

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Raw brassicas contain chemicals that can block thyroid function called goitrogens. These chemicals are easily inactivated by steaming or cooking.

OLIVE OIL

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 review, 139 likes

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Raw olive oil is pungent & bitter. It's oily and bitter qualities act as a cholagogue, flushing the liver and gall bladder. In the United States, most olive oil is pasteurized. When cooked, olive oil loses its cleansing properties and sadly, its taste.

POMEGRANATE

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 review, 241 likes

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Pomegranate comes from the latin words for apple (pomum) and seed (granatum), altogether meaning 'seeded-apple'. The seeds of the pomegranate are embedded in a white membrane that is also used for its medicinal qualities in Ayurveda. The french word...

POMEGRANATE MOLASSES

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Pomegranate molasses is an effective sour for all three doshas with less astringency than pomegranate juice.

RADISH (RAW)

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The word radish derives from the latin word for root, "radix." Domesticated in Europe in pre-Roman times, radishes are an edible root of the Brassicaceae family. They come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors. They are inexpensive, grow quickly...

RED WINE

(4.00 out of 5 stars) 1 review, 69 likes

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Wine stimulates agni & taste. It penetrates deeply into tissues. It is warming and brings mental satisfaction. Wine softens stools. Wine contains tannins which are astringent. It is hot, sweet and sour. Certain wines may be sharp or bitter as well.

RED WINE VINEGAR

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Vinegar heats up digestion, but aids fat metabolism. Balsamic vinegar is made with red wine, which is hotter than other vinegars.

SALT (MINERAL SALT)

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 2 reviews, 129 likes

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Salt brings out the flavor in food and brings enthusiasm for life. While contraindicated for Kapha and high blood pressure, salt is also one of the most important medicines for Vata