ACORN SQUASH

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Acorn Squash is a nourishing, grounding vegetable whose sweetness can be the centerpiece of a hearty meal. As sweet taste is almost always cold, be sure to warm your acorn squash with mild spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, or more savory options like...

ALCOHOL

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 3 reviews, 140 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...

ALMOND MILK

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 3 reviews, 560 likes

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Almond milk is a wonderful soothing drink that builds strength, immunity, and grounded energy. Its cool, heavy sweetness creates a sensation of stability and calm in the body, while offering easily accessible energy. For those suffering from lactose...

ALOE VERA GEL

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 review, 441 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, 270 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, 663 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 (RAW)

(1.00 out of 5 stars) 1 review, 273 likes

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Apples are crunchy and leave a rough feeling on the roof of the mouth, both signs of astringency. Astringency is drying. Thus raw apples provoke Vata and constipation. Cooked apples and apple sauce are more Vata friendly. They are not astringent....

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 6 reviews, 422 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, 338 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.

AVOCADO

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 3 reviews, 480 likes

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The avocado fruit grows on trees, but does not ripen until after it has been picked. It has a pear shape, and a rough, dark green to black skin with tiny bumps, which earned it the name "alligator pear". Unlike other fruits, avocado isn't sweet at all,...

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, 265 likes

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

BEEF

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Red meat strongly rebuilds deficient blood. It is especially useful in late summer and early fall. Red meat increases Pitta and Kapha. Too much red meat clogs the lymphatic system (Kapha blocking Vata in rasa dhatu), and causes blood stangation...

BEET GREENS

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 review, 136 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, 354 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, 146 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.

BLUEBERRY

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 review, 311 likes

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Pop a few blueberries in your mouth and you'll notice reduced agitation, a relaxing sensation in the eyes, and cool feeling in your skin. These visceral signs are your personal cue indicating blueberries' beneficial effect on your liver, and their...

BONE MARROW / FAT

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 review, 116 likes

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Bone Marrow and bone marrow fat are the heaviest and densest of all fats. It is a strong tonic and blood builder used for debilitated clients and those who over-exert their bodies, such as athletes. It is rich in minerals.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH

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Winter squashes, including butternut, are eaten in the autumn after they have absorbed the sun's energy over the summer. This stored energy gives squashes a warm ojas building heartiness that can comfort you through colder weather. Where most tonic...

CARROT

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 review, 377 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...

CHERRY

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Berries arrive just in time for late spring, early summer. Berries are lymphatic movers that complete the spring process of cleansing your liver. They are also liver tonics to protect your liver during summer. Berries are rich in anti-oxidants that...

CHICKEN LIVERS

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Pitta has liquid element. But when Pitta symptoms appear with dryness, Vata is to blame. Deficient liver or depletion of ojas leads to dryness and inflammation. Use chicken liver to pacify Vata in the liver, moistening it, building rasa and rakta...

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.

COCONUT BUTTER

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Fronds of a coconut palm sway in a tropical breeze,...

COCONUT CREAM

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Fronds of a coconut palm sway in a tropical breeze,...

COCONUT FLAKES

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Fronds of a coconut palm sway in a tropical breeze,...

COCONUT WATER

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Replenish ElectrolytesAt any corner market in sweltering India, Thailand or Bali, you can drink fresh coconut water out of the nut with a straw, and dig out the sweet meat with a spoon. Coconut water quenches even the strongest...

COFFEE

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 review, 181 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...

CRANBERRY

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Cranberries grow in acidic bogs. Early settlers in North American thought cranberry flowers looked like a crane, and named them 'craneberry'. They are a major commercial crop in North America.

DAIKON RADISH

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 review, 83 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, 238 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....