
Sensitivity to heat indicates various patterns of imbalance. Sometimes the body becomes hot when deficient (as in dry eczema, or yin-deficient heat of Chinese medicine). Otherwise, heat may come from some kind of internal inflammation. A fever is a...
When you feel hot in your torso area, but also have cold extremities, it can indicate poor circulation and overcompensation by the heart. Sweet, thick Kapha blood is the likely culprit.
Burning feet syndrome is characterized by severe burning and aching feet. There may also be pain, elevated skin temperature, and excessive sweating.Burning feet syndrome may be a symptom of another disease, such as hypothyroidism, diabetes,...
A person may flush easily when they are overheated, experience intense emotions, due to toxicity or hormone fluctuations, or after indulging in Pitta aggravating foods or lifestyle. Intense emotions can trigger an increase in the heart rate or...
Dermatographism, the ability to 'draw' on the skin, is a sign of capillary vasodilation due to Pitta type toxicity. It may indicate lymphatic stagnation as well.
A red tip of the tongue is a normal sign of good metabolism (strong agni). When the tongue appears pale with a red tip however, it is a sign that the heart is overcompensating for anemia (Rakta dhatu deficiency). The heart in general...
Capillary fragility and increased blood pressure can cause capillaries to become distended and visible in the skin. As a person ages, the capillaries become more fragile. Alcoholism, smoking, and cardiovascular diseases can increase blood pressure....
Kapha people become cold when metabolism is low or circulation is poor (Kapha). Vata people are cold when the skin is too dry, there is a lack of adequate fat tissue in the skin, or blood sugar levels are low. Pitta people feel cold when they radiate...
Basal body temperature (BBT) is your temperature at rest typically measured immediately upon waking, before any physical activity, using a thermometer. Most people have a body temperature that is lower than the "average". But when is low too...
Cold extremities can imply a blood deficiency such as anemia, poor circulation from dehydration or congestion, a low metabolism, low blood sugar levels, insufficient clothing or fat, or stress. A chronic infection such as candida can rob the body of...
Leg cramps generally comes from poor circulation, toxicity, or imbalance in electrolytes. Cholesterol medication can cause a cramp as well. There is a colon marma or acupressure point where the two heads of the gastrocnemius muscle meet. This point may...
Blue nail-beds signify stagnant blood, which may be due to poor circulation or low blood pressure.
A blue / purple tongue indicates internal blood stagnation (Kapha) or cold quality (Vata).
The skin around your eye area is the thinnest and most fragile skin found on the entire body. As you age, the lids under the eye may swell with fluids or fats. Muscles and ligaments responsible for holding those fats in place may become lax. Since the...
Tingling / numbness could result from poor circulation or other problems. A limb may be numb due to nerve pathology. Circulation may be blocked because of sweet, thick Kapha blood, bloating in the digestive tract, fat tissue, edematic swelling, and...
Pins and needles are a sign of poor circulation. Circulation may be poor when the blood vessels are blocked by plaque, the blood is too thick, of the heart is not strong enough to pump the blood. Stress, cold body temperatures, a sedentary lifestyle,...
Dark shadows under the eyes have two types Yellow / Black and Puffy => Gallbladder stagnation Purple and flat => Cyanosis / Blood pooling Anything that causes pooling of blood or thinning of the skin can lead to purple...
Feeling pain less than other people, or hypoalgesia, is a condition in which there is decreased sensitivity to painful stimuli. Hypoalgesia is a potentially dangerous condition as there may be a reduced or delayed response in processing painful...
Feeling pain more than other people, or hyperalgesia, is a condition in which there is increased sensitivity to painful stimuli. Pain is detected by sensory nerves. If you feel pain more than others, the nervous system is likely agitated or on high...
Poor discernment of temperature is the inability to distinguish sensations of hot and cold. Inadequate circulation to peripheral nerves in the skin causes poor discernment of temperature.Your peripheral nervous system requires fresh blood and ample...
Bruising easily is a sign of high Pitta in Ayurveda. Capillary beds may be dilated due to a heat condition in heart or liver, general inflammation, or irritating toxins in the blood. Platelet count may be low. Malabsorption of vitamins C and K may be a...
In Raynaud's, exposure to cold triggers the body to shunt blood from the hands and feet symmetrical and into the core, to prioritize vital organs. It is characterized by hyper-reactive vasoconstriction to cold. As a result, the hands turn white...
Bleeding less than other people can be a good thing - it means you won't lose as much blood if you cut or injure yourself. If pathological, it could be due to either thick, viscous blood with sluggish circulation
Painful clots may appear closer to the skin's surface (superficial thrombophlebitis). Or, a clot may be deep, such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT). DVT can cause the entire leg to swell and can be a life threatening complication. Many DVT are...
A non-healing ulcer or diabetic sore is one that does not respond to initial treatment and persists despite appropriate care. Diabetic ulcers generally tend to develop on the legs and feet due to poor circulation or edema in the lower extremities....
A stroke is a loss of blood flow to a part of the brain, occuring due to a clot or an aneurysm. A stroke caused by an aneurysm occurs when the the walls of an artery in the brain rupture. This happens when the artery wall has been weakened from...
An ischemic stroke is a loss of blood flow to a part of the brain, occuring due to a clot. This disruption in blood flow leads to the sudden death of brain cells. A clot can cause an obstruction in blood vessels inside the brain (thrombotic stroke), or...
Low blood pressure could imply dehydration (Vata type) or low thyroid function (Kapha type).
If you are prone to headaches and want a natural source of relief, you’ve come to the right place. While there are many types of headaches, Ayurveda teaches that most are symptomatic of an imbalance in the blood. Let’s explore some...
What is High Blood Pressure? The concept of blood pressure is simple - it refers to the force of blood pressing against the walls of your arteries. Healthy blood pressure is around 120/80mm Hg. When your blood pressure reaches or...
The most common causes of blood vessels inflammation include: Varicose veins Long standing blood stasis Trauma to the vessel
A person that has difficulty clotting may bleed excessively from minor trauma, the GI tract, or in the brain. Under extreme conditions, even walking can cause bleeding and damage in internal organs. Blood thinners, vitamin K antagonists,...
Redness or flushed skin is generally a sign of heat and inflammation (Pitta). This internal heat may be due to fever, skin allergies, toxins from inflammatory processes, infection, or buildup of toxins in the skin. Skin may also be flushed due to...
Pink skin appears predominantly pink in color. It can be a sign of strong, healthy circulation of blood to the surface of the skin. However, in some cases, skin may appear pink if it is inflamed, irritated, or there is sun damage. Pink or inflamed...
Sweaty palms may create discomfort in social situation that require shaking hands. Palm sweat is increased when your circulatory system is congested, the blood toxic, when stressed, when you have a heat condition, or when excess fat blocks the release...
DISCLAIMER: The pathogenesis of each person's condition is unique, and so the diet must be fit to the individual and the unique root causes of the condition in your body. The information on this page is for educational purposes only and should not be used to treat a medical condition. It is not a substitute for medical care. Please check with your doctor before making any changes to your health and wellness routine.
On Joyful Belly, we've created an extensive categorization of food so you can easily match food to your imbalanced biocharacteristics. By eating an optimal diet that balances your biocharacteristics, your whole body is strengthened and the conditions that created the disorder are removed. Once the root causes of the disease are removed, the disease lessens in strength or disappears altogether. Additional remedies - such as herbs and lifestyle practices - focused on the specific disorder, can greatly enhance your healing.
Founder of Joyful Belly Ayurveda, John Immel, answers the question ‘What is Ayurveda?’