Hi Lcbmax, good to see you here! does your LO have food issues?
Mel, I am not familiar with traditional Islamic medicine, but I think all of the Eastern healing systems are rooted, to varrying degree, in the relationships between the elements in nature and in the body, whether they be 4 or 5.
Ayurveda encompasses a complex health and healing system, like Chinese Medicine, as well as a philosophy and lifestyle so I really can't do it justice in few words. As for the healing system, in a nutshell, there are 5 elements that comprise the 3 doshas (or consitutions) that govern all the biological, physiological and pathophysiological, and emotional/psychological functions in the body. Everybody has a combination of 2 doshas, one is ususally dominant. Disease occurs when the doshas (which represent the elements) are imbalanced within an idividual. So for example, kapha is primarily water, so a Kapha predominant person whose Kapha is out of balance will be more susceptible to conditions of a Kapha nature (sinus troubles, throat/chest/nose/mouth issues, also greed, attachment envu issues.)
Diagnostic methods include physical addessment, personal history, tongue and pulse, among others. While there are specific branches of therapeutic treatments in Ayurveda, including herbs, it very much emphasizes creating balance within the body through food, digestion, and lifestyle. All foods and herbs have qualities--heating, cooling, mucous causing, etc. And So, if you have a Pitta (fire) condition, there is not much sense on carrying out a treatment plan with herbs, etc., if the person is consuming too many foods that agrivate Pitta.
I'l look for some helpful links.
I have been a casual student of Ayurveda for many years after healing my endometriosis and other health problems with Ayurveda. I do incoprorate it into my midwifery practice when it feels appropriate as well. For example, red rasberry leaf is astringent/drying, so if I have a Vata predominant mama who tends to be on the dry side and has air/dryness conditions (constipation, anxiety) we might try to reduce her consumption of foods and herbs that are dry and astringent, like RR leaf tea.
In my family's struggle with my son's digestive and eczema issues we are being whipped back into shape--we've been on the road for the majority of the last 12 months, and have definitely NOT been living in balance, particularly not in an Ayurvedic sense. Now that we are home and settled we are returning to these principles to help bring ourselves back into balance physically and emotionally, and to help heal DS's eczema, which by the way is a Pitta (fire) condition.
had to put that guy in there
Many of you on here are wonderfully and deeply entrenched in your own healing pursuits for yourselves and your LOs, and it is not my intention to try to convince folks to jump in to Ayurveda, but I am feeling a bit alone in this approach (live in a somehwhat rural area as well) so am REALLY hoping to connect with some mamas who are already incoporating Ayurveda into their lives and into their treatment of these food/allergy/intolerance issues.
Warmly,
Erin
this page has some good links including food qualities and poor food combinations
http://www.ayurveda.com/online_resource/index.html
