Malabsorption (Sprue)
Causes: Environmental bacteria, poor eating habits,
excessive eating or fasting, ingesting overly hot or
cold items, eating canned, stale, or junk foods. It also
develops from chronic diarrhea, constipation, or dysentery;
excessive use of purgatives or colonics, antibiotics,
and from excessive mental and physical
stresses.
Symptoms:
Váyu: Variable digestion, white spots or ridges
on fingernails, teeth marks on the front arc of the
tongue, constipation, abdominal distention, migrating
pain, dry skin, cracked tongue, hemorrhoids, anal
fissures, emaciation, weak muscles and bones, arthritis.
Stools vary from watery to gaseous, hard, and
dry movements. One may experience palpitations,
anxiety, insomnia, depression, and faintness.
Pitta: Overly strong digestion, dysentery or
diarrhea (yellow-colored), abdominal pain, low-grade
fevers, infections, inflammation, ulceration, burning
sensation, anemia, malodorous feces, white spots or
ridges on finger nails, teeth marks on the front arc of
the tongue. The tongue marks deepen when angry or
irritable (i.e., Pitta-increasing emotional situations).
Kapha: Weak digestion, teeth marks on the front
arc of the tongue, mucus in the stool, diarrhea and
constipation, dull abdominal pain, congestion, edema,
diabetes, white spots or ridges on fingernails.
Therapies:
General: Light, simple, easily digested meals
depending upon one’s doßha. Yogurt-water (lassi)
improves digestion. If persons are strong, they can
tolerate a lassi fast for several days. Kicharí (basmati
rice and múngdal) should then be introduced into the
diet. Absorption-promoting herbs include cardamom,
fennel, cumin, harítakí, and drákßhá wine.
Váyu: Váyu-reducing foods and lassi with fresh
ginger are beneficial. Herbs taken with meals include
cardamom, pippalí, fresh ginger, cinnamon, fennel,
hi´gwasták, cumin, chitrak, harítakí, laßhuòadi vati,
and drákßhá wine. Useful foods include whole grains
and steamed vegetables (i.e., not eaten raw).
Pitta: Pitta-reducing foods and lassi with cardamom
are beneficial. Herbs taken with meals include
cardamom, fresh ginger, fennel, cumin, chitrak,
harítakí, ávipattikar chúròa, and drákßhá wine.
Onions, garlic, red peppers, salty, fermented, fried
and greasy foods increase Pitta, and therefore
aggravate this condition.
Kapha: Kapha-reducing foods and lassi (1/4
cup lo-fat yogurt: 3/4 cup water) with dry ginger are
beneficial. Herbs taken with meals include cardamom,
pippalí, dry ginger, cinnamon, hi´gwasták, cumin,
chitrak, harítakí, t^ikatu, laßhuòadi vati, and drákßhá
wine. Dairy, cold liquids, raw vegetables, salt, and
sweet aggravate this condition
