Pomegranates are worth the putz! Check it out, I’ll tell you why. Pomegranates are delicious, juicy, poppy, little seeds that have a special affinity for the blood, heart, reproductive system, and are cooling for the digestive tract.
The pomegranate is tridoshic but it is especially cooling for pitta in the digestive tract to help inflamed stomach and intestines. It is useful in ulcers, IBS, hyperacidity (use as an antacid), diarrhea, even hemorrhoids. Okay ready for more?! Not only all that but it strengthens the heart and nourishes rakta dhatu (that’s, blood tissue). A good clue that it works on the blood and the liver (both pitta locations!) is that the color is bright red. It’s also good to reduce hot flashes and keep tempers cool during menopause when the body moves from pitta lifecycle into vata lifecycle.
Basically the pomegranate is astringent so it dries and cools (balancing for pitta and kapha). Vatas be mindful because it can cause constipation. In fact, boiling pomegranate peels for 5 minutes then drinking the water will stop a severe bout of IBS or non-stop diarrhea instantly. If you have oily skin and/or reddish skin with pimples, splash that same “pomegranate peel” water on your face for a facial tonic. Your skin will tighten, become less red and will feel cooler :)
Since they are in season, go pick some up! Eat the seeds, drink some juice and play with the peels! If you are a vata, have a little bit less and do not ever drink “pomegranate peel” water – you will be so sad. However, if you have any pitta-type disorders, pomegranates are a God send. Make friends with them. There is a little putzing to peel them, but check out this Produce Picker Podcast (I don’t know him, but his intro is kinda funny and I liked the instructions) to learn how to get the seeds out easily. If it takes longer than you wish, chill out, sing, enjoy the process. Some things are worth a little extra effort and little pommeys are one of those things! xo
13 responses so far ↓
1 Theresa // Dec 27, 2010 at 10:53 am
This is VERY helpful! As a pitta with digestive issues, I am going to get on the pom train asap!
2 Monica // Dec 27, 2010 at 2:37 pm
Yeah!!! Toot tooooot, get on that train! xo
3 hereIam // Apr 13, 2011 at 9:39 am
I am dealing with pain while passing the bigger stools and find blood traces while wiping out. its not severe hemorrhoids, its occasional. when i started using ghee with milk to be a happy pooper, i developed mucus problem.doctor asked me to stop consume dairy products. can you please suggest any home remedy according to ayurveda.
when it comes to my dosha , I am always confused, not sure if I am vata or pitta or both.when i read about pitta, i feel you are talking about me. but when i read vata its again all about me :(
if i need to balance both what kind of diet i should follow.
4 Monica // Apr 14, 2011 at 8:30 am
Hi Herelam, Thanks for your note and I’m sorry to hear about the problems you are having! :( One thing I would try is making lassi’s daily. I know, i know it’s dairy but it takes on totally different qualities/properties once the yogurt is churned. A recent client of mine who had a mucus problem for over 20 years, has found her mucus is 1/2 or what it was just a month ago! She gave up all dairy except for daily lassi’s. Lassi is the cure for hemorrhoids in Ayurveda too. Give it a shot and keep me posted! Here is the recipe: http://heymonicab.com/2010/03/monica-bs-lassi-recipe/
5 hereIam // Apr 15, 2011 at 10:12 am
Thank you so much Monica. I m really looking forward to lassi and its benefits.
how good or bad is ghee for hemorrhoids?
God bless you always !!
6 Monica // Apr 15, 2011 at 12:24 pm
Herelam, ghee is good for hemorrhoids! I once had a friend of mine mix some ghee with tumeric (or tumeric and milk to make a paste) as a topical treatment – it helped. BE MINDFUL though because tumeric turns EVERYthing yellow!!! ;) Lassi’s and ghee are good! :) My best to you!!
7 hereIam // May 3, 2011 at 4:16 pm
I can never thank you enough for guiding me . I am much better at hemorrhoids. Trust me it was only lassi which helped me.
Thanks once again.
8 Monica // May 3, 2011 at 9:06 pm
Herelam, this is wonderful news!! I’m so happy for you!! I’m thrilled that the lassi helped and thanks for letting me know. Namaste my friend.
9 Catherine // Sep 26, 2011 at 11:31 am
Hello Monica!
Do pomegranates also work for pregnancy-related constipation? Pregnant pitta does not seem to digest well at all :(
10 Monica // Sep 27, 2011 at 2:50 pm
Hi Catherine!! Ohhhh yah pomegranate could definitely constipate because it’s astringent. It sucks out water and has a drying effect, which it not friendly to le poop. Do you like ghee? Ghee really helped when I was pregnant, but overall I did have some constipation too. Lots of water (not cold, no ice) and nice healthy oils will help. Prunes (do you like them?) are great for constipation too and are really nourishing. Soak 3-5 over night in water and eat in the morning. Works wonders!! Prunes were my lifesaver! Er, “Dried Plums.” ;)
11 Monica // Sep 27, 2011 at 2:56 pm
One more thing Catherine. Pomegranate is good for pitta generally and especially in summer – because hot, oily pittas need some cooling and “drying out.” Even though you are pitta, pregnancy, giving birth, and recovering involves a LOT of vata. And, it’s vata season now too. So that’s why, if pomegranate didn’t give you a problem before, it might now. Does this help?? xoxo
12 Catherine // Oct 3, 2011 at 11:00 am
Thank you so much, Monica!
Ghee and prunes it is… :)
Good to know that pregnancy involves a lot of vata.
13 Monica // Oct 3, 2011 at 11:15 am
Oh yes Catherine. You will really need to manage that vata especially after your baby is born. When you think about it, pregnancy is a lot of vata (moving) and also kapha (building/creating). Birth is especially vata aggravating because of ALL that movement to get the baby out. Not to mention the “space” that is left behind after baby is gone. The uterus shrinks and organs all have to move to get back into their original locations. LOTS of vata. Really manage your diet after baby is born so that it is a vata balancing diet. You need lots of nourishing foods to help repair the body…but we can write more then if you want :) Congratulations again, you are in for SUCH a wonderful treat – such love. Ahhh…I’m excited for you!!
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