Dr. Jamuna N

Kapha is responsible for governing all body functions related to lubrication. Some of the typical body functions that Kapha has a direct impact upon includes lubrication of lungs and joints, body weight, growth, and formation of the seven tissues- fat, bone marrow, nutritive fluid, reproductive tissues and fat. There could be several symptoms indicating an imbalance of Kapha in the system.

Some of them include the following:

1. Mind: An increased Kapha of the mind is characterised by symptoms, such as a feeling of lethargy, drowsiness, and sluggishness, excessive sleep, feeling of depression and melancholy, laziness and brain fog. An accumulation of Kapha in the mind can lead to severe depression, withdrawal symptoms, diabetic coma and frequent loss of consciousness.
2. Digestive tract: Kapha can wreak havoc on the digestive tract. Some early signs of Kapha accumulation in the digestive tract include a heavy feeling in the stomach, indigestion, excess salivation, poor appetite, nausea, slow metabolism etc. As a result of excess Kapha, the stool can be sticky, pale, heavy and oily. This can lead to diabetes and mucoid diarrhea. If not treated early excess Kapha can lead to hyperglycemia, anorexia nervosa, and blood in the stool.
3. Kapha accumulation in skin, adipose tissue, muscles and circulatory system: An accumulation of Kapha in other parts of the body can lead to hypertension, itching, lipoma formation, cold sweat, swollen lymph, pallor, low strength of the body, itching etc. In the case of long standing Kapha accumulation some serious aggravation from the present condition can lead to obesity, thrombosis, leukaemia, malignant tumours, edema, high cholesterol, blood stagnation, hypertrophy, heart failure etc.
4. Kapha in respiratory system: Kapha in the respiratory tract can lead to coughs, hay fever, sinuses, nasal crust, chest pain, runny nose, excess mucus and frequent cold. If the existing condition becomes serious and treatment is not done on time, some serious complications can lead to cystic fibrosis, sinus infections, excess phlegm in the throat, chronic sinus etc.
5. Other parts of the body: If Kapha accumulates in other parts of the body it can lead to symptoms such as excess urination, low libido, premature ejaculation, heavy testicles, swelling of the joints, dental tartar, sex desire, fibrocystic lumps, goiter, enlarged spleen, gallstones, endometriosis, cystic ovary, lordosis, protruded eyes, heavy feeling of the eye, prostate enlargement, white urine, neurofibromas, hydrocephalus, gangrene , prolonged menstrual cycle osteoma, kyphosis, prostatic calculi, bone spurs etc.
6. Food to avoid Kapha symptoms: Some foods that need to be avoided include carbonated drinks, oily food, chilled food, deep fried snacks, red meat, foods which are heavy to digest, milk especially buffalo milk, sweets, Ghee, fruits like Banana, Mango etc. excess salt and sour, all forms of alcohol except red wine, the latter can be consumed no more than once in a week.