Sooz; well, in the Ayurvedic system ths might mean you have the Vata or Kapha doshas dominant, while Mike has Pitta dominant. Kapha needs more spicy foods; Vata can tolerate them all right. Pitta is supposed to avoid them entirely.

Tell me, does he have fair or reddish hair? Does he have a hard time in hot or humid weather? Does he get irritable easily (especially when skipping meals?) Does he generally have a healthy appetite and abundant energy and good muscle tone? these (among others) are common to Pitta types. Pittas have to avoid heat and humidity, spicy, rich or fermented foods, and anything that will cause tension (including violent TV at night, etc.). They do well to get out in nature frequently.

I have a great book on all this by Deepak Chopra called Perfect Health. It's an interesting system. Even if one does not completely buy into the types etc. most of the advice is very pragmatic and is primarily based on a "listen to your body" sort of approach which makes more sense than trying to follow a diet or regime that isn't right for you even if it worked wonders for a friend...

Of course some people just can't tolerate spicy food. I can eat some spicy Indian food but I ALWAYS get some raita for its "cooling" effect--Indian cuisine has Ayurvedic balancing principles built right in, and special blends of spices can be added to foods to bring the doshas back into balance. Some ethnic groups do very well with the "indigenous" foods of their culture and little else; others can and do eat everything. I come from Italian-Sicilian and Irish-Scottish stock--I cook almost everything in olive oil or butter,and thank goodness for my mediterranean heritage or my cholesterol might be through the roof! But I also exercise which is supposed to help too.

According to Ayurveda I am a Pitta-Vata dosha type; and I do find I feel better when I avoid the foods indicated in the dietary guidelines. I can't handle spicy or red-hot food though I do like a bit of it. No wasabi on my sushi, no extra hot chicken wings for me! I am also supposed to avoid sour cream and other fermented things (this is diffcult as I love sour cream and yogurt). I do well eating lots of fresh fruits and veggies, salads, and fish, although some of my favorite sour fruits are supposed to be consumed in moderation (like strawberries and grapefruit). I can eat meat, chicken and eggs relatively frequently (although Ayurveda recommends no red meat and small amounts of chicken or shrimp); but too much grain or doughy food (bread, pasta, etc.) makes me feel kind of ill.

I agree with whoever said there is no one right way to do any of this. I do enjoy reading about all of these systems though and seeing what logic they all have in common (if any). Another absolutely great book by two German naturopaths is Moon Time which details traditional ways of maintaining health according to moon phases. Sounds whacky perhaps but think about how everyone is affected by the full moon. If we do indeed absorb chemicals more intensely at that time as this book says, that would go a long way to explaining why people get weird, and the emergency rooms are fuller than usual on these nights. The new moon on the other hand is a good time for detoxification.

The book deals with far more than nutrition; there is even a fascinating section on sound construction practices (felling wood, digging foundations etc.) following moon phases. These rules were followed for many years but fell out of fashion in the last century. Think of the houses most people live in and which sorts have the fewest problems: either they have swell old places built before or into the Victorian era; or post-war places that often have problems with termites, leaks, drafts etc. Or they chuck it all and get something brand new because they can't be bothered with fixing up something old. No one follows the traditional building methods anymore because it is faster and cheaper not to. God forbid a contractor wanted to wait until the new moon to dig a foundation, but that's exactly what they did in the old days). Apparently these old methods are catching on again in Europe...including dowsing building sites for zones of disturbance or potential dampness problems.

peg