Of the three doshas described in Ayurvedic medicine, Pitta is the one that is associated with water and fire. The interplay of these elements creates a transformative property and is associated with processes such as digestion and detoxification. When Pitta is too hot, the Ayurvedic practitioner will look to cooling herbs to bring the body back into balance. Traditionally, Pitta imbalance is generally characterized by night sweats, irritated skin, and anger. Western trained providers tend to think about systems involved in the presentation of an illness, such as the nervous or endocrine system, as do providers trained in Eastern disciplines...

By Dr. Anju Sodhi (Bams, Nd) Finding it difficult to fall or stay asleep despite having a chance to sleep is the definition of insomnia. Most people have experienced some sleep disturbance, whether it be one night where too many thoughts were swimming through the mind or over several weeks or months. During the transition to spring and then again to summer, many may find that sleep evades them more often or worse than during the winter. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 30-50% of the country suffers from short-term insomnia. The prevalence of insomnia that lasts three...