The Phlegm energetic characteristic in Tibetan medicine is the same as the Kapa energetic characteristic for Indian Ayurvedic medicine.
The predominant poison that increases the phlegm type is the physical or intellectual sedentariness that leads to a distorted view of reality. This poison clouds the mind and leads to a mistaken perception of reality, confusion and bewilderment. Ignorance of the nature of things prevents us from seeing them in a real and clear way. For the phlegm personality this is the fundamental root of suffering.
There is a mild predominance of yang energy over the ying energy.
In phlegm individuals there is a greater development of the left hemisphere of the brain, the rational one. Due to the lack of the right hemisphere “fantasy, art, etc. ..” the phlegm people, if unbalanced, tend to have a narrow and indifferent mind and are not motivated to develop their own intelligence or to take care of their bodies.
Their perception of time is vast but lacks of natural rhythms.
The phlegm type.
The phlegm type has a material lifestyle and a good self-control. He loves his work if well organized and stimulating. He works a lot and is successful in the long term. He almost never complains and everyone loves him. He is jealous but tends not to manifest it and often pretends not to be so. The phlegm type is interested in the social scale but does not commit himself sufficiently to obtain it. He is mentally peaceful and stable, not prone to emotional outbursts. He is generally overweight and pale. He is lazy and loves to sleep. Physically and mentally he is slow and has a very long and slow digestion. He likes bitter, warm, astringent and raw foods. It has strong white teeth, strong, soft, shiny, beautiful and oily hair. The most energetic moment is in the late morning and late evening. His radial pulse is slow, stable and has regular waves, less than 70 beats per minute. If he does not leave the water element stagnating too much (80% of the body consists of water), the phlegm personality can have a long and prosperous life.
Excessive phlegm disorders.
The phlegm disorders occur in the chest, throat, lungs, head, faeces, menstrual, endocrine and lymphatic system, producing chronic diseases without major inflammation or infection. There are hyper or hypotension disorders. The disorders are mainly due to imbalances of the immune and endocrine system.
Symptoms.
The body and the mind are very tired with the possibility of fainting, vomiting, having a loss of taste, flatulence, lack of appetite and a continuous cold sensation. The disease worsens immediately after eating, the body is swollen and there is a tendency to water retention and overweight. There is cervical pain and mucus in the nose and in the stool. There is a thick white patina on the tongue, there are skin problems and digestive difficulties. The first urine is white and opaque.
Self-destructive diet.
Eating any kind of food continuously and excessively without being aware of it. Food to avoid: sweet, sour and salty, beer, wine, super-alcohol, butter, cooked and fried oils, fatty meats and dairy products.
Self-healing diet.
CRecommended foods: pungent, bitter, astringent, spicy and warm. Apples, pears, vegetables in leaf, beans, lentils. It is good to season the food with raw oil. Eat the vegetables before, and then eat the first or second dish. To lose weight eat a fruit an hour before meals and drink ½ liter of warm water with a teaspoon of honey before meals.
Self-destruction and self-healing behavior for the phlegm type.
Self-destruction behavior
Leading a sedentary life, sleeping too much, getting cold and damp, lying down on damp lawns, staying too much in hot water and eating too much in an unconscious way.
Self-healing behavior.
Exercising to increase your metabolism (endurance sports such as running, cycling and cross-country skiing …). Competitiveness is indicated to motivate efforts. It is good to cover oneself, to live in heated rooms, to sunbathe, to stay at the sea but in warm, dry and ventilated places and to follow an appropriate diet. In cases of phlegm attacks make showers to cool up the system. It is recommended to receive dynamic and tonic massages. The kneading massage technique is the key to breaking up the collection of fats that phlegm types tend to store. Draining massages, deep pressures and joint manipulations also move the metabolism that tends to stagnate (stagnant water does not produce energy). Phlegm types should regularly follow the treatments of the body, play sports, have intellectual and cultural commitments so as not to fall into the predominant imbalance of physical and intellectual sedentariness. Predominant emotion: fear and insecurity due to lack of knowledge.
Recommended color: green = action.
Color to avoid: white = pacification, tranquility.
Season in which the phlegm mood is more manifested: winter.