DIET (Ahara) – Ancient Approach with Modern View

DIET (Ahara) – Ancient Approach with Modern View

Ayurveda is one of the most ancient holistic healing systems known to man developed thousands of years ago in what are now India. It holds the belief that health and wellness depend on a balance between body, mind and spirit. A disruption of this harmony can lead to poor health and sickness. Unlike Western medicine that treats disease, Ayurvedic medicine promotes good health and is used to prevent illness.

According to Ayurveda, every person is made of a combination of five basic elements found in the universe: space, air, fire, water and earth. These elements combine in the human body to form three life forces called doshas, namely Vatta, Pitta & Kapha. Although everyone inherits a mix of these elements, most often one dosha is more prominent than the other two.

Whether coincidence or ancient wisdom, the Ayurveda system of medicine, nutrition and self-care creates a perfect alliance with holistic treatment, recovery, and healing from eating disorders and disordered eating. Ayurveda combines the Sanskrit words ‘Ayur’ which means life and ‘Veda’ which means knowledge. As one recovers from an eating disorder some of the most powerful results are the deep knowing of the self that allows for a more meaningful life

In Ancient Greece and Rome, disease was literally understood as dis-ease, or physical imbalance. Medical intervention, therefore, was purposed with goal of restoration of harmony rather than waging a war against disease. In both prevention and treatment of disease in classical medicine, food and diet was central. The eating of correctly-balanced foods made up the majority of preventative treatment as well as to restore harmony to the body after it encountered disease.  Seasonal food played an important role in the treatment of ancient disease.

According to Ayurveda, the traditional medicine of India, the digestive system is the physical root of most diseases in the body. Ayurveda places a lot of emphasis of the care of the digestive system. In doing so, Ayurveda addresses not only what food is best for an individual, but also how food is best eaten and how it is best combined.

Ayurveda is the original integrative system which considers the multidimensional aspects of the whole person. In our Western model, we focus on the physical body, but in ayurveda we also consider the mental, emotional, and energetic— from a more expansive view than strictly biochemical— and spiritual dimensions of the person

For more than 5,000 years, ayurveda has been practiced to promote wellness in India. From the Sanskrit words ayurs (life) and veda (knowledge), ayurveda branches from Hindu scriptures called the Vedas, and has influenced Buddhist philosophy, Eastern and Western health care — and it is beginning to find a place in diet trends. Its practitioners consider ayurveda to be a sacred system that unites natural elements, spirituality and diet. In short, nourishment of the body is tethered to nourishment of the mind and soul.

Guidelines for Re-creating the Body-Mind-Soul Connection with Food

Awareness comes on all levels. Food awareness is important in reconnecting the body-mind. If you’ve ever tried to feed a young child, you know that it’s a struggle to get him to eat when he’s not hungry. Certain food, situations, emotions, environments, or circumstances can create a disconnection between the body and the mind and soul when it comes to eating. The reason that so many people struggle with eating is that, while it’s a necessary act for survival, it is also tied to our upbringing, emotions, and relationships. Perhaps for you, food, in the past, meant a loving gesture from someone in a loving relationship with you. Or maybe not eating was a way for you to protest rules set by a parent or authority figure, by going on a “food strike.” Or maybe you experienced food, or lack of it, as a source of punishment.

 

Through eating awareness we can disarm an emotional or Pavlovian response, by letting go of the triggers and tuning in to our bodies for signals of comfort and discomfort. The shift that must take place is a shift from eating to live, or survive, to nourishing the temple that houses our soul. Eating is a pleasurable, sacred act. It should be respected and revered. In the previous chapter, we discussed dharma. How can you live out your dharma if you’re feeling lousy all the time because of the food you’re consuming or how you’re consuming it? Believing with all your heart that food is medicine will change the way you approach food altogether. You will no longer be imprisoned by the food itself, food commercials, and artificial products on grocery shelves. Instead you’ll be looking for ways to optimize your energy level with proper food intake.

Ayurveda Fundamentals

Here are some fundamentals of Ayurveda which must be followed for a healthy life and longevity. Always take rock salt with ginger before having your main meal. This stimulates the digestive fire, and clears the taste on the tongue. Follow the recommended sequence of having different tastes, called ‘rasa’, during meals. At the outset of a meal, one should take sweet things first. In the middle, have sour and salty tastes. After those, the remaining tastes of pungent, bitter and astringent. The reason behind this principle is that, in a hungry person, the sweet taste is taken to overcome Vata in the stomach. Sour and salty tastes taken in the middle of the meal stimulate Pitta (digestive fire) in the small intestines. In the end of a meal if pungent, bitter, and astringent is taken it subdues Kapha. In the beginning of your meal, you can take hard food made softer by adding ghee. Then have soft food. At last take liquid food to stay healthy.

Eat with Ayurvedic Clock

Ayurveda also encourages us to eat our primary meal in the middle of the day, when the fire of pitta dominates. Pitta supports our ability to digest all things—food, thoughts, and feelings. The metabolic aspect of digestion, our agni, does its best work midday. Eat later in the day, and your body will have more difficulty processing your meal. The same holds true for eating a big meal in the evening. Ayurveda recommends a light supper instead so your body can finish digesting your food long before bedtime, and you’ll be able to transition from being awake to a more restful state (what ayurveda calls “light sleep”), necessary for sandman success. Aligning our hectic modern-day lives to the ayurvedic clock can prove challenging, but it can lead to a big payoff.

A Balanced Approach to Food Combining

It is usually best to embrace the idea of food combining slowly and gently, allowing plenty of time to make the necessary adaptations. Some of the recommended adjustments are relatively simple; others can require a major re calibration in our habits, or meet with resistance. Often, simply developing an awareness of improper food combinations that you eat somewhat regularly is a great place to start. Notice which foods you combine that may be difficult to digest together, and how often you indulge in them. Become aware of how you feel afterwards. Do these choices affect your energy level, your digestion, your elimination, the coating on your tongue? Are particular combinations more noticeably influential than others? These are all important pieces of information. They can confirm the importance of proper food combining and can help each of us to identify the food combinations that are the most disruptive to our systems.

When you are feeling motivated and decide that you are ready to start adapting your diet to accommodate more supportive food combinations, consider tackling just one change at a time. Perhaps you’ll start by eating fruits alone, rather than in combination with other foods. Over time, you can gradually progress toward the ideal. While it would certainly be nice to avoid improper food combinations altogether, reducing their frequency can also be incredibly beneficial. If you do find that some specific food combinations are more problematic for you or your loved ones than others, focus your efforts on changing just those in the beginning. The most important first step is to become aware of your needs and your habits; from there, you can evolve an approach to food combining that works for you.

Doshas and Diet

When you are out of balance in your primary dosha it is said that disease, disorder or addiction follow. There is a striking similarity between this definition and the one we hold regarding eating disorders. An eating disorder can be described as a serious disturbance in eating behavior ultimately leading to imbalances in one’s body, thoughts, emotions, and relationships. In recovery, we ultimately find balance and integration between body, mind and spirit. In addition, there is an uncanny resemblance between the three doshas and the three types of eating disorders.

Ayurveda is centered around three energies called doshas — vata, pitta and kapha. Each person is a unique makeup of these doshas, and that composition is called one’s prakruti. The doshas govern physical, mental and spiritual health. According to ayurvedic teachings, a person’s prakruti is immutable. Ayurveda advocates preventive care by balancing one’s doshic makeup through diet.

Vata: comprises air and ether, and is associated with lightness, dryness, change and creativity. According to ayurveda, people who are predominately vata are spiritual, positive and adaptable when balanced — and restless, indecisive and fearful when vata is unbalanced. Vatas are said to have dry skin, and experience stiffness, gas, constipation and coldness when the dosha is unbalanced. An ayurvedic practitioner may recommend warm, wet food like soups, oils and herbal teas.

Vata is the air element. Vatas have light, flexible bodies, smaller frames and tend towards being underweight. Other attributes to this dosha are dry skin, poor circulation, variable appetite and issues around digestion. Vatas are often attracted to astringent foods such as salads and vegetables and prefer vigorous activity. Vatas out of balance are highly anxious, rigid and have trouble sleeping. In Ayurveda, the diet that is prescribed for Vata balance are foods with lots of tastes and textures, and foods high in proteins and fats. Raw vegetables and cold foods are aggravating while warm foods bring nourishment and calm the system. Vatas have a similar makeup as the individual with Anorexia Nervous. Those with restrictive symptoms are usually underweight which can certainly lead to medical consequences of dry skin, poor circulation, and digestion problems. Anorexics also tend towards lighter foods such as vegetables and may excessively exercise. Those with these tendencies have overactive Sympathetic Nervous System responses (fight, flight or freeze) leading to anxiety, rigidity and sleep disturbances. The prescribed diet given by Ayurveda has threads in our nutritional treatments for Anorexia and restrictive disorders such as a diet inclusive in proteins and fats and carbohydrates, high nutrient density as well as a decrease of lower density food choices such as vegetables or salads.

Pitta: encompasses fire and water, and is associated with sharpness, drive and confidence. Those who are predominantly pitta are reportedly competitive, powerful, focused and expressive. They are leaders and visionaries when pitta is balanced, but may become demanding and arrogant when out of balance. According to ayurveda, pittas may suffer from inflammation, acid reflux and overheating, and a diet of sweet, cool foods such as juice, salads, raw seeds and cooling herbs while avoiding alcohol, caffeine and spicy food may help balance pitta.

Pitta is the fire element. Pittas are usually medium build and well proportioned. They are known to have a strong appetite, strong digestion, and a strong metabolism. Out of balance, Pittasare impulsive and explosive and have strong sexual drive. They can become irritable when hungry. For balance, Pitta’s are not to skip meals or wait until they are too hungry to eat. A balanced diet of fresh whole foods high in nutrients will decrease pitta and move an individual towards health. For Pitta’s what is most important is hold onto to routine meal times, to eat meals in peaceful environments and to practice mindfulness before, during and after mealtimes. It is said that rather than gripping or controlling, the Pitta must surrender in order to find their best self. Pittas parallel the Bulimic profile. Those who struggle with Bulimia Nervosa are usually within their weight range. They, like those who attribute more Pitta are impulsive and may use sex compulsively. And like Pitta, for Bulimics to move into balance it is crucial for them to uphold a consistent schedule of balanced nutritious meals. In addition, practicing mindful eating can significantly aid in the process and allow for surrender into their recovery.

Kapha: is associated with oiliness, density, languidness and stability. Kaphas are said to be kind, caring and patient. When kapha is balanced, they are providers and nurturers. Out of balance, kaphasreportedly tend toward depression, neediness and secrecy. Physically, they may suffer from weight gain, high cholesterol and congestive disorders. An ayurvedic practitioner may recommend bitter, light and dry food to balance kapha, including salads, beans, citrus and whole grains, and avoiding salt, overeating and sugar.

Kapha  is the earth element. Kapha is characterized by individuals with heavier frames who tend to gain weight and have strong bones and muscles. It is said that those who exhibit more Kapha have a penchant for sweets and tend to retain water. They are less active than Vatta and Pitta. In addition, Kapha’s are known to be excessive when out of balance. It is said that individuals that inherit mostly Kapha elements carry larger frames for protection.  There are parallels to Kapha and our modern day binge, emotional and compulsive eater. Those with binge tendencies tend to have larger bodies and although not across the board are less active than their bulimic or anorexic counterparts. Binge eaters by nature are excessive eaters with emphasis in overeating carbohydrates and sugars. Binge eaters may, in fact hold on to a larger body size for emotional protection. Ayurveda suggests movement and limiting high sugar or fat foods to bring a Kapha into balance. This is not so far off from some of the treatments and techniques to help the binge eater recover. It is important for the binge or emotional eater to learn to live in their body. One of the ways they can do this is with movement. In addition, to recover from BED an individual must learn other coping mechanisms besides bingeing on foods. In order to do this an individual must engage in balanced, nutritious eating. By way of doing this, their intake of binge foods decrease.

Vata Diet Plan

If you’re an anxious Vata, you need to eat foods that are soothing.

Foods to avoid for VATA

·         Vatas should reduce raw foods and salads.

·         Vata is easily disturbed with cold drinks or beverages that are high in caffeine.

·         Stay away from light, dry, crunchy snacks.

·         The only nut you should avoid is peanut.

Foods to consume for VATA

·         Comforting soupy foods; cooked cereals; nuts; cooked vegetables; and hot milk are the best foods for nervous Vatas.

·         Stir fry or steam veggies with a dollop of ghee or a drizzle of olive oil.

·         Vatas can tolerate a more salty diet than Pittas and Kaphas.

·         You can eat salted nuts as a healthy snack.

·         A tall glass of warm, spiced milk will calm Vatas at bedtime.

Pitta Diet Plan

If you’re a fiery Pitta, you need to cool down with juicy foods that are high in water content.

Foods to avoid for PITTA

·         Skip foods that are pungent, spicy and salty as they heat the body.

·         Yogurt and cheese are no-nos for Pitta people.

·         Acidic foods such as tomato and pickles as well as citric fruits like orange, pineapple, lemon and lime increase Pitta dosha.

·         Don’t dress your salads with vinegar and opt for freshly-squeezed lemon juice instead.

Foods to consume for PITTA

·         Food served cool, not cold which inhibits digestion, works best for Pittas.

·         Choose Pitta-pacifying mint, fennel or licorice tea over coffee which contains acids.

·         Opt for sweet fruits like melons, plum, kiwi and pomegranate for a Pitta-pleasing diet plan.

·         The fat in red meats can aggravate Pitta so ensure that you consume only white meats and lots of sweet fruits and fresh veggies.

·         Consume warm milk, butter, ghee, cream and paneer (cottage cheese).

Try rose petal jam and apple tea for a breakfast which is sweet and calming.

Kapha Diet Plan

If you’re a cool Kapha, your diet plan should be aimed at warming you up.

Foods to avoid for KAPHA

·         Kaphas pile on the pounds easily so you should stay away from large quantities of food, especially at night.

·         Avoid oily and fatty foods that are high in calories for effective weight loss.

·         Cold foods like aerated drinks, ice creams, frozen yogurts, etc. aggravate Kapha.

·         You should stay away from cooling and high-calorie fruits like coconuts and bananas.

Foods to consume for KAPHA

·         Light, dry fruits like apple, papaya and date (with honey) are beneficial for Kapha people.

·         All legumes can be consumed as Ayurvedic recommendation for a Kapha diet except tofu.

·         Kapha types can also eat all spices as they are warming but need to be watchful of their salt intake.

·         Reach for that pot of honey instead of sugar as part of your dosha diet.

·         Dairy items like lassi, nonfat milk and buttermilk are preferable over yogurt, cream and butter.

Suggested Meals

Breakfast

Breakfast is usually not to be skipped when pitta is elevated. Workable choices are sweet, high in carbohydrates, and yet offer sustained energy. Consider:

·         A hearty fruit salad (apples, pears, red grapes, and blueberries) garnished with raisins and shredded coconut. This lighter meal will probably work better in the warmer months than in the dead of winter.

·         A yummy breakfast can be as simple as a date and almond shake made from soaked dates, soaked and peeled almonds, and boiled milk (or a substitute)—blended together with cardamom and a pinch of cinnamon.

·         Oatmeal or rice porridge made with hot milk and garnished with raisins or chopped dates, chopped almonds (soaked and peeled), ghee, and maple syrup.

·         An egg white and vegetable omelet, served with avocado and whole grain toast.

Lunch

Ideally, lunch is the main meal of the day, meaning it’s the largest and the most nourishing. A wide variety of appropriate grains, beans, and vegetables are great building blocks for lunch, and can be complimented with suitable meats, if you eat them. Try something like:

·         Seasoned tofu and steamed collard greens over wild rice. Saute the tofu in sunflower oil and stir in some of your favorite pitta pacifying spices. Garnish the greens with olive oil, freshly squeezed lime juice, ground coriander, and black pepper.

·         Red lentils made with cooling herbs like cilantro, mint, or fennel, with buttered whole grain bread (use unsalted butter), sauted purple cabbage, and a green salad. Add vegetables like carrots, celery, and onion to your soup. Saute the cabbage in ghee with cumin, coriander, turmeric, lime juice, and a splash of maple syrup.

·         Avocado fried rice and sprouted wheat bread with ghee or unsalted butter.

·         Whole wheat pasta, pesto, and fresh vegetables (like bell peppers, broccoli, carrots, celery, green beans, mushrooms, zucchini, or black olives). Garnish the pasta with crumbled chevre, olive oil, and cilantro. Serve with a small green salad and soup.

Dinner

Dinner is ideally a bit smaller and lighter than lunch, but it also needs to sustain pitta’s active metabolism. A simple but nourishing meal or a slightly smaller serving of lunch can work well. Try:

·         Green mung beans with dill, paired with roasted asparagus and basmati rice.

·         Veggie (or turkey) burgers with sautéed mushrooms, goat cheese, lettuce, avocado, and a side of home fries.

·         Spiced double rice, omitting the mustard seeds and replacing the cashews with soaked and peeled almonds, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds, and served with flatbread.

Tastes to Favor and Avoid

Pitta is pacified by the sweet, bitter, and astringent tastes and aggravated by the pungent, sour, and salty tastes. Understanding these tastes allows us to make better choices whether or not we have an extensive list of Pitta-Pacifying Foods handy.

Emphasize

Madhur / Sweet

·         Favor naturally sweet foods like sweet fruits, most grains, squashes, root vegetables, milk, ghee, and fresh yogurt.

·         The sweet taste is cooling and heavy but also anti-inflammatory. It pacifies heat, satisfies thirst, benefits the skin and hair, and tends to be grounding, nourishing, strength building, and satisfying.

·         Emphasizing the sweet taste does not require us to eat large amounts of refined sugar or sugary sweet foods; naturally sweet foods are best.

Tikta / Bitter

·         The bitter taste predominate bitter greens—like kale, dandelion greens, and collard greens. It is also found in bitter melon, Jerusalem artichokes, dark chocolate and pitta pacifying spices like cumin, neem leaves, saffron, and turmeric.

·         The bitter taste is exceptionally cooling, but also drying.

·         Bitters cleanse the pallet and improve the sense of taste. They tone the skin and muscles, benefit the blood, relieve burning and itching sensations, satisfy thirst, and balance the appetite, support digestion, and help to absorb moisture, sweat, and excess pitta.

Kasay / Astringent

·         The astringent taste is basically a flavor of dryness—a chalky taste that dries the mouth and may cause it to contract (picture biting into a very green banana).

·         Legumes—adjuki beans, black-eyed peas, chickpeas, kidney beans, lentils, pinto beans, soybeans, and so forth—are classically astringent in taste. Some fruits, vegetables, grains, baked goods, and spices are also astringent in taste—things like apples, cranberries, pomegranate, artichokes, broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, popcorn, rice cakes, crackers, basil, coriander, dill, fennel, parsley, and turmeric.

·         The astringent taste is heavy, cold, and dry.

·         Pitta benefits from the compressing, absorbing, union-promoting nature of the astringent taste. It can curb pitta’s tendency to spread, tone bodily tissues, prevent bleeding disorders, thwart diarrhea, and also absorb excess sweat and fluid.

Minimize

Katu / Pungent

·         Pungent is a spicy, hot flavor like that found in chilies, radishes, turnips, raw onions, and many especially heating spices.

·         The pungent taste is particularly hot and light—both qualities that disturb pitta.

·         Too much pungent taste can cause excess thirst, burning sensations, bleeding, dizziness, and inflammation (especially in the intestinal tract).

Amla / Sour

·         Minimize sour foods like vinegar and other fermented foods, hard cheeses, sour cream, green grapes, pineapple, grapefruit, and alcohol (an occasional beer or white wine is often ok).

·         Pitta is aggravated by the hot, light, and oily qualities of the sour taste.

·         Too much sour taste can increase thirst, disturb the blood, create heat in the muscles, cause pus formation in wounds, and give rise to burning sensations in the throat, chest, or heart. It can even promote sour feelings like jealously or envy.

·         An occasional squeeze of cooling lime juice as a garnish is the best way for pitta to include the sour taste.

Lavana / Salty

·         The salty taste is almost singularly derived from salt itself.

·         Much like the sour taste, it is salt’s light, hot, and oily nature that aggravates pitta.

·         The salty taste can disturb the blood’s balance, impede the sense organs, increase heat, aggravate the skin, intensify inflammation, lead to the rupture of tissues, or cause water retention, high blood pressure, intestinal inflammation, grey hair, wrinkles, and excess thirst. It can also intensify our desire for stronger flavors, which can provoke pitta even further.

Ten Ayurvedic Guidelines for Eating Awareness

1.  Eat only when you’re hungry. This may seem like a no-brainer, but how many times have you eaten only because you looked at the clock and noticed that it was coffee time, snack time, or lunchtime? A good exercise is to put your hand over your stomach, close your eyes, and feel if there’s any undigested food left in there. You might feel a slight sense of fullness. Or you might also feel a little indigestion; or if you burp, you can taste undigested food. That’s a good indicator of an undigested meal. Another way to decide if you really need more food is to keep track of when you last put anything in your mouth besides water. For Vata types, two to four hours should go by before they eat again. Pitta types should wait three to five hours between meals, and Kapha types should wait four to six before eating again.

2.  Eat in a calm environment. Your body should not be agitated from extreme noise, blaring lights, or a heated debate when you’re eating. You also should refrain from watching TV, listening to the radio, browsing the Internet, texting, and talking on the phone. You can’t remain aware when you are distracted.

3.  Put down your fork between bites. Enjoyment from eating comes from pacing yourself. You can’t enjoy your food if you’re shoveling it in. You’re not a garbage disposal. I can assure you: no one is going to take your food away from you.

4.  Eat two cupped handfuls of food at a meal. You would be surprised how effective portion control is at making it possible for you to lose weight, maintain weight, or feel comfortable after a meal. To measure how much two cupped handfuls is for you, start with a dry substance such as uncooked rice. Fill a bowl with the rice, and set an empty bowl nearby. Using both hands together, scoop up enough rice to fill your hands, and place it in the empty bowl. Do that twice. Then, using a measuring cup, measure the amount of rice you put in the second bowl. Most people will find they’ve scooped out about two or three cups of rice.

5.  Stop eating when you’re satisfied but not full. When you’re satisfied, you usually sigh once. You look at your plate and say, “That was good.” If your plate is still half full, have someone take it away, or put the leftover food in a container, or throw it away instantly. You may have no clue what “satisfied” feels like because you’ve always eaten until you’re full. But with practice you will regain the ability to detect your body’s signals of satisfaction.

6.  Do not eat if you aren’t enjoying your food. Please, for your health, respect this guideline. I have fallen into the trap of eating bad food, and I imagine you have too. Just because the food is in front of you, you eat it — even if it’s poor quality, too greasy, too fatty, or just plain disgusting. Maybe you have a fear of wasting food, or apathy has crept in. Whatever the reason, remember that the energy that comes from the food will be nourishing your body and your cells. If the food isn’t appealing to you, your cells won’t like it either.

7.  Sit down to eat at a table with a pleasant setting. Please do not eat while sitting in your car, standing in your kitchen, or walking around a park or mall. Sit down and be mindful of what you’re doing. Clear out your eating space. Remove papers, books, computers, mail, and bills before sitting down to your meal. Put some fresh flowers or candles and a nice place mat or tablecloth on the table. Again, it’s impossible to extract all the good healing chemicals of a fresh meal if you’re staring at a Visa bill for five thousand dollars lying on the table.

8.  Drink only water at meals, in small amounts. Drinking large amounts of anything dilutes the gastric juices and makes digestion difficult for your body. The water should be at room temperature; take only small sips throughout the meal. Any other beverage should be consumed outside of meals.

9.  Do not eat when you’re upset. Eating a pint of Ben and Jerry’s Chubby Hubby is not going to heal your relationship with your spouse, and finishing off a cheesecake will not make your mother stop telling you what to do. It’s also true that skipping a meal because of an emotional upset will not kill you. You likely have some reserved energy in your body that will make up for that one meal. But eating while upset can create a host of digestive issues and may makes you sick.  Just sip warm water until you’ve calmed down or feel genuinely hungry again.

10.  Feel gratitude for the food you have. Give thanks to the Creator, in whichever way you conceive it, to the cook, to the waitress or waiter, or to anyone else involved in preparing and serving your food. Even if you don’t see them directly, have gratitude in your heart. This sense of gratitude will allow the best digestion and assimilation of nutrients possible.

Drinks

When possible avoid caffeine, alcohol and carbonated soft drinks, and switch to life giving, vitality boosting beverages. Start with water, that most basic yet most overlooked drink — drinking lots of warm water through the day helps to rehydrate our system and flush toxins out of the body. Avoid drinking ice-cold water, especially before, during and after meals. If you have a lot of Pitta to balance, drink it cool; otherwise, room-temperature or warm water is best. When we drink ice-cold water, it slows blood flow in the region of the stomach and slows the action of digestive enzymes. Blood flow and digestive enzymes are directly responsible for strong digestion and anything we can do to support blood flow and enzyme action will help our digestion

Ayurvedic teas or drinks suited to our physiology, formulated to correct a specific imbalance, can assist in bringing our bodies into balance. Our Raja's Cup comes with antioxidant power as well as rich coffee-like flavor. We have a wide range of therapeutic Herbal teas that not only offer comfort any time of the day or night, but more importantly, they are specifically formulated according to the ancient records of ayurveda and have the balancing effect described for each one. Take a look at our tea lineup. Vata and Pitta-predominant types: at bedtime, try a cup of Organic Vata Tea, or boiled milk. Try boiling milk with a slice of fresh ginger, or blended with a spoonful of Organic Rose Petal Spread, or made with our Organic Vata Tea (Vata Milk), or with a pinch of cardamom or nutmeg to aid sleep. Mix and match according to taste. Kapha-predominant types or those prone to congestion (Kapha imbalance), may find that a nice cup of hot water with lemon is a good evening drink rather than heavier milk.

Fruits & Vegetables

Processed foods, genetically-modified foods, and foods to which artificial preservatives or other synthetic chemicals have been added are no longer alive with the intelligence of nature. According to ayurveda, our human physiology is a reflection of the laws of the universe, and the more in tune our lives are with nature, the healthier we are likely to be! Our bodies possess the natural intelligence to process the foods that are closest to nature, such as fresh whole grains and organically grown fruits and vegetables. This makes sense when we consider that we have evolved as a species over millions of years eating whole, natural foods. It is just in the last few hundred years that artificial ingredients and toxic pesticides have been introduced into the food chain. It is no wonder that the incidence of cancer has exploded in the last few centuries.

Ayurveda prefers bioavailable foods. We should cook veggies rather than eating them raw. Although raw veggies may contain more vitamins and nutrients, they can be harder for our bodies to metabolize. Raw veggies should eat at lunch. During the early afternoon hours when the sun is highest in the sky, our digestive agni is working at its maximum potency. And as the sun goes down, so does our agni. So to burn our largest meal of the day we add it to our strong digestive fire at noon.

Spices

Spices not only add flavor and aroma; they also bring therapeutic value to any meal. Spices help boost natural immunity, and most of them can rev up our digestion so our bodies are able to absorb and assimilate the nutrients from the foods we eat! If you are new to the world of spices and aren't quite sure what to choose, try one of our ready-to-use Churnas.

According to ayurveda, each meal should contain all six flavors: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, astringent, and pungent as well as madhur, amla, lavana, katu, tikta, kasay. The dominance of the flavors will be based on our predominant dosha makeup. For example, a Vata-predominant person will favor heavier meals with sour and salty tastes. A Kapha-predominant person may favor more pungent meals, and a Pitta-predominant person more sweet flavors. Remember, having all six tastes in our meals means that the spice is present, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that we may overtly taste each flavor.

Carbs, Proteins and Fats

Eat protein at breakfast.

Eating protein at breakfast is very beneficial for powering the day. But excess protein should be avoided at late dinner time, if you are prone to stomach issues. Stick with something light in the late hours like whole grain oatmeal.

Eat healthy fats at breakfast.

If you are consuming foods high in fat, aim to consume them at breakfast or mid-morning. Some healthy options include nut butters, protein-rich eggs, or whole milk Greek yogurt. Avoid eating large quantities of fatty foods at night as it takes around 2-4 hours for fat to digest. So if you eat fat too late in the evening, your body won’t have as much time to utilize this energy before storing it.

Eat carbs before working out.

The body needs an instant source of energy, so aim for something that is in the 150-200 calorie range.

Eat protein and carbs in a ratio of 2:1-4:1 within 45 minutes after working out. After a workout, the body tends to repair and build your muscles. For this you need protein which provides essential amino acids needed in this process. And since the glycogen stores are depleted in your workout, you need to replenish this by eating carbs. You can take Greek yogurt with fresh fruit and almonds, or a slice of toast with a banana and peanut butter.

Eat complex carbohydrates at night.

Research shows that the best time to consume carbohydrates is in the evening at dinnertime, as it modifies leptin, a satiety hormone and adiponectin, a protein that regulates insulin secretion. Make yourself some warm milk laced with special sleep-inducing herbs. Pour 4 to 6 ounces of milk (organic, from happy cows!) into a saucepan, along with a pinch or two of cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, and saffron, and a teaspoon of ghee, and simmer for about three minutes. Remove from the heat and let set for a minute or so. Add raw honey to taste—either more than or less than a teaspoon. Take this warm elixir with you to bed, sip until finished, and settle in for a divine snuggle.

Detoxification

The build-up of ‘AMA’ — digestive toxins resulting from improper digestion — in the physiology is, according to Ayurveda, the root cause of most disorders. That’s worth repeating: The build-up of AMA is the root cause of most disorders. Improper digestion can be the result of a few habits:

• Eating late in the evening when the body is ready for rest and not prepared for the heavy work of digestion. Eat a lighter, well-cooked meal at least three hours before bed, and try to be in bed around 10:00 p.m. or before.
• Eating raw veggies or heavy meats that are harder to digest.
• Having weak digestion, due to an imbalance, or due to stress in our lives.
• Poor hydration. When the body is not hydrated, it cannot remove impurities from the lymph system properly. Blood production and flow may be negatively affected, possibly inhibiting our body’s ability to carry and maintain oxygen and nutrients.

Completing cleanses during every change of seasons, to detox and rid the body of ama, is recommended for optimal health. Detoxing is particularly recommended in the early spring, because that is the time nature starts the annual cycle of regeneration as well. During cleansing, we can eat light, yet nourishing foods such as moong bean soup or kichri, and drink lots of warm water through the day. Sip detox tea or ama pachana water. Fresh, sweet juicy fruits are excellent cleansers.

Sample Ayurvedic Meals That Include All Six Tastes

 

Once you learn how to integrate the six tastes in every meal, you will see the spikes and valleys in your hunger level out. Since only a small quantity of foods with bitter, pungent, or astringent tastes is necessary to satisfy our requirements, it’s relatively easy to include them in your regular diet. For example, a couple of dashes of pepper will add the pungency, while a small amount of raw spinach in a salad will give you the bitter and astringent tastes.

Sweet: The first taste is sweet and is found in protein, fat, and carbohydrates. In the West when we think of the sweet taste, we generally associate it with sugary products like candy and ice cream. In Ayurveda, meat, oils, and butter are sweet. Milk, too, is sweet, as are cereals, other grains, and sweet fruit.

Sour: The second taste is sour and is the taste of citrus fruits and fermented foods and drinks, such as yogurt, sour cream, cheese, vinegar, and alcohol.

Salty: The third taste on our list, salty, presumably doesn’t require further explanation; it is easy to receive in food.

Bitter: The fourth taste is bitter and is most often found in leafy greens or vegetables.

Pungent: The fifth taste, pungent, is the taste of spice or peppery heat. Pungency is found in such foods as spices, hot peppers, garlic, onions, and ginger.

Astringent: The sixth taste, astringent, is not a true taste but nonetheless must be included. Foods that possess astringent taste have a peculiar flavor and have a compacting and drying effect on the body. Some examples are beans, lentils, and pulses but also green tea, spinach, and cranberries. If you’ve ever had a cup of pure green tea without anything added to it, you have experienced a dry taste in your mouth. That is the effect of astringency.

Seasonal Considerations

The best time to take different foods according to seasons is called Ritucharya.

Rainy Season

Have food which is bitter, pungent and astringent in taste, lukewarm yogurt, wheat, red rice, wild meats like goat and rabbit. Avoid dry food products.

Autumn

Have ghee, sweet, astringent, bitter tasting food products, milk, jaggery, wheat, barley, split green gram, red rice, goat meat, rabbit. Drink warm water. Avoid yogurt, sour, pungent, and hot food. Pre-winter morning meals are advised. Have sour, sweet, salty food, wheat, jaggery, red rice, split black lentils, sesame seed products and fresh grains.

Drink lukewarm water.

Spring Season

Goat meat and rabbit are beneficial in spring. Wheat, red rice, split green gram and barley are beneficial. Dry, pungent tasting foods and warm, light foods are also good. Avoid sweet, sour and unctuous (oily) substances as well as yogurt.

Summer Season

Sweet, unctuous, cold, light and liquid foods are recommended. Gram flour, goat meat, rabbit and red rice are advised. Avoid pungent and sour foods.

Incompatible Foods

Certain incompatible foods (Viruddha-Aahara) should be avoided as they create negative reactions in the body.

1.      Fish + Milk.
This is a potency incompatibility (VeeryaViruddha).

2.      Heated honey.
This is a processing incompatibility (SanskarViruddha).

3.      Honey + cow’s ghee mixed in equal proportions.
This is a dose incompatibility (MatraViruddha).

4.      Hot water after taking honey.
This is a functional incompatibility (KramaViruddha).

5.      Sweet food in spring and hot food in summer.
This is an example of time incompatibility (Kala Viruddha).

6.      Consuming yogurt at night.
This is order incompatibility (KramaViruddha). Taking the sweet taste (Madhura Rasa) at the end of meals and the bitter (Tikta) and pungent (Katu) taste at the start of meals.

7.      Fruit salad or milk + banana.
This is food combination incompatibility (SamyogaViruddha).

8.      Consuming cold water immediately after having hot tea or coffee.
This is contraindication incompatibility (PariharViruddha).

Try to avoid these combinations :-

Green tea or black tea and milk.

Tea contains flavonoids called catechins, which have many beneficial effects on the heart. When milk is added to tea, then a group of proteins in milk, called caseins, interact with the tea to reduce the concentration of catechins. So avoid tea and milk together.

Milk and yogurt.

Consuming both together can precipitate milk inside the stomach that may irritate and induce vomiting. So, avoid milk and yogurt together.

Tea and garlic.

Tea contains anticoagulant compounds called coumarins. When combined with garlic (that also has ant clotting properties), they may increase the risk of bleeding. So, it is better to avoid tea and garlic together.

Pomegranate juice and grapefruit juice.

Pomegranate juice and grapefruit juice are both known to block the cytochrome P450 3A4 enzyme systems in the intestines and increase blood
levels of many medications. Taking these two juices together may synergize the above action.

Unripe (green) tomatoes or potatoes and alcohol.

The unripe green tomatoes contain huge amounts of solanine, which may interact with alcohol and result in more sedation. This is a processing incompatibility (SanskaraViruddha).

Deep fried potatoes can develop toxic substances, such as acrylamide, which can prove to be carcinogenic.

Eating potato chips regularly should be avoided. It has been mentioned in Ayurveda that oil and food must not be reheated. Reheating oil creates more oxidation and when it is consumed it creates more oxidative stress creating more free radicals.

A recent study found that a toxin called 4-hydroxy-trans-2-nonenal (HNE) is formed when such oils as corn, soya bean, and sunflower oils are reheated. Consumption of foods containing HNE from cooking oils has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s disease, various liver disorders and cancer. Milk which contains lactogen and certain fruits such as bananas, which also contain common allergens, may aggravate an asthmatic attack. Milk with eggs, reheated cow’s milk, consuming too much sugar along with saturated fats, can lead to a number of immunologic disorders. Rheumatoid arthritis patients who consume yogurt and sour food at night complain of more morning stiffness.