Ayurveda-4
Ayurvedic Food Habits
Sandra Bharadwaj
Just like Ayurvedic medicine, Ayurvedic nutrition is very important for a healthy body and mind. In general, pure and proper nutrition provides the essential building materials for a healthy body. Ayurvedic diet is therefore applied in the healing process of body and mind in case of imbalance, diseases and ailments. The Atharva Veda, Charak Samhita, teachings of Sushurata detail how a healthy body is established and maintained. There are general nutritional guidelines, but also specific guidelines in which the diet is optimally tailored to the individual needs of the individual. When drawing up nutritional advice, dosha, age, weight, day, season, time of day, health situation of the individual, possible complaints, living conditions and many other matters are taken into account.
In this article we focus on pure nutrition. For proper care of body and mind, it is important to determine what kind of food is consumed, what the quality of the products are and how they are produced or which processes precede the production of the product / food. In addition, it is also important to look at the digestive dynamics, the absorption of the food. A good optimal processing of the food we consume requires a powerful agni, a powerful digestive fire. Good digestion ensures a healthy body. In Ayurvedic nutrition, in addition to digestive power, the dosha balance is very important. Certain properties are attributed to every food, every drink, every medicinal herb administered.
Depending on the foods, the spices, the herbs, their preparation, the flavors etc, the meals have a different effect on the three doshas. These effects are specifically used and monitored to improve dosha balance and balance the body and mind. Nutrition therefore plays an essential role in maintaining a healthy body and mind and therefore makes a noticeable contribution to preventing disease and slowing down the aging process.
Some starting points
With an Ayurvedic eating habit, it is important to pay attention to amounts of food, times when you eat and what you eat.
Eat small portions. The body needs time to digest and convert food. Therefore, eat what the body needs; little and what the body needs.
Eat at set times. A healthy eating pattern consists of eating at fixed times between sunrise and sunset. The main meal is lunch, think hot food. Breakfast and dinner are light meals.
Eat Satvik food: food that does not contain animal products or has been created through suffering. Pure organic food is recommended.
In addition, eat food that is freshly prepared. Cook or prepare as much food as you can eat. Wasting food is a sin and cooking too much is another reason to eat everything that is bad for your health.
Observe silence while eating. Pure thoughts and concentration on food create positive building blocks for a healthy body.
Do not drink water half an hour before and half an hour after eating. It is best to drink warm or boiled water half an hour after eating. This is to aid digestion. Cold water quenches the body’s digestive agni. Warm water supports the digestive process.
Together with an Ayurvedic doctor, determine your dosha and adjust your diet to your dosha. This helps you to determine and apply the right diet. There is still a lot that can be said and applied.
Ayurvedic medicine and Ayurvedic diet ensure a healthy body and mind with the focus on preventing diseases and ailments. We learn that by applying it in our lives. If you want a healthy body and mind, start making some or small changes to your diet today. It will visibly help you! Live consciously and live healthy!
Use knowledge from Ayurveda for a long and happy life!
Sandra Bharadwaj
is de Voorzitter van Stichting Shri Sanatan Dharma Nederland.