“Let food be thy medicine, and thy medicine be thy food,” says an Ayurvedic proverb. Just eating right is namely, according to the “science of longevity”, as the word Ayurveda is translated, one of the most important principles of healing imbalances and diseases. Of course, Ayurveda does not end there. “Ayurveda gives us guidance on how to set up a lifestyle that is suitable for our type – from the daily routine to the setting of activities during the day, eating, to relationships and self-care,” explains Kristýna Paulus, yoga and Ayurveda lecturer.
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What does Ayurveda say?
Ayurveda considers lunch to be the main meal of the day. “This should be the heartiest food, because the digestive fire is the strongest. Just as the sun is strongest around noon,” explains Kristýna Paulus. Breakfast and dinner, on the other hand, should be lighter. “Not only in terms of diet, Ayurveda respects and follows circadian rhythms. It is very important in what environment and with what emotion we eat food,” he explains.
Mainly calmly and slowly
According to Ayurveda, you should eat in a pleasant environment, with people you are comfortable with. Most food should be homemade, freshly prepared. It is also good to sit down to eat and eat at roughly the same time each time. Ayurveda recommends chewing your food well, taking your time, eating slowly and not eating before bed. “Personally, I am a supporter of combining modern knowledge with the principles of Ayurveda tested for thousands of years and placing them in the environment in which the given person lives,” notes Kristýna Paulus.
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The theory of six tastes
Ayurveda distinguishes six basic tastes: sweet, sour, salty, hot, bitter and bitter. According to Ayurveda, each taste affects our body differently. Knowing which tastes are good for us and which are not is the basis for being in control of your health and maintaining a psychosomatic balance. Individual flavors directly affect a person’s emotional state and psychological state. It is therefore good to notice individual flavors in our diet.
Do you know which dosha predominates in you?
Ayurveda describes three basic human types, the so-called doshas. They are vata, pitta and kapha. Each of them has its own characteristics:
- Wonder – Dryness, cold hands and feet are typical for her. The cotton wool type is creative, has a lot of activities, does not like routine. But he gets tired easily. People with this dosha are usually slim, but may have a problem with digestion or perhaps with anxiety.
- Pitta – She is intelligent and hardworking. He usually has a medium build and a mild temper. Pitta is characterized by a great appetite and rapid digestion. They usually have good immunity and are strong and resilient individuals.
- Kapha – He has a calm nature. He often has a more robust build. A characteristic feature is thoughtfulness, conscientiousness, but sometimes laziness. He has slow digestion.
How to eat according to the dosha type?
A lot depends on whether we are in balance or whether we are solving a problem. “The influence of the environment is also taken into account, which also influences the composition of the menu. Ayurveda has already described in ancient times that certain food combinations are not beneficial for health, or even threaten it. This is called viruddha ahara,” says Kristýna Paulus.
How should vata eat?
According to Kristýna Paulus, people with this dosha prefer sweet, sour or salty foods, ideally prepared with ghee and suitably spiced. Vata should limit grains, such as barley, and a generally dry, cold diet. On the contrary, he can enjoy warm soups, nuts, red lentils, sweet fruits and heat-treated vegetables.
What does pitta enjoy?
“Pitta prefers sweet, bitter or bitter foods and above all raw or lightly cooked with less fat and spices,” says Kristýna Paulus. For example, barley, basmati rice, bran, legumes, sweet fruits and vegetables, milk and drinks at room temperature or lukewarm, such as hibiscus drink, are suitable for pitta.
Kapha loves food. What is suitable for her?
“Kapha type people prefer hot, bitter or bitter foods cooked with spices, but of all three doshas with the least amount of oil,” mentions Kristýna Paulus. Kapha should avoid fats and sweet foods. He can enjoy barley, buckwheat, rye and legumes (e.g. mung bean, tempeh). From dairy products, it is better to choose those with a lower fat content. Vegetable juices are great.
Kičari: Food for all three doshas
One of the traditional Ayurvedic dishes is the so-called kichari. A thick soup made from mung dal, basmati rice and seasonal vegetables is easy to digest and healthy and is suitable for both vata, pitta and kapha. It is part of a harmonizing and balancing diet. The high fiber content in this food helps maintain a stable blood sugar level, giving strength and vitality. It is excellent for detoxification and anti-aging of cells:
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons of ghee
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 1/2 cup mung dal (mung beans)
- 4-5 cups of water as needed
- 1 teaspoon of cumin
- 1 teaspoon whole mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon whole cilantro
- 1/2 teaspoon whole fennel
- fresh ginger
- seasonal vegetables of your choice (for example, carrots and parsley)
Approach:
1. Cook rice and mung beans together in salted water until soft.
2. Fry all the spices on hot ghee (you can crush them in a mortar beforehand), let them smell, fry for a while and add turmeric at the end (it should not be fried for a long time so that it does not become bitter).
2. Add this mixture to the cooked rice with more and mix. Then we fry chopped carrots, parsley and ginger on hot ghee and arrange it on rice with dal. Serve with fresh coriander.
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