Tired Of Trendy Diets? Consider Pure Ancient Wisdom: The Ayurvedic Diet
dr.vanta
1.About Ayurvedic Diet
2.Understanding Your Nature (Dosha)
3.Your Constitution: The Unique Combination Of The 3 Doshas
4.Improving The Digestion, Skin and Lymphatic Systems Are All Important Goals Of The Ayurveda
5.Some Basic Principles Of Ayurvedic Diet
6.Ayurvedic Diet Recommends Some Seasonal Changes
7.Food Combinations
8.More about Foods- Its Quality and Flavors
9. Some Thoughts
We’ve created hundreds of diets. They all come and go, as a new trend becomes popular. Meanwhile, the principles of Ayurvedic diet had been consistent for thousands of years. It stood the test of time and helped millions of people to get back to health. Why not considering the Ayurvedic diet ?
1.About Ayurvedic Diet
Unlike other diets, Ayurvedic diet is not just about what you have on the plate, or how many net carbs you consumed- it’s a complete, holistic experience. The diet is a key component of the Ayurvedic medicine. Other components of Ayurveda include: herbs, lifestyle changes, and exercise. This means that Ayurvedic diet will work best when combined with other lifestyle changes recommended by Ayurveda. It’s also interesting to see how scientific research from the last few decades confirm what Ayurvedic practitioners knew for a very very long time. Let’s look at the details.
According to Ayurveda, we (humans) are part of the nature, just as animals and plants do. This system uses the laws of nature to treat diseases and maintain health.
2.Understanding Your Nature (Dosha)
Your nature is mirrored by your dosha (aka body type, biological energy), and there are three of them. The doshas also reflect the key principles of nature :
Vata. Primary elements: it is the energy of air and ether. Vata relates to impulse, movement, creativity and connection. It governs the nervous system, the muscles, the circulation and heart, sensory perception and the ability to experience joy, flexibility and consciousness. Imbalanced (excessive) Vata is linked with poor circulation, slow digestion (constipation), dry skin, insomnia, abnormal movements (ie twitches and tremors), fear, anxiety, feeling ungrounded. The qualities of Vata: dry, light, cold, rough, subtle, mobile and clear.
Pitta. Primary elements: it is the energy of fire and water. It governs digestion (from appetite to foods assimilation), body temperature, intelligence, charisma and ambition. When out of balance (in excess), Pitta can cause excess heat with heartburn, excessive hunger, migraines, rashes, inflammation, sleeping problems, bleeding disorders, overactive metabolism, anger and jealousy. Pita qualities: hot, sharp, light, liquid, spreading and oily.
Kapha. Primary elements: it is the energy of water and earth. It governs fluid balance and optimal fat metabolism, nourishment and regeneration, power, memory, structure, the feeling of being grounded and stable. It is linked with your ability to feel content and compassionate. When Kapha is out of balance (excessive) it will cause excessive sleep, depression, slow metabolism, fluid retention, tumors as well as attachments and feeling greedy, reduced ability to change (flexibility), less motivation, feeling heavy both physically and emotionally. Kapha qualities:heavy, slow, cool, oily, smooth, dense, soft, stable, gross and cloudy.
3.Your Constitution: The Unique Combination Of The 3 Doshas
Each of us has a constitution (prakriti), which is a unique combination of these three doshas, (most often one will predominate over the other two). Your constitution is established at conception, refined at birth and stays with you during your entire lifetime. It represents your state of balance and your key for optimal health. Your constitution influences your physiology, your mind and emotions, habits, your character as well as your vulnerabilities towards certain diseases. Your constitution will also determine the best foods to eat, how to exercise, sleep and even the best place to live. This way you will align your nature with the cycles of the nature and seasons. To get idea about your dosha(s) you can take this online quiz.or the one I mentioned when I reviewed The Prime Diet.
4.Improving The Digestion, Skin and Lymphatic Systems Are All Important Goals Of The Ayurveda
Yes, according to Ayurveda, all of them : the digestion, skin and lymphatic system are connected and play an essential role in your health. Quick note here: it’s fascinating to look at the scientific studies from the last few decades. The diet and gut health are increasingly recognized as being super important in your health. You can read about specific changes in the gut microbiome associated with MS here. Did any doctor tell you how important the health of your skin or lymphatic system for your overall well-being or to prevent chronic diseases? Probably not. However, I’m here to tell you that new research studies [1],[2] found both skin and lymphatic system as key players in both health and diseases like autoimmune conditions, digestive/inflammatory diseases and cancer. It will take a while, perhaps another few decades until standard therapies see this connection.
5.Some Basic Principles Of Ayurvedic Diet
According to Ayurveda, 80% of diseases come from an imbalanced digestive system. “How” you eat is more important than “when” and “what” you eat.
Let’s look at the “how”. Some basic recommendations include : always sit down when you eat, eat in a relaxed environment (not in front of the computer or while driving); never eat when upset; don’t eat when you aren’t hungry and eat to the point of being up to 75% full ; dine at moderate pace, not too fast not too slow. This makes sense from modern medicine perspective as well: these techniques help you switch from sympathetic dominance (fight or flight reactions) to parasympathetic dominance “rest and digest response) when digestion greatly improves.
“When “ should you eat ? As a general rule, lunch should be the largest meal, and diner the smallest because your digestion is best when the sun is the strongest. In other words, getting in sync with the light/dark circadian system is what Ayurveda recommends. Furthermore, you should take time between meals, never eat another meal until you digested the previous one, and don’t eat after 7 pm. What is modern medicine saying ? Well, pretty much the same thing. In order to improve digestion, you need to take a few hours break between meals to improve MMC. MMC (migratory motor complex), which consists of waves of electrical activity that sweep through the intestines in a regular cycle, between meals) is linked with the circadian rhythm. Of course better digestion, and no eating late at night will help you sleep better as well.
“What” you eat: you will eat certain foods and avoid others according to your dosha. This means that your diet will be individualized based on your constitution. The three doshas correspond to the Western body type (also called somatotypes): ectomorph- is Vata, thin and lean type, endomorph is Kapha, easily gains weight, slow metabolism, bulky appearance and mesomorph -Pitta, normal built, muscular, with strong bones and appetite.Imbalances of the doshas will lead to specific medical conditions. Interestingly, research also founds specific diseases ie diabetes, heart diseases (Pitta, Kapha type) and even stress hormone levels associated with certain somatotypes [3],[4],[5].So the connection between the body type and predisposition for certain diseases is there. I see quite a bit of research in sport medicine/ psychology using the body type to train athletes. That’s a very smart approach.Back to Ayurveda. The diet recommends specific foods to correct dosha imbalances, and therefore reduce the risk of diseases.
6.Ayurvedic Diet Recommends Some Seasonal Changes
Ayurveda is based on rhythmic changes found in nature: the daily circadian rhythm, seasonal, and the phases of life (birth, aging), thus the diet will change accordingly. As mentioned above, lunch is the biggest meal because the digestion is better when the sun is the strongest. Also, getting in sync with the season is important: you should eat certain foods like nuts and grains in the winter (the “Vata” season), more fresh veggies and berries in the spring (“Kapha” season) and summer, cooling fruits and veggies (ie bell peppers and watermelon) in the summer (“Pitta “ season).
Hippocrates, the father or modern medicine wrote in 400 BC: “We must consider [whether] food is to be given once or twice a day, in greater or smaller quantities, and at intervals. Something must be conceded to habit, to season, to country and to age” [6]. It looks that the Western word forgot about these advices.
According to Ayurveda, you should eat more fatty foods (ie ghee), complex carbs (ie cooked grains), soups and stews in the winter. Increase the intake of foods that are sweet, sour and salty while decrease sour, pungent and salty foods, use warming spices and raw honey are also great in the winter. Fermented foods are acidic, and have “heating” qualities thus should be more consumed during the cold seasons.
In the spring you should choose more bitter, pungent and astringent foods and less sweet, sour or salty foods. Focus on lighter, warmer foods and have less fatty foods. Consume green veggies, warming spices, and overall eat less than in the winter. Also, you should limit meats and fruits, and increase exercise in the spring.
In the summer you can eat more sweet foods, especially fruits and veggies, cooling foods (ie berries, cucumbers, melons) while reducing spicy, pungent, salty and sour foods. Focus on cool moist foods and consume less dry of fatty foods.
In the fall you can enjoy sweet, bitter and astringent foods, while eating less sour, salty or pungent foods. Eat soups, warming spices, seasonal fruits and pomegranate, bitter green veggies and spices.
Modern research also found changes in our fat and carb metabolism as we adapt to cold or warm temperatures. It makes sense to consume more fatty foods during the cold seasons, and more carbs in the summer. The quality and nutritional profile of these foods is also better when they are consumed in season.
7.Food Combinations
The Ayurvedic perspective is that each food has a certain combination of tastes and energies, and this will have an impact on the digestion and overall health. Combining foods the right way can optimize digestion, while improper food combination can cause fermentation, gas, bloating and accumulation of toxins (does this sound like IBS, SIBO, acid reflux described by modern medicine ?) . For example, beans can be combined with other beans, nuts, grains, vegetables and seeds and should not be combined with fruits, milk, cheese, yogurt, eggs, meat or fish. Ghee is more versatile than butter as it can be combined with different foods. Cheese and yogurt are better digested when combined with grains and vegetables while combining with fruits, beans, eggs, milk, yogurt or hot drinks may not be a good idea. You should eat fruits 1-2 hours away from other foods. Some of these concepts (ie eat fruits away from other foods, not combining plant and animal rich proteins like beans and meats, the benefits of ghee over butter or margarine) are also acknowledged by modern nutrition.
8.More about Foods- Its Quality and Flavors.
Food is medicine, according to Ayurveda. Thus, the diet will also emphasize to choose high quality foods. Ayurveda recommends organic, fresh, locally grown foods and avoiding processed and canned foods. You should eat freshly cooked foods because the cooked veggies are better digested/bioavailable than the raw ones. The meat should come from animals that are treated humanely, and are no fed with hormones or antibiotics. Whole foods, organic are seen to have higher levels of chetna, or innate intelligence, thus better align with our physiology. These recommendations are supported by the modern studies as well. We understand now the dangers of GMO and processed foods, and how canned and frozen foods can be unhealthy (ie excess of histamine)
Consume plenty of veggies. Add a lot of spices — they not only add flavor, but improve digestion and the immune system. Limit meats and fish. Grains- including wheat and various beans are on the menu. Dairy products are ok (ghee, lassi, cheese). You should also limit coffee, alcohol and carbonated drinks.
Include all 6 flavors. According to Ayurveda, each meal should include all six flavors. The dominance of the flavors will be based on your predominant dosha. The six tastes and corresponding emotions are :sweet- linked with satisfaction; contentment; feeling fulfilled ; sour associated with discernment; insightful and heightened awareness; salty with desire, zest for life; feeling passionate; pungent with feeling extroverted, driven and ambitious; bitter with feeling dynamic, focused and cool-headed; astringent with being introspective, mental clarity, reflective and composed. Can emotions change with the foods you eat ? Yes, for sure. That’s why we have food cravings. Ayurvedic practitioners suggest that not enough sweet in the diet would cause emotions like feeling unsatisfied, depressed and discontented. Guess what? This is what happens when you go on a low carb diet as well (especially at the beginning), it had been documented in studies.
Spices contain a lipid-soluble portion and a water-soluble portion. Ayurveda recommends sautéing your spices in ghee or olive oil, because the sauté releases the lipid component of the spices. Note: the inclusions of all these herbs and spices is a very smart idea, as they aid digestion, plus reduce insulin spikes- this is very important as Ayurvedic diet includes beans and grains.
Avoid ama (toxins) build up, which is the root cause of diseases, according to Ayurveda. Ama is caused by a weak, irregular agni (agni is the “digestive fire” found in the small intestine area). Proper hydration, eating the largest meal at lunch, choosing clean, organic veggies freshly cooked, consuming spices, taking some herbal supplements and following healthy lifestyle (meditation, yoga, exercise) can all help reduce ama.
Eat for your soul, too. A pleasant, happy environment, in company of friends or family will make your meals more nourishing. Quick note: our western, Mediterranean diet also use this principle to eat with family or friends. Since is mentioned the soul, yes, Ayurveda understands the importance of spiritual health, in addition to physical and mental health. Spiritual health had been neglected for a long time (up until two decades ago) in conventional medicine. In the recent years (2011), World Health Organization suggested the addition of spiritual health to the previous definition of health (which includes physical, mental and social well being) [6].
Mindful eating: According to Ayurveda, we metabolize food with all five senses: hear, touch, see, taste and smell. Thus you should choose wisely the foods you eat, how you eat and the environment. The benefits of mindful eating are currently explored in scientific studies. Even when you cook you should have positive emotions [7].
Ayurvedic physicians believe that the best diet for you is not the diet that counts carbs or calories, but the one that makes you feel good and strengthen your relationship with food. They acknowledge that carbs (from sugar, grains, processed foods) are over consumed in the modern word. In developing countries, these carbs offer an inexpensive meal. In developed countries, carbs are a big part of processed foods and sodas, and again are over consumed because people just got used with them and can afford these products. Carbohydrates give you the sugar high making you feel good. They break the connection between gut and brain and also act as emotional surrogates -so we eat them to not feel bad.
9. Some Thoughts
I do see a lot of value in Ayurvedic diet, and the whole system of Ayurveda. Not just for treating MS, but for overall health. You may want to consider first “The Prime”diet. For optimal benefits, use the diet in combination with other Ayurvedic therapies such as herbs, meditation, yoga, exercise, as they all work together.
Slowly but surely, our modern diets are incorporating the principles of this form of medicine. Almost any new diet will tell you to stay active, sleep well and use some relaxation techniques. But I found all these diets very restrictive, telling you exactly what to eat and what to not eat, the one size fits all approach. Ayurvedic diet is highly individualized based on your unique constitution and dosha imbalances.
In a word of confusion, when there is always a new diet making the headlines in the news or at the bookstore, it may be a good idea to pause and reflect- could Ayurvedic diet be the best ?
