Ayurvedic Nutrition: The Right Diet
The word "Ayurveda" means "science of life". According to Ayurveda our overall health and well-being depend on attaining a state of balance and harmony. Being out of balance or feeling stressed makes you more susceptible to illness. Ayurveda focuses on lifestyle interventions and the implementation of natural remedies, creating a balance between the body, mind, spirit, and the environment. Ayurveda suggests that our internal energy systems must flow smoothly and be balanced for an individual to be healthy. Ayurveda defines a person’s specific constitution or Prakriti. The constitution includes the individual’s immunity, psychology, behavior, and physical traits. Every individual constitution requires specific treatment.
Eating Right to Balance the Doshas
Ayurvedic nutrition provides guidelines for when, how, and what to eat based on a specific dosha or body type. Balancing the doshas is required for the mind and body to function properly. One must gain knowledge about their dominant dosha. Specific dosha determines the foods one should eat to restore balance in the body. The three doshas include Vata, Pitta, and Kapha.
Vata
- The nature of vata dominant is cool, dry, and light.
- Vata is related to the movement of the body, digestion, circulation, and the respiration process. To balance vata dosha.
- One must eat three meals a day, follow a regular sleep schedule, and de-stress with meditation and yoga.
- Individuals must eat frequently and not stay hungry for a long time.
- Warm, and light spicy food is recommended for vata-dominant people.
- Foods consumed must hydrate the system and improve digestion.
- Foods recommended - fresh ripe fruits, cooked or boiled vegetables, fresh milk products, and healthy fats.
- Foods to avoid - raw, bitter vegetables, astringent food products.
Pitta
- The nature of pitta dominant is heat and sharpness.
- Pitta governs the body’s metabolism and is known for digestion as pitta dominants can easily digest any food. It is related to Agni.
- Should consume food that helps to cool the system.
- It is recommended to avoid skipping meals.
- Foods recommended - salads, fruit juices, vegetarian diet.
- Foods to avoid - extremely spicy, sour, and salty food, dry fruits, lentils, sour fruits, and vegetables with pungent flavors like radishes and turnips.
Kapha
- The nature of Kapha dominant is heaviness, stability, and cold.
- It is responsible for the structure of the body and the bodily fluids.
- Kapha dominants should avoid overeating.
- Foods recommended - dry and light foods, spicy food, raw fruits, and salads.
- Foods to avoid – white sugar, and foods containing fat.
Instructions to Follow the Right Diet
Avoid Snacking
Snacking can sometimes disrupt the digestion cycle. During the first hour of eating, kapha energy dominates, which makes one feel heavy and sluggish. Pitta energy then controls digestion in the next 2-4 hours by breaking down the food. Vata energy increases after 4-5 hours of eating which makes the body light and increases appetite. Breaking the digestive cycle due to snacking can lead to the accumulation of toxins and manifesting different symptoms.
Avoid Overeating
One should avoid eating whole to their stomach. Apart from the obvious consequences of weight gain, overeating may increase the cell degeneration process. It is recommended to only eat as much as one can fit into their cupped palm. This is how much the body can assimilate without consuming any extra energy for digestion. By preventing overeating, it is ensured that the body gets the nutrients it needs.
Consume Fresh Food
Prana or life force helps to nourish the body and plays a role in producing vitality and energy. According to ayurvedic nutrition, eating fresh food is likely to increase the prana. Prana-rich foods come directly from the earth.
Decrease Cold Food and Beverages
The Agni or heat in the stomach mainly helps to digest the food, absorb its nutrients and burn the waste products. It is necessary to not dampen the strength of Agni with icy cold food and beverages. Individuals with Vata and Kapha dosha must stay away from extremely cold foods.
Eat Mindfully
As per Ayurveda, how one eats is as important as what one eats. Mindful eating is paying attention to the details of how one eats. Eating too fast and unconsciously is the reason one may feel hungry too soon. One must avoid using cell phones or finishing work while they are eating. Binge eating may lead to several metabolic disorders. Eating mindfully also helps to address different eating disorders.
Approach to Water Intake as per Ayurveda
In ayurvedic texts, it is claimed that drinking water from an Ayurveda Copper Bottle balances the body's three doshas, i.e. vata, pitta, and kapha. It contains antibacterial and antioxidant properties which help to eliminate harmful toxins from the body. Drinking copper-enriched water helps to boost metabolism and stimulate brain functioning. The physiological system cannot create copper on its own. Hence intake of an optimum amount of copper in the form of water or food is necessary to maintain the healthy functioning of the body.
Drinking water with the right pH level is crucial. Ayurveda Copper Bottles purify the water and increase the alkalinity (pH) of water. The longer the water is stored in the copper bottle the higher the pH level of the water is. It is the safest and cheapest way to make alkaline-rich water. Alkaline water made naturally from copper bottles helps to detoxify the body, strengthen the muscles, and balance the oxygen distribution in the body.
Ayurveda also states that one must drink lukewarm water regularly in the morning. It is crucial to separate food intake and water intake by 45 minutes. Drinking water before meals slows down the digestion process and drinking water immediately after eating ruptures the assimilation process.
To acquire the benefits of Ayurveda Copper bottles, one must ensure their authenticity and buy them from a reputable seller. Buy genuine Copper bottles from Holistic Kart.
Click the link below to know more about ayurveda copper bottles