What is ayurveda? Science of life? Way of maintaining health? System of good practices for re-establishing balance? Indian vedic science? It is all this and much more. So, guys, if you have been looking for answers to improving your overall health, I will break it down for you all aspects to ayurveda and how can it help you achieve your health goal , whatever that might be!
Ayurveda is an ancient , more than 5000 years old system and knowledge that creates perfect health. It translates as the full “science of life” from the Sanskrit language and Healthy body=Healthy mind=Fulfilling Life! Here you have some of the basic guidelines on what ayurveda is and how can it help you in your day-to-day life!
Why ayurveda and why now?
I am very passionate of ayurveda because I am one of those people that had struggled with my weight, diet and metabolism for my whole life. I’ve tried several diet types like paleo, raw, smoothies, shakes and nothing really worked as eating according to my ayurvedic type. After learning about ayurvedic nutrition and what I should eat according to my type I realized that the majority of the food I was consuming before wasn’t right for me…That’s because we have different constitutions and that is the main reason we need to nourish our bodies in a different way! That’s why I’d like more and more people to know about ayurvedic nutrition. It really made a difference already in a very short term in my life and I am sure it can help you guys too!
How does ayurveda work?
The main strategy of ayurveda and maybe the main difference to western style medicine is emphasizing PREVENTION. Yes, we don’t have to live from treatment to treatment or from curing one illness and getting another one… Ayurveda’s main idea relies on creating balance. Balance between what? It actually offers us a system of nutrition, way of thinking, lifestyle(sleep, exercise) and the use of herbs that is suitable for our personal mind and body structure! We are all unique and have a completely different fingerprint right? So why do we try to eat, sleep or live the same way.?! What might work for some of you might not work for me or your neighbor..and that’s a fact! When we were born, we have represented a very distinct and individual combination When we are out of balance illness comes our way. However, if we take charge and are conscious to keep our mind, body and spirit in balance, we will stay healthy and energetic for a long time!
What is ayurvedic nutrition?
It’s easy! Since we are a very different combination of the same basic elements we need to take care of our body and mind accordingly. Now, let’s talk about nutrition. The very simple strategy of eating is to eat according to our mind-body type. In this manner we need to choose those types of foods that are easily digested by our unique composition or those that help retain our very own structure. Try out this one for example.
Which are the main ayurvedic mind and body types?
Ayurveda identifies three basic types of energy and functional principles that can be found in all things and beings. These three principles are called in the Sanskrit language Vata, Pitta and Kapha. The fascinating thing is that they are the basic principles that govern human physiology. We need energy to create movement so that the nutrients are transported to the cells enabling the body to function, to metabolize in the cells and we also need the cells to be properly nourished. So in this system that ensures the proper function of the cells vata is the energy of movement , pitta is the energy that govern transformation or digestion and kapha is the energy of lubrication and structure. Every one of us needs all of these tree types but they are present in everyone in different proportions. There is always a primary dosha, a secondary and a least prominent . Ayurveda says that illness appears when the cells do not function properly and there is an excess or deficiency of some of the doshas or by the presence of toxins. By re-balancing the doshas and the elimination of toxins perfect health is brought back. This is what ayurvedic nutrition with the other ayurvedic techniques does !
What is the first thing one can do towards an ayurvedic style diet?
The first step is to identify what body type we are . How ? There are plenty of online quizzes that one can take and that will give you your personal dosha composition. Regularly one of the 3 doshas is the dominant one in one’s physiology and the other two can be found in lower quantity. In fact, we need all three to have a healthy mind and body, hence we are unique compositions of the three.
I have tackled some of the introductory aspects to ayurvedic nutrition in an interview with Daniel Pal Phd, Ayurvedic Technitioneer and Transcendental Meditation teacher that you can hear in our first podcast soon! Stay tuned!