Ayurveda is an ancient form of holistic healing that emphasizes balance between body, mind, and spirit. Adopting an Ayurvedic diet may help curb cravings and emotional eating for a healthier lifestyle.
Curd should not be consumed at night as it increases kapha and pitta levels in your system, instead try this delectable dal recipe as an excellent night-time food choice!
Vata
Vata individuals require foods that are easy to digest, such as soups, roasted vegetables, cooked dal and rice dishes.
According to wellhealthorganic.com:ayurveda-dinner, every individual has three Doshas/functional energies that govern various bodily processes. Vata governs movement, coordination of senses and efforts, tissue equilibrium and inhalation/exhalation; individuals with a vata dominant constitution tend to have fast metabolisms as well as irregular eating and sleeping patterns; they often exhibit rough or dry skin with irregular eating and sleeping cycles.
Individuals with a Vata dominant constitution should consume foods which increase kapha qualities of heaviness, stillness and smoothness to counterbalance their rough, dry, cold disposition. Examples include Ayurvedic Samskara meals such as Kitchari which combines cooked rice and lentils infused with herbs like turmeric and ginger for example; salads; roasted sweet potatoes/squash as well as baked eggplant drizzled with some ghee are excellent dinner choices to consider as well as avoiding heavy processed food that makes digestion difficult – you should aim to achieve balance!
Pitta
Pitta, or fire and water element, governs digestion, metabolism, body temperature regulation and hormone balance – as well as being the source of your occasional feelings of impatience, impatience or anger.
As Pitta tends to be hot, oily, sharp and light by nature, it requires foods with properties to balance this condition. Individuals leaning towards Pitta should consume a hot meal around 8 PM while avoiding aggravating substances like fried foods, cheeses yogurts sour cream citrus fruits peppermint garlic and onions that could further upset its balance.
This kitchari recipe from India is an energising version of chicken soup that’s ideal for healing and detoxifying. Sweet potatoes provide filler while kale and fennel reduce Pitta by clearing heat and relieving stagnation – it’s like grandma’s comfort food without all the heavy sauces!
Kapha
Ayurved is one of the oldest healing sciences and provides some simple rules to keep us healthy and balanced. “Take ingredients tailored specifically to doshas to restore harmony,” according to Ayurvedic chef Divya Alter’s Joy of Balance: An Ayurvedic Guide to Cooking with Healing Ingredients (Chelsea Press). For example, celery juice might soothe calm kapha doshas such as those who tend toward calmness and stability while it could potentially increase pitta acidity or cause excess hunger vitiated kapha doshas who tend towards calmness and stability – or vice versa!
Kaphas are typically warm-hearted individuals. But when out of balance, Kaphas can become over-attached and lethargic, leading to poor digestion, weight gain, congestion, water retention and headaches. Stimulating exercises such as pranayama are particularly important for Kapha types as is abhyanga (an oil massage which lubricates joints and improves circulation). For optimal digestive health a heavier lunch and lighter dinner at night would keep digestive processes working smoothly; Sapna Punjabi-Gupta’s recipe of turmeric lemon rice makes an Ayurvedic option that fits nicely into kapha doshas’ lifecycle.
Combinations
Ayurveda has long been recognized for its benefits to digestion, skin clarity, immunity and faster recovery from illness or injury; but what sets it apart from other approaches is its holistic approach to food. According to Alter, Ayurvedic cooking takes into account each food’s properties as it interacts with others – “Foods that promote sattwa and reduce raja are considered balancing, while foods which create tamas and promote inflammation should not,” she states.
She suggests enjoying a bowl of Ginger Dal, made up of rice and beans, or the Sweet Potato, Kale & Black Bean Bowl as heartwarming dishes that combine sweetness with nutrition. Kitchari is another staple Ayurvedic meal suitable for breakfast, lunch and dinner use during times of healing and recovery; be mindful to enjoy every bite savor each momentously without eating in a rush or while distracted and consider chanting inspirational mantras prior to your meals for better digestion.
