Four Part Ayurvedic Series:Part Three: Exploring our Diet through Ayurveda

Four Part Ayurvedic Series:

Part Three: Exploring our Diet through Ayurveda

Written by Imani J. Mitchell

Just like that I’ve returned with Part Three of this Ayurvedic Series. I’m pretty excited about this particular blog post because we're delving into the world of food. To all my fellow food lovers out there, this one's for you. Even if you don't consider yourself a 'foodie,' I promise you'll find something intriguing here.

As I've elaborated on in previous posts, the magic of Ayurveda is that its wisdom and practices depart from the traditional “one size fits all” philosophy. It reflects the reality that, despite our similarities, we are distinct individuals with unique experiences. Given that, Ayurveda’s wisdom stems from crafting a life that personally suits our individual needs and respective dosha, including our diets. Throughout this text, we’ll be covering how to incorporate Ayurvedic wisdom into our diets and I will be discussing more about my time at The Sanctuary through the scope of my diet.

Peering through the lens of Ayurveda, our diet extends far beyond the type of foods we eat or don't eat, portion sizes, and counting calories. Ayurveda takes a holistic approach. It considers not only the foods we eat but also how we prepare and eat them, the timing of our meals, and, perhaps most importantly, cultivating meals tailored to our respective dosha while keeping our digestive system viable.

Let’s begin with our digestive system, specifically the digestive fire, which is translated in Sanskrit as “agni”. It’s crucial to bring our attention here first because everything we consume must travel through the digestive system. This is where the foods and beverages we ingest are either processed to nurture and strengthen us or, if not handled properly, can harm and weaken us. According to Banyan Botanicals, “agni acts as a gatekeeper: our health is rooted in the strength of agni, from the nourishment of our tissue layers to the strength of our immune system—every imbalance and disease starts with weakened agni''. Therefore our main goal with this system is to keep it strong and in tip top shape to keep us healthy and well balanced. By identifying our imbalances, we can use our diets as a tool to fortify our bodies.

Another major component of keeping our “agni” ablaze is to establish meal times each day. Ayurveda is rooted in routine, and eating at set times offers us stability, reduces stress, and adequately primes the agni to receive food. Don’t fret; the Ayurveda police will not penalize you if you eat a little off schedule. The ultimate goal is to aim for roughly the same meal times everyday.

Furthermore, a key element in maintaining a robust digestive fire is allowing three to six hours between meals, with lunch being the primary and most substantial meal, while also avoiding overeating. It's crucial for the digestive system to fully process the previous meal before introducing more food. Overindulging can overwhelm the system and weaken it, and similar results occur when we don't consume enough nourishment—this, too, weakens the digestive system.

I don’t know about you, but I find this process extremely empowering. We have a unique opportunity to design our meals intentionally to return us to balance and keep us healthy. All it takes is a little bit of planning, preparation, and then my favorite part – eating. Subsequently, eating with the intention to nourish ourselves becomes the focus and goes beyond being just a systematic process our bodies undergo.

So how can we adjust our diets based on our respective doshas to achieve balance?

We’re going to tackle vata first. The goal here is to regularly consume meals that are freshly prepared, limit processed foods and eat whole foods that are soft in texture, abundant in protein and fat, seasoned with a multitude of spices, and eaten either warm or hot.. Getting more into the specifics, the foods we want to eat regularly include foods that are naturally sweet, sour, and salty. And the rule of thumb is to avoid foods that are bitter, pungent, and astringent. Now you may be wondering what foods or meals fall within the categories to favor. I got you. For breakfast, Banyan Botanicals suggests having eggs with sauteed vegetables and buttered toast or hot cereal (i.e. oatmeal, cream of wheat, cream of rice) topped with almonds, ghee, flax seeds, honey or maple syrup, and warming spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. For lunch, a soup like butternut squash paired with bread and a salad is suggested. Lastly, some dinner options include avocado fried rice with buttered bread, rice and lentils. Consuming these meals or ones of similar qualities help to lubricate and nourish digestive tissues.

To bring pitta into balance, one must focus on eating fresh, whole foods (raw and cooked) that are cooling in temperature and energetic characteristics, hearty, energizing, and full of carbohydrates. Some tastes to favor include foods that are naturally sweet, bitter, and astringent. Foods to minimize include those that taste salty, sour, and pungent. For breakfast one might opt for an almond and date smoothie, oatmeal topped with raisins or dates, almonds, and maple syrup, or a veggie omelet with avocado and whole grain toast. Some lunch options include: seasoned tofu, collard greens, and rice or whole wheat pasta with pesto and sauteed vegetables. Lastly, spiced double rice, veggie or turkey burgers, or green mung beans with dill serve as optimal options for dinner. Consuming the foods mentioned above, along with others that share these characteristics, helps regulate internal heat, stabilize the body, and absorb any excess oil and liquid to invite balance into pitta.

To round out the doshas, we now bring our attention to kapha. To balance kapha, the best approach is to consume freshly cooked, whole foods that are light, dry, well-spiced, and served warm or hot. The qualities of foods to favor include those that are bitter, astringent, and pungent. Foods to steer clear of are those that have sweet, sour, and salty characteristics. Some breakfast foods to consider adopting are fresh fruit, 100% fruit juice, a baked apple, or rice porridge. As for lunch, one might opt for vegetable soup, green chile soup (non-dairy), or saffron asparagus kitchari. To end off the night, red lentils and basil with basmati rice or potato leek soup with a salad are just a couple of many dinner options to induce kapha balance. These particular types of meals help to reduce excess kapha by regulating fluids in the body and supporting the elimination of toxins.

Despite where one’s imbalance might lie, there are many foods available to us that can return us back to a balanced state. But there’s more to the equation!

In addition to the types of food we eat, adhering to a consistent eating schedule, and consuming the proper amount, it's also essential to be mindful of our emotional state while cooking and eating. As the fundamental law of energy states, energy cannot be created nor destroyed. Consequently, the emotional state, whether positive or negative, you experience while cooking can influence the energy of your food. Conversely, when dining in a distracted, stressed, or angry state, it can adversely affect your ability to digest the food.

During my time at The Sanctuary, breakfast, lunch, and dinner were scheduled for the same time throughout the weekdays. Before observing this schedule, I was just excited to have someone cook for me 3x per day Monday through Friday. However, once I settled into the schedule of eating at a certain time each day, I found comfort in the predictability it afforded me. I knew what to expect around the same time M-F, which further supported my sense of comfort and my ability to rest because there was nothing for me to figure out. And of course, having a chef prepare our meals definitely aided in the ease I felt.

Unfortunately, since I’ve left The Sanctuary I have not maintained a consistent routine for my meals, but as I write this piece and reflect on how Ayurveda wisdom was woven into my experience, I realize how beneficial it was for me mentally and physically. After considering the intentionality behind the planning and preparation it takes to adhere to a daily eating routine, I realize it is an honor to put more thought and effort into the planning behind what I consume because I know that I’m honoring my temple by doing so. As I wrap up this post, I’ve officially completed day 1 of maintaining my own eating schedule that includes six hour gaps in between my meals. I feel pretty good, ready for day 2.

To conclude, I want to reiterate that integrating Ayurvedic principles into your diet can foster a sense of peace and stability through a consistent schedule, a balanced diet, and mindful eating habits. By prioritizing these practices, you're nurturing your inner sanctuary.

With that said, I extend an invitation to you to embark on this journey with me toward holistic well-being.

Until next time.