Millennial Indian science considers food a tool for self-knowledge and self-care
Surely you have heard of it on Ayurveda – the medicinal philosophy originating from India. One of its main pillars is an integrative vision of the organism – that is, analyzing it as a whole – and, in this, food becomes a very important tool. This is why Ayurvedic food is a complete strand of Ayurveda.
WHAT IS AYURVEDA?
To better understand the Ayurvedic diet, it is worth taking a step back to remember what Ayurveda is. “It is an ancient science which, in Sanskrit, means: ayur-life, and veduta-science / knowledge. Therefore, Ayurveda brings practical and philosophical knowledge about health and well-being,” he explains. Renata Serena Ayurvedic therapist specialized in conscious gastronomy.
Ayurveda, he explains, is considered one of the oldest continuously practiced medicinal systems in the world, and today is supported by a government health system in India and Nepal, and recognized for its importance and effectiveness by the Ministry of Health as well. and the World Health Organization (WHO).
“Ayurveda is the science of body, mind and spirit and embodies a philosophy based on (self) awareness to bring harmony and balance to all areas of your life,” he continues. “A unique system based on the primary laws of nature. It is a holistic and natural medicine that considers the philosophy ‘yatha pinde tatha bramhande’, which means: ‘as in the macro-cosmos, so is the micro-cosmos.’ After all, we are all to. “
Therefore, Renata explains that philosophy is an incredible tool of self-knowledge and self-knowledge, which can be explored daily through the art of self-observation and conscious presence – for her Ayurveda is an effort of tireless observation of reality. .
AYURVEDIC FOOD
Now that we have established the basics of Ayurveda, it is time to look specifically at food. According to Renata, the Ayurvedic diet recognizes that every human being is born with unique combinations of doshas (or energies), and this natural balance is responsible for the physical, mental and emotional difference between people.
“Understanding this energetic singularity, its moment of life and crossing this information with the season in which we find ourselves is the key to accessing the intelligence behind this philosophy regarding food”, says the professional. “In addition to the choice of the quality and quantity of the food to be ingested, numerous factors depend, such as our digestive power, general health, emotional state, the characteristics of the environment in which we live, among others”.
From the moment we understand that we are not isolated from the environment, that we are part of a greater whole and learn to relate the cycles of nature to the cycles of the body, we will achieve health, well-being and longevity.
“In this sense, Ayurvedic food is one of the pillars of this science (along with sleep and celibacy), which can help each person create their ideal state of health,” he says.
WESTERN DIET X AYURVEDIC FOOD
The main purpose of Ayurvedic food is to help balance the physical body, mind, soul and life energy (called prana).
“Good health (physical, mental, soul and vital energy) is a consequence of this balance. And here we can already highlight an amplified and integrative vision of the role of food with respect to a Western diet”, explains Renata. “Ancient Ayurvedic medicine understands that ‘food’ is considered a medicine or poison depending on the long-term dose, as well as increasing the quality and life expectancy of an individual.”
Another feature of this so-called science is the view and use of circadian cycles and seasonality as elements that will determine how and what to eat – for example, in Ayurveda, summer food will never be the same as winter food, and between autumn and spring there are also adaptations.
“Paying attention to what you eat, therefore, is one of the pillars of achieving physical, psychological and spiritual health,” he adds.
BENEFITS OF AYURVEDIC FOOD
“We can say that in addition to fostering the search for awareness and well-being, the focus is on longevity without the development of diseases and on a greater connection of our body and mind to the needs experienced by it”, explains Renata.
If it seems difficult to understand how it works, the practitioner lists other important benefits of the ayurveda-based diet. For instance:
- Helps restore and maintain a strong metabolism (agni)
- Eliminates ama – toxins present in our physical and mental body
- It reduces stress and the risk of burnout
- Slow down the aging process
- It increases the immunity levels of the body
- Improve strength, stamina and vitality
- Increase the level of happiness and connection
- Improves the quality of sleep and the intestines
- Provides a higher level of willpower and focus
This means that people suffering from fatigue, lack of focus or energy, lethargy after eating, any type of indigestion, gas, bloating, headache or general aches and pains and irritability for no apparent reason can benefit from such a diet.
HOW CAN I START WITH AYURVEDIC FOOD?
First of all, Renata explains that joining Ayurveda is being brave, because the philosophy is different from anything we have learned so far.
“It is understanding that your body depends on you and on your relationship with the environment and with everything. It is sleeping the necessary hours, moving every day, eating what meets your needs and knowing how to maintain the refreshing silence necessary to open the door. space, “he says. “The Ayurvedic food system, when analyzed, is a simple and intelligent system and can be implemented by anyone seeking to improve their quality of life and self-knowledge”.
For the professional, the main problem these days is that we live in a culture that, firstly, still adores very lean and defined bodies, and secondly, offers an endless supply of industrially produced food and dietary rules that should or shouldn’t. they should be followed (and constantly changing).
“The problem is that diet culture deregulates our internal controls, disconnects us from our needs and generates compulsions. In an Ayurvedic view, food should be based on understanding the needs of our body, mind and soul, their hunger and their digestion, “he says.
Therefore, a first step is to observe the body’s ability to absorb food – and, between eating and absorbing, there is a stage called agni, our ability to digest food, a thought, a speech, an event … that we live.
“Whoever eats and does not ‘absorb what he has eaten’ forms toxins (called ama in Ayurveda), which are products that your body has not used and accumulated and which hinder its proper functioning. In Ayurveda, a healthy person should eat twice a day, with an interval of about six hours, “he explains. “Note that this varies greatly depending on your lifestyle and build.”
The idea has to do with time for the digestion of the meal to take place completely before eating again. Ah, and before the doubt arises: it’s okay to eat three times a day, just pay attention to the sign of physical hunger between meals.
“Having awareness and presence to eat is the act of reconnecting with yourself. An act of self-love. See if you are eating your hard-boiled egg because you are really hungry, or if it is out of boredom, anxiety, the desire to escape from a situation , or for some social convention. After all, when you feel exhausted and without energy, do you need a pizza and a beer or a nice bed and a good night’s sleep? Your day has been stressful and sad, you need a chocolate or a hug? “asks the therapist.
“ARE WE GOING TO TRAINING?”
Some changes you can already start implementing are:
– Eat only when you’re hungry
– Look for real and available food at the station
– Practice the habit of watching and being hungry and then eating
– Eat only the amount needed to satisfy your physical hunger
– Leave “space” to fully digest what has been offered to the body
– Respect the circadian cycle, leaving the most important meal for lunch and finishing the last meal, smaller and more digestible, at sunset
AYURVEDIC FOOD AND THE SEASONS OF THE YEAR
We have commented, a few paragraphs above, how food does not stay the same throughout the year in Ayurveda. Season changes are times of renewal for this science, and we must offer our body a “technical stop” to reorganize the organism – just like plants and animals do.
“It is a propitious time for self-care, to adapt to the changing seasons, to keep our internal heat (agni) and immunity high to prevent disease, to rebalance our body, mind and spirit, providing a fertile field for the awakening. of health “, elaborates Renata.
In this sense, nutrition during the seasons must be done to prepare the body so that it can enter the new season at the maximum of its metabolic power.
In other words, it is preventive care in which we can make adjustments in food choices, practices and routines and mitigate the unwanted effects caused by climate change and imbalances in our body, preventing the accumulation of toxins and the development of diseases.
“AYURVEDA IN SPRING”
We are now entering spring, which means that this is a time of flowering and renewal, of revitalization, for nature.
The days get warmer, stimulating the movement of the earth and the germination of seeds that were collected in the soil during the winter, in search of a clean, nutritious and comfortable environment to grow.
It is the best season of the year for detoxification, transformation and the creation of new habits, harnessing the flow of renewing energy that the earth naturally emanates this season.
Agni – our digestive fire – is weakened and our body is heavy, requiring a lighter diet to cleanse the accumulations and excesses of winter.
Time to strengthen our digestion, to lose weight and accumulated toxins, rebalancing body, mind and spirit, revisiting choices through purifying practices that allow us to leave behind what no longer belongs to us, make room and create a fertile internal environment for the new life we want to receive and offer.
When we put aside these small adjustments that the arrival of the season requires, our body weakens, favoring the accumulation of toxins and the loss of maximum metabolic power.
Source: Terra
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