“Let nothing which can be treated by diet be treated by other means.” – Maimonides
There is a saying that goes “Our food should be the medicine we have, and the medicine should be the food we have”. To eat wise and right is the single most important thing one should do on a daily basis. This is because, the foods we eat is just as powerful or maybe even more powerful than the medicines we take, say experts from Ayurveda India.
Medicines are of no use if you continue eating junk all day long and everyday. Good eating habits must be followed or else the body would not be able to recoup from illnesses. On the other hand, when you eat well and follow good eating habits, it helps increase the role of digestion and the body would then not need any medicine for the most part of it.
Today we shall speak about the many reasons as to Why You Should Shift Your Diet to Ayurvedic, for your own good health of course. Please read on and be well-informed.
You Get to Eat What is Fresh
Imagine having a fruit which is bright in color, crisp and fresh. The satisfaction amount you get from it and the health benefits too that are provided, would be more than ever, much more than what you would otherwise get from a wilted fruit. The wilted fruit would taste horrible and would not do any good for your health. Food which is stale goes bad not just in its packaging, but also within the body. It releases toxins into your digestive system which is then absorbed by all other systems in the body.
There are bad quality foods, for example, those that are processed, canned, refrigerated, spoilt, genetically modified etc, and even narcotics, tobacco ad alcohol are considered to be tamasic foods, and they create resistance to the normal course of action of the body and the mind. At all costs, such foods should be completely avoided, as they can cause mental and physical harm in the long run
Eat According to Your Dosha or Body Type
According to Ayurveda, we have three body types- VATA, PITTA and KAPHA. They rule the circulation and the body functions. The digestive system is controlled by pitta and even the metabolic system too. The immune system is controlled by kapha. We have all three types in our body, but there is only one dominant one. This means, either vata, pita or kapha is the dominant body type within us. What we need is to have a balance of all three of these body types. This is why we need to have certain foods that help promote balance in each of these fields.
For example, you must consume lemons and apples a lot if you want to balance the pitta dosha. If you want the vata in your body to be balanced, you must consume more bananas, say Ayurvedic experts. More avocado and carrots should be consumed by those who would like to balance their kapha better.
Your Digestive System Needs a Break
It is the build up of ama in the body or the digestive toxins in the body that is the cause of most diseases in us. This is what Ayurveda lifestyle says and that is why it is important to do internal cleansing when the season changes so that you have the best optimal health. Detoxification of the body is best recommended when early spring hits, this is because it is that nature starts its rejuvenation process. When you detox, you must consume foods that are nourishing and light, such as soups and khichadi, and you must also consume a lot of warm water all through the day. You can even sip detox teas as well, or have fresh fruit juices which greatly purify the body. When you regularly detox the body, you get the body rid off accumulated junk from the insides and this power up the digestive system more for one more season to come.
You must Drink to Your Health
It is best to avoid carbonated soft drinks, alcohol and caffeine, and one must switch to drinks that are energy boosters. Try beginning with drinking lots of water, which you should sip plentifully throughout the day. This helps rekindle the system and also helps flush out toxins from the body.
Water should be drunk warm, and not ice cold, say Ayurvedic experts. Room temperature or warm water is the best. You can also spike your drinking water with herbs and fruits or even with spices, which can correct an imbalance in the body too and would help rev up your health as well. At bedtime, it would be wise to drink a cup of warm milk, which has been boiled and cooled down, so that it aids in digestibility.
Medicine is Involved
If you have a wrong diet, you can get sick and medicine would be of no use then. But when the diet is healthy and the right one, you would not need medicine, say Ayurvedic experts. This means, Ayurveda is just not a diet, in fact, it is a medical practice.
When you have a healthy diet, you have a key component in helping treat diseases and that is why Ayurveda focuses on having a well-balanced diet for your body and for you. It is because of Ayurveda that there are certain combinations and spices used in Indian cuisine.
Treat the Root Cause
What western medicine cannot do, Ayurveda can. The former looks for quick fixes, while it waits for the illness to strike and then treat it again. While, Ayurveda on the other hand, focuses on treating the ailment from the root level and eradicates it altogether. The right Ayurveda expert would focus on the causative reasons and then will set his mind on treating the disorder the right way. This way, you can be assured that the treatment would work in solving the problem and that it will not crop up again.
Desi Ghee should be Used
Many are of the misbelief that desi ghee is the reason why one gains weight and why cholesterol levels in the body increase. However, Ayurvedic experts say that the scene is just the opposite. For thousands of years, Ayurveda has been using desi ghee, which helps remove toxins from the body and solves the problems of the heart and other organs of the body as well. It is the oily nature of the ghee which acts as a toxin eliminator and is a great solvent, it attacks fatty toxins presented in the tissues to loosen, liquefy and extract them through the digestive system. However, with that being said, one should exercise as well and not sleep immediately after a heavy meal.
One does not Have to be ‘Indian’ to Shift to the Ayurvedic Diet
Delicious foods can be cooked by anyone and can fit any cuisine, say experts, as long as the Ayurvedic principles are used in cooking. One should try and avoid fluid foods as much as possible, and increase the intake of greens and herbs.
There are many Ayurvedic practitioners throughout the world and their number is increasing. And they are learning new and evolved food traditions, so the principles of Ayurvedic diets have gone much above the borders of Ayurveda retreats India.
Digestion and Core Health is Improved
It is impossible to scrub our innards, but we can scrub our skin and the tissues on it. Fiber that comes from greens and raw salads are thus very important for the body. Fasting can help improve immunity, and hence one must take this as an important practice for good health.
Eating on the guidelines and principles of Ayurveda is all about improving the body’s digestive system. Good digestion is paramount to good health, and when you have the opposite, it leads to weight gain and increase in toxins which leads to numerous diseases.
How You Eat Reflects your Lifestyle
This is so true, and that’s why one should be very careful about the way they consume their food and at what time that too. For example, experts say that your evening meal should be had before sunset. Your first meal of the day, which is breakfast, should be wholesome. Lunch should be the biggest meal of the day and the dinner should be light.
In a nutshell…
So here were the many reasons as to Why You Should Shift Your Diet to Ayurvedic. If you already are on it, do write in and let us know how it goes for you and if you would like to share some tips too. Stay Happy, Stay Healthy!
