Ayurveda on healthy eating and weight management.
Ayurveda gives great guidance for eating, when you follow this basic rules, you will find easy to control weight and emotions.
Here listed some of the rules:
- Have meals on a regular schedule. Nature likes cycles and regularity, so does your body. When you eat regularly, your digestive juices will start being produced before the food even comes. This practice will help regulate your digestion, balance your emotions and keep you energized throughout the day!
- Eat the right quantity, just to the point you feel satisfied (not full as this induce overeating): Yoga and Ayurveda agree that you should fill 1/3 of the belly with food, 1/3 with liquid and leave the remaining 1/3 available to allow movement in the digestive process. This, in turn, will keep your digestive fire strong and robust and leave you feeling energized after meals.
The stomach naturally gives a burp when its three quarters 3/4 full. Don’t eat more than you can hold cupped in your two hands.
- Do not eat incompatible food items together: like dairy with fruits (the typical 'healthy breakfast yogurt, cereals, and fruit).
- Eat warm meals to preserve your digestive power (Agni) and allows your digestive enzymes to work efficiently.
- Eat freshly prepared {with love} quality food, ‘real’ food (not processed), food that has life (Prana) in them. Eat consciously.
- Don't eat fast, take your time to chew instead of just swallowing it. The chewing of the food starts the process of digestion.
- Be present when you eat. Use all your 5 senses. Take time to appreciate the smell of your meal, the look of your plate, the texture of your food, the different flavors, and the sounds that you make when you eat. Eat in a calm and comfortable place, quiet with no distractions (such as TV, internet, etc.).
- Eat only when you are hungry, this should be after your previous meal is completely digested, as sometimes we think we are hungry when in fact we are thirsty or feeding our emotions.
- don’t use food to fix emotions, emotional eating. While it is normal to eat for pleasure, to celebrate a special event, a special occasion as an expression of joy, this shouldn’t become a habit, an addiction.
Next time you feel hungry, stop and think.
What are your emotions?
Are you using food to compensate for sadness, tiredness, satisfaction, feeling being unloved, frustration, thirsty, weakness, sweet tooth, to socialize?
Notice when you have an emotional eating craving and separate this from real craving. Is chocolate your go to when you are feeling lonely, unhappy? Are crisps your fix for when you are bored? Does junk food make you feel full? Does the feeling of a full belly compensate for the emptiness in your heart? Do you eat to keep going, because you are tired? Look at the motivation behind your cravings.
When you are unsure, go for a walk or drink a cup of tea or meditate and see how you feel afterword. Also drinking warm water, eat a pinch of black pepper or a slice of ginger will stimulate your heart and circulation. A short self-massage (abhyanga), some self-care or a chat with a friend, usually helps.
There is also real craving that is to balance your Dosha, and one that is driven by a Dosha imbalance.
Knowing your Pakruti and Vikruti will heal you recognize good from bad craving, the one feeding directly into your imbalance. Sometimes an imbalance can make food taste different, for example, the bitter taste is often one that people dislike, to the point of refusing to eat vegetables (most have bitter taste). However once the test return to normal, bitter will taste better and sometimes food cravings disappear simply by using biter taste daily.
The emotional eating can be a difficult habit to break, if this is the case delay responding to the emotional craving and engage in a different activity.
Take time to understand if your hunger is coming from your belly or from your emotions, journal your craving to then find other ways to meet your emotional needs and regain control and a sense of calm without turning to food. It is better to get to the root of the issue than give in to a short-lived relief with food.
We offer Ayurvedic consultation in person and by online-meeting to knwo more about nutrition, diet and emotional balance specific to your situation.