Basic Principles Of Nutrition According To Ayurveda

Modern principles of a healthy lifestyle are based on 2 postulates. The first of them says that the body is a complex system in which each element affects the others. In matters of health, physical activity, nutrition , sleep, mental state are equally important.

The second reminds that it is better to prevent diseases than to cure them. Because of this, it is important to move enough, not to forget about vitamins, to monitor the condition of your body and to undergo regular check-ups.

These principles are not new. Folk Indian medicine practiced this approach as early as 5,000 years ago. "Perfect health rests on perfect overall balance. Everything we eat, say, think, see and feel affects the balance," writes Deepak Chopra, an American doctor and popularizer of Ayurveda .

It is not for nothing that food is the first on his list , because it is one of the main elements of a healthy lifestyle. Moreover, Eastern medicine considers important not only the choice of products , but also the way we eat them.

Three meals

Ayurveda recommends eating 3 times a day, leaving the most satisfying meal for lunch. To understand the meaning of these rules, you should learn more about the digestion process. Ancient Indian philosophy says that it lasts about 6 hours and passes through 3 stages.

At first, a person feels full and calm. Then, when the foods are absorbed and saturate the cells of the body, it becomes more energetic. In the following hours, lightness returns and the appetite wakes up again. Agni - the so-called "digestive fire" - is responsible for the correct passage of these stages, and from a scientific point of view - gastric juice and a complex of enzymes, which are most active right in the middle of the day.

By snacking between breakfast, lunch and dinner, you knock down agni, thus depriving yourself of the opportunity to fully go through the 3 main stages of assimilation of food . What happens to poorly digested food ? Ayurveda believes that it becomes ama - a toxic substance that is the cause of many diseases.

Modern science does not use these exact terms, but agrees with such conclusions. Scientists from Italy, Spain, and the United States have proven that eating no more than 3 times a day reduces inflammation in the body, increases stress resistance, and helps avoid obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Six flavors

When Ayurveda talks about a balanced, healthy diet , it does not mean counting calories, proteins, fats and carbohydrates. We are talking about the presence of 6 tastes in each meal : sweet, sour, bitter, salty, spicy and astringent. It is believed that each of them gives special energy and gives us strength. It would seem that it is impossible to combine all tastes in one plate. You will not eat porridge with cake. However, it's important to strive for variety, and you can add missing flavors in less obvious and healthier ways.

• The sweet taste is energizing and grounding. According to Ayurveda , not only foods with a high sugar content, but also fruits, nuts, dairy products , cereals and even meat have the necessary sweetness for a person .

• The sour taste helps digestion. It can be found in citrus fruits, sour milk and fermented products .

• The salty taste regulates the water-salt balance. However, it is important to choose salt without E535 and E536 additives.

• The spicy taste contains antioxidants and also improves the digestion process. It can be found in many familiar spices: onion, ginger, black pepper, bay leaf, basil, etc.

• The bitter taste has a healing effect on the body and has an anti-inflammatory effect. Turmeric, cumin, garlic and dark greens are what you need.

• The astringent taste removes excess liquid, and also has a positive effect on the digestion process, since products from this group contain a large amount of fiber. This includes vegetables and some fruits (pears, plums, apples), legumes, mushrooms, hazelnuts and pecans.