The attention given to treating people as individuals is one of the greatest gifts of the Ayurvedic approach to health and beauty. This is particularly evident in the selection of one's optimum diet.
Rather than approaching diet from the standpoint of calories or particular nutrients in foods as is done in the west, an Ayurvedic diet is based more on the intuitive sense of what is attractive to the individual by color,smell, temperature, taste, and texture; trusting that when the body is in balance, It will be attracted to foods by its own innate intelligence. This works well when we are healthy. However; because there are so many influences in our modem world which throw us off balance, it is useful to have some more defined guidelines.
Foods in Ayurveda are classified by their qualities or "GUMS" and taste or "rasa." There are six main gunas . . .heavy ,dry,hot,light,oily,cold. and there are six rasas . sweet ,sour,salty,bitter,pungent or spicy,astringent or "puckering"
The qualities and taste of the food that are best for a particular dosha will be those which help to counteract the qualities of the dosha. That is, foods for a particular dosha are there not to enhance or make the dosha more that way, but to balance its tendendes with opposite qualities and resultant tendendes. For example: Vata is dry cold, and irregular by nature, so foods that balance Vata are moist, warming and taken at regular mealtimes.
This being said, however, all tastes and qualities should be present in one meal, the portions of each varying to balance the dominant dosha of the individual. This makes for the most satisfying dining experience and curbs cravings for over-eating and snacking. Such balancing may seem complicated, but it is no more cumbersome than the experience many people have of eating a meal and then feeling that something is missing or such-and-such would just round off the meal. Paying attention to the gunas and taste in your meal helps you to easily plan the perfect meal ahead of time. Use your imagination, intuition, and intelligence when planning a meal. Cooking is an art and takes time and patience to perfect.
Many types of diet have been proposed as being "perfect" -the answer to all of our ills. Ayurveda teaches us differendy. One persons meat may be another persons poison. What is wonderfully healthy for Vata people is not always helpful to Kapha people. For example, Vata people do well with a healthy bowl of hot grain cereal and hot milk for breakfast. It grounds and gives them energy for the entire morning. If a Kapha person were to eat the same, he or she would feel heavy and probably fall asleep on the way to work.
This being said, although there is variation of diet among the various dosha dominances, Ayurveda honors what has basically worked as the most life-sustaining foods and food proportions for humans over the course of history; a diet of 40-60% whole cereal grains, 30-50% fresh fruits and vegetables, and 10-20% high quality proteins, with specific types of each food and proportions being in accordance with dosha dominance. This approach also serves to simplify your meal plan.
Before looking at specific dietary recommendations for the various doshas, there are times of day that will naturally increase certain doshas in the body. Knowing this helps you to plan the best times for meals to keep your dosha in balance.
6:00AM-I0:00AM KAPHA TIME:-lake breakfast before 8:00AM. Breakfast should be light. Vata people need a nourishing breakfast. Kapha people can skip it altogether or have a beverage. Pitta people can do with a light breakfast so they are not ravenous by lunchtime.
1O:00AM-2:00PM PITIA TIME:-Best hours for lunch or brunch. Pitta people do best with an early lunch. For them, lunch should be the most substantial meal if possible. Small meal for Vatas with snacks mid-morning and afternoon and Kaphas should have a light main meal.
2:00PM-6:00PM VATA TIME:- Vata and Pitta people may like a snack at 3:00PM-4:00PM to sustain their energy. All doshas should try to have their evening meal before 6:00PM if possible. Dinner should be lighter than lunch, if possible.
6:00PM-1O:00PM KAPHA TIME:- The body's digestive ability slows towards evening. Vata people may need an evening snack. Pitta people can eat a little &uit if they stay up late. Kapha people should not have anything except a cup of hot tea. One should refrain from eating for at least two hours before sleep.
If you are predominandyone dosha, then follow the guidelines for that dosha. If you have rnixed-dosha dominance, then vary your diet according to your needs and the season.Remember: These are only dietary suggestions. Try them, work with them, reflect on them and find your own balance. Be flexible and always try to enjoy what you eat.
Vata-Pitta types-follow a vata diet for fall and winter and a Pitta diet for spring and summer. Go easy on spices.
Pitta-Kapha types-follow a Pitta diet in late spring to fall and Kapha diet &om late fall through the spring. Go easy on cold foods.Vata-Kapha types-follow a Vata diet for sUmmer and fall and Kapha diet for winter and spring.
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