7 important factors of wholesome eating

Ayurveda stood the test of time. The theories mentioned are 100% true, up to date and apply to each one of us. No animals were ever used to make conclusions. It truly is the Science of Life- AyuhaVeda = Ayurveda

1. Prakriti - Quality/ Nature of food

2. Karana/ Sanskar - Rituals

3. Raashi- Amount

4. Samyoga- Combination

5. Desha- Environmental condition

6. Kaal- Seasonal

7. Upayoga- Physical and mental condition

1. Prakriti: Quality

- Consuming food based on the quality

- Greasy, spicy, heavy - limited amount

- Light food- eat a substantial amount

- Connect with the food

- Always eat three bites less than what makes us full

- Avoid stale or frozen food

- Avoid daily consumption of tamasic food

(Tamasic food= meat, poultry, alcohol, etc)

2. Karana: Rituals

- We can transform the Prakriti/ quality of food by performing various actions like roasting, steaming, cooking, etc.

- Nightshades like tomato, eggplant, potato are digested better with mustard, cumin, and turmeric

- Roasting makes heavy food easy to digest

- Beans or lentils soaked overnight are easier on our digestive system

- Aged rice is lighter to digest

- Addition of spices, pickling, sun drying.. all these activities change the state of food and transform it into something more desirable

3. Raashi: Amount

- Eat only as much as you want

- Heavy food: smaller portions

-Light food: Substantial portions

4. Samyoga: Combination

- Some combinations of food are excellent for our body

example: Dal-rice+ghee, tea/coffee+cardamom, saffron+milk, etc.

- While some are deadly: Milk+Seafood, Milk+garlic, bloody mary (Vodka+tomato juice) likely to get eczema, psoriasis, milk+fruit- increases Kapha

- Yogurt is high in Kapha, but when tempered with ghee, cumin and cilantro (Kadhi) is cooling

- Tamarind is high in Pitta. Cilantro is astringent= Calms Pitta

- Curry leaves calm Kapha

- If someone has Bhasmaka Roga, addiction to food, or feeling hungry all the time, their body demands heavy, hearty carbs like legumes and lentils, rice, grains, roots and tubers, etc.

5. Desha: State/ Environmental conditions

- In a cold climate, eat heating food like spicy soup with black pepper, tea with cinnamon and clove, jaggery, sesame, etc

- In a hot climate, eat yogurt, milk, dates, watermelon, lots of water, fresh fruits, etc

6. Kala: Time

- Depending on what time of the day it is, choose your meals

- Breakfast can be substantial, a banana, almonds, rice, parathas, upma, eggs, oatmeal, etc

- Lunch can be a complete meal with ghee to fight afternoon sluggishness

- Dinner ideally should be light. Dal- Rice, and ghee with papad or pickle is my go-to

- Wintertime, longer nights, so eat fuller breakfast

- Summertime, eat substantially less

7. Upayoga: Physical and mental condition

- Do not eat with an upset or angry mood