AYURVEDIC COOKING – Health Through Food

In ancient India, diseases and sickness were kept in abeyance through a unique and quaint method. And while the method may not have the instant gratification of modern medicine rather, it was slow but thorough. Presenting – Ayurvedic Cooking Practices, a medical science premised on the method of personalising food for individuals healing process.

Ayurvedic Cooking Practices propounds that consumption of right food is the initial step towards achieving a healthy life. But just having right foods is not enough, the right combination and proportion of food are also important for an individual. Most of the diseases are a result of inadequate, inappropriate foods, consumed at inopportune times. Specific food’s nutritive value and its effect are decided, depending on its taste and attributes.

The cooking practice involves a rational way of preparing food, keeping in mind the dietary needs of an individual based on different body types.

Ayurveda categorizes food into three categories: Satvic, Rajasic and Tamasic. These types of foods have different effects on the body and the mind.

External influences on health include the time of day, the seasons, diet, and life style. An entire section in the study of Ayurveda is devoted to discussions of the medicinal aspects of herbs, diet, and reversal of aging process.

Sattva

Sattva is a quality of mind which induces clarity, harmony and balance.

Sattavic: The following food promotes Sattva. Fresh fruits and vegetables, salads, fresh fruit juices, cereals (brown rice), herbal tea, fresh cow milk, dry fruits, nuts, honey, jaggery, spices and freshly cooked food.

Rajas

A quality of mind which induces energy and action and the need to create.

Rajasic: The following food promotes Rajas. Ready to eat canned food, basmati rice, sour cream, paneer, ice-cream, yeast, sugar, pickle, vinegar, garlic, onion and salted food.

Tamas

Tamas is a quality of mind which evokes darkness, inertia, resistance and grounding.

Tamsic: The following food promotes Tamas. Alcohol, Beef, Chicken, Fish, Pork, Eggs, Frozen food, Microwaved food, Mushroom, Drugs, Tea, Coffee, Fried food, Fried nuts.

A golden tip for eating

Eat up to 1/3 capacity of your stomach, drink to 1/3 and leave 1/3 for God (Ashtanga Hridayam).

When consumed in the right proportions depending on individual needs, food can help in better mood control, freedom from anxiety and depression, increased energy levels, sustained feeling of calmness and relaxation, a sense of well-being, feeling comfortable with oneself and above all, health and wellness.

Listed below are Home Remedies to Counteract Ailments:

Obesity

Water 1 glass, Honey 10 gm, Ginger juice 10 drops, Mix it and drink every morning

Consume more apples

At night drink only 1 glass of lukewarm water and have light dinner

Avoid eating after 8 pm

Drink water in between meals or after 1.5 hr. after meals

Some yoga and breathing techniques which is beneficial – Padahatasan, Ushtrasan, Vajrasan, Yognidra, Savasan, Kanistha, Kapalbhati, Anulombvilomb, 45 mins. To 1 hr. walking.

Asthama

Drink 1 cup sweet grape juice during a day

Drink 1 cup juice from the mixture of ginger, tulsi, beetroot, cabbage, carrot

Drink 1 bowl moong (green gram) soup

High Blood Pressure

Drink lukewarm water with lemon and honey

Drink green wheat grass juice

Drink carrot juice, sweet lime juice, grape juice

Heart related ailments

Drink pomegranate juice everyday

Coarsely grind whole coriander seeds. Now soak 2 tbs. of this powder in 2 glass of water at night. In the morning boil it till it becomes half (i.e. 1 glass). Sieve it when it cools down. Add 1 spoon honey and drink. Do this for 1 month.