Checklist for HealthLet food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.
— HIPPOCRATES
Often when we think of our health, we mainly focus on the physical body. Starting with the body is a good beginning point, since so much of what we do daily either adds to or subtracts from our physical health. Ayurveda gives us many tools to balance our bodies, including diet, daily routine, and an exercise program.
The adage “You are what you eat” is more than a cliché. More than ever, in today’s world, it’s a reality. And what we have available to eat is increasingly artificial, genetically modified, chemical laden, and simply unhealthy. Even though the choices may seem varied, in actuality they’re limited to a few ingredients, which show up in different products. So what should you eat to maintain optimal health?
First, I’d like you to consider a few facts and natural inclinations we have. This will put you in touch with your intuitive nature. Fact no. 1: We need to eat in order to stay alive. Fact no. 2: Our ancestors, who lived before the Industrial Revolution, had to rely on hunting, gathering, growing, and storing food to survive. Fact no. 3: Because the human body has been hardwired over time for survival, eating large amounts of food or yo-yo dieting will lead to weight gain.
In the postindustrial era, processed or chemically produced food has become the norm. Owing to shrewd and manipulative advertising, most people don’t even know the difference between something healthy and something processed. If one cereal carries the claim that it will lower cholesterol and is endorsed by the American Heart Association, why shouldn’t we believe it? If a yogurt company makes the claim that their yogurt has five grams of fiber, and your doctor says you must get more fiber, why not buy that yogurt? One thing we need to realize is that advertisers tell partial truths. Food manufacturers and distributors are multibillion-dollar corporations. If you don’t believe their claims, their advertising teams are doing a poor job. In 2010, Kraft Food’s net revenue was $49.2 billion. In comparison, smaller, organic food companies, such as Horizon Organic Dairy, bring in around $50 to $100 million in net revenue. It’s not surprising that we believe the large food companies’ claims, given how loud and how present they are in our daily lives.
For millions of years, humans have eaten what was available from the earth; and for the past one hundred years or so, they’ve eaten what’s available. Do you understand the difference in that statement? In order to obtain optimal health, we need to go back to eating what’s available from the earth, because that is what we’re hardwired to process. Biological evolution takes a great number of generations, not one or two generations. By pouring chemically produced food and drink into our bodies, we are attempting to force biological evolution over the period of one lifetime. And our bodies are protesting. According to the World Health Organization, world cancer rates could increase by 50 percent, to 15 million new cases by 2020.1 And according to the Centers for Disease Control, obesity is the number two preventable cause of death in the United States.2
Poor diet costs us not only our lives but our resources as well. Type 2 diabetes, a completely preventable form of diabetes, drains $63.14 billion from our health care system yearly, and that figure doesn’t take into account the cost of lost days of work, physician office visits, and the detriment to families. Close runners-up in preventable disease are hypertension and heart disease, followed by osteoarthritis and gallbladder disease.
The good news is that you can do something about all this. With a shift in awareness and a change in habits, you get to take control of your health and life. Most people only dabble in a healthy lifestyle and then brace themselves for a cancer diagnosis or for some other disease that may creep up. But most diseases don’t “come out of nowhere.” Disease is developed over years and sometimes decades. According to Ayurvedic medicine, 95 percent of diseases are completely preventable with a consistent, proper lifestyle, one that includes a good diet, meditation, and an exercise regime. This is good news because you are in control. Being in control means you take responsibility for your own health. Leaving your health to doctors, medicines, other health care practitioners, or fate means leaving the door wide open to greater health problems in the future. When it comes to health, there is a place for allopathic medicine, herbal medicine, and, yes, prayer, but those are certainly not ways to prevent ill health. They are simply bandages applied to what’s already broken.
What I’m emphasizing here is taking real responsibility on a daily basis, starting now, today. There’s a reason why you picked up this book, and this is it. By taking responsibility, you cannot blame anyone or anything for your sickness or disease. I understand that you may be reluctant to take full responsibility, because doing so requires effort and additional resources. Here are some of the excuses that I hear in my practice:
• I don’t have the time.
• I don’t have the money.
• I don’t have the motivation.
• My husband, wife, significant other, roommate, mother, or father keeps unhealthy food in the house, so I can’t eat healthfully.
• I live in a rural area, so there are no health stores nearby.
• I’m lazy.
• I have to take care of everyone else; I can’t take time for myself.
• I’m too tired at the end of the day.
Let me address these excuses one by one and prove to you that taking responsibility is necessary regardless of any excuses you may have.
I Don’t Have the Time
Everyone has twenty-four hours in a day. How is it that some people are able to accomplish much, while others are chasing the clock? What takes time? Going to the grocery store? Cooking? Working out? Let me ask you this: How much time do you spend watching TV? Surfing the Internet? Texting? Doing tasks that others can do for you? Can you spend fewer hours doing these things and more hours taking care of your health?
There are ways to integrate your family and others into your healthy lifestyle. Get your kids to plan meals, cook, and clean up with you. Have a date night with your significant other, where you cook a healthy meal together. Watch your favorite TV show while working out on the treadmill. Call your best friend while you’re out jogging. Integrate tasks with exercise and cooking, and you will save time.
I Don’t Have the Money
Do you have the money to take time off from work when you need to stay home because you’re sick, or when you need chemo treatments or surgery? Do you have the money to fork out for copayments for doctor visits, prescription drugs, and the lost family time that you can never get back? Besides, not having money is a myth, because we all have to eat. With planning, you may even save money because you won’t be snacking on a bunch of empty calories and your body will be filled with the good stuff. Since you’ll eat only what you need, and you won’t cook in excess, you’ll buy less food each week. But let’s face it, a healthy lifestyle is an investment. It is an investment more valuable than your house, your car, your wardrobe, your electronic devices, and your retirement fund.
Without your health, what do you have? Seriously, answer that question: What will you have without your health? The answer is: nothing. For a time, you may have your family or friends, but they will move on with their lives. And if they see that you are not taking care of yourself, they will begin to resent you for taking advantage of their kindness. If you don’t have your health, can you maintain a job, hobbies, and social activities? If you don’t have your health, how can you volunteer and serve your community? If you’re too sick to enjoy anything, it won’t matter whether you have your own house, a car, electronics, or fancy clothes. Does that sound painful? Well, it should. Because it is. You can’t afford to not invest in your health.
I Don’t Have the Motivation
Hopefully, after reading the discussion of excuse no. 2 you’re motivated. But if you’re not, think of all the reasons you’re here on earth and list them now. And if those reasons aren’t motivating enough, list others. The shift you’re beginning to make is toward the belief that your body is the temple that houses your soul. Everything in life that is near and dear to you is experienced only with your body, through your senses. Without your body, you can’t experience life on earth.
The body, therefore, is sacred. It’s not just a place to dump a bunch of calories regardless of their origin. It is a miracle to be celebrated daily. If you knew the miracle of the body, you would be in awe every single day. With 60 trillion to 90 trillion cells acting in concert all the time to keep you healthy, it’s a wonder that we’re not sick more often. After treating the body unkindly, with Pop-Tarts, Pringles, or three-day-old pizza and a soda, we berate the body for getting the flu or a cold. Imagine your body retorting with: “Hey, I’m trying my best here with the resources you’re giving me.”
My Husband, Wife, Significant Other, Roommate, Mother, or Father Keeps Unhealthy Food in the House, So I Can’t Eat Healthfully
This excuse brings up the question of taking responsibility for your health. You aren’t responsible for the health of others, with the exception of your children; and even then, they are ultimately responsible for their health since you can’t be with them twenty-four hours a day. Sometimes you don’t have control over the food in the house, in the workplace, or at social gatherings. You do, however, have control over what you put into your mouth every single time. If someone else is doing the cooking, ask to take over that task or teach him or her how to cook using the new guidelines you will learn in this chapter. Remember, you are in control. This is your body, your life. However, please be kind to the people in your life as you’re making this shift. Think about how long it took you to come to this point. The best way to get others on board is not only to be enthusiastic about what you’re learning but also to let them see the results of these healthy practices in your body, mind, and energy level.
I Live in a Rural Area, So There Are No Health Stores Nearby
I understand this problem completely. When traveling, I sometimes encounter difficulty in finding organic produce and other healthy products. It’s frustrating. With the increased interest in healthy eating, the demand for healthier products in rural areas will rise — and it already has. This is the basic principle of supply and demand. The more consumers demand organic, non–genetically modified products, the more producers will provide them. But simultaneously, consumers must stop buying junk food, so companies will see a decline in their revenues and ask themselves what’s wrong. Money talks, and that’s the only way consumers can gain the power to decide what’s on the shelves.
If you live in a rural area, you have some advantages. The air you’re breathing may be better than in the city or suburbs. You may have more space for walks and jogs. You likely have access to farmers’ markets and roadside fresh-produce stands. And you may have the space to start your own organic garden. So look at the upside. If it’s other products you’re worried about, such as organic grains, cereals, nuts, and meats, you may have to do your homework. Costco Wholesale sells many organic products, including olive oil, brown rice, and milk. Even if the nearest Costco is an hour or two away, you can stock up on dry staples that will last you for some time. Online stores may be another source. If you plan meals and know what you use the most, you may find it necessary to order and pay shipping costs only once or twice a month. But it is my hope that the shift now taking place will happen on a global level as we begin to change the marketplace.
I’m Lazy
It’s no wonder you’re lazy. If you’ve been filling your body with everything except what it needs, how can you expect it to work properly? Would you fill your car with cooking oil to save time and money? Laziness is a by-product of a sedentary lifestyle, a symptom you’re experiencing, and not your nature. Follow an Ayurvedic lifestyle, including the diet outlined for you here, for twenty-one days straight and see if laziness is a problem. I challenge you!
I Have to Take Care of Everyone Else; I Can’t Take Time for Myself
Change that thought to: “I must take care of myself before I can take care of anyone else.” Copy this statement and tape it to your bathroom mirror, your bedpost, your car’s dashboard, your computer screen — everywhere. If you’ve ever been on an airplane, you know that the flight attendant instructs you to put on your own mask before assisting others in the case of cabin-pressure loss. Need I say more? Unfortunately, mothers most often make this excuse. I can relate to this completely because I was there too. I felt guilty at times (and still do) when I took time away from my kids or significant other to exercise, cook healthy meals, or meditate. But let me tell you this, if you’re a mother: you cannot give your children a better or more beautiful gift than to portray to them, through your actions, that health is the number one priority. Children may not listen to what you say, but they follow what you do.
I’m Too Tired at the End of the Day
If that’s the case, start your day with exercise, chop vegetables in the morning, and make that vegetarian chili or soup in a slow cooker. You don’t have to do it all at the end of the day. With planning you can also sneak exercise in during the workday.
I always ask my Ayurvedic clients whether their jobs give them a lunch break. The answer is always yes. My next question is: Do you take your lunch break? The answer most often is no. And then I follow it with: “If you took your lunch break, would you get fired?” The answer is no. Then I say, “Well, could you take your one-hour lunch break and walk for one hour, or jog, or go to the gym, and then eat lunch at your desk like you normally do?” The answer is either yes or “yes, but.” The “yes, but” is: “Yes, but I’ll get sweaty.” “Yes, but people might look at me weird if I take a break,” or something similar. My reply to that is: Be a leader in this movement. Recruit your fellow employees to walk with you. It doesn’t matter if there’s no trail; walk the parking lot. Form a lunchtime walking club, recruit your boss, suggest a walk-and-talk meeting outdoors. Take a sponge bath in the bathroom afterward. Who cares if you’re a little sweaty? Bring some deodorant to work. In other words, the possibilities are endless. If there’s a will, there most certainly is a way.
An Ayurvedic Plan for Optimal Nutrition
There are a few steadfast rules about nutrition in an Ayurvedic lifestyle. Most of these represent a commonsense approach to healthy eating as a whole. When I teach my Ayurvedic lifestyle course, I emphasize the 90–10 rule, which means you may implement the nutritional guidelines 90 percent of the time and allow yourself 10 percent flexibility in your daily diet. In the beginning these guidelines may seem rigid or extreme, but they are less extreme than many of the weight-loss schemes in mainstream society, and they don’t exclude any major food groups. Once you integrate these guidelines into your daily life, it will be difficult to go back to the way you ate previously, because your body will begin to feel fantastic and you won’t want to lose that feeling. But the rules are meant to guide you back to health, not make you crazy. There’s a wise saying in Indian philosophy that states, “Infinite flexibility is the key to immortality.” So, when applying the guidelines, keep in mind that deviating from time to time is okay and may even be healthy, because with flexibility you can enjoy life more. So go ahead and eat your grandmother’s mincemeat pie, or drink that milkshake from your favorite ice cream shop. But do it with awareness and enjoyment, and don’t overdo it. Remember the 90–10 rule.
The Twelve Guidelines for an Ayurvedic Lifestyle Eating Plan
1. Eat freshly prepared foods at every meal.
2. Choose organic and locally grown produce and grains whenever available.
3. Choose only organic grass-fed dairy, eggs, poultry, and meat.
4. Eat all six tastes at every meal: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent, and astringent.
5. Reduce your consumption of packaged and processed foods.
6. Choose the five sattvic, or healing, foods in their organic form whenever possible: milk, ghee, almonds, honey, fruit.
7. Let vegetables and fruit make up 50 to 60 percent of your daily food intake.
8. Eliminate unhealthy oils: hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils, margarine, and shortening.
9. Eliminate high-fructose corn syrup; other types of corn syrup; artificial sweeteners; bleached, enriched flour; and white, processed sugar.
10. Reduce your consumption of frozen and canned food.
11. Drink filtered, distilled, or spring water.
12. Be moderate and avoid extremes.
1. Eat Freshly Prepared Foods at Every Meal
I understand that this rule may turn you upside down. American cooking has emphasized using leftovers or making meals ahead of time and freezing them. If you’re from a different culture, the concept of eating only freshly prepared foods may not seem so foreign to you.
When we think about nourishing our bodies, we must think about optimal nutrition on all levels. We’re only as healthy as the cells that make up our body, and so we need to offer our body food that contains the most nutrients in every bite. Let me clarify that we are not talking about calories here. As Americans, we are overly focused on the number of calories when we should be focused on the quality of the calories. In order to create healthy cells, our bodies must be able to extract the nutrients — phytonutrients, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and so on — from the food we ingest. The fresher the foods, the more of these nutrients they contain. After a food is cooked or picked, or even worse, once it’s been processed, the food begins to decompose and loses its nutritional value. Here’s my rule of thumb: eat the prepared food within twenty-four hours of making it. This requires you to cook less food and prepare it more often; but with the exception of certain curry dishes and marinated salads, fresh food tastes better anyway.
2. Choose Organic and Locally Grown Produce and Grains Whenever Available
Organic fruit, vegetables, grains, and even meat can be found in most grocery stores and supermarkets today. An important component of Ayurvedic nutrition is to minimize the amount of toxins entering the body and maximize the number of nutrients. Organically grown food is grown without synthetic pesticides (including herbicides) and synthetic fertilizers and is free of genetic modifications. As a consequence, organic foods are higher in antioxidants and phytonutrients and lower in toxins. Furthermore, by keeping harmful chemicals out of our soil and water supply, organic food helps to keep our earth healthy. And in general, organic food tastes better.
When it’s not possible to buy organic produce, the next best option is conventionally grown local produce. Check out a nearby farmers’ market and talk to the farmers. Ask them what their practices are regarding pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. Many farmers will say they operate a “no spray” farm but cannot receive the USDA organic label because it’s too costly for a smaller farm. This doesn’t necessarily mean these local farmers are growing organic produce, but it may be a good option when organic produce is not available. Another option for buying produce is to join a food co-op. During the spring and summer, many farms offer co-op programs where you can purchase a box of produce weekly. Depending on the program, you may be able to choose what’s in the box, and you’re guaranteed fresh produce each week. Go to www.localharvest.org/organic-farms/ to find a co-op program near you.
3. Choose Only Organic Grass-Fed Dairy, Eggs, Poultry, and Meat
In addition to being fed plants treated with pesticides and grown from genetically modified seeds, feedlot animals are given antibiotics and growth hormones to maximize and speed up their growth and keep them alive. Dairy cows are given a genetically engineered hormone, rBGH, to increase milk production. And most cows, who are meant to eat grass and clover, are fed a grain-based diet. Unless you have your own cow, the best way to ensure that you’re getting the best dairy products possible is to choose grass-fed dairy products. One of the best dairy-product lines I’ve found is Natural by Nature. Find distributors of this company’s products at www.natural-by-nature.com. If you eat beef, you can also find grass-fed beef in organic markets.
When choosing organic eggs, make sure they are USDA certified organic. And go with the better-known brands, such as Vital Farms, Organic Valley, and Horizon Organic. Be wary of phrases on labels such as “natural,” “farm raised,” and “free range.” While these words may be enticing, they do not hold the farmer accountable with respect to organic and sustainable practices.
4. Eat All Six Tastes at Every Meal: Sweet, Sour, Salty, Bitter, Pungent, and Astringent
In Ayurveda, foods are composed of six tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent, and astringent. Any given food has a primary, or baseline, taste and may also have a secondary and even a tertiary taste. A good example of this is meat: the baseline taste of meat is sweet, but its secondary taste is salty. According to Ayurveda, we must receive all six tastes at every meal for optimal nutrition and to minimize cravings and prevent overeating. Once you learn how to integrate the six tastes in every meal, you will see the spikes and valleys in your hunger level out.
In the audio program Magical Mind, Magical Body, Dr. Deepak Chopra points out that animals in the forest don’t have the faintest idea of what the USDA has to say about the food pyramid or of its recommendations for vitamin and mineral intake, yet they don’t have nutritional deficiencies. The only species that becomes nutritionally deficient is the human species. And we do so because we’ve completely lost touch with the inner wisdom of our bodies. As we start to heal and attune ourselves to our bodies’ needs, we begin to know exactly what they need. Have you ever finished a meal and felt dissatisfied? It may have felt that something was missing but you couldn’t put your finger on it. By getting all six tastes at every meal, you will be continually fulfilling your body’s need for specific nutrients, and so you will be less likely to overeat or eat the wrong kinds of food. This concept is unique to Ayurveda and truly helps diminish and eventually eliminate cravings.
SWEET: The first taste is sweet and is found in protein, fat, and carbohydrates. In the West when we think of the sweet taste, we generally associate it with sugary products like candy and ice cream. In Ayurveda, meat, oils, and butter are sweet. Milk, too, is sweet, as are cereals, other grains, and sweet fruit.
SOUR: The second taste is sour and is the taste of citrus fruits and fermented foods and drinks, such as yogurt, sour cream, cheese, vinegar, and alcohol.
SALTY: The third taste on our list, salty, presumably doesn’t require further explanation; it is easy to receive in food.
BITTER: The fourth taste is bitter and is most often found in leafy greens or vegetables.
PUNGENT: The fifth taste, pungent, is the taste of spice or peppery heat. Pungency is found in such foods as spices, hot peppers, garlic, onions, and ginger.
ASTRINGENT: The sixth taste, astringent, is not a true taste but nonetheless must be included. Foods that possess astringent taste have a peculiar flavor and have a compacting and drying effect on the body. Some examples are beans, lentils, and pulses but also green tea, spinach, and cranberries. If you’ve ever had a cup of pure green tea without anything added to it, you have experienced a dry taste in your mouth. That is the effect of astringency.
Since only a small quantity of foods with bitter, pungent, or astringent tastes is necessary to satisfy our requirements, it’s relatively easy to include them in your daily diet. For example, a couple of dashes of pepper will add the pungency, while a small amount of raw spinach in a salad will give you the bitter and astringent tastes.
Below is a list of common foods in each taste category. This list is a guide and, while it doesn’t include every food, it can help you determine which foods you can eat more of to help you balance your dosha. Keep in mind that most foods have a dominant taste but also a secondary taste. Some foods have more than two tastes. For example, apples’ primary taste is sweet, and their secondary taste is astringent. When filling your plate, try to include foods from each of the six taste categories.
SWEET
Almonds
Apples (except green)
Apricots
Artichokes*
Asparagus*
Avocados*
Bananas
Barley
Beets
Black beans*
Brazil nuts
Bread
Buckwheat*
Butter
Cardamom
Carrots
Cashews
Celery*
Cherries
Cilantro*
Cinnamon
Coconut
Corn
Cucumbers
Dates
Dill
Eggs
Fava beans
Fennel
Figs
Filberts
Fish, freshwater
Ghee
Grains
Grapes, purple
Green beans*
Guava
Honey
Ice cream
Lentils*
Lima beans*
Macadamias
Mangoes
Meats
Melons
Milk
Millet
Mint
Mung beans*
Mushrooms*
Navy beans*
Nutmeg
Oats
Oils, all
Okra
Onions, cooked
Oranges
Papayas
Pasta
Peaches
Peanuts
Pears
Peas*
Pecans
Peppers, bell
Persimmons
Pine nuts
Pineapples
Pistachios
Plums
Pomegranates
Poppy seeds
Potatoes*
Pumpkin seeds
Rice
Sesame seeds
Spices, sweet
Squash
Strawberries*
Sugar
Sunflower seeds
Sweet potatoes
Tangerines
Tomatoes, yellow
Walnuts
Wheat
Yogurt
SOUR
Alcohol
Apples, green
Apricots*
Berries
Caraway
Cheese
Cherries*
Cottage cheese
Cranberries
Grapefruit
Grapes, green
Kefir cheese
Lemons
Limes
Oranges*
Oregano
Papaya*
Pickles
Pineapples*
Plums*
Sour cream
Strawberries
Tomatoes, red
Vinegar
Yogurt*
SALTY
Braggs Liquid Aminos
Celery*
Fish, ocean*
Meats*
Salt
Sea veggies
Soy sauce
Tamari
PUNGENT
Alcohol*
Asafetida
Basil
Bay leaves
Caraway
Cayenne
Chamomile
Cloves
Coffee
Eggplant
Fennel
Fenugreek
Garbanzo beans
Garlic
Ginger
Marjoram
Mustard, grain
Mustard greens*
Mustard oil
Nutmeg*
Onions, raw
Parsley*
Pepper, black
Peppers, chili
Pumpkin seeds*
Radishes
Rosemary
Thyme
Turmeric
Turnips
BITTER
Almonds*
Aloe vera
Asparagus
Bitter melons
Broccoli*
Chamomile
Chard
Coffee
Eggplant*
Greens, leafy
Kale
Limes*
Mustard, grain*
Mustard greens
Rosemary
Spinach
Tea
Turmeric*
Veggies, yellow
ASTRINGENT
Alfalfa sprouts
Apples* (all)
Artichokes
Asparagus
Avocados
Bananas*
Barley*
Berries*
Bean (mung) sprouts
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Buckwheat
Cabbage
Carrots*
Cauliflower
Celery
Cilantro
Corn
Cranberries
Cucumbers*
Dill
Eggplant*
Figs*
Fish, fresh
Green beans
Greens, dark leafy*
Jerusalem artichokes
Kidney beans
Lemons*
Lentils
Lettuce
Lima beans
Mushrooms
Nutmeg*
Okra
Oregano
Parsley
Peaches*
Pears*
Peas
Peppers, bell*
Plums*
Pomegranates*
Potatoes*
Radishes*
Rice*
Sea veggies*
Sesame seeds*
Soy/tofu (natural forms
in unprocessed foods)
Spinach*
Split peas
Squash*
Strawberries
Tea, green
Turmeric*
Turnips*
Wheat*
* Secondary tastes
SAMPLE MEALS THAT INCLUDE ALL SIX TASTES
VATA-PACIFYING BREAKFAST: Cream of wheat with milk (sweet) made with a pinch of salt (salty), sweetened with maple syrup (sweet), and topped with berries or cherries (sour) and a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg (pungent). Accompany this with a cup of green tea (bitter and astringent).
PITTA-PACIFYING LUNCH: A spinach salad (bitter and astringent) with sliced avocados (astringent and sweet), sunflower seeds (sweet), olive oil (sweet), vinegar (sour), salt and pepper (salty and pungent), sprouts (astringent), and cucumbers (sweet and astringent).
KAPHA-PACIFYING DINNER: Stir-fried tofu (astringent and sweet) with broccoli (bitter and astringent), garlic (pungent), celery (salty and astringent), pineapple (sour and sweet), kale (bitter), sesame oil (sweet and astringent), brown rice (sweet), and soy sauce (salty).
5. Reduce Your Consumption of Packaged and Processed Foods
If you must use processed foods, observe the following:
• Choose packaged products labeled “USDA Organic.”
• Choose products with no more than six ingredients listed on the label; and you must know what the ingredients are and what food source they come from.
6. Choose the Five Sattvic, or Healing, Foods in Their Organic Form Whenever Possible: Milk, Ghee, Almonds, Honey, Fruit
There are a few exceptions to this rule. Kapha types and those who are on Kapha-pacifying diets must minimize their consumption of milk, ghee, and honey. Diabetics need to closely monitor their consumption of honey and fruit owing to the high sugar content. Milk is revered in Ayurveda as a complete food. It should be brought to the boiling point first and then cooled slightly before drinking. Warmed milk combined with a teaspoon of ghee has a mild laxative effect and can be used to treat constipation or sluggish bowels. Warm milk with cardamom, nutmeg, and a teaspoon of sugar can induce sleep when taken in the evening. If you are calcium deficient or are at risk for osteoporosis, soak ten almonds overnight and peel and eat them in the morning.
7. Let Vegetables and Fruit Make Up 50 to 60 Percent of Your Daily Food Intake
Ayurvedic medicine presupposes a vegetarian diet. However, if this is not desirable or possible, strive to make vegetables and fruits at least 50 percent of your daily food intake. This is necessary because these are water-rich foods, and our bodies are 50 to 65 percent water and our brains are 85 percent water. By eating water-rich foods, you are sure to get enough water in your body; most people don’t consume enough water to stay hydrated. The second reason is that phytonutrients, which protect us from cancer, heart disease, and premature aging, are found only in plants. Third, antioxidants, or free-radical scavengers, which help repair damaged cells and prevent cancer growth, are found mostly in plant-based foods.
8. Eliminate Unhealthy Oils: Hydrogenated or Partially Hydrogenated Oils, Margarine, and Shortening
Favor organic olive oil, canola oil, sesame oil, and butter in your diet, because they are higher-quality oils and fats. During the fat-free craze that began in the 1980s, butter was given a bad rap. Organic butter is a saturated fat but is okay to eat in moderation and certainly better to eat than chemically prepared butter substitutes.
9. Eliminate High-Fructose Corn Syrup; Other Types of Corn Syrup; Artificial Sweeteners; Bleached, Enriched Flour; and White, Processed Sugar
Because of our genetic blueprints passed down from our ancestors, our bodies are hardwired to recognize natural foods and know what to do with them. High-fructose corn syrup was developed in 1967, and our bodies have hardly had time to adjust to this product and learn what to do with it. Chemically engineered artificial sweeteners are known to cause a spike in insulin levels, which may tire out the pancreas. Bleached, enriched flour is actually stripped of its nutritional value: the germ and outer bran layers are removed and the wheat is then bleached with oxide of nitrogen, chlorine, chloride, nitrosyl, and benzoyl peroxide mixed with various chemical salts. Using this flour means that you not only consume something devoid of nutrients but also ingest residual chemicals. Instead of eating any of these products, choose organic, unbleached, unbromated flour and organic turbinado sugar, organic sugar, organic brown sugar, organic honey, and organic grade A maple syrup.
10. Reduce Your Consumption of Frozen and Canned Food
When the variety of fresh produce is limited at certain times of the year, is frozen produce better? When it comes to nutrients, time is of the essence. The longer a plant-based food has been out of the ground, or the longer an animal-based food has been dead, the fewer nutrients it contains. There is a principle in Ayurveda called prana, or “life force and vitality.” A living thing has prana unless it has been altered by chemicals, laden with toxins, or deprived of sunlight and water. The same prana in a living entity is given to us in food. As soon as a plant is pulled from the earth or an animal is slaughtered for meat, it begins to lose its prana and continues to lose it as the days go by. Food that has been frozen is literally prana frozen in time, but eventually that food loses its prana. How much prana is present in frozen food depends on the length of time it has been frozen. Most canned food has been preserved in water or some other liquid, and the nutrients leak into the liquid while the can sits on the shelf. And since most of us throw away the liquid surrounding the food, we toss out the nutrients as well. As a rule of thumb, if your food hasn’t seen sunlight in a while, it’s best to reduce your consumption of that food or eliminate it from your diet altogether.
11. Drink Filtered, Distilled, or Spring Water
Water is, without a doubt, the most important thing we put into our bodies. Given that our bodies are about two-thirds water and our brains are over 80 percent water, it’s no wonder we feel cranky when we’re even slightly dehydrated. The minimum amount of water you should drink daily is eight eight-ounce glasses. It’s best not to count beverages such as tea, coffee, or soda as part of that amount. They have a diuretic effect on the body, causing you to urinate more frequently and, in doing so, lose water more rapidly than normal. People with a larger body mass, and athletic people, may need additional water.
Ideally, drink half your body weight in ounces. For example, if you weigh 140 pounds, then strive to drink 70 ounces of water. If taste is an issue, add a few drops of fresh lemon or lime juice or a few tablespoons of other natural juice to the water. Many clients tell me they forget to drink water. My advice is to fill a container with the amount of water you need to drink for the day and take it from there.
Water quality is extremely important. Most tap water is heavily chlorinated or has other chemicals meant to keep it free of microorganisms. Distilled water is likely to be the safest. Spring water would be a good choice too. Filtered water may improve taste, but not all filters remove contaminants.
12. Be Moderate and Avoid Extremes
Remember the 90–10 rule: implement the nutritional guidelines 90 percent of the time and allow yourself 10 percent flexibility. My dear teacher Dr. David Simon often said, “If you say ‘do not’ or ‘cannot’ too many times, it will tie you in knots.” Follow the guidelines most of the time, and they will become a part of who you are. But don’t go crazy. Eat ice cream once in a while; have a frozen pizza. Just don’t let that become the norm.
Guidelines for Re-creating the Mind-Body Connection with Food
Awareness comes on all levels. Food awareness is important in reconnecting the body-mind. If you’ve ever tried to feed a young child, you know that it’s a struggle to get him to eat when he’s not hungry. Certain food, situations, emotions, environments, or circumstances can create a disconnect between the body and the mind and soul when it comes to eating. The reason that so many people struggle with eating is that, while it’s a necessary act for survival, it is also tied to our upbringing, emotions, and relationships. Perhaps for you, food, in the past, meant a loving gesture from someone in a loving relationship with you. Or maybe not eating was a way for you to protest rules set by a parent or authority figure, by going on a “food strike.” Or maybe you experienced food, or lack of it, as a source of punishment.
Through eating awareness we can disarm an emotional or Pavlovian response, by letting go of the triggers and tuning in to our bodies for signals of comfort and discomfort. The shift that must take place is a shift from eating to live, or survive, to nourishing the temple that houses our soul. Eating is a pleasurable, sacred act. It should be respected and revered. In the previous chapter, we discussed dharma. How can you live out your dharma if you’re feeling lousy all the time because of the food you’re consuming or how you’re consuming it? Believing with all your heart that food is medicine will change the way you approach food altogether. You will no longer be imprisoned by the food itself, food commercials, and artificial products on grocery shelves. Instead you’ll be looking for ways to optimize your energy level with proper food intake.
Ten Guidelines for Eating Awareness
1. EAT ONLY WHEN YOU’RE HUNGRY. This may seem like a no-brainer, but how many times have you eaten only because you looked at the clock and noticed that it was coffee time, snack time, or lunchtime? A good exercise is to put your hand over your stomach, close your eyes, and feel if there’s any undigested food left in there. You might feel a slight sense of fullness. Or you might also feel a little indigestion; or if you burp, you can taste undigested food. That’s a good indicator of an undigested meal. Another way to decide if you really need more food is to keep track of when you last put anything in your mouth besides water. For Vata types, two to four hours should go by before they eat again. Pitta types should wait three to five hours between meals, and Kapha types should wait four to six before eating again.
2. EAT IN A CALM ENVIRONMENT. Your body should not be agitated from extreme noise, blaring lights, or a heated debate when you’re eating. You also should refrain from watching TV, listening to the radio, browsing the Internet, texting, and talking on the phone. You can’t remain aware when you are distracted.
3. PUT DOWN YOUR FORK BETWEEN BITES. Enjoyment from eating comes from pacing yourself. You can’t enjoy your food if you’re shoveling it in. You’re not a garbage disposal. I can assure you: no one is going to take your food away from you.
4. EAT TWO CUPPED HANDFULS OF FOOD AT A MEAL. You would be surprised how effective portion control is at making it possible for you to lose weight, maintain weight, or feel comfortable after a meal. To measure how much two cupped handfuls is for you, start with a dry substance such as uncooked rice. Fill a bowl with the rice, and set an empty bowl nearby. Using both hands together, scoop up enough rice to fill your hands, and place it in the empty bowl. Do that twice. Then, using a measuring cup, measure the amount of rice you put in the second bowl. Most people will find they’ve scooped out about two or three cups of rice.
5. STOP EATING WHEN YOU’RE SATISFIED BUT NOT FULL. When you’re satisfied, you usually sigh once. You look at your plate and say, “That was good.” If your plate is still half full, have someone take it away, or put the leftover food in a container, or throw it away instantly. You may have no clue what “satisfied” feels like because you’ve always eaten until you’re full. But with practice you will regain the ability to detect your body’s signals of satisfaction.
6. DO NOT EAT IF YOU AREN’T ENJOYING YOUR FOOD. Please, for your health, respect this guideline. I have fallen into the trap of eating bad food, and I imagine you have too. Just because the food is in front of you, you eat it — even if it’s poor quality, too greasy, too fatty, or just plain disgusting. Maybe you have a fear of wasting food, or apathy has crept in. Whatever the reason, remember that the energy that comes from the food will be nourishing your body and your cells. If the food isn’t appealing to you, your cells won’t like it either.
7. SIT DOWN TO EAT AT A TABLE WITH A PLEASANT SETTING. Please do not eat while sitting in your car, standing in your kitchen, or walking around a park or mall. Sit down and be mindful of what you’re doing. Clear out your eating space. Remove papers, books, computers, mail, and bills before sitting down to your meal. Put some fresh flowers or candles and a nice place mat or tablecloth on the table. Again, it’s impossible to extract all the good healing chemicals of a fresh meal if you’re staring at a Visa bill for five thousand dollars lying on the table.
8. DRINK ONLY WATER AT MEALS, IN SMALL AMOUNTS. Drinking large amounts of anything dilutes the gastric juices and makes digestion difficult for your body. The water should be at room temperature; take only small sips throughout the meal. Any other beverage should be consumed outside of meals.
9. DO NOT EAT WHEN YOU’RE UPSET. Eating a pint of Ben and Jerry’s Chubby Hubby is not going to heal your relationship with your spouse, and finishing off a cheesecake will not make your mother stop telling you what to do. It’s also true that skipping a meal because of an emotional upset will not kill you. You likely have some reserved energy in your body that will make up for that one meal. But eating while upset can create a host of digestive issues and may make you sick. Just sip warm water until you’ve calmed down or feel genuinely hungry again.
10. FEEL GRATITUDE FOR THE FOOD YOU HAVE. Give thanks to the Creator, in whichever way you conceive it, to the cook, to the waitress or waiter, or to anyone else involved in preparing and serving your food. Even if you don’t see them directly, have gratitude in your heart. This sense of gratitude will allow the best digestion and assimilation of nutrients possible.
Eating for Your Mind-Body Type
If you do nothing else but apply the Twelve Guidelines for an Ayurvedic Lifestyle Eating Plan and the Ten Guidelines for Eating Awareness, you will see your health improve markedly. But if you’d like to learn how to eat for your mind-body type, be sure to read the following pages, where I outline some simple steps to take.
A dosha-specific diet is the most effective diet to follow when you detect that your body is out of balance or out of sorts. Once you begin getting back in tune with your body, you’ll notice when imbalances start to occur. You may first notice a general sense of fatigue. If you’re a Vata type, you may notice dry skin, dry eyes, restlessness, trouble sleeping, or more worry than usual. Typical Vata imbalances also include constipation and excess gas. A Pitta type may notice a bit more irritability when going out of balance. She may experience high acidity, acid reflux, or oversensitivity to spicy or sour foods. An out-of-balance Pitta can also experience skin rashes or acne. A Kapha type will eat more than usual and notice some weight gain or feel heavy and lethargic. Nasal congestion, excess mucus, and complacency are all symptoms of an out-of-balance Kapha.
When you go out of balance, the dosha that is specifically out of balance starts to increase in the body. Since you don’t need more of what you already have, increasing the dosha will make you feel a sense of discomfort. For example, a Kapha type already has a fair amount of the water and earth elements in his mind-body constitution. Let’s suppose that a Kapha has been eating a lot over the holidays (increased earth), has been snowed in and forced to stay indoors for a few days (increased earth and water from the weather and inertia), and has now caught a cold, which causes chest and nasal congestion (increased water). The heaviness of the food, the inertia of remaining indoors, and the increased mucus all cause Kapha to increase in the body. To counteract the increased Kapha, this person would do well to follow a Kapha-type diet to decrease Kapha.
REMEMBER: You don’t need more of what you already have naturally.
Try a dosha-specific diet for your dominant dosha for three to five days, and notice if you experience improvement. In addition to following the diet, drink a dosha-specific herbal tea in between meals. Remember, you are not eliminating the other tastes; you are increasing the tastes that balance your dosha and reducing the tastes that can aggravate your dosha.
The question on this subject that generally arises is: “If I have two dominant doshas, which diet do I follow?” As a general rule, follow the dosha-specific diet that corresponds to the stronger dosha. However, if you find that your symptoms reflect the second-most dominant dosha, follow that diet instead. For example, if your prakruti is Vata-Pitta, follow a Vata-pacifying or -specific diet. But if you’re experiencing acid reflux, loose stools, and your skin is warm to the touch, you have excess Pitta and should follow a Pitta-pacifying diet instead. Another easy way to decide is to take the season into consideration. In Pitta season (summer), for example, follow a Pitta-specific diet. In Vata season (fall–early winter), follow a Vata-specific diet.
It may seem like a great balancing act (no pun intended), and it is. Because of the food we eat, the liquids we drink, the experiences we have, and the emotions we process, we are in constant flux between balance and imbalance. It’s not an exact science, however. But now that you’re aware of your natural state of being (prakruti) and what it feels like to go out of balance (vikruti), you have the tools to keep the pendulum from swinging too far in one direction or the other.
If we examine the five great elements and the six tastes, we can see how each corresponds to an increase or decrease in the elements in our mind-body constitution:
SPACE (AKASHA): increased by the bitter and astringent tastes.
AIR (VAYU): increased by the bitter, pungent, and astringent tastes.
FIRE (TEJAS): increased by the pungent taste.
WATER (JALA): increased by the salty and sour tastes.
EARTH (PRITHIVI): increased by the sweet taste.
A Vata-Specific Diet
Since Vata is composed of space and air, a Vata diet will contain mainly foods that have a good amount of water and earth (the qualities opposite of space and air). Here’s what to do:
First of all, to counteract the already light and cold Vata dosha, Vata types must eat warm, heavy, oily, and sweet foods. To give some examples, home-cooked foods such as stews, casseroles, pasta dishes, hot apple pie, bread pudding, and hot bread with olive oil are all Vata pacifying. Vata types can eat cold foods, but only in very warm weather. Vatas respond best to cooked vegetables rather than raw; warmed 2 percent or whole milk rather than skim milk; and sweet fruit such as mangoes, ripe bananas, and pears. The three tastes that Vata types should focus on are the sweet, sour, and salty tastes, and Vatas should eat smaller quantities of bitter, pungent, and astringent foods.
A Pitta-Specific Diet
Remember that Pitta is made up of fire and water. Pitta types need to stay cool and reduce some of the water. The best type of foods for Pittas are cooling foods with sweet, bitter, and astringent tastes:
INCREASE: sweet, bitter, astringent
DECREASE: sour, salty, pungent
Unlike Vata types, Pittas do well with salads and colder foods all year long. Pittas can eat raw veggies and beans, lentils, and sprouts. Often Pitta types do best with a vegetarian diet. Since their appetites are good and sometimes ravenous, Pittas need to be careful about not overeating, even when they eat the right foods. To regain balance or remain in balance, a person with a Pitta constitution should steer clear of spicy and greasy foods, minimize red meat intake, and avoid alcohol consumption. A Pitta should also minimize additional salt intake.
Since Kapha is composed of water and earth, Kapha types need more space and air or lighter qualities. This means they need a diet that is the opposite of a Vata diet:
INCREASE: bitter, pungent, astringent
DECREASE: sweet, sour, salty
Kapha is a cold dosha like Vata, but Kapha types generally do well with raw vegetables and salads as long as they’re not ice cold. The bitter, pungent, and astringent tastes help balance Kaphas, who should reduce their consumption of the sweet, sour, and salty tastes. Kapha-type food examples include spicy hummus, lentil soup, stir-fried green vegetables and tofu, leafy green salads, lean fish, vegetable burritos, berry fruit salads, and almonds. Spice should be added whenever possible to jumpstart the Kapha metabolism, and small amounts of caffeinated coffee or tea are completely acceptable to help boost a Kapha person’s energy level. To rebalance themselves, Kaphas should eat breakfast later in the morning or skip breakfast altogether. Kapha types need two decent-sized meals or one small and two medium-sized meals, with no snacking in between.
Exercise: Your Dosha-Specific Eating Plan
Using the guidelines about dosha-specific eating above, the six tastes list on pages 64–65, and the sample meals on page 66, create a plan for one day’s meals according to your dominant dosha. If you are a two-dosha type, you may need a plan for both doshas depending on the season. You will generally eat for your dominant dosha in three seasons and follow the diet for your secondary dosha in the appropriate season for that dosha. The seasons are generally split as follows, but they may vary according to geographical location: Kapha season is late winter to spring, Pitta season is summer, and Vata season is fall to early winter. Make sure you include all six tastes at every meal.
BREAKFAST:
LUNCH:
SNACK:
DINNER:
Feeding the Temple That Houses Your Soul
Ayurveda teaches us that there is energy in everything. This energy, called prana, or vital life force, exists everywhere. It is my wish for you to experience a shift in awareness when it comes to food and feeding your body, mind, and soul. Consider the idea that prana exists not only in your food, water, and drink but also in the energy you put into preparing your food. Have you ever eaten a dish prepared with love? It could be a cake or soup your grandmother always prepared or that homecoming meal your mom makes for you each time you visit her. Doesn’t that food taste and feel so much better than when you prepare it?
Eating is a sacred act we all must participate in at least a few times a day. Strive to find the joy in shopping for food, preparing food, and enjoying it. The love, joy, and happiness you feel will bring you the energy in it. When you prepare food for your family, cook with love. On a similar note, the food that nourishes this body that houses your soul should never be referred to as just “calories.” You are not simply “filling the tank.” You are creating prana. You are creating vital energy, which will give you joy to carry with you throughout your day. So many of us complain that we don’t have energy, that we’re tired most of the time. This is where energy starts. Feed your body properly, add mindfulness to your eating, and consider it a sacred act. Then, and only then, will you start to heal the physical body.
Daily Routine and Seasonal Routine: Respecting Nature’s Waves
All of nature respects a certain dynamic. There are cycles in nature. The seasons change. There is a cycle of birth, life, death, and rebirth. Deciduous trees and hibernating animals sleep during the winter. The sun rises and sets each day, bringing our planet day and night. Butterflies and birds fly south for the winter and come back in the spring. And if humans don’t disrupt it, everything happens according to plan.
As part of nature, we too must respect nature’s waves. Our ancestors respected nature’s waves, before the advent of electricity, because they were connected to the earth. Now we are disconnected from nature. In the United States, we can shop in stores or online twenty-four hours a day. We can dine or watch TV at any hour. Connected to us by our electronic devices, our jobs, friends, and families make demands on us all the time, anytime. We are “on” continually, unless we force ourselves to take a break. A couple days ago I was at my son’s choral concert and was surprised to see not only kids but also adults using their handheld devices during the whole event. What happened to enjoying the moment?
I constantly see clients who say they don’t have a moment in the day to themselves. And when I go over their daily routines, I discover that they can, in fact, take time for themselves. With continual activity in our days and nights, it’s no wonder anxiety and stress are taking away our health. Ayurveda teaches that we must respect the cycle of rest and activity if we are to enjoy a healthy life. We simply cannot just go, go, go until we drop dead. Where is the enjoyment in going all the time? And what are you trying to get to?
An Ayurvedic Daily Routine
According to Ayurveda, doshas govern not only the seasons but also the daily or circadian rhythm.
The twenty-four-hour clock is divided into six parts:
2:00 to 6:00 AM: Vata time
6:00 to 10:00 AM: Kapha time
10:00 AM to 2:00 PM: Pitta time
2:00 to 6:00 PM: Vata time
6:00 to 10:00 PM: Kapha time
10:00 PM to 2:00 AM: Pitta time
2:00 TO 6:00 AM: VATA TIME
The body is in a hypermetabolic state. Sleep is important during this time because the dream state, which is the most prominent state during this period, cleanses your mind and emotions. Waking up just before six assures you of a more alert feeling in the morning.
6:00 TO 10:00 AM: KAPHA TIME
The body shifts to a hypometabolic state. Waking up late in this Kapha period can leave you with a groggy, heavy feeling all morning. It’s best to wake up at the beginning of the Kapha period or earlier and to get started with your day. This is a good time to meditate, do some light yoga such as Sun Salutations (for instructions, see the appendix), and, if you’re a Kapha type, do some cardiovascular exercise and strength training. Kaphas can wait until nine thirty or ten to eat breakfast if they have little hunger. Vatas should eat something warm, and Pittas should eat something before they get their day started.
10:00 AM to 2:00 PM: PITTA TIME
This is the time of day when the digestive fire is at its height. The biggest meal of the day should be eaten between noon and two. Respecting the guidelines for eating awareness, take time to eat away from your desk and other distractions. Sit quietly for five minutes after your meal, and if possible take a ten- or fifteen-minute walk after eating.
2:00 TO 6:00 PM: VATA TIME
During this second Vata period of the day, the body is once again hypermetabolic. If you didn’t overeat at lunch, you should feel energetic and mentally active. The end of Vata time is good for meditation, and if you didn’t exercise in the morning, now is an optimal time for it.
6:00 to 10:00 PM: KAPHA TIME
Your body is winding down, preparing for sleep. Eat a light supper, take a short leisurely walk afterward, and do low-key activities. Strive to be in bed close to ten.
10:00 PM TO 2:00 AM: PITTA TIME
Have you ever gotten the munchies late at night? If so, it’s because your digestive fire has once again ignited, but this time in order to digest your food and do cell repair. During the second Pitta period, you should be asleep. The expression “beauty sleep” appropriately describes this time. The Pitta fire is destroying damaged cells, repairing others, and regenerating and rejuvenating your body. So the bottom line is, don’t eat during the second Pitta time. Toxins will accumulate in your body, because your body will focus on digesting food before removing toxins and repairing cells.
Routine for Optimal Sleep
In my practice, I’ve found that a large number of my clients have sleep disturbances. For some it’s due to stress at home, financial worries, or stress in the workplace. There are several things you can do to naturally sleep soundly at night. Before you turn to sleep medications try these first.
MEDITATE DAILY
As explained in chapter 4, an ideal routine is to meditate twice a day, in the morning and evening, for twenty to thirty minutes. This practice alone has helped 90 percent of my clients who have sleep disturbances.
CREATE A COMFORTABLE SPACE DESIGNED FOR SLEEP
Many sleep experts agree that the bedroom should be reserved for sleep and intimate activities. Remove all clutter from your bedroom. Keep dirty laundry, laundry baskets, bags, and other items out of the vicinity of the bed. TVs and other electronics shouldn’t be in the bedroom, because they provide distractions and emit a field of electromagnetic energy. Put your favorite artwork or inspirational quotes, beautiful pictures, flowers, or scented candles in the room.
AVOID CAFFEINE AND ALCOHOL AFTER 4 PM
Sometimes sleep issues are caused simply by drinking coffee, tea, or soft drinks too close to bedtime. Switch to herbal teas or water if you must drink something before bedtime. And if you customarily drink alcohol, then be aware that, according to the National Institutes of Health, even a drink during happy hour can cause wakefulness in the second half of sleep.
AVOID SNACKING DURING THE TWO OR THREE HOURS BEFORE BEDTIME
According to an Ayurvedic daily routine, you should eat a light supper about three hours before bedtime. Ideally, you won’t be eating anything else until the next day. This recommendation helps to induce sleep when you’re ready to rest and helps keep weight gain at bay.
AVOID MENTALLY STIMULATING ACTIVITIES OR INTENSE EXERCISE AN HOUR OR TWO BEFORE BEDTIME
Doing your budget or taxes or watching intense psychological thrillers or even the news before bed can engage the mind. Opt to skip the news, leave work or unfinished bills until the next day, and read some inspirational or spiritual literature instead.
PLACE AROMATHERAPY OILS ON PILLOW OR SHEETS
Certain scents like lavender, vanilla, jasmine, and chamomile can help induce sleep. You can buy ready-made essential-oil sprays or make your own with distilled water. Make sure you’re using real essential oils, which are more concentrated and last longer. You can put a couple drops of essential oil on your pillow or sheets or place them on a cotton ball and leave it under your pillow. A low-maintenance solution would be to place a lavender sachet under your pillow in the morning and keep it there until you’re ready for sleep.
JOURNAL TO UNLOAD THE THOUGHTS OF THE DAY
One of the biggest complaints I get in my practice is: “I can’t turn my mind off.” Journaling is one of the best ways to clear the mind before bed. It doesn’t matter how you do it. You can write about your day or about your thoughts and feelings or even create lists of things you need to do the next day. An enlightening exercise is to write down all the things you are thankful for. There is power in putting things down on paper, and it works to clear the mind for sleep.
GO TO BED AT THE SAME TIME EVERY NIGHT AND WAKE UP AT THE SAME TIME EACH MORNING
This seems obvious, right? And it does work. Ayurveda recommends being in bed and asleep by 10 or 11 o’clock and waking around 6 in the morning. When you train your body to go to sleep at a certain time, it will expect sleep. The greatest imbalances occur when you have an erratic bedtime and waking time.
TAKE A WARM BATH OR SHOWER AND MASSAGE YOURSELF WITH WARM SESAME OIL OR VATA OIL
In your bath, you can use the same aromatherapy scents listed earlier in the aromatherapy section. Ayurvedic practice includes a self-administered massage called abhyanga. In the evening, an effective massage takes about two minutes. Use a massage-grade sesame oil or a Vata (dosha-specific) oil (the Chopra Center in Carlsbad, California, makes a nice, relaxing Vata oil). Generally, a Vata oil is used as a sleep aid even for the other doshas, since it is calming. Pour about a tablespoon in your palm and start massaging the backs of your ears, easing down to the back of your neck. Then, massage your stomach in a clockwise motion and end with the soles of your feet. This technique can also be used on small children and babies who have a hard time sleeping.
DRINK A CUP OF WARM MILK WITH NUTMEG AND CARDAMOM OR HAVE CHAMOMILE OR VATA TEA
Warm milk has traditionally been used as a sleep inducer, and an Ayurvedic recipe calls for a pinch of nutmeg and cardamom; you can also add a teaspoon of sugar. Equally, chamomile tea is a natural tranquilizer. Vata tea, made from Vata-pacifying herbs and good for all doshas for sleep induction, can also help. Mapi.com sells a nice Vata tea for a reasonable price.
SLEEP WITH THE LIGHTS OFF
This advice may seem like common sense, and it is. But you may be among the large percentage of people who sleep with a certain amount of light on. For the release of the proper amount of hormones, such as melatonin, your body needs darkness. Even a dim light or the flicker of a TV can inhibit the production of this hormone, causing not only sleep disturbances but also depression.
INCLUDE THIRTY MINUTES OF CARDIOVASCULAR EXERCISE IN YOUR DAILY ROUTINE
In the next section, we will discuss physical activity and the ideal types for your dosha. But something as simple as brisk walking can assist you in getting a good night’s sleep.
Thinking about physical activity is new to the human species. Until about seventy-five years ago, humans naturally engaged in physical activity as a part of daily life. If you lived in the country, you worked on the farm or in a garden; if you lived in a city or the suburbs, you walked everywhere. Simply by performing daily activities, people got the exercise their bodies needed and then some.
In America today and in other industrialized countries around the globe, people need to think about moving their bodies in a way that will keep them healthy. Think about your day and daily routine. Does your current daily routine encourage you to remain sedentary? And for the most part, do you remain inactive?
If you want to live in optimal health, you must move your body in some form of activity. Exercise keeps your muscles strong, removes toxins from the body, and helps with digestion, sleep, hormone production, and more. There is absolutely no replacement for daily activity, and no magic pill that will help.
The Three Components of a Fitness Program
In order to make your exercise regime complete, you must include three components: cardiovascular movement, strength or resistance training, and flexibility training. Many exercise programs combine at least two of these.
Cardio training is probably the most popular because it’s the easiest to achieve. You can get your thirty minutes of cardio by doing activities such as walking, running, biking, hiking, dancing, and gardening. Here’s the tricky part, though: Everyone has a target heart rate, at which the heart is working at about 70 percent of its capacity. This target zone changes according to your weight and age. In order to benefit fully from your cardio workout, you must sustain this target heart rate for at least twenty minutes. The healthier you are and the older you get, the more difficult it is to achieve this with a walking regime. You may need to do interval training or pick up the pace in any of your activities for your heart rate to stay within your target zone. The best way to know if you’re in your target zone is to buy and wear a heart rate monitor. They are relatively inexpensive and worth the investment.
Strength or resistance training is the second component of a complete fitness regime. Use hand weights, weight machines, or your body’s own weight for resistance. The older we become, the more muscle mass we lose, so strength training is as essential as cardio.
Flexibility is the third component. To keep us young, healthy, and balanced, we need to include flexibility training.
Ayurveda emphasizes yoga because it has been practiced with success for so long and has a great number of benefits, not only for the physical body but for the emotional and spiritual bodies as well. The word yoga is Sanskrit for “to yoke” or “to join together.” What we celebrate in yoga is the union of the mind, body, soul, and spirit. One set of poses, in particular, called the Sun Salutations, or Surya Namaskar in Sanskrit, is extremely beneficial. This series of twelve movements exercises every major muscle group in the body and takes care of flexibility and strength training. When sustained for at least twenty minutes, the Sun Salutations can also be considered a healthy cardiovascular practice as well. See the appendix for diagrams of the twelve movements.
Yoga has become popular in the marketplace in the past few years, but let me add a note of caution. Not all yoga instruction is beneficial. At the Ayurvedic Path Yoga studio, we practice a safe form of yoga called hatha yoga. We make sure that students get into and out of poses safely. We teach students to honor their bodies and to abstain from any pose that doesn’t feel right. The best yoga practice teaches you to access your inner yogi rather than accept orders that urge you to do poses your body is not ready for.
In addition to yoga, you can do some simple stretches, Pilates, or tai chi.
Moving According to Your Mind-Body Type
While any exercise or activity that moves your body is good, there are certain activities that are ideal for each mind-body type.
VATA TYPES
Being composed of the elements of air and space, Vata types have peaks and valleys of energy. They need an exercise regime that is gentle and creative, one that sparks their interest. Vatas do best with walking, swimming, dance, yoga, aerobics, light jogging, or a sport that is not too strenuous. Also, Vata types need to mix up their routines so they don’t get bored. Their vital energy is quickly depleted, so running a marathon may not be good for a Vata type.
PITTA TYPES
These intense individuals are composed mainly of fire and water. Naturally they are attracted to activity, but mostly for the competitive aspect. Pitta types like to win. They have more stamina than Vata types but need to watch the fiery aspect of their personality when playing sports so they don’t get too fierce in their competitiveness. Pitta types do especially well when exercising outdoors. They can handle running, jogging, walking, aerobic activity, biking, and hiking; swimming is especially beneficial for Pittas. In my practice, I get a fair amount of Pitta types who like to do hot yoga (yoga practiced in high temperatures). This is counterintuitive for Pitta types, who already have enough fire. Practicing activities in the heat can aggravate Pitta.
KAPHA TYPES
The slowest moving of the three doshas, Kapha is composed of water and earth, so Kaphas need movement in their daily routine. Getting it can be a challenge, since Kapha types are less inclined to move. They need the most rigorous of activities, and it helps if they have a goal, such as training for a 5K run or a marathon. Their solid structure and stamina allows them to handle endurance sports. Kapha types should exercise during morning Kapha time, between six and ten. Engaging in activity at this time will boost their metabolism and keep them more energetic all day. Kaphas can also handle heated yoga fairly well, and it can be good for them. Even meditation for Kaphas can be a moving meditation.
Exercise: Creating Your Physical Movement Plan
Any activity you do should be enjoyable. Following an exercise plan you dislike is not going to bring you the most benefit and will not keep you motivated. Learning a new skill can take time, but if you have fun doing it, it will be far more beneficial in the long run. For example, I’ve taken up salsa dancing. While it’s difficult to learn, it’s challenging my brain and my body, I have fun, and it keeps the Vata side of me from getting bored.
Below is a sample physical movement plan; use it as a guide to make your own plan — one that reflects your interests and constitution. Remember to include the three components of a fitness program: cardiovascular, strength/resistance training, and flexibility. If you are mostly Vata, you will need to include variety, maybe changing activities every other day or every third day. Pitta types will need a couple of different activities and perhaps one that will take them outdoors. Kaphas can create a plan and stick to it, since they don’t like to deviate from routine. In your plan, include at least five days of activity a week.
A SAMPLE ROUTINE FOR A VATA TYPE
MONDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS: sixty minutes of hatha yoga (for flexibility and strength).
TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS: walk briskly for forty-five minutes using a heart rate monitor (cardio).
FRIDAYS: go to the gym and do thirty minutes of cardio and thirty minutes of weight training (cardio and strength).
SATURDAYS: go salsa dancing (cardio).
Read over and start applying the Twelve Guidelines for an Ayurvedic Lifestyle Eating Plan.
Go through your kitchen cupboards, refrigerator, and pantry. Purge any food with artificial anything. Toss out foods, including dressings and sauces, that are old or expired or that contain any ingredients such as hydrogenated oils and high-fructose corn syrup.
Start stocking your kitchen with organic items: grains, spices, basic healthy oils, and broths.
Remember, less is more. Eating fresh is more important than buying in bulk. Save money by purchasing smaller amounts of fresh, organic food rather than big packages of food you will likely discard anyway.
Prepare a sample breakfast, lunch, and dinner menu for your Ayurvedic mind-body type.
Read and start applying the Ten Guidelines for Eating Awareness.
Create a reasonable daily routine and post it on your bathroom mirror.
Create a plan for exercise and movement. Start by following it twice a week then add one day of movement per week until you’ve achieved five days weekly.