These simple Ayurvedic lifestyle and diet tips will help you improve your immunity. Ayurveda suggests that you wake up at the right time and eat at the right time.
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Ayurveda, a holistic form of medicine, aims to promote balance between the mind and body. This ancient school of medicine believes that five elements comprise the universe: vayu (air), jala, water), Akash(space), fire (fire) and prithvi (“earth”). These elements are thought to create three types of dashes, which are energy types that circulate in your body. Each dosha has a specific function. The pitta Desha, for example, controls hunger, thirst and body temperature. The vat osha regulates electrolyte movement and balance, while the kaph Desha promotes joint function.
What does lifestyle mean to you?
“Lifestyle” refers to both akhara (food habits), and vihara (“dos and don’ts in life). Lifestyle-related disorders are caused by an individual not living a life that is consistent with their body’s self-constitution. It is fascinating to see that Ayurveda classics emphasize the importance of poor lifestyle choices and unhealthy dietary habits in the genesis and progression of diseases.
What is Ayurvedic Diet?
Ayurvedic eating habits have been in existence for thousands of years. It is based upon Ayurvedic medicine principles and focuses on balancing different energy types within your body. This is believed to improve your health. The Ayurvedic diet offers personalized recommendations based on your body type, which is unlike many other diets. It is also known for its ability to improve your health, not only your body, but also your mind.
1. Get up early in the morning
Ayurveda recommends that you wake up in “Brahmi Muhurta”, approximately 45 minutes before sunrise. Brahma muhurta refers to the interval between photosynthesis and respiration in the plant kingdom. The abundance of nascent oxygen will easily mix with hemoglobin to create oxyhemoglobin. This can reach even the most distant tissues and boosts the immune system.
2. Freshly prepared food is the best!
Avoid bread, biscuits and other packaged foods. Hot food can increase the agni, or metabolic fire upon entering the stomach (stomach). This, in turn, sets the metabolism right and increases appetite and ability to digest food. It helps to eliminate vitiated vayu, reduce or destroy vitiated Kaph, and maintains balance.
3. Mix cooked and uncooked food together:
Ayurveda says that mixing raw and cooked foods can make digestion more difficult. As enzymes are activated, it is easier for the digestive tract to digest cooked foods.
4. Do not drink coffee or tea if you are starving or right before eating.
It is not a good choice for everyone, but some people find it acceptable at certain times. This assumes that coffee has been consciously brewed, taking into account one’s dosha and current season. If you don’t have enough stomach, everything you don’t want to happen will be magnified. It’s almost like adding acid to an already acidic digestive tract. You can either have food with your coffee, or wait until you’ve had breakfast before enjoying your first cup.
5. Milk and dairy products
It is important to remember the origins of Ayurveda when it comes to dairy products and milk. This natural-based system of healing was developed in ancient India long before synthetic hormones, factory farms and food manufacturing facilities or agribusiness. Although milk and dairy products are very common, they often are not the same quality as those of centuries past. Most milk and dairy products on the market today are adulterated.
6. The sun is the best light for digestion:
Ayurveda refers to digestion strength as “agni”, a Sanskrit term meaning fire. Agni is a collective term for all factors that affect digestion, such as enzymes and hydrochloric acid. The sun rises at its highest point during the pitta phase of the day. This is done smoothly by Pitta dosha.
7. Three meals per day is the minimum.
There is a time for everything. This includes food intake. Proper timing is crucial when consuming food. Consuming food within one yama (three hours) should be avoided. It can cause rasodvega, or inability to digest food. If improperly digested foods are put into circulation, it can be dangerous for your health and could even prove fatal.
8. Don’t drink water for 1.5 hours after food:
Water after eating can affect the quality and strength of your digestion. It acts as a coolant and provides protection against the heat from any food. Over time, people tend to get obese.
9. Incorporate seasonal, locally grown fruits and vegetables into your diet
It takes time for food from abroad to reach our shores. This means that they may not be fresh when you buy them. There is no guarantee that vegetables and fruits are naturally grown. It is important to consider how cleanly the vegetables and fruits are handled before being packed.
