Eating for Balance
Adjusting your diet can be very helpful in balancing your current mind body physiology. Whenever we are trying to correct an imbalance in one of the three doshas, the rule to remember is: Like increases like and opposites reduce. This means that if you are currently experiencing symptoms consistent with an Air (Vata) imbalance, eating foods that are opposite in qualities of the attributes of air will help to bring you back into balance. Of the six tastes, which do you think are the heaviest, or most grounding to the system? The answer is sweet and salty taste! Would someone with an Air imbalance do better with warm foods or cold foods? Warm foods would pacify the cold and light properties of the Air principle.
Someone with a Fire (Pitta) imbalance would do best to stay away from what types of foods? Hot and spicy, salted fish, and alcohol will tend to increase the heat in the body which is exactly what that person does not need.
How about the Earth (Kapha) type? Which tastes would be most balancing to their physiology? The bitter, pungent and astringent tastes, because they increase the metabolism and reduce body mass.
Now does this mean that an Earth type can not eat foods with sweet or salty tastes? Of course not. In fact, in order to feel satisfied after a meal, all six tastes should be eaten, with the specific amounts adjusted according to your current mind body dosha.
So Balance is the key!
To prevent ama from forming, drink plenty of warm or room temperature water. Do not eat late at night. Eat freshly prepared meals, and cook with seasonal, organic fruits and vegetables (avoid genetically modified foods). Strengthen agni by "kindling" it with heating foods and spices, such as ginger and black pepper.
Cooking with spices and herbs can alter the food’s effect on your body, and can improve its digestibility. These natural remedies are not designed to treat any diagnosed health conditions, but may be included as a part of your eating ritual:
To kindle your appetite, eat a few pieces of freshly sliced ginger sprinkled with lemon juice fifteen minutes before a meal
To alleviate excess stomach acidity, cook with cooling herbs such as cumin, coriander, fennel and cilantro. You may also drink two tablespoons of aloe vera juice or a cup of licorice tea a half hour after meals.
To decrease gas and bloating, cook with aromatic herbs like cinnamon, cardamom and bay and chew roasted fennel seeds after a meal.
It is also very important to eat foods that you like! Your agni goes to work the second the food hits your tongue. Whether a food "makes your stomach turn" or "makes your mouth water" literally affects how completely your body absorbs its nutrients. Dishes that make your taste buds sing a joyful song kindle agni and enliven your body's inner intelligence.
