Take charge of your physical and mental wellbeing with appropriate nourishment
Ayurveda teaches us that food can be medicine or poison for you depending on a multitude of factors. Ahara or diet is considered one of the important pillars of health in Ayurveda. Let me rephrase: Ahara is described as the foremost pillar among the three pillars as it is responsible for maintenance of life and sustenance of health.
Western science will remind you that 80% of your body is made in the kitchen, not the gym. This makes sense, no? Our grandparent’s generation seemed healthier and fitter. Do you remember your grandmother or your friends’ grandmas going to restaurants in their younger days or constantly munching on snacks? The answer is NO! There were no apps that indulged any foodie cravings at midnight. Since most families were large and there were so many mouths to feed, people rarely overate.
The Importance of Good Digestion
In Ayurveda, what matters most is what we digest. How do you improve digestion or agni? When I think of my grandparents, they didn’t have access to Pilates studios or running tracks or swimming pools. My nana (maternal grandfather) had a daily yoga practice, and my dada (paternal granddad) loved walking for miles at length. I think I get my love of practicing yoga and finding life’s answers in solo walks from my grandfathers.
Our grandparents did a lot of movement without strapping gadgets to their bodies to measure it. They weren’t glued to the television or computer. They walked from one place to another and had a lot of structure in their day. Movement was instinctive for them as was eating. The World Health Organization recently released alarming data: 81% of kids between the ages of 11 and 17 are now inactive, with girls most affected (85% are inactive, vs 78% of boys).[1]
Our grandparents’ mind-bodies were made in the kitchen with three freshly prepared meals a day. This was real food, not substances disguised as food. People bought locally grown produce from vegetable and fruit vendors. They ate what was in season and honored fixed meal hours. Women had three meals to cook, so kitchen timings needed to be monitored closely. The home kitchen wasn’t treated as a restaurant—people ate what was served and the families could afford. You naturally ate a balanced meal where animal protein was an occasional indulgence.
Real Food vs Processed Food
Today, what’s often available as food is not real and caters to our taste buds, not health. In India, the urban middle class has a cook at home, so each member eats what they desire, not what they need. I have seen pasta, tandoori chicken, and aloo paratha served at the same meal and people glued to their gadgets during dinner.
In the U.S., I know of families where the kids only ate dinner from Taco Bell throughout high school. Parents might be tired, and they don’t want to argue every day. But in both the scenarios, the children don’t learn about the essence of nutrition or the concept of portion control.
Ayurveda tells us that most diseases don’t happen overnight. These are the causes that lead to disease development. Western science also warns us about processed foods and junk food. Studies show that in the long-term, eating junk food can lead to type 2 diabetes, heart-related problems (such as cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and cholesterol), being overweight, and obesity.
Processed foods and junk food can also impact your digestive and oral health. According to a study by CEO World Magazine, the United States and the United Kingdom are the most fast-food-obsessed countries in the world. France and Sweden ranked third and fourth spots, followed by Austria, Mexico, and South Korea.[2]
Food According to Ayurveda
Food should have prana or energy or qi or life in it. It impacts both your mental as well as gut health. Think of any item, which has a six-month shelf life—instant noodles, for example. It’s devoid of any life.
Frozen foods with preservatives, processed foods, stale foods, canned foods, and microwaveable foods all fall under the same category. Yes, you can read the labels and avoid anything high in salt, added sugar and trans fats.
But think for a second. If the frozen chicken tikka masala or chicken parmesan from the grocer’s frozen section aisle has an expiry date of 6-8 months from the time it was cooked and frozen, that can’t be normal. Because anything with life in it, like real food, does rot after a certain time. That’s the circle of life. So, what are we eating then?
Ayurveda believes that people who eat a lot of tamasic foods (examples shared above) are not only harming their bodies, but their minds as well. (I am not including fresh ingredients that fall in the tamasic category because one thing at a time.) Ancient wisdom tells us that tamasic foods will dull the mind, create unhealthy urges, block the flow of energy, negatively impact how we feel, and produce harmful toxins. Simply put, if you continue to consume foods that seemingly don’t go bad, ask yourself what it is that you are eating.
Solution To Gut and Mental Health Problems
If you want a lightness in your life, slowly start to limit your intake of foods like these that lower your immunity, mess around with the mind, and provide no nourishment. I have clients whose gut issues, insomnia, body aches, and mental health issues have become more manageable since they implemented these diet and lifestyle changes. We are what we eat, and our thoughts are impacted by what we feed ourselves. Next time you order take out and plan your weekly meals, ask yourself “What am I eating?”
“Don’t eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food.” ~ Michael Pollan
