Ayurvedic medicine originated in India thousands of years ago, and is still widely practiced today. Ayurveda, meaning “knowledge of life” is focused on health and wellbeing through natural lifestyle choices and it defines health by the balance of the three doshas called agni (digestion and metabolism), dhatus (tissues), and malas (excretion).
According to Ayurvedic philosophy the universe is made up of five elements: akash (space), vayu (air), agni (fire), jala (water) and prithvi (earth). These elements combine in pairs to produce the tridoshas: vata, pitta and kapha. These doshas are constantly moving and interacting with each other in all living beings and they represent the body types that are so famous in Ayurvedic medicine.
Agni, the digestive fire
Preservation and promotion of agni is the main focus of most Ayurvedic treatment. If your agni is burning bright—in other words you’re digesting your food and converting it into energy efficiently—then you are considered in good health. Specific body types have inherently different powers of digestion: vata digestion is usually variable and delicate, pitta digestion is usually strong and intense, and kapha digestion is usually slow and heavy.
Even if you don’t know your Ayurvedic body type, there are certain foods, spices and herbs that are important for improving agni in everyone. Ginger is thought to be the best spice for aiding digestion in all body types, and it’s recommended to be consumed as a tea or in cooking.
Other spices to support agni include: black pepper, cardamom, cayenne, cinnamon, clove, horseradish and mustard. Standard practices for promoting “agni” also include chewing fennel seeds after a meal, and using raw, uncooked honey to sweeten hot drinks.
Because Ayurveda is a mind-body tradition, how you eat is just as important as what you eat. Famous Ayurvedic physician, Deepak Chopra, recommends the following tips for to follow during meals:
- Eat in a quiet settled atmosphere
- Don’t eat when you are upset
- Always sit down to eat
- Eat only when you are feeling hungry
- Avoid ice-cold food or drink
- Don’t talk while chewing
- Eat at a moderate pace
- Leave intervals between eating of 2-4hrs for light meals and 4-6hrs for full meals
- Sip warm water with your meals
- Eat freshly cooked meals where possible
- Eat cooked food where possible (it is easier to digest)
- Do not cook with honey
- Drink milk separately from meals
- Experience all six tastes during meals (sweet, salty, sour, bitter, pungent, astringent)
- Leave 1/3 to 1/4 of your stomach empty to aid digestion
- Sit quietly for a few minutes after your meal
References available on request