What is Ayurveda?
Ayurveda Is The Traditional Hindu System Of Medicine, Based On The Idea Of Balance, Which Is Achieved Through Diet, Herbal Treatment, And Yoga.
Our ethos at Wholistically Healthy is inspired by the ancient Ayurvedic philosophy: To have a healthy mind, we must have a healthy body, to have a healthy body, we must have a healthy mind. Eating well is considered one of the most important things we can do to help ourselves in Ayurveda. Digestion (agni) is known to affect mind, emotions and body. The Ayurvedic cook must prepare food with these elements in mind, ensuring that meals are easily digestible in these these three stages:
Appetite
Digestion
Elimination
Ayurveda as a whole encompasses the whole person: body, mind and spirit.
Cooking For The Mind And Body
The Ayurvedic cook must consider the impact of food on the mind as well as the body. Important questions we need to ask when considering which foods to eat are:
- What effect will this food have on me?
- Will it relax me or will it stimulate me?
- Will it warm me or soothe me?
- There is a strong connection between how we eat and how we are act. The mind is made up of three properties, Sattva, Raja and Tama. Food is also made up of these properties, and we break this down down further in the the lists below.
Preparing A Balanced Meal
The table below is a helpful guide to follow when preparing a balanced meal.
What Foods Are Sattvic, Rajistic And Tasmasic?
Sattvic Foods – Keeps The Mind Clear, Focused, Full Of Happiness And Vital Energy.
Vegetables
- Alfalfa sprouts
- Artichoke
- Asparagus
- Bean sprouts
- Beetroot
- Bitter gourd
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- Cabbage
- Carrot
- Cauliflower
- Celery
- Chard
- Collard greens
- Corn
- Cucumber
- Endive
- Flowers, edible sweet
- Green beans
- Green peas
- Kohl rabi
- Kale
- Lettuce
- Okra
- Mustard greens
- Parsnip
- Potato
- Pumpkin
- Spinach
- Squash
- Sweet potato
- Turnip
- Yam
- Zucchini
Nuts And Seeds
- Almonds
- Brazil nuts
- Cashew nuts
- Chestnuts
- Macadamia nuts
- Pecans
- Pinenuts
- Pumpkin seeds
- Sunflower seeds
- Sesame seeds
- Walnuts
Cereals And Grains
- Amaranth
- Barley
- Basmati rice
- Buckwheat
- Cornmeal
- Millet
- Oats
- Quinoa
- Wild rice
- Whole wheat
Beans And Pulses
- Adzuki beans
- Barley
- Black beans
- Black lentils
- Brown lentils
- Black eyed peas
- Mung dhal
- Pinto beans
- Soya beans
- Soya milk, fresh
Dairy
- Breast milk
- Butter
- Cream, sweet
- Milk (fresh)
- Fresh yoghurt
- Ghee (moderately)
Fruit
- Apples
- Apricots
- Banana
- Blackberries
- Blueberries
- Cherry
- Coconut
- Cranberries
- Dates (fresh)
- Figs (fresh)
- Grapefruit
- Grapes
- Honey (fresh, raw)
- Honeydew melon
- Lime
- Lemon
- Mango (ripe)
- Nectarines
- Orange (sweet)
- Papaya
- Peach
- Pineapple (ripe)
- Plum
- Pomegranate
- Prunes
- Raisins
- Raspberries
- Strawberries
- Sugar cane (raw)
- Tangerines (sweet)
- Watermelon
Other
- Bee pollen
- Carob
Rajistic Foods – For Excess Energy Without Control, Aggression, Passion And Curiosity.
Any Sweetened Or Processed Food
- Condiments
- Fructose
- Fruit juice, processed
- Jaggery
- Malt syrup
- Molasses
- Rice bran syrup
- Salt, all kinds
- Soy milk, processed
- Sugar (white, refined, brown)
- Sugar cane juice
- Tinned fruit
- Tinned vegetables
- Vinegar
Other
- Dried fruit
Fruits And Vegetables
- Avocado
- Unripe mango
- Capsicum
- Chilli
- Eggplant
- Flowers, pungeant in taste
- Garlic
- Guava
- Radish
- Rhubarb
- Tomatoes
Beans And Pulses
- Chick peas
- Green peas (dried)
- Kidney beans
- Lentils, red
Dairy
- Buttermilk (not fresh)
- Cheese hard salted/unsalted
- Cottage cheese
- Eggs
- Ricotta cheese
- Sour cream
- Yoghurt (not fresh)
- Chocolate
Fermented Foods
- Soy sauce
- Yeast
Nuts And Seeds
- Peanuts
- Peanuts oil
- Pistachios, salted
Pickled Foods
- Olives
- Pickled vegetables
Tamasic Foods – Decreased Realisation, Increased Inner Darkness And Confusion.
Meat
- Beef
- Chicken
- Fish
- Fowl
- Goat
- Lamb/mutton
- Pork
- Rabbit
- Seafood/shellfish
- Turkey
- Venison
Fruits And Vegetables
- Leeks
- Mushroom, all kinds
- Onion, raw
- Onion, cooked
- Shallots
Dairy
- Margarine
- Milk, homogenised
- Milk, pasteurised
- Milk, powdered
- Icecream
The Bad Stuff
- Alcohol
- Chemical medicines
- Cigarettes
- Drugs
- Fast foods
- Fried foods
- Frozen foods
- Leftovers
- Microwaved foods
- TVP- Textured vegetable protein