Throughout the teachings of Ayurveda, a more than 5,000 year old science of life, digestion is key. It is the most fundamental part of wellness, as digesting food well, you are nourishing your dosha, channels, tissues and organs. When these parts of your physical body are nourished, you will feel balanced in body, mind and spirit. Doshas represent your unique constitution and there are three of them – Vata (air + space), Pitta (fire + water), and Kapha (water + earth). According to Ayurveda, everyone is unique, therefore eating properly in support of your constitution is healing and restorative. If we cook and eat food and spices based on these doshas, the 6 tastes, and the current season, then we will be more balanced, healthy and satisfied. You can take a quiz and find out more about your dosha at http://www.banyanbotanicals.com.

Here’s some important information about the 6 tastes that will help you in choosing foods.

• Sweet – Builds strength of tissues, calms nerves, improves circulation and complexion, relieves hunger.
• Sour – Lubricates tissues, stimulates digestion and elimination, reduces gas, sharpens senses.
• Salty – Increases flavor and heat, absorption, water retention, hydrates colon, improves digestion, calms nerves.
• Pungent – Increases heat, stimulates digestion and absorption and improves metabolism and circulation. Relieves pain and muscle tension.
• Bitter – Detoxifies and lightens tissues. Kindles hunger and is good for digestion, purifies the blood, reduces body temperature and increases intelligence.
• Astringent – Constricts blood vessels, stops bleeding and flow, promotes healing. Drying. Improves skin.

Use above information to form meals that incorporate as many tastes as possible, and tweek your choices for ones that are particularly helpful for your unique makeup. It is possible to look up lists of foods, spices, and herbs and get a basic idea of where they land in the taste and dosha category and I do recommend taking a gander. However, we need balance. I have found that instead of having a list of do’s and don’ts in the food department, it is best to simply pay attention.

As many cultures and wellness professionals are realizing, awareness of oneself and the effects of the inputs of life should be closely watched. These inputs are Food, Water, Breath, and Perception and they each affect our body, mind and spirit daily. As we talk about mindfulness, our food choices are directly related. Do you feel bloated when you eat certain foods? If you eat too many spicy meals do you end up with heartburn, agitation, or increased hot flashes? Do you eat too many cold salads that make you feel unsatisfied and bloated? Do you feel satisfied when you eat grounding root vegetables in the fall and winter and conversely do you feel a burst of energy eating just plain wonderful sweet fruit on a summer morning instead of something heavy? These are just a few examples of the mind body connection and the importance of being aware of and in tune with what your body needs.

Seasonal changes throughout the year are also important to incorporate in your cooking. It is no accident that juicy sweet fruits are in season in the warmer months when we need cooling, and warming root vegetables such as potatoes, beets and squash are more plentiful during the fall. Pay attention to your available choices, as our Vedic recipes should incorporate seasonal fruits and vegetables as much as possible.

As always, cooking recipes with whole, organic, and fresh ingredients is a must along with lots of joy, love and healthy intentions to elevate prana into your meals.

By: Tracy Glynn