T H E K A P H A D O S H A . 37

The Kapha Dosha

• Curvy with heavier frames, bigger bones, strongmuscles and a little extra body fat.

• You have good stamina, strength and stability.Youhave moderate amounts of energy and act slowlyand steadily.

• You are generous, warm, maternal and patient bynature.You form good friendships and are a loyaland patient friend.

• Kapha people often stay close to their family,culture and religion.You are calm, content,affectionate, sentimental and romantic.

• You have good skin and nails and healthy,thick hair.

• You have a harmonious voice and speak slowlyand steadily.

Being born with a kapha constitution means you are blessed with a happy nature,are strong, healthy and have good longevity.The qualities of kapha are heavy, stable,smooth, soft, oily and moist. Kapha people are stable and give emotional support

and love to people without judgement.The extra earth and water elements in yourbody make you that little bit more ‘earthy’, but also act as a dampener on your agni

so you have a slow metabolism.

• You sleep well and have difficulty waking up inthe morning.

• You make great employers, have empathy forpeople and are good at making and saving money.

• You are very fertile; this is why women with‘child-bearing hips’ were prized.

• You are intelligent and although you might takesome time to grasp a concept, you never forget it.

• You are prone to mucus, sinus problems,respiratory disorders and weight gain.

• You have a tendency towards attachment topeople, habits or things.

• You love beautiful objects, flowers, cosmetics and cooking.

• Gaining weight, even though you are not eating more.

• Having frequent congestion, sinus problems,asthma or colds.

• You feel tired and lazy, even though you are notbeing very active.You are feeling a little depressedor melancholic.

• Poor digestion leading to a feeling of heavinessand lethargy after eating.

• You have painful or swollen joints, and your hairand skin feels oilier than usual.

• You feel like sleeping a lot and have difficultywaking up.You feel unmotivated and have a lack ofdesire and passion.

• You’ve become possessive, greedy and attachedto people and things and will hoard possessions.

• Polycystic ovary syndrome, hypothyroidism anddiabetes are often signs of an imbalanced kapha.

Those with a kapha imbalance should follow thekapha-balancing diet and lifestyle guidelines.Thoseborn with a kapha constitution should keep an eyeon their diet to ensure they are not eating toomany kapha-imbalancing foods.

36 . T H E K A P H A D O S H A

A Kapha Imbalance

Typical characteristics of a healthy kapha constitution are:

Symptoms of a kapha imbalance are:

Anyone can develop a kapha imbalance by living a life and eating a diet which has heavy, cold, dense, moist,

stable and slow qualities.

Being kapha does not mean you have a kapha imbalance, only that you are more susceptible to one. Akapha imbalance can develop by living a life and eating a diet which has heavy, cold, dense, moist, stable andslow qualities, and being inactive. A mild imbalance can happen during the winter, but we naturally counter it

by eating warm foods and keeping warm. A real imbalance comes mainly from diet and lifestyle.Consistently eating foods which are heavy, oily, cold and damp or sweet, sour and salty will increase kapha.

38 . T H E K A P H A D O S H A T H E K A P H A D O S H A . 39

• Kapha people do not needanimal protein as they do notrequire the extra nourishmentand it is both heavy and hard todigest. But of all the meats,chicken and turkey and somewhite-fleshed fish are the lightestand can be eaten in moderation.Choose vegetarian proteins suchas beans, lentil and tofu.

The Kapha-balancing Diet

products are heavy and cold soare not a good for kapha. Stick torice, soya or even goat’s milkwhich is lighter. Cottage cheeseand goat’s cheese are fineoccasionally, but monitor howyou feel after eating them (dothey make your sinuses flair up?).

• Eat small portions, don’t eatbetween meals and don’t eat yournext meal until the last one hasbeen digested (see page 15).Make lunch your biggest meal.

• Dairy products are heavy andcold so are not good for kapha.Stick to rice, soya or goat’s milk,which is lighter. Cottage andgoat’s cheese are fine occasionally,but monitor how you feel onceyou have eaten them (do theymake your sinuses flair up?).

• Avoid cold and fizzy drinks.Drink spiced teas to cleansetissues and improve digestion

• Avoid whole nuts as much aspossible; grind them or opt forpumpkin and sunflower seeds.

• Find a way to stop yourselfturning to food when stressed.

• Up your intake of bitter (saladgreens, endives), astringent(apples and beans) and pungent(spices) foods and reduce theamount of sweet sour and saltyfoods in your diet.

• Eat freshly cooked, warm andlight meals that are a little dry inquality and cooked with little fat.• Raw salads are hard to digest,so should be eaten only in the

summer and at lunchtime.

• Avoid all refinedsugar products,

yeasted breads,alcohol anddeep-fried foods.Be wary of low-fat products asthey can be highin sugar.• Dairy

You should eat a light diet of freshly cooked, warm meals and small portion sizes. Follow the guidelines and use the food chart on pages 154–157 to discover which ingredients are best for you.

Eat a varied diet for maximum nutrition.

T H E K A P H A D O S H A . 4140 . T H E K A P H A D O S H A

• Up your activity levels – youhave the strength and stamina to do lots of cardiovascularexercise. It will help you maintainyour weight and strengthen youragni. Light jogging (jointspermitting), aerobics or sportsare ideal, but even a brisk walkwill help. At work, avoid sittingtoo long, take the stairs and walkwherever you can. Ashtanga, anactive form of yoga, is very goodfor kapha.

• The sun is great for kaphabody-types, as are steams andsaunas. Spend time outdoors anddon’t sit in the air conditioningfor too long.Take a hot bath ordo a quick steam at home toalleviate blocked sinuses (place atowel over your head, bent overa pan of steaming water – it’scheap and effective).

• Those with a kapha imbalancemay find they have a tendency to form attachments to people,objects or habits.You canbecome dependent on them and sometime find yourself stuckin an unhappy situation.This canprevent you moving on from bad jobs or relationships. Regularmeditation will help shift thisstagnant energy, as will pranayamabreathing (see right). De-clutteryour house and take up somenew hobbies.

• Sleep increases kapha so avoidnapping in the day, wake up earlyand throw yourself into a fun andbusy day.

• Doing a liquid fast, one daya week, will help rekindle a slow agni (see page 46 ondetoxification)

Menu Plan for Kapha

MondayBliss breakfast drink, page 68 (if youare hungry mid-morning snack on a

piece of fruit)Mum’s chicken stew, page 71, with a

little rye breadCannellini beans with kale, page 134,with salt and pepper herb polenta,

page 140

TuesdayEgg-white scrambled eggs with a

slice of toasted rye breadLightly spiced smoked trout tortilla,page 102, with vegetables/salad on

the sideVegetables and edamame in chilli

ginger coconut broth, page 122, withglass noodles

WednesdayQuinoa and sweet spice porridge,

page 63Grilled tofu, green bean, noodle and

sesame salad, page 90Ayurvedic lentil curry, page 128,

with spiced savoy cabbage with peas,page 133, served with spinach andonion flatbread, page 141, or plain

flat bread

ThursdayRye bread, plain or spread with a

little honeyPuy lentil, roasted shallot and gem

lettuce salad, page 88, with some riceor corn crackers

Hianese chicken rice, page 118, and avegetable from your list

FridaySpiced fruit compote, page 67

Warm aubergine, quinoa and tofusalad with ginger dressing, page 83

Cornmeal-crusted chicken, page 113,with sautéed sweetcorn with

peppers, page 130

SaturdayLemon and blueberry cornmeal

pancakes, page 60Lentil and rice porridge, page 52 (to

give your system a break)Star anise and ginger steamed fish,page 100, on a bed of sprouting

broccoli Baked spice-stuffed apple, page 147

SundaySpicy scrambled tofu with rye bread,

page 64Snack on crudités or air-poppedcorn or carrot sticks with a little

hummus, page 87, if hungryRed onion, radicchio and goat’s

cheese pizza, page 131 with somegreens on the side

Here is a general menu to giveyou an idea of a week’s worth ofmeals.This is just a guide, you canvary it as much as you like, thereare more recipes to choose fromand there is a food chart at theend to help you make up yourown meals. If you have an easyworking arrangement, definitely

make your lunch your main mealand eat a light dinner. Begin yourday with hot water and lemon.Any breakfast can be skipped if

you are not hungry or have somefresh fruit from your list.

Kapha store cupboardbasics f

Rye bread, buckwheat (soba)noodles, glass/cellophane noodles,

pearl barley, firm and soft tofu,dried beans and lentils, dried

shitake mushrooms, cornmeal,polenta, corn or flour tortillas,

honey, quinoa, dried fruit, spices

• Pranayama (yogic breathingexercises) is credited withboosting metabolism andunblocking your channels, shiftingstagnant energy and making youfeel more alive. Even sitting still orlying down and breathing deeplyfor 5 minutes will help.

Change is important to the stablekapha; shake off old habits andchallenge yourself with newactivities.Take positive action andopen up to new experiences,adding some adventure, meetnew people, seek variety, take arisk and add spontaneity intoyour life. Let go of all the ‘stuff ’you are accumulating and holdingon to, the emotional baggage andobjects you are sentimentallyattached to.Travel as frequentlyas possible and start enjoying lifeto its fullest.

Kapha-balancing LifestyleThose with a kapha imbalance often need something dramatic to happen to push themselves out of theircomfort zone and make changes in their lifestyle. I know how difficult it is to adopt a new routine but youwill definitely feel so much better for it. Even small changes will mount up and the effects should spur you

on to make bigger ones.Try to embrace as many of these lifestyle changes as you can.

Vata body types are usually thin and light, but oftenturn to sugary carbohydrates to calm their nerves.These refined products can soon translate intobody fat (often around the waist). Also, they haveerratic digestive systems, so often have a high levelof ama which clogs the system and can lead toweight gain and water retention. If you are vata andhave put on weight, identify why. If it is because youturn to calming sweetness when stressed, try a vata-balancing diet to calm your nerves and you shouldlose weight. If it is your digestive system that seemssluggish, try the ama-reducing diet. If it is neither,follow the weight loss advice on page 44.

Pitta people are lucky in this regard, as they rarelyput on weight. If they have a prolonged imbalance, itis possible that they burn out their agni and weakentheir digestive system but this is rare. If it doeshappen, follow a pitta balancing diet and first.

Kapha people have the highest tendency to gainweight and are often the ones who are overweightas they have a slow metabolisms and whenimbalanced they often use food as an emotionalcrutch and can become addicted to eating.

You can also put on weight if taking medicine(many strong medicines are thought to depressagni). Hormonal imbalances or psychological factorssuch as depression and stress can lead to weightgain. A weakened agni will affect weight and thishappens naturally as we age, so we need to adjustour eating habits accordingly.

I was born a chubby baby and grew into an over-weight adult. Although I was mostly healthy, strongand happy, I realized that I needed to lose weightand started dieting in my teens. I followed the latestfad diets and as I am quite disciplined, I always lostweight, but the results were superficial and thepounds returned. Realizing that fad diets were notthe answer (erratic eating weakens agni), I decidedto only eat foods which were healthy for my body(as far as I knew at the time) and devised a healthyeating plan. I also started to exercise properly.Healthy eating and living became my mantra andthe word ‘diet’ was banished.

My new eating regime consisted of three healthy,low-fat meals a day. I had no refined sugar or breadand switched to brown rice. Breakfast was wholegraincereal with skimmed milk; lunch, my favourite meal,was anything from Indian food to pasta to a dressedjacket potato and salad. If hungry in between meals,I would snack only on fruit. My dinner was alwaysearly and light and generally vegetables, salads orsoups with a crunchy apple to follow. I didn’t eatdessert and alcohol became something only to sipon the weekends. It worked and I lost 40kg.

That was ten years ago and apart from relaxingmy tight control over the amount of fat in my food(it is so vital to health) and enjoying a little dessertand alcohol when I am in the mood, I still eat thesame way. Looking back, my diet was typical of akapha-balancing diet.

Ayurveda and Weight LossWe live in ironic times – half the world population is, unfortunately, malnourished,the other half is voluntarily so through dieting or bad food choices. As a society,we obsess on the subjects of weight and fat but seem to make little progress

towards a healthier attitude to either.

42 . AY U RV E D A A N D W E I G H T L O S S

44 . AY U RV E D A A N D W E I G H T L O S S

• Start your day with a cup ofhot water with lemon slices tocleanse the metabolic tract. If youwish, you can add a little honeyto the water once it has cooled a little.

• Barley water is another greatweight-loss drink. Boil a handfulof pearl or pot barley in 2 litresof water until soft. Drain andflavour [Anjum: flavour the waterwith what??] the barley water totaste and drink. It reduces fat andrelieves swelling and waterretention. (Eat the grains in yourmeal.)

• Drink hot water throughoutthe day as this strengthensdigestion and stops you eatingwhen you only think you arehungry but are thirsty. Sip warmor room temperature water with meals.

• Make lunch the biggest mealof the day as your agni is at itsstrongest at 1pm. As it is quitelow at night, dinners should besmall, light and vegetarian. Do not eat again until breakfast. Mostof us eat a small, quick lunch atwork and a large dinner at homewhich can add weight as yourmetabolism is low and also amaas your agni is low. If you are ableto switch these meals, you willfeel much lighter at night, hungryfor a proper breakfast and largelyeating more healthily.

• Avoid heavy foods and dairyproducts, lots of fat and red meat(Ayurveda actually advises avegetarian diet as all meat isheavy when compared tovegetable-based proteins).

• Eat your meals or snack onlywhen you are hungry. Plan whatto eat before you actuallybecome hungry so that you donot turn to something you laterwished you hadn’t.

• Exercise regularly to amoderate intensity and try tostay active throughout the day.Exercise is a cure for almosteverything, it keeps us mentallyand physically agile, strengthensour agni, keeps our weight incheck and is good for our bonesand muscles.

• Reduce the amount of stressin your life as this can make yougain weight, either by sending youto the nearest biscuit tin or bydepressing your agni. Practisingyoga and meditation will helpcontrol the emotions that lead usto binge or stress.

• Do not fall asleep straightafter eating – be active (but donot exercise either).

• Pranayama (yogic breathingexercise) helps to control theemotional issues, stress andcravings that can lead to weightgain.

• Remember portion control!Eat until you are half full and then stop. Overeating not onlyleads to weight gain but also an increased appetite and theaccumulation of ama.

• Eat a varied diet. Each food andtaste has a distinct function in thebody. If these functions are notfulfilled, the body will crave morefood in order to bridge the gapand we will feel the need to eatmore despite the fact that we arenot hungry. Make each meal count!

• Eat freshly cooked meals asmuch as possible. Leftovers havelost much of their vitality andnutrition. As you reheat them,they will continue to deterioratein this way and you often end upsome eating empty calories andcan crave more, see above.

• Your diet should bedominated by vegetables withmoderate amounts of grains andprotein. Dessert should be atreat and is best shared with afriend. I need to enjoy my mealsso I cook all my favourite dishesbut with less fat and eat smallerportions of the fun bits and addbulk with vegetables.

• Make sure your agni is healthy,and keep it strong (see page 14).If you are kapha body type, doinga liquid fast (see page 46) once a week is very beneficial for your agni.

AY U RV E D A A N D W E I G H T L O S S . 45

The healthy way to lose weight

The weight-loss guidelines on the facing page are for losing weight (but read the dosha notes on page 40 first to make sure this is the right course for you).The tips may seem entirely familiar because, onthe whole, they correlate with our modern understanding of weight loss.Weight gain is synonymous with

kapha as you are adding these qualities to your body so I would advise you to go on a kapha balancing diet(see page 38) until you lose the weight. New habits take around three weeks to settle in, so stick with itand give yourself a chance; it gets easier and soon becomes habit. I refer a lot to ama here as a build up

of these toxins can lead to weight gain.

New eating habits take about three weeks to settle in, so stick with it and this new way

of eating will soon become easier.

Thehard-core liquid

fast This is an intense 1–2 day fast to be done

once a week, fortnight or a month. It is an all-liquid fast where you eat only light vegetable soupsand juices.The sweet taste increases ama so if you

crave a fruit juice or a sweet vegetable juice (e.g. carrotjuice), dilute it with a little water. Start the day with a

cup of hot water and lemon (you can add honey,which has detoxifying properties, but only after 5minutes of it cooling). Drink the Detox Tea (see

page 00) or hot water throughout the day.Don’t do this fast if you are young,

old, weak, ill or have a vataimbalance.

T H E AY U RV E D A D E TOX . 4746 . T H E AY U RV E D A D E TOX

Fortunately, it is possible to detox at home.Whenagni is not working on digesting and assimilating thenutrients from our meals, it is free to burn thetoxins in the gut. So, all we need to do is give ourdigestive system a break so it has a chance to burnama.This is achieved by fasting, which will burn amaas well as strengthen your agni. A fast should give

you energy, clarity of mind, a feeling of lightness and a really great glow. It is not a diet.The aim is toburn toxins, not fat, but as ama can lead to weightgain, it will help in the long run. I have includedthree different detox options.Try the intense liquidfast (below), the three-day fast on page 49 or themilder ama-reducing diet on page 50.

The Ayurveda DetoxAnything harmful or not useful to the body is considered a toxin, whether it comesfrom pollutants, chemicals, additives or from within your own body as ama. Ama isformed when any food is not digested properly and is considered to be the root of all disease. It is believed that negative thoughts and emotions and depression all

give rise to ama. A toxic build up is often the reason we feel tired, unwell, haveheadaches, cellulite, gain weight, and many more serious disorders. Unfortunately, it isalmost impossible not to accumulate ama in our everyday life so Ayurvedic doctors

advise all adults to undergo regular detox therapies.

For a detox to be effective, we should try to rest the mindalong with the digestive system, as these two activities

demand the most energy from our bodies. We need to try to stay calm and not be overactive, so that the body has

energy to work on the toxins.

Thestrong three-

day fastThis is where you eat a bowl of

this detoxifying lentil soup with somesimple steamed or sautéed greens(with an edge of bitterness, ideally)3–4 times a day for three days.You

will be nourished but will burnlots of ama.

T H E AY U RV E D A D E TOX . 49

Bring the lentils and water to a gentle simmer, add the turmeric andsimmer until soft, around 25–30 minutes. Stir occasionally and removeany scum that forms on top. Blend into a soup.

Heat the ghee in your smallest saucepan.Add the asafoetida (vata only) and allow to sizzle for 5 seconds.Add the cumin seeds and oncethey darken and become aromatic, add ginger (if using) and allow tocook for 30 seconds.Add the remaining spices. Let them sizzle for 20 seconds and pour into your soup. Season to taste and stir in thefresh coriander and lemon juice if you are vata.

Detoxifying Lentil Soup

Simple mung lentil soup is the type of dish my friend Rebecca

Kriese (a fantastic Ayurvedic practitioner who has helped guide

me in areas of Ayurvedic confusion), recommends to her

patients for a three-day detox. She says you should eat this

and a few steamed, lightly spiced (with cumin and a little ghee)

greens for your three meals. It is a really easy soup. Put the basic

lentils on to boil and then check your own dosha to see what to

add in the simple tarka of cumin seeds.

MMaakkeess 22 ggeenneerroouuss bboowwllss

TThhee bbaassiicc ssoouupp100g yellow mung lentils, washed in

several changes of water750ml water1⁄2 tsp ground turmeric Salt, to tastePinch of freshly ground black pepper

(vata and kapha only)1 rounded tbsp chopped fresh

coriander

BBaassiicc ttaarrkkaaGhee, according to your doshas, see

below1⁄2 tsp cumin seeds

KK aapphhaa bbaallaanncciinngg iinnggrreeddiieennttss1 tsp ghee 1⁄2 tsp minced fresh ginger 1⁄3 tsp ground coriander Pinch of garam masala

PPiittttaa bbaallaanncciinngg iinnggrreeddiieennttss2 tsp ghee 1⁄3 tsp ground fennel 1⁄3 tsp ground coriander

VVaattaa bbaallaanncciinngg iinnggrreeddiieennttss3 tsp ghee 1 pinch asafoetida1⁄2 tsp minced fresh ginger Pinch of garam masala3⁄4 tsp fresh lemon juice

The milderama-reducing diet

This is a gentler one- or two-weekfast where you eat small portions ofeasy-to-digest meals. Everything must

be organic, natural and unrefined. Startyour mornings where possible withhot water and lemon (add honey

if you like after it has cooledfor 5 minutes).

50 . T H E AY U RV E D A D E TOX

• Meals should all be freshly andlightly cooked; no processed,canned or refined foods.

• Eat your main meal atlunchtime when your digestion isstrongest. Make sure your dinneris light and eaten early enough tobe digested before you sleep.

• Do not overeat; even eatingtoo much of anything willoverburden your digestive systemand produce ama.

• Do not snack between mealsunless you are genuinely hungry.

• Steam or sauté vegetables witha few spices and ginger. Includelots leafy greens and bittervegetables. Avoid potatoes, sweetpotatoes, cabbage, mushrooms,aubergines, tomatoes and Brusselssprouts. Light vegetable soups aregreat. Sprouted mung beans aresaid to have good detoxifyingproperties (cook before eating).

Detoxifying TeaDrink throughout the day

• Avoid all alcohol, canned,carbonated and ice-cold drinks,coffee and tea.

• Avoid ketchup, mayo, soyasauce, salad creams and tamarind.

• Cook with ginger, cardamom,fennel seeds, black pepper, caromseeds and nutmeg as they aiddigestion.

• Drink detox tea or hot waterthroughout the day.

Exercise regularly but moderatelyand according to your body type(see the individual doshassection) to stimulate digestionand help eliminate toxins.Sunbathing (using sunscreen),sauna and steam help flush toxinsout of the system. After the fast,introduce normal eating slowlyand try not to go back to old,ama-producing eating habits.Detoxification is taken veryseriously in Ayurveda and if youare worried about an illnessrather than simply wanting tocleanse your system, you shouldconsult an Ayurvedic doctor for adeeper treatment.

For the detox to be effective,we should try to rest the mindalong with our digestive systemas these two activities demandthe most energy from ourbodies.We need to try to staycalm and not be overactive, sothat the body has energy towork on the toxins.

• Avoid salads and rawvegetables unless they are

juiced.

• Limit fruits tothose that are nottoo sweet – apples,pomegranates andgrapes all have

detoxifying properties.Fruit juices should be

diluted with water.

• Include rice, barley, millet,quinoa and rye in your diet, butavoid wheat as much as possible.White rice is particularly easy todigest and khicheri, a creamy riceand lentil dish (see page 52), isthe quintessential detox meal.

• For protein, include lots ofmung and red lentils; avoid allmeats and eggs. Include a littletofu if you know you can digest it

• Avoid all dairy with theexception of lassi , a sweet orspiced savoury drink which isnutritious, light on the system andaids digestion (see page 154).

• Avoid nuts, although a fewseeds are fine (ideally ground).

• Cook with little fat, some ofwhich can be ghee as it is saidstrengthen agni..

• Avoid all sugars (dessert,biscuits, refined sugar, etc); honeyis okay in moderation.

1 litre water3⁄4 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds1 tsp fennel seeds

2 slices fresh ginger1⁄2 tsp black peppercorns

3 cloves1 shard cinnamon

Boil all the ingredients for 5–7minutes and leave to seep foranother 5 minutes. Strain the

spices and pour into a teapotor thermos. (Also great

steeped in a little waterand mixed withpomegranate juice orapple juice.)

Pitta, omit the peppercornsand reduce the amount of

cloves and ginger.Add a sprig offresh mint.

52 . T H E AY U RV E D A D E TOX

Place all the ingredients for the porridge in a saucepan, gently bring tothe boil, then simmer, partially covered, until soft, around 30 minutes.Remove any scum that forms on the surface.You may need to add anextra splash of water if the pan looks too dry.

Heat the ghee in a small saucepan, add the asafoetida, let it sizzle for at least 5 seconds.Add the cumin and cook until it has darkened and is aromatic, around 20 seconds. Pour into the porridge and season to taste.

VATA

Add vegetables from your list to the porridge as above. Follow thetarka for kapha but use 2 tsp ghee.

PITTA

Pitta can add the same vegetables as kapha (or others from their list)but keep the basic tarka simple, although you can use 1? tsp. ghee.

KAPHA

Add some vegetables from your list, for example a handful of cauliflowerflorets and a small fistful of peas after 25 minutes of cooking the porridge.For the tarka, add 1 tbsp chopped onion into the oil with the cookedcumin seeds, once soft add 1⁄2 tsp each finely chopped ginger and garlic,cook gently until cooked, around 1 minute. Stir into the porridge,season to taste with salt and pepper and a pinch of garam masala.

Khicheri

This rice and lentil porridge is the ultimate Ayurvedic dish. It is

simple, nourishing, well balanced and well cooked so is easy on

the digestive system which can then work on burning up toxins

instead. I often eat it when I have been feeling a little sluggish.

Some people doing a long detox often live off khicheri. It is great

for all doshas although you can tailor it to your own dosha (see

below). It is always made with ghee which makes the meal easier

to digest (than oil) so I would stick with it and it adds a

wonderful buttery flavour too.

SSeerrvveess 11,, ccaann bbee ddoouubblleedd

BBaassee35g basmati rice, washed well25g yellow mung lentils, washed well.1⁄8 tsp ground turmeric 400ml water

BBaassiicc ttaarrkkaa ((ffllaavvoouurreedd ooiill))1 tsp gheePinch of asafoetida1⁄2 tsp cumin seedsSalt, to taste

RECIPES

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E M B R A C I N G AY U RV E D A . 57

• Your body is your temple.Always opt for foodthat is 100 per cent natural, organic, preservative-and chemical-free with no artificial foods orsweeteners. Limit processed, canned, refined andfrozen foods.Try to eat seasonally, with warmingfood in the winter and cooling meals in the summer.

• Eat at regular times every day; erratic eatingpatterns weaken your digestion and metabolism.

• Try to eat simply with few ingredients on yourplate – the more complex the meal, the harder it isto digest.

• Our digestion is strongest when the sun isstrongest, so make lunch your main meal; dinnershould be light, small and eaten early.

• Don’t eat anything until you have digested yourlast meal (see page 00).

• Do not overeat as this overburdens yourdigestive system and will lead to ama (see page 14).It was said that your meal should fit in your twojoined palms but really we should eat until we areonly 50 per cent full.

• Eating when stressed, on the go or when overlystimulated will hamper digestion. Eat when calm andseated, without distraction, stress or anxiety.

• Ideally sip hot water with your meals (in the waythe Chinese sip tea); drinking too much liquid willdilute the digestive juices and cold water will hamperyour agni.

• Fresh fruit should be eaten away from other food(dried or cooked fruits can be part of a meal).

• Reduce your intake of coffee, tea and alcohol.

• Milk should ideally be consumed away from otherfoods, ideally warm and lightly spiced. It does goeswell with grains as in a porridge or rice pudding butnot with sour, salty or pungent tastes.

• Avoid eating sour foods (such as yoghurt, cheeseand sour fruits) after 5pm.

• Make sure you eat food which is good for yourbody and include, but monitor, all six tastes (seepages 19–20).

Our body is constantly regenerating and renewing itself and with a few simple steps we can ensure thenext lot of cells are healthier than the last. Optimum health is achieved with the right diet, a healthy

digestive system, being active, having faith, remaining calm and being positive, so here is a reminder of themain guidelines for eating the Ayurvedic way.

Embracing Ayurveda