FHT.ORG.UK28 INTERNATIONAL THERAPIST WINTER 2017

COMPLEMENTARY | Ayurveda

DIETS AND

DOSHASSUNITA PASSI OF TRI-DOSHA PROVIDES

AN INTRODUCTION TO AYURVEDIC

PRINCIPLES IN FOOD AND NUTRITION

I’ll always remember the fi rst time my father gave my sister and I soaked and blanched almonds as a snack and started

talking to us about ‘nourishing’ foods. My grandfather was an Ayurvedic

doctor and regularly treated his patients’ ailments with Ayurvedic nutrition and herbs. He introduced the idea of nutrition into our family and believed that teaching us how to use and prescribe food specifi cally for regulation or to support a health regimen was just as important as

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Ayurveda | COMPLEMENTARY

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have one that is particularly dominant. By recognising the client’s dominant dosha, the practitioner can compose an Ayurvedic treatment and diet programme to address their individual needs. The aim is to arrive

VATA Sanskrit: ‘what moves’

Elements: ether (space) and airPeople who have a vata nature tend to be thin,

dry and often feel the cold. When balanced, they are vibrant, enthusiastic and imaginative. When out

of balance, they are restless, anxious and underweight.Vata types need grains, oils, salt and a little spice in

their diet (those who do not receive enough are prone to anxiety, constipation, and sleeplessness, among other conditions). They need nourishing foods and often have diffi culty maintaining a vegetarian diet.

People of vata nature should avoid too much raw salad, fruit and beans, and enjoy more

cooked grains, cooked vegetables, dairy and nuts.

PITTA Sanskrit: ‘what cooks’

Elements: fi re and waterPeople of pitta nature tend to be warm and

have an intense and highly focused nature. When balanced, they are articulate, courageous and have a

sharp intellect. When out of balance, they are irritable, demanding and suffer from skin problems.

Pitta types need raw vegetables and food which is only mildly spiced (hot, spicy food is believed to lead to a greater incidence of skin rashes, liver weakness and

anger). Large salads are ideal.Pitta types should avoid too much hot, spicy or sour food, deep fried food or fermented food

(such as yogurt). They should enjoy more raw salad, cooked grains, milk

and seeds. it stands to reason that one ‘diet’ or

nutritional programme may not necessarily be best for everyone.

Ayurveda teaches us the tools we need to live a balanced way of life, giving health and happiness to the mind, body and soul. By evaluating a person’s body structure, and how their digestive, nervous and other body systems function, it is possible to develop a food plan that is specifi c to that individual’s needs.

DIET AND THE DOSHASThe fi rst task of any Ayurvedic practitioner when seeing a client is to establish their mind-body type, or ‘dosha’ as it’s known in Sanskrit. The three doshas – vata, pitta and kapha – are derived from the fi ve elements and each has its own caring and nurturing regimen.

Each of us has all three doshas in our constitution (or prakriti), but most tend to

teaching us to read and write. The idea that diet and health are closely

related is one the people of India have long appreciated. More than two millennia ago, Ayurvedic physician Caraka recognised that wholesome foods are essential for good health and disease prevention. As such, an entire section of the Charaka Samhita – an ancient Sanskrit text on the art and science of Ayurveda – is dedicated to nutrition and diet.

India’s ancients also understood the complex needs of the human body and that nothing is right for everyone, while everything is right for someone. This makes perfect sense when you consider that every person is biochemically unique, with different levels of hormones, enzymes and neurotransmitters. We all react to the world and our circumstances in different ways. When we consider this in relation to food,

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FHT.ORG.UK30 INTERNATIONAL THERAPIST WINTER 2017

Sunita Passi is the founder of Tri-Dosha, an ethical Ayurvedic company, specialising in skincare products, training and holistic treatments. She is also a meditation teacher, journalist and keynote

wellness speaker. She runs FHT accredited qualifi cations in Ayurvedic massage, Ayurvedic therapy and shirodhara. tri-dosha.co.uk; info@tri-dosha.co.uk

Ayurvedic eating is all about nourishing

the body and satisfying the inner self.

There are six tastes, or ‘rasas’, and

according to Ayurveda, a balanced diet

should include an appropriate quantity

of each, depending on the individual’s

constitution (prakriti) and current

state of health (vikriti). All six rasas

contain each of the fi ve elements of

the universe – earth, water, fi re, air and

ether – but each taste is predominantly

made up of just two of these.

1 Sweet (earth and water) – found in

bananas, fi gs, melons, almonds,

coconut, milk, basil, sweet potatoes,

rice and wheat. Sweet balances vata

and pitta, and aggravates kapha.

2 Sour (earth and fi re) – foods

that make us ‘pucker’ when

eaten, such as grapefruits, lemons,

pickled vegetables, tomatoes, butter,

sour cream, yoghurt, vinegar, alcohol

and garlic. Sour balances vata and

aggravates pitta and kapha.

3 Salty (water and fi re) – this

taste can be found in table,

sea and rock salt, but also celery,

cottage cheese, soy sauce and fi sh

such as tuna. Salt balances vata and

aggravates pitta and kapha.

4 Pungent (fi re and air) – this

taste is likened to dry heat in

the mouth and can be found in chillies,

radishes, onions, garlic, buckwheat,

and lots of spices, including black

pepper, mustard seeds and paprika.

Pungent balances kapha and

aggravates pitta and vata.

5 Bitter (air and ether) – a taste

that many try to avoid, Ayurevda

considers bitter to have numerous

therapeutic benefi ts. It can be found in

kale, aubergine, Jerusalem artichokes,

dark chocolate, sesame seeds,

fenugreek and cumin. Bitter balances

kapha and pitta, and aggravates vata.

6 Astringent (air and earth) – a

dry fl avour, this taste can be

found in pomegranates, cranberries,

bay leaf, coriander, basil, chicken

and most beans and raw vegetables.

Astringent balances pitta and kapha,

and aggravates vata.

at a more vibrant, grander version of the self (see circles for an explanation of each dosha).

MINDFUL MOUTHFULS Ayurvedic eating promotes a natural and mindful approach to preparing and enjoying food: • Use natural ingredients wherever possible • Cook with butter or ghee (clarifi ed butter)• Prepare fresh meals every day• Avoid processed/fast food• Avoid refi ned sugars and desserts• Eat at fi xed times, in peace and quiet, without rushing• Drink a mixture of warm water, two tablespoons of lemon juice, one tablespoon of honey and a hint of black pepper regularly throughout the day, to keep purifying the system.

Ayurveda teaches us to select, prepare and eat food mindfully and with awareness. It teaches us to be conscious of ingredients and how they are grown, conscious of the way food is cooked, and conscious of the way we eat and digest food properly. Take time to chew and taste food, and appreciate its temperature and texture, and so on.

HEALTH IMPROVEMENTS While maintaining good health and preventing disease is at the heart of Ayurveda, below are a couple of examples of how this approach to eating can help bring someone back to their ideal self...

EASING PAINPain is generally linked to a vata imbalance and so the practitioner would recommend a vata pacifying diet of freshly cooked wholefoods, soft in texture, rich in protein and fat, and seasoned with warming spices to support proper digestion and elimination. As vata is cool, dry and mobile, cold foods and raw ingredients would generally be avoided.

BALANCING THE MINDPoor mental health can be linked to an

imbalance in any of the three dosha types, but for this example, we

will look at a solution based on a pitta imbalance that

manifests in the body as anger, irritability

or frustration. Early signs of this may be intense hunger, excessive thirst or indigestion. The practitioner would encourage the

client to eat foods that are sweet, bitter,

astringent, colder and heavier – such as

lukewarm salads, steamed vegetables, fruit and coconut

oil, all of which help to cool the pitta fi re. This client would be encouraged to eat less pungent (spicy) foods so as not to exacerbate the fi re.

KAPHA Sanskrit: ‘to embrace’

Elements: water and earthPeople of kapha nature tend to be a larger build

and often move and speak slowly. When balanced, they are affectionate, compassionate, forgiving and

steady; when unbalanced, they are lethargic, overweight and possessive.

Kapha types benefi t from lighter foods and thrive on hot, spicy foods. If sweet, heavy, oily foods are taken in too great a quantity, it can lead to greater mucous

accumulation, as well as further weight gain. Kapha types should avoid all sweets, dairy

and nuts, and grains such as wheat and rice. They should enjoy more

salads, cooked vegetables, spicy foods and grains.

tastes in Ayurevda

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