Ayurveda is a 5000-year-old Indian medical system [1] that is becoming increasingly popular in the West as well. It is a holistic system that essentially aims to feel good and live in harmony with oneself and with what surrounds us.
According to Ayurveda one of the most important means to achieve this is a balanced diet; not to be confused with the extreme diets that Western culture is generally accustomed to. Rather than simply abandoning all "unhealthy" foods, following an Ayurvedic diet means modifying and adapting your kitchen so that it fits in with your person, helps you feel better in general, and makes you able to better face the obstacles that daily life puts on our path.
Steps
Step 1. Make a local mind:
take a good look at your current diet and try to get fewer preservatives, dyes and chemicals. See how much frozen, fried or packaged food is in your diet; do you think you can replace it with something freshly prepared and cooked? Why don't you have baked potatoes instead of fries tonight?
Step 2. Take your time:
you should have some time in your schedule to devote to meals (not just for eating but also after you're done) where you can relax, focus on food and enjoy it without distractions. How about some sunshine and fresh air if you stay locked in the office all day? Even a little silence or relaxing music will certainly not hurt you. Certainly it may seem difficult; certainly you would like to have some time to eat without haste but your schedules seem to stop you … Think about it though: food is one of the most important factors for health, with haste you could save some time now but you will pay for it later when you get sick. Plus, it's amazing how a relaxing break can boost your productivity. By considering meals as small highlights of the day instead of annoying needs to attend to, you will help yourself to pay them more attention, to be aware of what you are eating and what your body needs the most, rather than gorging on whatever is nearby.. This way you will learn to listen to your body effortlessly and will likely surprise you how often you want fresh and healthy things rather than a hot dog on the corner.
Step 3. Find out what is good for you
Familiarize yourself with the concept of "guna". Don't worry, it's not difficult:
- "Sattvic" foods: in general they are all those juicy, easy to digest, tasty, organic and fresh; they stimulate a concentrated and acute mental condition, so try to always eat a few more.
- Rajasic foods: eggs, caffeine, chilli, alcohol, garlic, prime quality meat, freshly fermented or canned foods. We need it to carry out the processes by sustaining energy and providing a decisive mental condition.
- "Tamasic" foods: they are mainly leftovers, alcohol (long-term effect), meat, mushrooms, onions, frozen and fermented foods. They require a lot of energy and impose on us the need to finish a process and rest; they are also able to put the mind in a dull, dull state. That said, they're not really "unhealthy," but in our current culture we usually get enough of them already, so try to cut back on them.
Step 4. Understand yourself:
in the end, it is often helpful to seek advice from an Ayurvedic expert to understand and counter your more subtle imbalances. If you can't find one near your home, try to learn as much as possible about yourself by observing yourself: your self should know what's best for you, but it is possible that first you have to learn to listen to your body (which is also where an Ayurvedic expert can help you if you have difficulty).
Step 5. As a starting point why not try to find your type of constitution?
You could do a so-called "Dosha Test" to see which Doshas are dominant in your constitution. Discovering Ayurveda you will see that most of the ideas are categorized for the purpose of learning, but always remain aware that in reality everything is interconnected and the transitions from one state to another are always continuous, without interruptions.
Step 6. Make some adjustments:
once you get to the point where you have a reasonably good conscience about the things that are generally appropriate for you, that give you positive, energetic, and supportive feelings, you might start tweaking your diet so that it helps too. to your personality type. You can do this by expertly adding the right spices to your dishes, following your Doshas, finding or creating specific recipes for your constitution or simply adjusting the things you eat a little more to include more of what works for your personality..
Step 7. Don't take it too seriously
Nobody has to be perfect. Do not begin to classify foods in "good" and "bad", in Ayurveda it is not about excelling in a particularly healthy diet or lifestyle, it is about living in harmony with yourself and with your environment. If you wanted to, you could always tweak and tweak things here and there, but this way it's very easy to get lost in the details and lose sight of the big picture. Just keep listening to your body, it will tell you what needs to be fixed.
Advice
- Let this list serve as a guideline and a hint of what many people find easy and natural to follow. It is certainly neither the only way to reach the goal nor a lifestyle to be followed to the letter; you should feel and be receptive to any other way that is most convenient for you, by any means, do not hesitate to follow your direction.
- You should also leave aside anything you are not comfortable with; it may come more naturally to you in the future, after you have modeled your mind more on an Ayurvedic diet.
- In Ayurveda the changes are made little by little without forcing anything. Pay attention to the body and let it guide you. Start with the elements that seem simpler and more natural to you and pay attention to the changes this brings. If you learn how to pay attention to yourself, your mind will adapt slightly to every single step you take and guide you effortlessly to the next.
- Don't punish yourself if you feel like you've had a "bad day" and don't give up if you're having trouble with a particular thing. This is absolutely not a problem! Go back to the first steps or try something else first. You don't have to become perfect, not even come close. You just have to continue.
