Ayurvedic Food; Do you live to eat or eat to live?

When I visited an Ayurvedic hospital in India, I learnt about their ways to use food as part of the healing process.  The food is prepared to be simple and easy on the stomach. They advise 'Do not allow your mind to get distracted by the lack of variety in food'.  They believe that every ingredient in the food should benefit your body in some way.  I found it very tasty and loved getting my nutrition from all the herbs and vegetables they had growing on the hospital grounds.

Our doctor posed the question "Do you live to eat or eat to live?".  Good question especially when you look at some of our western habits.

As we ponder this question let me introduce to you the 10 principles of a healthy Ayurvedic diet.

• Food needs to be hot (usually cooked).
• Food needs to be tasty and easy to digest.
• Food needs to be eaten in the proper amounts, not too much or too little.
• Food needs to be eaten on an empty stomach, after last meal has been digested, and not before.
• Foods need to work together and not contradict one another in their actions.
• Foods need to be eaten in pleasant surroundings with the proper equipment for their enjoyment.
• Eating should not be rushed.
• Eating should not be a horrendously drawn out affair, either.
• It is best to focus on food while eating.
• Only eat food which is nourishing to particular constitution and which suits mental and emotional Temperament.

If you would like to experience Ayurvedic Food first hand we are running an Adore Yoga Retreat next November.  Introduction to Ayurvedic Medicine.  Up on the Adore Yoga Website soon