Yoga for Youth

Diet and Digestion.

“When diet is wrong, medicine is of no use.
When diet is correct, medicine is of no need.”
~ Ayurvedic Proverb ~

It is well known that a healthy diet is a requirement for the human body, giving the energy needed for growth, maintenance and repair. A well balanced diet gives the body good food to be transformed or broken down into nutrients that become usable energy the body needs for daily life.

According to Ayurveda, the root cause of all dis-ease stems from poor digestion.

On the subtler level, according to ancient text: When the digestive fire (Agni) is strong, metabolism is good and we are able to transform the food we take to create Ojas.
Ojas is the finest byproduct of digestion which nourishes all of the cells, tissues and organs.
On the other hand, if our digestive fire is weak the food is not broken down properly, leaving digestion incomplete or the food uncooked. Furthermore, what does not get metabolized becomes toxic and creates Ama (toxins).
Diet is one aspect of our lives that we can control.
We can choose to take in food that will feed our body which then feeds our soul.
Or we can take food that makes us feel heavy, tired and emotionally dull, taxing our body because it is working harder than it needs to.

According to Ayurveda, Digestion is a key component to good health…
Give your digestion a break!
High fat, processed foods are not easily digested, making the body work harder.
By favoring fresh, cooked, easily digestible foods such as: Simple dahl; sauteed zucchini, yellow squash, sweet potato with a turmeric, raisin, almond rice…topped with lime and cilantro The body will have the energy to repair itself because it is not working so hard just to digest the food we eat.

We offer guidelines for a healthy diet based on what your individual physiology needs, tips for promoting healthy eating habits, best time to eat, how to eat based on what you can digest not what you can eat.

Human body requires food to provide energy for all life processes, growth, repair and maintenance. A balanced diet contains different types of foods in quantities so that the needs of the body is adequately met. Eating a well-balanced diet on a regular basis and maintaining an ideal weight are critical factors in maintaining mental, emotional, physical and spiritual balance; creating a greater sense of well-being.

In Ayurveda, diet is one of the three pillars of life (Tri Upastambha). Being supported by these three factors, the body is endowed with strength, complexion and growth which results in longevity. This continues to provide a person who does not indulge food/behavior that is detrimental to health. The food we take will either be Dosha aggravating or pacifying which will either have a balancing or imbalancing effect on the physiology.

To maintain homoeostasis of Doshas (thus health), Ayurveda has described specific diet, proper planning and timing of the food we take; diet can maintain our body.

“Ayurveda specified the characteristics of food in terms of quality, quantity and time which vary with age, constitution, digestive power, season, disease and also from person to person. One has to consume the diet, which is suitable to him in all aspects, and deviation from these may cause diseases. In addition to these, wrong cooking procedures, irregular timing, and consuming imbalanced and non-congenial food and not following the prescribed rules for preparing, preserving and eating food may also cause imbalance of health.”

Source: Journal of Traditional Medicine & Clinical Naturopathy

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