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Archive for diet

Eating for Optimal Health – Winter

By Heather Anastos
Sunday, January 5th, 2014

 

The traditional health science of ayurveda teaches us that we should adjust our diets according to our personal constitutions, the seasons, and our stage of life.  In this article, we will discuss how making small changes to the foods you are eating can help you weather the winter months without gaining weight and with less likelihood of depression.  During the winter months, nature is dormant.  We are naturally less active as we “hibernate” through the winter months indoors.   In the fall, the elements of air and space are dominant, but in the winter the elements of earth and water increase.  These elemental changes are also a part of our individual experiences.  The fast-changing pace, characteristic of fall, transitions to the slow-moving pace of winter.  Have you ever felt like winter would never end?

One of the gifts of ayurveda is that it not only describes this process, but it also gives us a roadmap of how to adjust to these changes and minimize the impacts on our body’s systems.  One of the primary tools of ayurveda is the foods we choose to eat.  By making small changes to our diets, we can greatly improve our physical and mental well-being.  Since winter is associated with earth and water, we need to minimize foods that have high composition of these elements and instead emphasize foods with air and fire as their primary elements.  So how do we know the elemental composition of the foods we eat?  It’s easier than you think!

Air/Fire Dominant Foods:  Light, dry, warm, spicy

–          Examples include veggies, fruits, non-wheat grains, spices

Earth/Water Dominant Foods:  Heavy, dense, oily

–          Examples include nuts, added oils, meat, sugar

Through dietary adjustments, we can balance the earth/water increases that are naturally occurring in the winter allowing us to maintain an optimal level of health.  Increases in the earth element are also associated with weight gain.  Following an ayurvedic diet can help avoid unwanted weight gain during the winter.  During the fall, we need to add more oil and heavier foods to our diet to counter the excess air and space, but as winter approaches it is necessary to lighten up the diet.  For example, while a thick hearty soup or stew with some added fat content is appropriate in the fall, a broth-based veggie soup with barley is more therapeutic in the chill of winter.   Our digestion tends to be slower in the winter, so it is still recommended to focus the diet on cooked foods versus raw.  The cooking process is essentially a pre-digestion or breaking down of the foods which makes it easier on our digestion system.  Anyone with poor digestion and nearly all of us in the winter need to emphasize cooks foods in our diet.  Another side effect of this slow digestion is that you may find you can skip a meal or snack without adverse effect.

Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II)

Another factor to consider is that three of our major cultural holidays fall during the early winter months.    This tends to cause us to indulge in rich foods that may lead to imbalances that stick with us all winter long.  Moderation during the holidays can create a much more healthful winter.  Avoid overindulging in sweets, heavy foods, and alcohol.  Instead, choose a small amount of a wide variety of foods, increase your exercise and expand your social activities.  Already indulged?  It’s never too late to start making more healthy choices.  You can also check out our post on Detox to help recover from some of those holiday indulgences.

Resist the natural tendency to “hibernate” during the winter, instead use these months to pursue new interests.  Take a class or start a new hobby.  Spend time with friends and family.  Winter months are perfect for experimenting with new recipes – emphasize vegetables and non-wheat grains like quinoa, barley or rye.  Incorporate spices such as ginger, cinnamon, clove and black pepper.  Best of all, try a new spice that you’ve never had before!

Through a basic understanding of the principles of ayurveda, you can learn to make seasonal adjustments to your diet and lifestyle that support optimal health and wellness.  Subtle changes in what you’re choosing to eat can have big impacts on how you feel on a daily basis.  So the next time you start to feel those winter blahs setting in, break out a cookbook and try a new recipe.  Then call a friend to come enjoy it with you.

To get you started, here’s one of my favorite winter soups.  The variety of veggies and spice make it interesting, while the barley has a drying, heating effect that is beneficial in the wintertime.

Vegetable Barley

3/4 c barley

8 c veggie stock

1 T olive oil

1 c chopped onion

1/2 c chopped celery

1/2 c chopped carrots

1 c chopped greens (kale, spinach)

2 c chopped or whole tomatoes

1 c sliced mushrooms

1 T garlic

1 t oregano

1 t basil

1 t black pepper

Salt to taste

Heat the oil and garlic in a pan.  Add veggies and saute lightly.  Add broth, barley and spices.  Simmer 30 minutes or until all veggies and barley is done.
Call a friend – and enjoy a healthy winter soup, some tea, and great company.

Oh, yeah – and adding some yoga won’t hurt either!  😉

 

Categories : Ayurveda, Well-Being
Tags : Ayurveda, depression, diet, health, kapha, spices, vata, well-being, Yoga

Eating for Optimal Health – Fall

By Heather Anastos
Friday, October 19th, 2012

The traditional health science of ayurveda teaches us that we should adjust our diets according to our personal constitutions, the seasons, and our stage of life.  Essentially, making small changes to the foods you are eating can help you transition gracefully from summer to winter.  During the fall season, nature is experiencing dramatic transformations:  the bounty of harvest, the turning of the leaves, the plants and trees starting to prepare for their yearly cycle of dormancy.   These changes involve the increase of the elements of air and space, while the fire of the summer season starts to dissipate and the temperatures drop.  These elemental changes are also a part of our individual experiences.  The energy and stamina of summer slowly fades away and is replaced with a need for more rest and less vigorous activity.  If we ignore these cues and keep our hectic pace, we become more prone to stress and anxiety.  Our immune system can weaken.  A deep-seated fatigue or illness can start to manifest.  For these reasons, fall is the season when you are most likely to fall seriously ill.

One of the gifts of ayurveda is that it not only describes this process, but it also gives us a roadmap of how to adjust to these changes and minimize the impacts on our body’s systems.  One of the primary tools of ayurveda is the foods we choose to eat.  By making small changes to our diets, we can greatly improve our physical and mental well-being.  Since the fall is associated with air and space, we need to minimize foods that have high composition of these elements and instead emphasize foods with earth and water as their primary elements.  So how do we know the elemental composition of the foods we eat?  It’s easier than you think!

Air/Space Dominant Foods:  Light, crisp, raw

Examples include crackers, chips, raw veggies, salads, popcorn

Earth/Water Dominant Foods:  Heavy, dense, cooked

Examples include nuts, cooked grains, cooked veggies, soups, stews, casseroles

 

Through dietary adjustments, we can balance the air/space increases that are naturally occurring in the fall allowing us to maintain an optimal level of health.  We naturally take advantage of the prevalence of fresh vegetables in the summer, many times incorporating more salads and raw foods into our diet.  But as fall approaches, we need to transition to cooked foods.  Excess air and space is associated with poor digestion and raw foods are harder to digest.  Our cooking process is essentially a pre-digestion or breaking down of the foods which makes it easier on our digestion system.  Anyone with poor digestion and nearly all of us in the fall need to emphasize cooks foods in our diet.

Another factor in the digestibility of foods is the hydro lipid content.  One effect of excess air/space is dryness.   You may notice your skin becoming drier, but this effect happens internally, as well.  We need more warm fluids and healthy oils in our diet during the fall to maintain optimal hydro lipid balance in our systems.  Each meal and snack should have a small amount of healthy fat.  Following a very low fat or non-fat diet in the fall can lead to imbalances that contribute to increased anxiety, unexplained pain, dry skin, constipation, higher stress levels or a decreased ability to manage stress, nervous system disorders, and can also increase the symptoms of many other illnesses.

The best way to ensure you maintain a healthy diet for optimal well-being during the fall months is to shift your diet to emphasize cooked grains and veggies.  Make stir-fry’s instead of salads.  Vegetable soups with meat (if you eat it) or added cooking oils adds enough fat content to ensure digestibility.  Cooked casseroles with grains, veggies, and legumes are satisfying and healthy.  Personally, as soon as I feel that first hint of fall, I switch my breakfast to oatmeal loaded with nuts, raisins, dates, cinnamon, etc.  This hearty breakfast calms the nerves and provides the earth element necessary to offset increasing air/space.  If you must have a cold meal or snack during fall, at least have a hot cup of tea with it.  Digestive teas such as ginger, licorice, or chai can be particularly beneficial.

Through a basic understanding of the principles of ayurveda, you can learn to make seasonal adjustments to your diet and lifestyle that support optimal health and wellness.  Subtle changes in what you’re choosing to eat can have big impacts on how you feel on a daily basis.  So the next time you are feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or ill, break out the soup pot or crock pot and simmer up a batch of your favorite soup or stew.  I guess Grandma was right…chicken soup is therapeutic to a cold – or even to avoiding one.  In fact, so are vegetarian and/or vegan soups!

To get you started, here’s one of my favorite fall soups.  This vegetarian recipe is a wonderful source of earth and water, and includes a variety of digestive spices perfect for a fall or winter day.

Curried Split Pea Soup

1 1/2 c. Dried Split Peas

5 1/2 c. Water or Veggie stock

2 T. Olive oil or Ghee

1 fresh hot pepper

1 t. ground cumin

1 t. ground coriander

1 t. turmeric

Salt and Black Pepper, to taste

Plain yogurt and cilantro (garnish)

Rinse the peas with cold water and drain.  Bring the peas to a boil in the water.  Add the oil and spices.  Bring to a simmer and cook for 1 1/4 – 1 1/2 hours or until cooked tender.  If the soup is too thick, add more liquid.  To serve, place a dollop of yogurt and cilantro leaves on top.  Can be served warm in the fall or winter or cool in the summer.

Enjoy – and Be Well,

Heather Anastos, CAP

Categories : Ayurveda, Well-Being
Tags : anxiety, Ayurveda, diet, digestion, fall, health, spices, stress reduction, turmeric, vata, Wellness

Ayurvedic Detox

By Heather Anastos
Sunday, May 20th, 2012

Is a Detox Program Right for You?

Detox is a hot buzzword lately, but what does it really involve and is it safe?  The answers to those questions aren’t simple, so let’s start by describing what it involves.  Detox, short for detoxification, is a program to help your body process and eliminate toxins which have been stored in your body.   Detox programs typically involve a short-term change to your eating habits and may involve supplements or lifestyle changes.  Some programs also include “mental detox” which involves processing and eliminating the mental stored toxins, typically through meditation or relaxation techniques.

Why should we consider a detox program? 

The typical western lifestyle exposes our bodies and minds to a wide variety of toxins, including chemicals, pollution, and impurities in our food, water, and air.  In addition, if our digestion is weak or overworked due to improper eating habits, illness or stress, improperly digested food becomes a toxin known in ayurveda as ama.  This ama clogs up our systems and prohibits our bodies from functioning optimally.  If you have a feeling of heaviness in the body, your tongue is covered with a thick, white film when you wake, you have unpleasant body odor, you lack energy or focus or you have joint pain, you may have a buildup of ama in your system and may benefit from a detox.  Also, if you have digestive trouble, a low immune system, food allergies, or frequent colds and flu, you may find positive benefits from a detox.

What is involved with a safe, effective detox?

There are many detox programs available, some of which are highly questionable or even dangerous.  Some of the detox programs severely restrict calorie intake or require the use of expensive supplements which may contain very strong herbal remedies.  Be suspicious of any program that claims very fast or unreasonable sounding results.  The best approach for detox is to simply support the natural, effective, efficient detox methods that our bodies already have!  Small changes in diet and lifestyle can support the body’s ability to process and eliminate toxins.  The program I recommend includes the following:

  1. Decrease your intake of toxins so the body has less to process.  This includes foods that ayurveda states are “hard to digest.”*
  2. Support your body’s digestive processes with spices and easy to digest foods*.  Done correctly, this also encourages your body to release and eliminate “old” stored toxins from the body.
  3. Get sufficient rest to allow the body to process and eliminate toxins.
  4. Include a “mental detox” component by noticing and decreasing the amount of mental toxins you take in each day.

1.       Decreasing your toxin intake

  • Avoid processed foods which contain additives, preservatives, and artificial ingredients. Eliminate artificial sweeteners, coffee, and alcohol.   Eat fresh, whole foods.  Drink filtered water, 100% juice diluted with water, or teas.  This step can be a great detox program all on its own!
  • COMPLETELY avoid any food to which you know or suspect you have an allergy or food-sensitivity.
  • Choose organic produce when possible.  A cost-effective alternative can be visiting a local farm or farmer’s market where the produce may be organically farmed but not certified for organic sale.

 

2.       Improving your digestion

  • Add the following spices to your diet through foods or teas:  Ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, licorice, cardamom, basil, fennel, rosemary, turmeric and oregano.
  • Drink a tea of lemon, ginger and honey first thing in the morning. 
  • Dairy, wheat, eggs and soy can all be difficult to digest and are common food allergens.  In addition, meat is very hard to digest.  Avoiding or decreasing these foods for a period of time gives the digestive system a break.  Cooked foods with lots of veggies are easy to digest and should be the staple of a detox diet.  Kichari is an ayurvedic dish of beans and rice with lots of digestive spices that can be a wonderful “detox” food.
  • Increase your fiber intake by adding ground flax meal or psyllium to your diet.  These can be mixed with juice to drink, or added to cereals, salads, smoothies and other foods.  When increasing your fiber intake, ensure you are getting enough fluids or constipation can occur (which increases the amount of ama in the body instead of decreasing it!).

 

3.       Getting sufficient rest

  • Most of us are sleep-deprived.  To optimally process and eliminate toxins, the body must get sufficient rest and sleep.  Going to bed by 10PM is very important.  Ayurveda teaches us that the body uses a cycle from 10PM-2AM to process toxins – if you are awake, that energy is going elsewhere and your body will not be as effective in processing and elminating the toxins.
  • Gentle exercise will support your detox, but too much or too vigorous of exercise will be counterproductive, as the body will need to “repair” the cellular damage done from a strong workout.  Walking or a gentle yoga practice are great exercise options when detoxing.

 

4.       Mental Detox

  • Take some time to notice the mental toxins you are exposed to each day.  Mental toxins may be negative stories on the news, radio, or TV.  It may be in the form of explicit lyrics in music or graphic violence on TV or in books.  They can also be in the form of conversations you have with those around you.  Notice where your mental toxins come from and work to minimize or eliminate them.  Choose music, entertainment, and books with a positive message.
  • Try meditation, yoga, or tai chi.  These practices help slow the mind and induce a relaxation response in body and mind.

Detoxification is a natural part of the body’s function and it doesn’t take extreme measures to increase its effectiveness.  By making a few small changes, you can support the natural detox program of the body.  By minimizing the impurities in your system you will notice improved digestion and energy.  A detox program like this can be done for a day, a week, a month or can be part of a healthy lifestyle.  I recommend doing 1-4 weeks of this program 2-4 times per year at the season changes.

Heather L. Anastos, CAP

*Western medical science opinions on digestibility of foods and the need/effectiveness of detox may not agree with ayurvedic philosophy.  The detox system described here is based on ayurvedic principles, which may or may not be supported by medical studies.

Categories : Ayurveda, Well-Being
Tags : Ayurveda, ayurvedic, detox, detoxification, diet, health, toxin, well-being, Wellness
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