yoga

42

december 2018 / january 2019

yogajournal.com.sg

Eastern Rx

To find your best foods, you could experiment,

of course. Better yet, you could turn to

Ayurveda, the 5,000-year-old sister science to

yoga. Ayurveda acknowledges that we are all

unique creatures living in unique situations,

and we’re always going in and out of balance

based on an array of environmental and

emotional stressors. Food is one of its primary

prescriptions; you can use what you eat to

find your way back to optimal health and well-

being.

First, a little background: Ayurveda

recognizes three primary mind-body forces,

which it callsdoshas.They arevata(the airy

energy that governs the nervous system),pitta

(the fiery energy that moves digestion and

assimilation), andkapha (the earthy energy

that lends stability).

All human beings are made up of a particular

mix of doshas, which they were born

with—usually we have one or two doshas

predominating.Vatatypes tend to be artistic,

active, and spacey; pitta types are ambitious,

driven, and intense; and kapha types are loving,

calm, and earthy.

Beyond that inborn type, the doshas are

always acting in nature and on the body—

meaning that we all are subject to doshic

imbalances, especially when life is stressful.

When we are out of balance, the doshas make

themselves known!

The good news is that, with a little bit of

Ayurvedic wisdom, you can troubleshoot these

imbalances. Each dosha responds as much

to the qualities and tastes of foods as it does

to the molecular nutritional breakdown—a

piece of the nutrition puzzle that’s simply

missing in Western medicine. Read on for more

information about each dosha and the foods

that best bring it—and you—back into balance.

You may be amazed at how powerful and

insightful simple dietary adjustments can be.

Vata dosha

Airy vata moves through the nervous system

and open spaces of the body (such as the

lungs and the colon). When it goes out of

balance, it tends to show up as fear, anxiety,

worry, nervous tension, and insomnia—

sometimes accompanied by gas, bloating,

or constipation. Too much travel, computer

time, fluorescent lights, or constant change

can aggravate vata, as can cold, dry, windy

weather.

To bring vata back into balance, choose

foods that are sweet, sour, or salty and prepare

them in a way that adds warm, heavy, and oily

qualities.

sweet potatoes

WHY The fall is vata time, and nature provides

the best remedy in the root vegetables it

produces then. Sweet potatoes are a delicious

way to get your feet on the ground when stress

is blowing you away. They’re also full of fiber

and vitamin A.

TIP Bake the sweet potato, then boost the

vata-balancing power by adding 1 teaspoon

sesame or coconut oil (heavy), 1 teaspoon

nutmeg or cinnamon (warming), and 1

teaspoon sea salt to the naturally sweet

vegetable. Eat your potato along with lean

protein to keep blood sugar stable.

salted cashews

WHYVatasbenefit from heavier, oilier

choices—but that doesn’t mean greasy fast

food. Cashews offer stamina-building protein

and good monounsaturated fats; their naturally

sweet flavor, when combined with a bit of salt,

balances vata quickly.

TIP Have a handful of organic salted cashews

along with some fruit in the summer or a cup of

soup in the fall or winter. Keep a bag of cashews

handy for whenever you feel the craving for

sweets that naturally arises when vata is out of

whack. Cashews will help to keep your blood

sugar and emotions balanced in way that

muffins or candy never could.

Pitta dosha

Fiery pitta drives both digestion and

assimilation in the body, and an imbalance

will usually show up as burning emotions

such as anger, frustration, or aggression, and

heat-related conditions such as hot flashes,

red rashes, canker sores, high blood pressure,

burning digestive disorders like GERD, or

diarrhea. Getting stuck in traffic on a hot

summer day, missing meals, working too many

hours, or overexercising can aggravate pitta.

To cool down, choose cool, light foods that

are astringent, bitter, or sweet.

watermelon

WHYOnce again, nature’s wisdom saves

us from seasonal heat and humidity. Sweet

summer fruits are the antidote for pitta-

provoking weather conditions. Watermelon

is a great choice, as its sweet, astringent, and

cooling properties can soothe the hottest of

hotheads quickly.

TIP Cut up the watermelon, then cool it in

the fridge. Keep it on hand throughout the

summer months, and take a few bites any time

you’re feeling overheated—either physically or

emotionally.

the

chocolate cure

If you crave chocolate when you’re

stressed out, there’s a reason—the

stuff increases serotonin levels to boost

happiness, adds magnesium to ease

tension (and PMS), and has a flavor that

makes everyone happy. To reap the

most benefit, enjoy it in the way that

offsets any dosha imbalances.

For vataMilk chocolate, with its

high fat content, is actually good for

vatas. Choose a bar with nuts to add a

grounding factor.

For pitta Because it has both sweet

and astringent qualities, a bittersweet

variety will calm pitta. Choose a bar

with dried cranberries or other sweet

fruits.

For kapha Bitter dark chocolate is the

way to go—a little goes a long, long

way. Find a bar with crystallized ginger

bits to heat things up.

CLOCKWISE LEFT TO RIGHT: ISTOCKPH

OTO.C

OM/FLOORTJE; ISTOCKPH

OTO.C

OM/YINYANG; ISTOCKPH

OTO.C

OM/MARTIN DARLEY