I try my best to make it a conscious effort in my life to eat sattvic or fresh, pure foods (such as: fresh vegetables, most fruits, freshly prepared grains, a good number of beans, milk, sweet cream, freshly made yogurt, mother's milk, ghee and butter in moderation). But I know that in this day and age, this doesn't come easy especially when rajasic foods (fermented foods, garlic, peppers of all kinds, eggs, cheeses, white sugar, most sweeteners, salt, radishes, peanut, citrus) and tamasic foods (most fast foods, fried foods, frozen foods, microwaved foods, processed foods, left over night foods, alcohol, drugs, chemicals, onions, lard, meat, fish and poultry) are much easier to obtain and suit our gastronomical palate more often.
Finding ingredients and cooking them or even just eating out gets trickier when you are trying your best to choose the kinds of food that fit whatever constitution you are, or what is called your "dosha." There are three: Vata, Pita and Kapha. With that said, I am a pure Kapha. :)
Since I can only do so much, and I have my dear husband to think about, we don't have the pleasure of eating with ayurveda all the time. And honestly, life is too short to be a little fussy. But because of my understanding and belief that this kind of holistic science which is 5,000 years old and is a time-tested system, assists the body, mind, and spirit by bringing harmony and balance starting with the food we eat... I have become aware at least of the kinds of food to choose and avoid (from time to time) for my particular dosha. If I allow myself some minor indulgences against them (which is very often), I still try to eat ayurvedically by choosing more pure, fresh and light foods.
With my changed eating habits aside, I also have to give my husband praises. I somehow have rubbed off a little of this consciousness on to him. He now knows his type of dosha (he is dual: kapha-pitta) but instead of being "dosha-conscious" about it, he chooses to eat instead in moderation of everything. And that too is ok! By being more aware of his food intake, he has now been adding a lot more pure foods in his diet. And once in a blue moon, he catches himself avoiding some foods that contradict his dosha. I am so proud that he is making the effort of being on the right track to healthier living.
Just to be clear that practicing ayurveda is not a cure, but is instead a preventive medicine. And just a little background on the 3 gunas, One of the benefits of eating more sattvic is that they keep you light, flexible, calm and helps clear the mind. It also is truth inspiring. When eating rajasic, it stimulates more fire, outward motion, creativity, aggression, passion. And lastly with tamasic foods, they increase inner darkness and confusion. They are good for numbing us out. It slows us down even depressing us at times. And it also enhances inertia.
So, ideally, when at home, (thanks to my Ayurvedic Cooking for Westerners book) I try my best to create sattvic. On good days, I am able to find some ingredients suitable for my type. Luckily, there is an Indian grocery store 3 minutes away from our home that more or less makes this possible.
When dining out, I try to make it a point that the bulk of my choices are mostly sattvic. If none are really available, then it's not the end of the world for me. I just pick the meal which is closest to being light and healthy. :)
Photo credit: healthjockey.com
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