Ayurvedic Diet and Lifestyle

"The principal word for health in Sanskrit, svastha, means 'established in oneself'. Ayurveda, a pragmatic science, teaches living beings how to establish themselves in themselves."

Robert E. Svoboda

We provide individualised diet and lifestyle counselling as a healing modality on its own or in conjuction with an Ayurveda Wellness Massage or a Retreat.

According to Ayurveda, diet which is inappropriate (for one's constitutional type, for the season, for the time of day or in some other way) is one of the primary causes of disease. Hence correct diet is also one of the most important medicines for restoring balance.

The mind is formed from the subtlest portion or essence of food. We may have experienced the effect of what we eat and drink on our state of mind and body, yet we so often underestimate just how much of an effect it has.

Certain foods promote a peaceful, loving, joyful and clear state of mind. These are called Sattvic foods. They are light and easy to digest. They provide us with energy without taxing our bodies.
Sattvic food includes fresh, preferably organically grown fruit, steamed vegetables and fresh vegetable juice, milk, ghee, dates, nuts, sprouts and whole grains. Traditional meals of most cultures consist predominantly of grains served with a smaller quantity of vegetables, legumes, greens and chutney which enhance and complement the grain. This is also the healthiest way to eat.

Rajasic foods are hot, spicy, bitter, sour and salty. Once your hand goes into the bag, you cannot stop eating them, such as salty crackers and potato chips. Onions, garlic, caffeine, food eaten 'on the run', foods fried in oil or overcooked are also rajasic. These foods increase the speed and excitement of the human organism.
Eating heavily spiced foods makes the mind more rajasic, which means it tends towards anger, greed, selfishness and violence.

Tamasic food is heavy, dull, depressing and induces pessimism.

Examples are meat, hard cheeses, alcohol, eggs and mushrooms, while any food eaten in excess quantities becomes tamasic. Such foods consume a large amount of energy while being digested.

Old and stale, microwaved, reheated, canned and frozen foods are heavy and create ama; undigested material which clogs up the circulatory channels of the body.
If tamas increases, the mind becomes dull, ignorant and lazy, losing purpose and enthusiasm.

Saints and seers can easily survive on sattvic foods alone. Those of us who are more involved in worldly life and its fast pace need to balance our intake of sattvic and rajasic foods, while avoiding tamasic foods as much as possible.

However, use of food alone may not be sufficient to restore a healthy appetite, metabolism and digestion. We need to become aware of how our general lifestyle may be affecting our health. For example, the effects of having a very stressful job can be balanced by introducing simple and effective practices into one's daily routine.

In today's busy city lifestyle, our five senses are often subjected to unpleasant, harsh and even damaging stimuli. Ayurveda offers us a way to use these same senses to enhance our well-being by experiencing healing stimuli such as: massage, visualisation, chanting and aroma therapy.

Welcome to Nalanda Ayurvedic Centre