Ayurveda for beginners: Daily habits to improve wellness
When thinking of health most people think of getting fit and being in shape or eating only kale for the rest of their lives (which sounds miserable). While getting regular exercise and practicing mindful eating are an important part of being healthy, I would argue that they are not the only aspect to achieving health. In fact, I would go a step farther and say that health is nowhere near as enjoyable without wellness. The two are besties. The kind of besties where you feel a little weird if they aren’t together. “Hey Health! Where’s Wellness? You guys are usually joined at the hip!”
Health is the state of your body. Wellness is the state of your being.
Luckily for us these two best friends usually come as a package deal. The more you take care of your body, the greater sense of being you have and vice versa. But sometimes the two do not always happen automatically. Sometimes you have to make a conscious effort to incorporate both in your life. This is where the ancient technique of Ayurveda can help.
what is ayurveda?
Originating in India over 3,000 years ago, Ayurveda is a natural system of medicine. This form of medicine is based on the belief that all disease is a result of an imbalance or stress in a persons consciousness. Therefore, these techniques encourage certain lifestyle practices and natural therapies to regain balance among the mind, body, spirit and environment.
Unlike western medicine practices, Ayurveda focuses on prevention and maintenance opposed to symptomatology. When practicing Ayurveda it is important to understand that the core of the practice realizes everyones body and energy is different, therefore, everyone needs to focus on different aspects of their lives to be healthy and build wellness. As stated by the Ayurevdic Institute “Just as everyone has a unique fingerprint, each person has a particular pattern of energy - an individual combination of physical, mental, and emotional characteristics - which comprises their own constitution.'' These constitutions are what one focuses on when practicing Ayurveda and are what will guide you on your journey to wellness.
The Constitutions
In Ayurveda there are three basic types of energy, also known as doshas - vata, pitta, and kapha. Each dosha is associated with two of the five great elements - ether (space), earth, water, air, and fire. While all three doshas can be found in everyone and everything, there is one that is usually more prominent for each person. Our most prominent constitution is determined at conception and usually stays the same throughout one's life. Imbalance of these constitutions can stem from a number of factors both internal and external. From stress in your environment to the foods you eat and even the season and weather. It is important to understand your most prominent and least prominent doshas so that you will know how to create and promote balance within your energy.
Vata: Energy of Movement
Vata is most prominent during the fall and season changes and is associated with Space and Air. Vata-prominent individuals are quick thinkers and are blessed with flexibility and creativity. It is not uncommon for these individuals to grasp concepts quickly, but they will forget them just as easily. Vata people are very active and sometimes restless. They walk, talk and think fast, but can become fatigued easily. When unbalanced, vata-prominent types can become anxious, fearful and nervous. While they are often drawn to constringent foods such as raw veggies and salads, their constitution is balanced by warming foods such as soups and teas. Keeping a schedule for meal time is very important for these individuals to help regulate the energy they usually have. They might do better with one-pot meals such as stews, soups, and casseroles and can add more oils to their foods compared to the other dosha types.
Foods to include:
Fruits
Vegetables
Poultry
Fish
Healthy oils
Rice and wheat
Guidelines for balance:
Keep warm
Get plenty of rest
Avoid cold, frozen, or raw foods
Keep a daily routine
Keep calm
Pitta: Energy of digestion and metabolism
Pitta is most prominent in the summer and is made up of Fire and Water. Many pitta types resemble fire; hot, sharp, penetrating, and agitated. They have sharp intelligence, penetrating ideas and warm bodies. Mentally, pitta-types are very intelligent and have superb comprehension. However, they are short-tempered and easily agitated and aggressive. When out of balance they lean towards hate, jealousy and anger. Pitta-dominant individuals have strong metabolism and good digestion as well as strong appetites. They enjoy plenty of food and like to reach for hot spices and cold drinks. However, their constitution is balanced by sweet, bitter, and astringent taste. It is best for them to avoid sour, salty & pungent foods. Vegetarianism would work best for pitta-dominant people but they should most definitely avoid meats other than poultry, along with eggs, alcohol, salt, and hot spices such as coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, and fennel.
Foods to include:
Sweet fruits
Vegetables
Wheat, rice, barely, and oats
Milk
Unsalted butter
Ghee
Black lentils
Guidelines for balance:
Exercise during cooler times of day
Avoid excessive heat
Avoid excessive oils
Limit salt
Eat cooling foods
kapha: Energy of lubrication
Winter is the time for growth and the best time to practice kapha balancing dietary and lifestyle changes. Kapha types are gifted with stamina, endurance and strength. Kapha is associated with Earth and Water. These individuals tend to be sweet and loving while also staying grounded and stable when in balance. Psychologically, kapha people are calm, tolerant and forgiving but can also become lethargic. They can experience greed, envy, attachment, and possessiveness when out of balance. Kapha types might be slow to comprehend but have excellent long-term memory. Those with kapha dominant constitutions tend to prefer sweet, oily, and salty foods but their constitution is balanced by bitter, astringent and pungent foods such as stir-fried vegetables and black an pinto beans. Kapha types should avoid sweet dairy as well as fried or greasy foods.
Foods to include:
Vegetables
Pinto beans
Black beans
Red lentils
Barley, corn, buckwheat, and rye
Poultry (only dry cooked)
Guidelines for balance
Keep active
Avoid fatty, oily foods
Vary your routine
Eat light, dry foods
No daytime naps
Get plenty of exercise
Bottom line
Finding some way to incorporate Ayurvedic practices into your daily routine will provide great benefits. Either by doing something that takes little effort like drinking water first thing in the morning before tea or coffee or something that requires a little more time like practicing yoga, breath work, then meditation (in that order). Finding balance leads to feeling better whicj leads to making better decisions. If you’d like to look more into the ancient practice visit the Ayurvedic Institute for more information.
Remeber to show yourself grace and take one small step at a time. Health and wellness is a journey, not a destination. You just have to take that first step.
REFERENCES
Lad, V. Ayurevda: A Brief Introduction and Guide. The Ayurvedic Institute. https://www.ayurveda.com/ayurveda-a-brief-introduction-and-guide/
