What is the Best Diet for Ayurveda?

Many people have heard that Ayurveda can improve their health. This centuries-old healing path from India emphasizes prevention of disease, and living in harmony with nature. It also focuses on a balance of the energies.

We are what we eat, so it should come as no surprise that Ayurveda pays a good deal of attention to diet as a path to healing. However, this can be a bit tricky, because according to Ayurveda, there are 3 main mind-body energy types, or doshas, which we all possess in varying patterns. Most people have one dominant energy and 2 lesser ones.

The 3 doshas
In Ayurveda, there are 3 forms of mind-body energy:

Vata – movement
Pitta – metabolism
Kapha – bodily structure

Determine your dosha pattern at a reliable site: https://store.chopra.com/dosha-quiz
and learn all you can about how to keep it in balance so you can eat the right foods, and avoid certain ones as well.

Eat right for your type
Depending on which dosha you are, there will be various recommendations about what to eat and not eat. For example, pitta people should not overeat and kapha people need to avoid eating too many oily foods like nuts, seeds and fried foods.

Food combining
Ayurvedic medicine also advocates eating certain foods in combination with one another, while avoiding other combinations because they are difficult to digest. For example, most Ayurvedic diets recommend eating fruit by itself, especially if you are vata. Melons should always be eaten on their own.

Milk should be eaten on its own as well, with the exception of rice pudding and oatmeal. It should not be combined with other dairy products. It should also be avoided by kapha people, with the exception of small amounts of goat milk.

Beans and cheese and banana and milk are 2 huge no-nos that confuse the digestion and put undue strain upon it.

Healthier eating habits
In Ayurveda, it is not just what you eat, but how you eat. It should come as no surprise that wolfing down fast food is off the menu. For most Ayurvedic diets, sugar and salt can be used in only limited amounts. Most protein should be derived from plant sources. Many Indians are vegetarian or vegan, so they eat few if any animal products.

Meals should be eaten slowly and mindfully at a table, not scarfed down in front of the TV or computer. Small portions are key. Eat on schedule, but only if you are really hungry.

Ayurvedic diets can seem complicated, but once you know your dosha, it should be easy to find the right eating plan for you.

https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-3615/10-Common-Food-Combinations-That-Wreak-Havoc-on-Your-Health.html

https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-4656/9-Ayurvedic-Rules-for-Eating.html