Food as medicine in 5 Easy Steps
You can only turn a corner by reading a book, documentary, or podcast discussing the link between food as medicine and long-term health problems. Diet has an impact on emotional health as well, which is often disregarded when people are looking for help for mental health problems. Take a proactive stance towards your health today. First things first: think about food and its healing power.
While medication has its uses, wouldn’t you put your money toward food instead of modern medicine? One way of looking at it is that food as medicine. There are no adverse side effects from eating natural food. Of course, other components contribute to health, including getting enough sleep, controlling stress, and exercising, but a healthy diet is the cornerstone and is typically within your control.
Altering your relationship with food from one of limitation to one of introduction—of an abundance of the proper foods—is the first step in using food as medicine. Immerse yourself in the scientific method and master studying your body to discover its secrets. Many people who are concerned about their health initially become interested in the role that excellent nutrition can play. As they see improvements in their overall health and symptoms of particular health problems, they become more committed to maintaining their new eating habits.
You place a high value on eating healthily, and many competing theories and recommendations regarding what constitutes a healthy diet exist. Real food and a balanced diet are highly regarded in Ayurveda, the traditional Indian medical system, as essential to maintaining good health. Because of its adaptability, Ayurvedic principles illuminate how one’s diet can significantly impact health and well-being.
The following suggestions are based on Ayurvedic principles to assist you in stepping into a world where healing food as medicine can bring you everyday health and happiness.
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1. Food as medicine: Consume Naturally Intelligent Foods
A lot has changed in the food industry since your hunter-gatherer ancestors lived. Gathering wild grasses, nuts, seeds, vegetables, fruits, and game were the staples of the primitive diet. With this, the ancients had all they needed. Beyond that, they had to make do with whatever was growing in their environment at any given time of year due to the need for modern methods of food preservation and shipping.
One benefit of this diet was that the “natural intelligence” components like fibre, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats were more intact because the food as medicine was eaten in its most natural state, close to its origin. Nowadays, food is more readily available, but the idea of a food source remains essential. The more we feed our bodies foods that are as close to their natural state as possible, the more we tap into the wisdom of nature and extract the nutrients we need for a healthy lifestyle.
Ayurveda teaches that the prana, or vital life force that animates all living things is abundant in organic, locally grown, uncooked, and freshly prepared foods. Consuming meals high in pranic energy allows you to tap into part of the food’s inherent healing intelligence. As you go deeper into plant-based nutrition and healthy eating, you’ll find that a diet rich in whole foods or similar to their natural state of growth is consistently recommended.
Technological advancements and creative thinking have transformed many dishes into something that doesn’t look anything like their original form. Typically, processing these “new and improved” meals involves boosting their sugar, fat, and salt content, which gives them a pleasant flavour and makes you want to eat more of them. You don’t have to cut out processed meals entirely, but you should be more deliberate about what you eat.
As a general guideline, you should look for perishable items along the store’s perimeter when grocery shopping. Take a risk and eat a vegetable you’ve never seen before. When you’re short on time yet want to eat healthily, you can find nutritional options in packaged foods. It would help if you read up on the subject. Stay away from white flour and sweets, and eat enough nutritious grains. Reading a package’s ingredients list should be second nature to you. It is preferable if there are fewer ingredients. Make it easy.
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2. Food as medicine: Follow Your Dosha Type When Eating
We may transform poison into nectar if our digestion is robust, but if it is weak, we can turn nectar into poison, according to a well-known Ayurvedic saying. You might consume the healthiest foods in the world and yet feel sick. Where does this come from if food as medicine? The capacity to acquire helpful knowledge and energy from food and transform it into biological intelligence is central to Ayurveda.
This, also known as Agni or digestive fire, is the bedrock of wellness. Food either gets caught in your digestive tract or passes through you unaided when you have poor digestion. Before making any drastic dietary changes, ensure you have good digestion.
Three ever-changing principles controlling the body, mind, and consciousness form the basis of Ayurveda. You possess a blend of the three doshas, or principles, in your constitution: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. The key to finding the proper meals and way of life for you is understanding how the doshas manifest in your body. This is why you can experience bloating and gas instead of the benefits your friend reports from eating raw foods. It would help to try a few things to find what works best for you.
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3. Food as medicine: Look for Foods With Medical Uses
In his book “An Inflammation Nation,” Sunil Pai, M.D., an authority in integrative medicine, delves deeply into the connection between inflammation and illness. He advises maintaining good health and longevity, “Keep your inflammation as low as possible.” Eating in line with an anti-inflammatory diet is likely already a part of your Ayurvedic routine if you follow it according to your doshic makeup.
Benefits of “Superfoods” are a relatively new trend. Many believe these nutrient-dense foods can protect them from illness and make them feel healthier and more energetic.
All foods are superfoods, and that’s the most excellent way to look at food. Incorporating dietary variety into your routine will allow you to benefit from Mother Nature’s curative powers fully. Here are a few items that Ayurveda believes to be particularly sattvic, healthy and beneficial.
One of the many health benefits of ginger is its ability to relieve inflammation; it is also an excellent digestive aid. Ginger can be consumed either fresh or in powder form.
A potent medicinal spice, turmeric promotes overall health and well-being—with anti-inflammatory properties.
Ghee: A healthier alternative to butter that may aid with digestion
The bean family is super adaptable and nutrient-dense. It is an excellent antioxidant source. To make things easier to digest, you can soak, sprout, or add seasonings.
Ingredients such as uncooked nuts, seeds, and oils: Packed with minerals and antioxidants, they support a heart-healthy lifestyle. To make nuts and seeds easier to digest, soak them in water for at least one night. Oils ease gastric motility and speed up the digestive process.
Honey is a great sugar substitute since it enhances energy and strengthens the immune system. Honey loses some of its nutritious value and may even have harmful side effects when heated, so it’s best to keep it out of cooking.
Most advantages are geared towards better digestion, precisely what you want. Having good digestion allows you to metabolize food and experiences in a physical and metaphorical sense. Here are some foods to consider to help you create a diet that suits you.
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4. Food as medicine: Establish Routines for Mindful Eating
You should pay attention to what you eat and how you eat because the way you eat impacts the medical effects of food. Have you ever attempted to eat after a particularly contentious argument? It is far from pleasant. Eating and digesting food takes a back seat to calm the mind and body, which requires a lot of energy. Keeping an eye on your surroundings and establishing a calm eating atmosphere will help.
I get that you lead a busy life and only sometimes have time to practice mindful, relaxed eating, but at least you know it could help. Travelling to a place like Italy will make you value delicious cuisine and the camaraderie it fosters even more. Food has been a natural gathering point for humans for eons. Food as medicine is more than just nutrition; it’s a chance to spend time with those you care about and be grateful for what you have. It is a potent medication.
5. Food as medicine: Master Your Own Identity
You shouldn’t assume that something will have the same effect on you just because it has a reputation for doing so. Remember that you are unique and that being adaptable and patient is critical as you go through this process. Therefore, when figuring out what you need, knowing yourself and trusting your instincts is best (pardon the pun).
A detox may help you find your baseline, your point of equilibrium. When you’ve arrived, you’ll recognize it because, among other things, you’ll have robust digestion, more energy, more creativity, more joy, and more. A person’s doshic constitution determines which of the many available cleansing programmes suits their needs. As the seasons change, so does the significance of cleansing in Ayurveda. No longer can you cruise through life; now is the moment to reset, integrate, and operate from a higher condition of being.
Better dietary decisions will flow from a point of equilibrium. With practice, you can tell when a meal isn’t sitting well with you and when it’s time to cut back. You didn’t give the cupcake a second thought when it was fresh. After feeling the rush of success, you’d not go into a sugar coma again. Learn all there is to know about the meals that boost your mood.
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