CHATTANOGA, Tenn – We do many things to find balance — like taking a relaxing walk around the neighborhood, spending 10 minutes stretching, meditating in the middle of a busy workday, or unwinding at night with a warm bath. This practice of looking for balance also applies to the foods you eat. Enter the ayurvedic diet, a component of ayurveda, one of the world’s oldest whole-body healing systems, that’s been practiced for thousands of years.
Originally developed in India, it’s based on the belief overall wellness and health depends on a delicate balance between the mind, body and spirit. The ayurvedic diet sets guidelines for what, how and when a person should eat based on their body type or “dosha.”
Here are 10 things to know before trying the ayurvedic diet:
In ayurveda, there are three doshas — pitta, vata and kapha. Each of them are combinations of the five great elements that make up the cosmos (space, air, fire, water, and earth).
- Pitta (fire and water): Typically this person is intelligent and decisive. This dosha is often dominant in a person with a medium physical build, and they may deal with indigestion, high blood pressure or heart disease.
- Vata (air and space): This person is often characterized as creative and lively. Often thin in stature, those with this dominant dosha are prone to fatigue, anxiety and digestive issues.
- Kapha (earth and water): This person is often calm in demeanor. In their life, they may struggle with asthma, diabetes, weight gain or depression.