How Can This Ayurvedic Food Make You Feel Great?

AYURVEDIC ANALYSIS

Sweeten your life with dates. Gooey dates not only tempt your mouth with luxurious sweetness, the delightful fruits also makes you more affectionate and kinder. Dates contain phyto-hormones that resemble oxytocin, the 'tend and befriend hormone'. Placing a well chewed date in the mouth of a newborn is a longstanding tradition among Muslim parents as an example of healing and mercy towards mankind.

Dates - A Remedy for Obesity?

Date sugars contain more complex carbohydrates than other fruits. These complex carbohydrates are heavier to digest, and because they release their energy more slowly into your body, curb your appetite longer than simple sugars. For this reason dates have been used to treat obesity; they satisfy the sweet craving and prevent binging on heavier, fattier foods like ice-cream. Too many dates, however, can make your stomach feel heavy and digestion sluggish. Since dates are high in sugar, they are contraindicated for diabetics.

Dates for Nursing Mothers

Dates have been traditionally used by Muslim pregnant mothers to facilitate childbirth. The story goes that when the Virgin Mary was giving birth, she heard a voice telling her, "Shake the trunk of the palm tree towards thee: it will drop fresh, ripe dates upon thee. Eat, then, and drink, and be comforted." (Qur'an 19:25-26). Oxytocin helps the uterus contract and tones reproductive organs after birth. Oxytocin also stimulates the let down reflex for breastfeeding mothers and alleviates depression during breast feeding.

They are a demulcent (link to definition of demulcent) salve which pacifies infants, can relieve pain during teething, and reduces the heart rate. For this reason dates are also used to break the fast during Ramadan in Morocco. The sucrose (sugar) of the dates is responsible for its mild analgesic effect. Dates pureed into milk are a restorative male reproductive tonic.

A Muscle Tonic

Dates are a tonic for the muscles and heart. Re-balancing electrolytes is essential to smooth muscle function. Muscle twitches or spasms are often a sign of electrolyte imbalance. Since dates are high in dietary potassium, they are helpful in re-balancing electrolytes and supporting good muscle function. Their Pitta pacifying effect on the liver helps maintain good vision and prevent night blindness and they are believed to counteract the effects of alcohol intoxication. Dates are high in tannins and useful for toning the digestive tract after diarrhea. A date and honey paste has been a traditional treatment of diarrhea and dysentery.

Vata people suffering from dryness should take care, however. Potassium rich foods tend be diuretic in nature. Dried fruits in general may exacerbate dehydration by absorbing fluids in the stomach. Vata people who tend towards dryness should sip water between bites and fully chew the date, reconstituting it in the mouth instead of the stomach.

ABOUT DATES (DRIED)

Dates have been a staple food and cultivated in the Middle East for thousands of years. Their cultivation has been documented in Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt and as far back as 6000BC in Arabia.

BUYING & PREPARATION

The largest, sweetest and most sumptuous dates are the Medjool variety. Deglet dates are less expensive and useful for cooking with dates. Dates can be bought fresh or sun-dried and ripened. However, they are mostly bought and used as a dried fruit.

COOKING DATES (DRIED)

Browse Recipes Dates may be eaten straight from the hand, although soaking beforehand makes them more easily digestible. Dates are delicious pureed with milk and cinnamon, or stuffed with almonds, walnuts, candied orange or lemon zest, marzipan or cream cheese. They are often cooked in savory meat dishes throughout the middle east, or into cookies and puddings. Ancient Egyptians made date wine from dates. Recent innovations include stuffing dates with mozzarella and wrapping them in bacon. Dates can also be used to make vinegar and date juice drinks.

WHY EAT AN AYURVEDIC DIET?

Eating Ayurvedically makes you feel nourished and energized. An Ayurvedic diet is tailored to your individual body type and the specific imbalances you are working with at any given time. Ayurveda shows you your specific body type’s needs and what should be favored in your Ayurvedic menu. Watch as you eat less but feel more satisfied because what you are eating truly nourishes you. Since Ayurveda believes all disease begins in the digestive tract, food is your first medicine. By eating a healthy diet that’s ideal for your body, you experience optimal health.

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Is Dates (dried) Good for My Ayurvedic Diet?

Find out by taking this free, easy quiz. You'll learn your body type, and whether Dates (dried) is a good fit for you. Time to complete: approximately 1 minute.

AYURVEDIC MEDICINAL BIOCHARACTERISTICS

What is the biocharacteristic theory of medicine?

INCREASES Increases These Biocharacteristics (Gunas) Functional Ayurveda helps you assess imbalances through 20 main biocharacteristics (gunas). Aggravating these characteristics weakens your body and causes imbalance. By knowing which characteristics are habitually imbalanced in your body, you will be able to identify and correct imbalances before you get sick. Every characteristic has an opposite which balances it (i.e. hot balances cold). You restore balance by favoring diet and lifestyle choices that increase the opposite characteristic. Learn More	HEAVY ABOUT HEAVY BIOCHARACTERISTIC Heavy is identified by sedation, sluggishness, or increased weight. LEARN MORE ABOUT HEAVY COLD ABOUT COLD BIOCHARACTERISTIC Cold refers to anything that reduces body temperature, metabolism, and blood flow. LEARN MORE ABOUT COLD DRY ABOUT DRY BIOCHARACTERISTIC Dry is identified by lack of moisture, lack of fat, or anything that causes diuresis. LEARN MORE ABOUT DRY
TASTES The 6 Tastes Taste is used to sense the most basic properties and effects of food. Each taste has a specific medicinal effect on your body. Cravings for food with certain tastes indicate your body is craving specific medicinal results from food. Taste is experienced on the tongue and represents your body's reaction to foods. Sweet taste causes physical satisfaction and attraction whereas bitter taste causes discomfort and aversion. Kapha should use less sweet taste while Vata and Pitta would benefit from using more sweet taste. One of the first signs of illness is that your taste and appetite for food changes. The six tastes are sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent. Do you crave foods with any of the tastes below? Learn More	SWEET ABOUT SWEET BIOCHARACTERISTIC Sweet refers to anything builds tissue, including macronutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins and fats. LEARN MORE ABOUT SWEET
DOSHAS The Three Doshas / Body Types According to the biocharacteristic theory of medicine, people tend to get sick, over and over again, due to habitual causes and imbalances that are unique to the person. Your body type summarizes this tendency, showing you the 'type' of conditions and imbalances that frequently challenge your health & wellness. Using body type, you can also identify remedies likely to improve your strength and resiliency. Your body type identifies physical and mental characteristics as well as your personal strengths and weaknesses. The calculation of your body type is based on your medical history. The 3 functional body types (doshas), are Catabolic (Vata), Metabolic (Pitta), and Anabolic (Kapha). Catabolic individuals tend to break down body mass into energy. Metabolic individuals tend to burn or use energy. Anabolic individuals tend to store energy as body mass. Catabolic people tend to be easily stimulated, hyperactive, underweight and dry. Metabolic people tend to be rosy-cheeked, easily irritated, focused, driven, and easily inflamed. Anabolic people are heavy, stable and grounded, but if they store too much energy, they could gain weight easily and have congestion. Learn More	PACIFIES AGGRAVATES
HAS THE FOLLOWING	EFFECT: Ojas OJAS Ojas is the essence of healthy tissue, immunity, stable energy and happiness. Substances that improve ojas are recommended after long-term illness, debility, emotional and physical trauma, and even sadness. LEARN MORE ABOUT OJAS , Sattvic SATTVIC Sattvic foods promote awareness and a refreshed mind by nourishing the body without taxing digestion. Sattvic foods do not stimulate desire or nervous energy. They create clarity instead of drowsiness or heaviness. LEARN MORE ABOUT SATTVIC , Acidifying ACIDIFYING An herb that creates an acidic pH in the blood chemistry. LEARN MORE ABOUT ACIDIFYING TYPE: Fruits ELEMENT: Air AIR Resembles air (vayu) in quality - highly mobile, drying, light, cold, subtle, rough. LEARN MORE ABOUT AIR , Earth EARTH Resembles earth (prithvi) in quality - heavy, dense, solid, stable, hard. LEARN MORE ABOUT EARTH NUTRIENT: Potassium, Soluble Fiber COLOR: Brown NOURISHES: Muscle MUSCLE Muscle tissue (Mamsa Dhatu) includes muscles and ligaments. LEARN MORE ABOUT MUSCLE , Plasma PLASMA Plasma (Rasa Dhatu) includes plasma, white blood cells, and lymph. LEARN MORE ABOUT PLASMA

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES

Experiences are Personal

Experiences vary according to the person and constitution. Individual results may vary. The list of herbal-actions below has not be approved by the FDA and should not be used to treat a medical condition.

Here are the herbal actions of Dates (dried):

Energy Vitality Strength:

Nutritive

NUTRITIVE

An herb that is strengthening and nourishing.

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Tonic

TONIC

A tonic herb strengthens tissue, often restoring healthy function. Tonics usually target a specific organ, tissue, or system ie: brain, muscle or respiratory tonic.

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Heart & Circulation:

Alterative

ALTERATIVE

Literally, an herb that restores the proper function of the body. In practice, alteratives are usually blood cleansers and blood chemistry balancers. They were traditionally used to revitalize and detoxify after a long winter.

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Blood Tonic

BLOOD-TONIC

An herb that produces more blood cells in the body or otherwise strengthens blood. Helpful for anemia and other types of deficiency.

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Opthalmic

OPTHALMIC

Benefits the eyes.

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Kidney & Urinary:

Diuretic

DIURETIC

Herbs that promote urine formation, thereby flushing the kidneys and urinary tract while eliminating any excess water retention. As diuretics reduce water retention, they are often used to reduce blood pressure.

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Liver & Gall Bladder:

Livotonic

LIVOTONIC

An herb that strengthens the liver. It is helpful for people with a history of substance abuse, chronic liver issues from hepatitis and hemolytic anemias.

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Lung and Sinus:

Demulcent

DEMULCENT

Herbs that coat or form a soothing film over a mucous membrane, relieving minor pain and inflammation of the membrane.

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Mind, Stress & Sleep:

Analgesic

ANALGESIC

Relieves or reduces feelings of pain without eliminating sensation.

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Reproductive Health:

Aphrodisiac

APHRODISIAC

Herbs that increase sexual arousal through various actions including increased circulation, relaxation, stimulation, or tonics that strengthen glandular health.

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Galactagogue

GALACTAGOGUE

Increases production of breast milk.

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Promotes Fertility

PROMOTES-FERTILITY

An herb that promotes fertility. Generally used by women who wish to become pregnant. These herbs may also help with menstrual problems of deficiency, such as amenorrhea (lack of a period).

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Women's Health:

Uterine Tonic

UTERINE-TONIC

An herb that tonifies and strengthens the uterus. Helpful for menstrual difficulties and fertility. Often herbs that increase ojas, but also circulation to reproductive system.

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Bowel-Poop-Elimination:

General Laxative

GENERAL-LAXATIVE

Promotes a bowel movement. General laxative is an umbrella term that refers to several different types of laxatives...

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High Fiber Laxative

HIGH-FIBER-LAXATIVE

A class of laxative that adds bulk and water to stools. The size of a stool stimulates peristalsis and the stool passes more easily through the colon. It is important to drink plenty of water when using high fiber laxatives, as they can be dehydrating.

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Strengthening-Tonics:

Muscle Tonic

MUSCLE-TONIC

Herbs that strengthen and tone muscle tissue. Helpful for people recovering from long term illness and debility, or after a sprain.

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