How Can This Ayurvedic Food Make You Feel Great?

AYURVEDIC ANALYSIS

A ruby red strawberry will simply burst in your mouth and flood your tongue with pure delight. Bite sized and almost too easy to eat, you might find yourself gobbling up one juicy strawberry after another while enjoying their delectably tart sweetness. The symbol of love for the ancient Greeks, these plump little heart-shaped fruits gush with a myriad of health benefits. With each bite the cooling juice refreshes and hydrates your palate, as the slight roughness of the seeds brush against your tongue. Their succulent flavor and texture are universally adored and were even regarded by the ancient Chinese as the queen of fruits.

Gentle, Nourishing, & Easy to Digest

As delicate as they may look, the sourness you experience while savoring a strawberry stimulates the appetite, and moistens the entire gastrointestinal tract from mouth to final elimination. Next time you pucker while eating a strawberry, notice how this invigorating little fruit strengthens your entire digestive system, even helping to dislodge stagnant and undigested food as it reduces feelings of heaviness. Strawberries can also help soothe an irritated, inflamed stomach.

The sweet cool nectar of a strawberry encourages the production of body fluids, moisturizes muscles, and nourishes the kidneys. Want to satiate your thirst? Nibble on fresh, ripe strawberries. The juicy tartness of strawberry rejuvenates and revives you, while at the same time recollecting scattered thoughts and grounding the heart & nervous system.

Its nourishing minerals and rejuvenative qualities, in an easy to digest package, make strawberries an ideal supplement for the elderly, those recuperating from illness, and after strenuous physical activity. According to the Chamber's Edinburgh Journal, No. 462, strawberries are well suited for invalids, as they do not produce acetous (aerobic) fermentation in the stomach.

So, go ahead and indulge in strawberries!

Radiant, Healthy Looking Skin & Teeth

Strawberries are highly purifying, able to permeate the skin and pores. Packed with vitamin C and salicylic acid, strawberry helps to remove dead skin cells when used topically. In summer, capillary beds in the skin dilate to release heat, leaving the skin red and inflamed with a tendency towards rashes. The mild astringency of strawberry tones and whitens the skin as it reduces this blood flow. They are even ideal for remedying slight irregularities in skin pigmentation, lightening freckles. They have a protective skin property that soothes and heals mild sunburn. For smooth, bright and glowing skin, rub mashed strawberry juice over your entire face immediately after washing. For greater effect, leave the sweet-smelling strawberry pulp on your face as a mask for 15-20 minutes.

Want whiter teeth and fresher breath? Since strawberries are astringent and contain vitamin C, they help to remove surface stains and soften built-up plaque. Gentle apply the juice or pulp of a few strawberries directly onto your teeth and leave for five minutes. Rinse with warm water and a pinch of bicarbonate of soda. This natural tooth whitener will be sure to leave you smiling!

Cooling Liver Tonic

As we invite the warmth of the summer season, and our external environment starts to heat up, we start to feel our internal heat build as well. The heart rate increases as the temperature rises. Blood vessels dilate. Muscles feel heavy and fatigued. Excess blood flow irritates the eyes, which may seem stressed and dry. Naturally you'll become more social as well. But as the heat rises, you may even feel hot, irritated and impulsive. Your body cries out to be soothed and cooled.

Ayurvedically, all the above heat symptoms are signs that summer heat stresses the liver and spleen. Fortunately the cooling qualities of strawberries can help! Their slightly sweet and slightly sour taste offer an ideal liver restorative, alterative and blood coolant. You'll notice the relaxing effect on the eyes, and better focus to boot, within ten minutes of eating a strawberry.

Summer Berries

Summer berries, like the ruby red strawberry, arrive just in time for hot June temperatures. Blue, red and purple berries like strawberry are often sour, slightly sweet, high in beta-carotene, vitamin C and other blood purifying nutrients. Foods, like strawberries, that are high in beta-carotene lower the risk of having age-related macular degeneration, the main cause of vision loss in older adults, by up to 36%. Consume these berries by the handful as they also reduce internal heat, soothe inflamed tissues, and cool your blood. Over-indulge over the weekend? Too much fun sipping summer cocktails? Berries, and especially strawberries can help detox your liver and reduce a lingering hangover.

Most of us have heard about anti-oxidants, and we're told that we need them. Antioxidants neutralize harmful molecules called free radicals. Well, strawberries and most summer berries are chock-full of anti-oxidants. Strawberries also contain anti-carcinogens, a natural food chemical that reduces the occurrence of cancers. Like many members of the rose family, strawberries contain an enzyme called malic acid, known to gently cleanse and restore the liver.

Lung, Blood Sugar, and Other Health Benefits

As sweet as they are, research studies have shown that the sweetness of strawberries helps regulate blood sugar response. The sweetness and sourness of strawberries helps to moisten the lungs alleviating respiratory dryness. It's blood balancing properties have been used in feverish conditions. It has also been recommended for kidneys stones and difficult urination.

ABOUT STRAWBERRIES

The ruby red strawberry has been long appreciated for its unique aroma, bright red color, juicy texture, and sweetness. The first garden strawberry was bred in the 18th century in France. Prior to this, most strawberries were either harvested wild or from cultivated "wild" species.

BUYING & PREPARATION

Buy firm, free of mold, shiny, with deep red color, preferably with the stem attached. Strawberries, like most berries, are easy targets for insects. Conventional strawberries often require heavy pesticide use. Avoid eating inorganic strawberries, as pesticide residues accumulate where the seeds attach to the body of the fruit. Strawberries rot quickly after purchasing. Strawberries should be washed, any rotten spots removed, and then dried upon buying. They should be placed in a paper bag or with a paper towel that will wick away moisture. Strawberries remain fresh in the refrigerator 2 days.

COOKING STRAWBERRIES

Browse Recipes Strawberry is featured in preserves, fruit juice, pies, ice creams, sherbets, milkshakes, and chocolates. To maximize the strawberry flavor, try slicing strawberries and gently mixing them with 1/4tsp sugar with 1 tsp lemon juice. Strawberries also combine well with limes, rhubarb and kiwis, lemon zest and mint, or with peaches or bananas in smoothies.

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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Are Strawberries Good for My Ayurvedic Diet?

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

AYURVEDIC MEDICINAL QUALITIES

INCREASES Increases These Qualities (Gunas) Functional Ayurveda helps you assess imbalances through 20 main characteristics (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	COLD ABOUT COLD GUNA Cold refers to anything that reduces body temperature, metabolism, and blood flow. LEARN MORE ABOUT COLD EASY ABOUT EASY GUNA Easy refers to anything easy to digest, or digests quickly. LEARN MORE ABOUT EASY LIGHT ABOUT LIGHT GUNA Lightness is identified by reduced weight. LEARN MORE ABOUT LIGHT
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	SOUR ABOUT SOUR GUNA Sour refers to anything fermented or acidic. LEARN MORE ABOUT SOUR SWEET ABOUT SWEET GUNA Sweet refers to anything builds tissue, including macronutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins and fats. LEARN MORE ABOUT SWEET ASTRINGENT ABOUT ASTRINGENT GUNA Astringency is characterized by constriction, drawing together, or drying. LEARN MORE ABOUT ASTRINGENT
DOSHAS The Three Doshas / Body Types People tend to get sick, over and over again, due to similar causes and habitual 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
HAS THE FOLLOWING	EFFECT: Rajasic RAJASIC Rajasic foods stimulate desire or nervous energy. Red meat, high protein food, garlic and onions stimulate desire. Rajasic foods include chili peppers, coffee, and anything that stimulates movement. LEARN MORE ABOUT RAJASIC , 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 , Alkalizing ALKALIZING An herb or food that makes the urine more alkaline (higher pH). This herbal action can be helpful for a number of inflammatory conditions. LEARN MORE ABOUT ALKALIZING TYPE: Fruits ELEMENT: Fire FIRE Resembles fire (tejas) in quality - hot, sharp, penetrating, light, dry. LEARN MORE ABOUT FIRE , Water WATER Resembles water (ap) in quality - fluid, sticky, soft, heavy, stable, cool. LEARN MORE ABOUT WATER NUTRIENT: Soluble Fiber, Vitamin C, Antioxidant COLOR: Red NOURISHES: Red Blood RED-BLOOD Red blood (Rakta Dhatu) includes red blood cells and blood vessels. LEARN MORE ABOUT RED-BLOOD

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES

Experiences are Personal

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

Digestion:

Quenches thirst

QUENCHES-THIRST

An herb or substance that relieves thirst.

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Digestive

DIGESTIVE

Herbs that encourage healthy digestion.

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Sialogogue

SIALOGOGUE

A sialogogue increases saliva. Sour foods are often great sialogogues, and increase output of all exocrine glands. Salty taste is very moistening as well. Bitter, pungent and sweettastes also increase salivary output but to a lesser degree. Astringents

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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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Rebuilds Fluids

REBUILDS-FLUIDS

Herbs or substances that create moisture in the body and increase fluids.

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Immune System:

Anti Inflammatory

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY

Reduces inflammation in the body. Different herbs and carriers target different body systems.

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Anticarcinogenic

ANTICARCINOGENIC

Herbs that inhibit or prevent the activity of a carcinogen or the development of cancer.

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Kidney & Urinary:

Kidney Tonic

KIDNEY-TONIC

An herb that strengthens the kidneys.

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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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Mind, Stress & Sleep:

Relaxes eyes

RELAXES-EYES

Eases tension in eye muscles, so the eyes feel less strained, often by supporting the liver.

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Skin Care & Beauty:

Skin Tonic

SKIN-TONIC

An herb that strengthens and nourishes skin, improving tone, color, moisture and complexion.

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