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School of Ayurvedic Diet & Digestion | ||
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3 c | |
1 clove | |
1 whole | |
1 tbsp | |
1/4 c | |
3/4 tsp | |
1/2 c | |
1 |
Slice one whole cauliflower into 1/4" to 1/2" steaks. Braise with salt and olive oil. Then grill, or cook on the stove in a cast iron skillet.
Meanwhile, blend tahini, garlic clove, lemon juice, 2 tbsp water and 1/2 tsp salt in a food processor. Add sauce to iron skillet or pour over cooked steaks.
Serve over a bed of watercress or other spring greens, raw or cooked. Garnish with parsley. Or, let your imagination be your guide as you garnish with alfalfa sprouts, roasted pumpkin seeds, or avocado.
INCREASES![]() Increases These Qualities (Gunas)
Functional Ayurveda helps you assess imbalances through 20 main states
(gunas).
Aggravating these characteristics weakens your body and causes imbalance.
By knowing which states are habitually imbalanced in your body, you will be able to identify and correct imbalances before you get sick.
Every state has an opposite which balances it (i.e. hot balances cold).
You restore balance by favoring diet and lifestyle choices that increase the opposite state.
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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?
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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. |
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HAS THE FOLLOWING | EFFECT Alkalizing , ALKALIZINGAn herb or food that makes the urine more alkaline (higher pH). This herbal action can be helpful for a number of inflammatory conditions.Rajasic , RAJASICRajasic 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.Ojas , OJASOjas 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.Tamasic , TAMASICTamasic foods promote rest, sleepiness and stillness. Examples include wheat, mushrooms.Prana PRANAPrana is the Sanskrit word for vital life energy, similar to Qi in Chinese Medicine. Many herbs stimulate your energy, or improve the flow of prana through your body. Generally, prana needs to be increased in spring after a sleepy winter.TYPE Vegetables ELEMENT Wood , WOODWood element refers to anything vigorous, goal oriented, actively pursuing something. It also includes any freshly gestated - a newborn, a sprout, and even a new idea.Water , WATERResembles water (ap) in quality - fluid, sticky, soft, heavy, stable, cool.Earth , EARTHResembles earth (prithvi) in quality - heavy, dense, solid, stable, hard.Fire FIREResembles fire (tejas) in quality - hot, sharp, penetrating, light, dry.SUBTASTE Crunchy CRUNCHYMakes an audible noise when you eat them. Can provide fun texture variation.NUTRIENT Calcium COLOR White NOURISHES Reproductive , REPRODUCTIVEReproductive tissue (Shukra/Artava Dhatu) includes male and female reproductive organs.Red Blood , RED-BLOODRed blood (Rakta Dhatu) includes red blood cells and blood vessels.Bone , BONEBone tissue (Asthi Dhatu) includes the bones, hair, and nails.Muscle MUSCLEMuscle tissue (Mamsa Dhatu) includes muscles and ligaments. |
Bone & Joint | Bone Tonic BONE-TONICAn herb that strengthens the bones and joints. |
Digestion | Warms abdomen WARMS-ABDOMENWarms the muscles and organs of the abdomen, stimulating digestion and metabolism. |
Energy Vitality Strength | Satisfies stomach , SATISFIES-STOMACHProvides a sense of gratification and fullness in the stomach.Builds stamina , BUILDS-STAMINAPromotes strength, endurance and resistance in the body. Rebuilds weak tissues after a time of depletion.Nutritive NUTRITIVEAn herb that is strengthening and nourishing. |
Heart & Circulation | Blood Tonic BLOOD-TONICAn herb that produces more blood cells in the body or otherwise strengthens blood. Helpful for anemia and other types of deficiency. |
Lung and Sinus | Warms chest WARMS-CHESTWarms the chest and lungs, clearing mucus and allowing for clear breathing. |
Mind, Stress & Sleep | Grounding GROUNDINGEncourages feelings of stability and heaviness. Makes you feel settled, mentally relaxed. Mildly sedates the nervous system to ease stress. Can bring a spacey or anxious person back to earth. |
Find Your Symptom | Strengthens resolve , STRENGTHENS-RESOLVEIncreases determination and courage by reducing stress and building strength.Warms head , WARMS-HEADAn herb that increases sensations of heat and warmth in the head.Warms ears WARMS-EARSStimulates peripheral circulation to warm extremities, including the ears. |
About the Author
John Immel, the founder of Joyful Belly, teaches people how to have a healthy diet and lifestyle with Ayurveda. His approach to Ayurveda exudes a certain ease, which many find enjoyable and insightful. His online course Balance Your Ayurvedic Diet in a Week provides tools for gracefully healing with Ayurveda to thousands. John also directs Joyful Belly's School of Ayurveda , which specializes in digestive tract pathology & Ayurvedic nutrition. John and his wife Natalie recently published Explore Your Hunger: A Guide to Hunger, Appetite & Food.John's interest in Ayurveda and digestive tract pathology was inspired by a complex digestive disorder acquired from years of international travel, including his public service work in South Asia. John's commitment to the detailed study of digestive disorders reflects his zeal to get down to the roots of the problem. His hope and belief in the capacity of each & every client to improve their quality of life is nothing short of a personal passion. John's creativity in the kitchen and delight in cooking for others comes from his family oriented upbringing. In addition to his certification in Ayurveda, John holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Harvard University.
John enjoys sharing Ayurveda within the context of his Catholic roots, and finds Ayurveda gives him an opportunity to participate in the healing mission of the Church. Jesus expressed God's love by feeding and healing the sick. That kindness is the fundamental ministry of Ayurveda as well.
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