SAVE SYMPTOM
Both physical and emotional imbalances can masquerade as feelings of strong hunger, so there is no easy answer in Ayurveda. The most common causes for an excess appetite include a thick kapha blood, fiery pitta-type metabolism, malabsorption, and...
You've probably heard the infamous phrase "your eyes are bigger than your stomach" and for those who struggle with large portions, this often rings true. There are diverse reasons for indulging in large portions, such as emotional eating, an attempt...
Your body craves particular foods when in need, whether to fulfill nutritional needs, or to relieve physical or emotional discomfort. Interpreting your cravings and the meaning they communicate about your physical or emotional state, instead of acting...
If you lead a hectic lifestyle and find yourself always running from place to place, it can be hard to switch gears and slow yourself down. The first step might be in planning, long before the meal. Have you carved out enough time in your schedule to...
The kinds of food you crave can give you clues as to what's going on internally When you eat, are you truly hungry for food?...
When an infant cries, one of your first impulses might be to soothe it with food or a warm bottle. Food is calming. Eating causes your blood sugar to rise, bringing you back to a state of balmy ease. Eating helps brings you down to earth, abating the...
Part of what makes loneliness unbearable is the aspect of mystery in it. When you are alone, you may not know how and where you can find human connection, and feel your self-esteem quickly wither before the enigma. When you feel like you are unloved or...
Feasting and overeating are not new phenomena. For thousands of years, celebratory feasts have been commonplace in cultures around the world as a way of bonding, enjoying the fruits of the harvest, and as symbols of generosity & wealth. Your body is...
Food is your body's fuel; you need to eat food in order to survive and live fully. Yet, if you are spending your day thinking or obsessing about food, or constantly making sure you have prepared enough to eat, you may find yourself unable to engage...
You might be tempted to believe that self-control is the only answer to a compulsive relationship with food. However, most compulsions have a story to tell. Listening to them is usually a more effective means to unravel their power and help you regain...
Bingeing is a common and serious symptom of bulimia and binge eating disorder. A binge involves a short period during which the binger consumes abnormally large amounts of food and feels a complete loss of control. This can be followed by a period of...
Food Restrictions Lead to Overeating Deprivation often leads to a lack of control around food. If you feel like you cannot stop eating once you start, observe your daily habits. Are you eating regularly throughout the day? Often...
Eating happens. Food calms you down when you feel overwhelmed, stressed, or hazed, which can create an almost instinctive impulse to reach for a snack, even when you're calm, when life and your diet are going swimmingly well for you. Two elements,...
Eating indiscriminately feels like living in a cloud; you may be unable to think clearly or find some perspective on your appetite, making it nearly impossibly to avoid the temptation to eat haphazardly. Often indiscriminate eating is marked by a...
Trauma involves loss of control. During a traumatic event such as a car accident, a natural disaster, or any physical, sexual, or emotional abuse, you often feel powerless, frozen, and terrified because your personal safety and sense of control has...
Food creates an illusion of security. An abundance of food can represent opulence, wealth, and well-being, while a scarcity of food can mean poverty, instability, and unsatisfied hunger. A history of yo-yo dieting, eating nutrient deficient foods,...
Sweets have a calming, sedating effect on the body and mind; they can serve to bring you comfort and ease when you're feeling stressed or ungrounded. Yet, if you are becoming distressed when sweet foods are unavailable, this is an indication of...
The fire in the human spirit does not like to be repressed or told what to do. When you have limitations placed on the amount of food or the types of food you are "allowed" to eat by yourself, your parents, your friends, or even society, it is often...
Slipping up does not make you a failure; when you start to change a habit around food, especially if its one you've had for many years, you are bound to go back to the old line of behavior every now and then. Instead of feeling like a failure,...
DISCLAIMER: The pathogenesis of each person's condition is unique, and so the diet must be fit to the individual and the unique root causes of the condition in your body. The information on this page is for educational purposes only and should not be used to treat a medical condition. It is not a substitute for medical care. Please check with your doctor before making any changes to your health and wellness routine.
On Joyful Belly, we've created an extensive categorization of food so you can easily match food to your imbalanced biocharacteristics. By eating an optimal diet that balances your biocharacteristics, your whole body is strengthened and the conditions that created the disorder are removed. Once the root causes of the disease are removed, the disease lessens in strength or disappears altogether. Additional remedies - such as herbs and lifestyle practices - focused on the specific disorder, can greatly enhance your healing.
Founder of Joyful Belly Ayurveda, John Immel, answers the question ‘What is Ayurveda?’
