Yogic nutrition
Sattvic Way of Eating
What is the best time to eat?
Ayurveda says that in our manipura region (navel region), we have what is known as digestive fire (jatara agni). This jatara agni is closely related to the sun. When the sun is out, it means your digestion is functioning at its optimum. Always aim to eat your meals between sunrise and sunset (not before or after).
Eat light, sattvic and pure foods for breakfast – fresh squeezed juice, fresh fruit etc.
Our jatara agni is at its strongest when the sun is at its highest in the sky (at approximately 1pm). It is best to eat our largest meal between 12pm and 2pm.
The evening meal should again be light and best eaten before the sun goes down for the day.
Presentation
Devote at least half an hour to eat and digest each meal (1.5 hours per day for eating is not much).
Remember that one fourth of your food is taken through the eye (sense of seeing) so serve your dish on a beautiful plate - you are worth your best cutlery! It is also a nice practice to set the table you are eating at decoratively.
Gratitude
Say a small prayer before eating your food. It doesn't have to be too elaborate, simply just say a small thank you for the food that you have which is about to become part of your body.
Fragrance of the food
Bring your face toward the food and inhale the fragrance of the food. Enjoy the different aromas of the food. Allow this sense to be filled.
Touch the food
Touch the food with both hands and all fingers, feel the textures.
All five fingers have minor chakras. Therefore, when we touch the food, we send a signal to our digestive system that it is time to ingest food.
Eating the food
Let the first morsel be a sacred act to yourself.
Chew the food 32 times – or until food is pulp in the mouth. Do this for two reasons. The first is, when you chew the food slowly, your system has time to understand that enough food has been eaten. You won't overeat when you chew the food slowly. The second reason is, when you chew the food well, the digestive process begins in the mouth itself where the enzymes in the saliva can start to break down the food. When the food reaches your stomach, it does not have to work so hard to breakdown all the food. Breaking down food in the stomach takes more energy than running around your street block. That is why you feel very tired after eating food.
Have positivity when you are eating and digesting your food
Leave some room
You should only fill three quarters of your stomach.
Leave the final quarter for some water and air.
Small sips of warm water can be taken during meal. Never drink cold drinks during a meal as they can weaken your digestive fire.
Wait a complete half an hour after your meal, then you can drink a full glass of warm water if it is required.
Sip water throughout the day. It lubricates the system and breaks down what is known as ama which is residue of your digestion.
Sit in vajrasana to help digestion
Sit in the vajrasana position (sitting on your heels, knees and feet together) for 3 - 5 minutes after a meal.
This position can help the food to digest as a lot of blood will be brought to that area.
It helps to remove gas and prevent bloating. Do not suppress the urge to belch or pass gas, as that is what the posture is designed to do.
The posture helps you to feel light and energized after the meal.
Never lie down or sleep after a meal. If you want to gain weight, then this is a 100% guaranteed way to put on weight; sleeping after food
Ayurvedic Constitutional Test
For each variable on the left side of the box, select the description that bests fit you. Tally down the number of times you chose a description under either vata, pitta or kapha. That will tell your dosha.
| Variable | Vata | Pitta | Kapha |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frame | Tall or short, thin; poorly developed physique | Medium; moderately developed physique | Stout, stocky, short, big; well-developed physique |
| Weight | Low, hard to hold weight, prominent veins and bones | Moderate, good muscles | Heavy, tends towards obesity |
| Complexion | Dull, brown, darkish | Red, ruddy, flushed, glowing | White, pale |
| Skin texture & Temperature | Thin, dry, cold, rough, cracked, prominent veins | Warm, moist, pink, with moles, freckles, acne | Thick, white, moist, cold, soft, smooth |
| Hair | Scanty, course, dry, brown, slightly wavy | Moderate, fine, soft, early gray or bald | Abundant, oily, thick, very wavy, lustrous |
| Head | Small, thin, long, unsteady | Moderate | Large, stocky, steady |
| Forehead | Small, wrinkled | Moderate, with folds | Large, broad |
| Face | Thin, small, long, wrinkled, dusky, dull | Moderate, ruddy, sharp contours | Large, round, fat, white or pale, soft contours |
| Neck | Thin, long | Medium | Large, thick |
| Eyebrows | Small, thin, unsteady | Moderate, fine | Thick, bushy, many hairs |
| Eyelashes | Small, dry, firm | Small, thin, fine | Large, thick, oily, firm |
| Eyes | Small, dry, thin, brown, dull, unsteady | Medium, thin, red (inflamed easily) green, piercing | Wide, prominent, thick, oily, white, attractive |
| Nose | Thin, small, long, dry, crooked | Medium | Thick, big, firm, oily |
| Lips | Thin, small, darkish, dry, unsteady | Medium, soft, red | Thick, large, oily, smooth, firm |
Body Structure and Appearance
| Teeth & Gums | Thin, dry, scaly, rough, crooked, receding gums | Medium, soft, pink, gums bleed easily | Large, thick, soft, pink, oily |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shoulders | Thin, small, flat, hunched | Medium | Broad, thick, firm, |
| Chest | Thin, small, narrow, poorly developed | Medium | Broad, large, well or overly developed |
| Arms | Thin, overly small or long, poorly developed | Medium | Large, thick, round, well developed |
| Hands | Small, thin, dry, cold, rough, fissured, unsteady | Medium, warm, pink | Large, thick, oily, cool, firm |
| Thighs | Thin, narrow | Medium | Well-developed, round, fat |
| Legs | Thin, excessively long or short, prominent knees | Medium | Large, stocky |
| Calves | Small, hard, tight | Loose, soft | Shapely, firm |
| Feet | Small, thin, long, dry, rough, fissured, unsteady | Medium, soft, pink | Large, thick, hard, firm |
| Joints | Small, thin, dry, unsteady, cracking | Medium, soft, loose | Large, thick, well built |
| Nails | Small, thin, dry, rough, fissured, cracked, darkish | Medium, soft, pink | Large, thick, smooth, white, firm, oily |
Waste Materials / Metabolism
| Variable | Vata | Pitta | Kapha |
|---|---|---|---|
| Urine | Scanty, difficult, colourless | Profuse, yellow, red, burning | Moderate, whitish, milky |
| Feces | Scanty, dry, hard, difficult or painful, gas, constipation | Abundant, loose, yellowish, diarrhea, with burning sensation | Moderate, solid, sometimes pale in color, mucus in stool |
| Sweat/Body Odor | Scanty, no smell | Profuse, hot, strong smell | Moderate, cold, pleasant smell |
| Appetite | Variable, erratic | Strong, sharp | Constant, low |
| Taste preferences | Prefers sweet, sour or salty food, cooked with oil and spiced | Prefers sweet, bitter or astringent food, raw, lightly cooked, without spice | Prefers pungent, bitter, astringent food, cooked with spices but not oil |
| Circulation | Poor, variable, erratic | Good, warm | Good, warm, slow, steady |
General Characteristics
| Variable Vata Pitta Kapha | |
|---|---|
| ------------------------------------ | -- |
| Activity | Quick, fast, unsteady, erratic, hyperactivity | Medium, motivated, purposeful, goal seeking | Slow, steady, stately, strong, good |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strength/endurance | Low, poor endurance, starts and stops quickly | Medium, intolerant of heat | Endurance, but slow in starting |
| Sexual nature | Variable, erratic, deviant, strong desire but slow energy, few children | Moderate, passionate, quarrelsome, dominating | Low but constant sexual desire, good sexual energy, devoted, many children |
| Sensitivity | Fear of cold, wind, sensitive to dryness | Fear of heat, dislike of sun, fire | Fear of cold, damp, likes wind and sun |
| Resistance to disease | Poor, variable, weak immune system | Medium, prone to infection | Good, prone to congestive disorders |
| Disease tendency | Nervous system diseases, pain, arthritis, mental disorder | Fevers, infections, inflammatory diseases | Respiratory system diseases, mucus, edema |
| Reaction to medications | Quick, low dosage needed, unexpected side effects or nervous reactions | Medium, average dosage | Slow, high dosage required, effects slow to manifest |
| Pulse | Thready, rapid, superficial, irregular, weak/like a snake | Wiry, bounding, moderate/like a frog | Deep, slow, steady, deep, rolling, slippery/ like a swan |
Mental Factors and Expression
| Variable | Vata | Pitta | Kapha |
|---|---|---|---|
| Voice | Low, weak, hoarse | High pitch, sharp, moderate, good | Pleasant, deep, good tone |
| Speech | Quick, inconsistent, erratic, talkative | Intelligent, penetrating, critical | Slow, steady, dull |
| Mental Nature | Quick, adaptable, indecisive | Intelligent, penetrating, critical | Slow, steady, dull |
| Memory | Poor, notices things easily but easily forgets | Sharp, clear | Slow to take notice but will not forget |
| Finances | Earns and spend easily | Spends on specific goals, causes or projects | Holds on to what one earns, particularly property |
| Emotional tendencies | Fearful, anxious, nervous | Angry, irritable, contentious | Calm, content, attached, sentimental |
| Neurotic tendencies | Hysteria, trembling, anxiety attacks | Extreme temper, rages, tantrums | Depression, unresponsiveness, sorrow |
| Faith | Erratic, changeable, | Determined, fanatic, | Constant, loyal, |
|---|---|---|---|
| rebel | leader | conservative | |
| Sleep | Light, tends towards insomnia | Moderate, may wake up but will fall asleep again | Heavy, difficulty in waking up |
| Dreams | Flying, moving, | Colorful, passionate, | Romantic, sentimental, |
| restlessness, nightmares | conflict | watery, few dreams | |
| Habits | Likes speed, traveling, | Likes competitive | Likes water, sailing, |
| parks, plays, jokes, | sports, debates, | flowers, cosmetics, | |
| stories, trivia, artistic | politics, hunting, | business ventures, | |
| activities, dancing | research | cooking |
TOTAL Vata ……………… Pitta …………….… Kapha …………