Simply Nutrition

Mindful Living is Healthy Living

Mindful living is simply living in a state of awareness. Being fully aware of our thoughts and needs (physical, mental and emotional) and most importantly how the body is communicating those needs, is fundamental to living a healthy, and happy life. Harnessing your ability to listen to your body (and act in accordance) is a valuable skill to carry through life, and one that can be easily learned. It just takes a bit of practice!

Since food and nutrition plays such a major (and vital) role in health, let’s discuss awareness around food, and the role that food and diet plays (or should play) in one’s day-to-day living. Developing a healthy attitude toward oneself, toward food, as well as developing healthy behaviour around food is “key” to physical and mental health. It also happens to be the pillar that supports success with weight loss. The better or healthier one’s relationship is with one’s “self”, the better the relationship with food, and the greater the chances of having a healthy, balanced body and mind.

Ayurveda - food, recipes and articles

I came across a wonderful blog today, that I want to share with you! Fran's House of Ayruveda is full of excellent, nutritious meal ideas (an "Olive Walnut Bread" greets you on the home page!), as well as interesting and informative posts and articles about Ayurveda, and health and nutrition in general. Ayurveda dates back 5-6000 yrs, but is still well and truly "alive" and practised throughout the world. Ayruveda is the ancient Indian system/science of healing and well-being. It is a philosophy of healthy living that is far less concerned with "curing disease", but rather, Ayurveda encourages us, and teaches individuals to take care of their physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. Ayurveda looks to food (as well as herbs and spices), exercise (particularly yoga and asana practise), spiritual practise and nature, to help us all live healthily and happily and in harmony with our surroundings. It is as relevant today, as it was thousands of years ago. Here is my short summary of living according to Ayurvedic or Sattvic principles.

What is Ayurveda?

Have you ever wondered what Ayruveda actually is? I get asked this question many a time, and always get into interesting and lengthy discussions about my interests in Ayurveda, and it's beautiful connection with nature and it's recognition of people as unique individual beings.

Ayurveda, put simply, is the ancient Indian healing system or philosophy of health and wellbeing. It means the ‘art of living wisely.’ Ayurveda guides us so that we can live a healthier and more balanced lifestyle. It focuses on food (of course) as well as lifestyle, massage, yoga and herbal remedies to suit our individual make-up, or body types.

You can find out more here...

Boosting immunity at this time of year...

Seven great TIPS from The Council of Maharishi Ayurveda Physicians...

1. Choose intelligent, easy-to-digest foods. Intelligent foods include fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and light dairy products. If you choose fresh, whole foods that are not altered by processing, then your meal is going to wake up the intelligence of nature and convert quickly to ojas.

Foods that are processed, canned, frozen or packaged are harder to digest, and thus create ama. Also, because they are old, denatured by processing, or include harmful ingredients such as chemical preservatives, you could even call them dumb foods, because they no longer contain nature's intelligence. Rather, they create ama and block nature's intelligence from reaching the cells.

Organically grown foods are best because not only are they free of harsh chemicals, but they also contain more minerals. Vegetarian proteins such as panir (homemade cheese), milk, and pulses (split-mung dhal, lentils and other small, split beans) enhance ojas and immunity. Meat is not a recommended protein because it is difficult to digest and creates ama.

2. Cook with immune-boosting spices. Cook your food in a way that doesn't disturb the food's natural intelligence. For instance, if you add mild spices to cooked vegetables, grains and legumes, the food will convert more quickly to ojas. Spices add good flavor and have a yogavahi property, which means that they support digestion and make the nutrients easily available to the body.

Different spices also have specific immune-boosting properties. Turmeric has an immune-modulating effect because it is detoxifying and enhances the intelligence of the immune cells. Cumin burns ama. Black pepper clears the channels so ojas can reach the deeper tissues.

Immunity Spice Mix
(From The Answer to Cancer by Hari Sharma, M.D. and James Meade, Ph.D.

Kicharee

This is a wonderful and simple Kicharee recipe from Essential Ayurveda.
Kicharee is a wonderfully balancing meal that is suitable for all body types. It is very light, easy to digest and is very nourishing.

You will need:

“Sattvic” living… from 2000 years ago!

“Sattva” is an ancient Sanskrit term that means harmony, clarity, and balance. Eating sattvic food and following a sattvic lifestyle was (and still is) according to Ayurveda, a major goal in the pursuit of optimal physical and mental health. This concept of healthy eating and healthy living that existed thousands of years ago, is fascinating, thought provoking, and remarkably relevant today!

Let’s see what we can learn from such ancient thinking…

According to Ayurvedic philosophy, food is the “Prana” or life force of the body and mind. Prana also enters, and is distributed throughout the body via the breath – hence the reason why proper use of the breath through yoga, breathing exercises or Pranayama is essential to good health.

The act of eating is considered to be a sacred act, based on the premise that a food item has to give up its own living existence, in order for us to benefit from it. Remember, food has the potential to nourish the body, the mind, and the spirit. It might be wise, therefore to consider some of the following “Sattvic” food principles. Some will make you stop and think. Some will surprise you, and some you may simply laugh at! Take from them what you wish, and enjoy reading them…