I used to own an organic cafe. Being surrounded by good food meant that sometimes I was tempted to consume too much. Even when I listened to my body.
Sometimes, if we made my favourite curry, then I reach for that & remember all day I was craving a light soup.
What I’ve learned is how important it is to listen to my own body. Sometimes, science and medicine is secondary to what I can sense from my cravings.
Speaking to an Ayurvedic practitioner was great to highlight the importance of how we’re connected to the planet. We also looked at how that can be driving the impulses you are experiencing.
Here are my key take-aways:
Fasting is something we did naturally as the food wasn’t as readily available, so we did get more chances to rest our digestive system. Incorporating a fasting period can allow our body a chance to rest from digesting food. Ask yourself, are you really hungry? Drink a glass of water, wait 15 minutes then ask again?
Doshas are energies aligned with the 5 elements and can help us to understand our uniqueness and also differences. People with more Vata which represents space & air can be quick thinking and nimble, Pitta (fire & water) may have a more fiery personality and Kapha (earth & water) tend to have a solid build and a calmer temperament. Being aligned with your doshas by lifestyle & nutritional habits can create more balance and therefore optimal health.
Mind and body are so tightly connected that the mind can heal the body. A practice of being more mindful allows us to exercise awareness, developing this muscle and ensuring that sleep & time doing nothing is as important as ‘being busy’.
Incorporating the 6 Ayurvedic tastes of sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter & astringent into your food can help you to create more balance in every meal. If this seems too challenging then focus on eating a range of colours in your food.
Poor health is normally due to imbalances in our body. If you have a stronger understanding of what takes you out of balance, you can build in some preventative rituals. You can watch my review of the meeting on my facebook page and vlog.
