We all try to eat healthy, but what exactly is 'healthy'? While your neighbor is glowing with a diet of salads, it may very well be that that raw food throws your body out of balance. And that balance is the most important principle of one of the oldest healing methods in the world:Ayurveda.
Many people associate ayurveda with medicinal herbs and alternative therapy, but it encompasses much more than that. It's not for nothing that ayurveda . means literally 'science of life'. Wise people of ancient India obtained their knowledge through deep meditation and passed it on orally to their students long before writing existed. So no one knows exactly how old this healing method is, but it probably goes back to 3000 to even 5000 BC. This makes it probably the oldest health science in the world, which has since spread widely. In India, Western medicine has now 'won' and Ayurveda is increasingly seen as a supplement to it. In the West, this teaching is starting to gain popularity, as more and more people believe that body and mind cannot function independently of each other, but must be in balance.
Because balance, that is the code word within the ayurveda † The idea is that you stay healthy by balancing your body, mind and spirit. Illnesses would manifest themselves first in the mind, and only if they are ignored there again and again, would they end up in the body. By listening carefully to the signals, you can restore the imbalance in time and thus prevent you from getting sick.
Easier said than done of course, because how do you notice that you are out of balance? The Vedas believe that man - like the universe and nature - is made up of five elements:earth, fire, air, water and ether (empty space). Those elements are also reflected in the three doshas:Vata (air ðer), Pitta (fire &water), and Kapha (earth &water). Every person is born as one of those three types (see box), or as a combination of the two. If you know what type you are, you can adjust your lifestyle and diet accordingly. You can read more about it in this book :
For example, a Vata type naturally cold and dry – just like air. To supplement the missing elements of earth, fire and water, this type mainly needs warm, moisture-rich food with a little more oil. Pittas have a lot of fire in them, so they benefit more from cooling food and drinks. And Kaphas are, just like soil, a bit heavier by nature and can therefore best eat easily digestible food.
A nutritional list has been compiled for each type with the foods, herbs and drinks that you should and should not take. Within that list it is again about balance, namely the balance of the six tastes:sweet, sour, salty, bitter, sharp and tart. The goal is to combine those flavors in every meal. Finally, there must also be a balance between the four seasons. For example, in the cold, wet autumn you should add more dry and warm food to your eating pattern and in the dry, warm summer more cool, liquid products.
Still, it's not nearly as complicated as it might initially sound. By listening to the signals from your body, you will soon notice whether you are doing the right thing. After all, someone with too much fire (Pitta) literally becomes fiery, in the form of heat attacks or a short fuse. A Kapha literally becomes heavy, in the form of overweight or melancholy. And a Vata that is out of balance becomes lighter, gets cold quickly and suffers from dry skin or dry hair. Contrary to what we usually learn about healthy foods—such as that lettuce, crackers, and water are very healthy—that cold, dry food can actually backfire with a Vata type. A spicy, warm soup and a cup of ginger tea would be much healthier!
Hanne experienced this firsthand. “I was that typical young mother trying to keep all kinds of balls in the air at once,” she says. “My energy was running low, my bowels weren't working properly and I was always cold. When I accidentally came into contact with an Ayurvedic doctor who told me that the problem was in my diet, I was able to shoot him at first! I was a health freak , wrote cookbooks and knew everything about healthy food. Why didn't I eat well?! But when he explained to me that my eating habits didn't suit my body, it actually made a lot of sense. After three months of Ayurvedic food, I already had much more energy and my intestines came to rest. And after six months I was never cold again.”
Van Jaarsveld emphasizes that lifestyle within ayurveda is just as important as nutrition. “You are not only out of balance because of a diet that does not suit your type, but also because of a lifestyle that does not suit your type. For example, regularity, warmth and sufficient sleep are very important for Vatas, while a Pitta needs action and challenge and a Kapha does not respond well to changes. And in any case, each type gets out of balance due to violent events, prolonged stress or taking too little time for yourself. Women in particular tend to give way too much to others and take too little me-time. That is also the wrong balance! So one of the things I often advise my clients is to put crosses in their agenda and to choose for themselves more often.
The philosophy behind Ayurveda is that a body that receives the wrong food for a long time becomes contaminated. This can result in digestive problems, ranging from heartburn to rumbling bowels or being overweight. Van Jaarsveld believes that Ayurveda is the solution for most diseases and health complaints. “All autoimmune diseases, such as diabetes, celiac disease and MS, arise from a disturbed imbalance of body and mind, just like intestinal complaints, obesity, allergies and skin problems. You can largely restore that balance with a different way of eating and living. To be clear:with a disease such as cancer, you should absolutely turn to regular care, although it can support the treatment. Ayurveda cannot do everything, but it can do a lot. A while ago I had a woman in my practice who came in with a severe burnout. She had spent a long time caring for her sick mother in addition to her busy job, which left her exhausted. She also had all kinds of health problems :severe eczema, high blood pressure, headache, intestinal problems and considerable obesity. I started working with her eating and living pattern, but also with Ayurvedic massages and personal conversations. This woman only needed five sessions to make a large part of her complaints disappear, after which she continued with my advice and recipes. She has now lost 20 kilos and is much better in her own skin.”
Vata types are often lightweight and do not gain weight quickly. They are flexible, busy, creative and enthusiastic, have a lively imagination, talk a lot and walk fast. However, they are sensitive to loud noises and get cold quickly. As a Vata type imbalance can lead to insecurity, stress, dry skin and cold hands and feet. Vatas benefit from a regular diet and warm, moisture-rich meals with healthy fats. It is better to avoid cold and dry food (such as smoothies and crackers), as well as products that taste sour or bitter.
Pitta types have an average build, but can eat a lot and become irritated if they have to skip a meal. They are often adventurous, passionate people. And because they are structured, perfectionistic, smart and ambitious, they are true leaders. But if a Pitta type is out of balance, they can become irritable or hot-tempered. They also quickly suffer from irritated skin. Warm and fiery on their own, Pittas benefit from cooling drinks and meals, such as salads, milk, sweet fruits, and grains. It is better for them to stay away from alcohol, coffee, red meat and fatty or spicy food.
Kapha types have a tendency to be overweight and usually have a somewhat heavier physique and muscle aptitude. They have a strong immune system and are rarely sick. They are also active, strong and have great stamina. They are calm, patient, friendly people who don't get out of balance easily. If they do, they tend to be overweight and passivity. Kaphas love sweet and fatty foods, but their slow combustion makes them better off eating small, easily digestible meals. They respond well to vegetables, fruit, beans and spicy herbs, and less to dairy, sugar and carbohydrates.
All three types can become overweight with an imbalance, but Kaphas are the most prone to it. It is not for nothing that people with this type are recommended to fast one day a week. It is also best to make your lunch the main meal, because that is when your digestion is at its most active. The idea behind ayurveda is that you naturally lose weight if you live and eat according to your type. Keep in mind that a Kapha is naturally a bit more sturdy. You will therefore never be in balance with an extremely slim (Vata) figure.
Text Marion van Es | Image GettyImages
