Everyone has their own unique relationship to food and their own stories that are deeply influenced by culture, accessibility, trauma and life experiences. Eating is an essential part of our every day and how we show up to eat is a direct result of those stories. Ayurveda, a holistic medical science, understands that our relationship to food reflects our relationship to ourself. As a complete mind, body, spirit system of medicine, Ayurveda stands on three fundamental pillars of health, one of which is ahara, or food. The principles of Ayurvedic nutrition emphasize that our engagement with food not only influences our physical health but also our mental wellbeing and spiritual development.
When considering our relationship to food it is important not just to look at our food choices, but also our mealtimes and why and how we are eating. This article explores the importance of reflecting on your own relationship to food, and ultimately to yourself, to help foster holistic healing and wellbeing.
Ayurveda’s Definition of Health
The Sanskrit word for health, or perfect health, is svastha. Broken down and translated we have, ‘SVA’ meaning ‘self’ and ‘STHA’, meaning ‘established in’. Ayurveda understands optimal health is the state of being “established in the self”. Therefore, the onset of disease is when we are not established in ourselves. If our relationship with food reflects our relationship with ourself, then if we can heal our relationship to food, we can heal our imbalances to ourself.
Food as Medicine
In Ayurveda, food is considered not just as sustenance but also as medicine. The foundational principle of Ayurveda is that maintaining a proper balance of bodily energies, known as doshas (vata, pitta, and kapha) is essential for good health. Food and digestive fire play a crucial role in achieving and maintaining this balance.
Deepak Chopra’s Perspective on Nourishment
Deepak Chopra, in his book, What Are You Hungry For? highlights the importance of utilizing all of your senses, your mind and your emotions when considering food as medicine:
Energy
Energy begins with food
That is nourishing and natural
The five senses add to the vibrancy
Of food, which is an added route of energy.
The highest kind of energy comes from the joy of eating,
which calls upon your mind and your emotions.
-Deepak Chopra, MD
Identifying Common Causes of Imbalances
Ask yourself – do you eat using all five senses? Are you cultivating deep joy when eating or around eating? So often we are eating mindlessly while multi-tasking; eating while scrolling, working, watching t.v., driving, standing up or while having intense discussions. Mindless eating easily results in eating too quickly and overeating. These have adverse affects on the digestive system and overall health. Mindless eating also occurs in response to external factors such as stress, boredom and environmental triggers, rather than true hunger. Mindless eating can cause weight gain, poor nutrient intake, digestive issues, disconnection from hunger cues and bodily processes, as well as mental health concerns.
Eating mindfully, with all five senses, has immense benefits towards proper digestion and overall health. It changes our relationship to food, and to self.
Doshic Tendencies Towards Imbalance
Vata/air-type: Air is the energy responsible for motion, vata-types are easily inspired and take on many tasks at once. This over-activity can result in being too distracted to eat and easily forgetting or skipping meals. Under-eating is a common stress response for air types.
Pitta/fire-type: Fire is the energy of transformation and pitta-type digestive systems burn through food quickly. These high appetites result in a tendency towards over-eating. The initial response is to the feeling of hunger, but when not eating mindfully one cannot listen to the body’s signals of satiation.
Kapha/earth-type: Earth and water combined create the energy of cohesion. This results in low digestive fire. Kapha-types have a tendency towards craving the sweet taste and often seek comfort through foods. Eating becomes more of a habit as opposed to the result of true hunger.
Cultivating Balanced Digestive Fire (Agni)
When agni – digestive fire – is strong and balanced, it yields several positive effects in body, mind and spirit:
- Efficient nutrient absorption
- Balanced doshas: Strong agni helps maintain balance among the three doshas (vata, pitta, and kapha). Proper digestion prevents the accumulation of undigested food particles and toxins (ama)
- Increased energy levels: When digestion is efficient, the body can convert food into usable energy more effectively. Good digestion promotes vitality, stamina, and overall energy levels, supporting optimal physical and mental performance.
- Healthy tissue formation: Balanced agni supports the formation of healthy tissues (dhatus) throughout the body, including lymph, blood, muscles, bones, adipose, nervous and reproductive. Proper tissue formation is essential for good health.
- Enhanced immunity: A well-functioning digestive system plays a critical role in supporting immune function. By preventing the accumulation of toxins and promoting the assimilation of nutrients, strong agni helps to strengthen the body’s natural defenses against infections, diseases, and environmental toxins.
- Clear mind and emotions: Ayurveda recognizes the intimate connection between the digestive system and mental/emotional well-being. Strong digestion contributes to mental clarity, emotional stability, and a balanced state of mind by promoting the production of neurotransmitters and hormones that regulate mood and cognition.
- Positive outlook: According to Ayurveda, a harmonious balance of agni fosters contentment as we cease to seek happiness from external sources. When digestion is strong and balanced, individuals experience greater clarity, contentment, and a deeper connection with their inner selves.
Practical Tips for Balancing Your Agni
The art of balancing digestive fire includes:
- Proper hydration (too much can suppress agni and too little prevents the flow of gastric acid)
- Cooking with digestive spices (such as cumin, coriander, fennel, ginger, turmeric, black pepper) cooking easily digestible whole food meals and eating at appropriate times of day
- Incorporate general healthy eating guidelines:
- Take three deep breaths before eating
- Chew food to an even consistency
- Eat until 75% full
- Eat seated without distraction (be present with your meal) – try our Mindful Eating Meditation
- Eat in a calm environment
- Exercise in the morning improves metabolism and metabolic processes of the body. Yoga poses such as sun salutations massage the internal organs of the body.
- Self-massage practices also improve metabolism and metabolic processes of the body and are an act of self love.
- Other self love practices that heal your relationship to food affirmations, guided meditations, cooking as meditation.
Ayurveda emphasizes the importance of nurturing and supporting healthy digestion as a foundational aspect of holistic health and wellness. Healing our relationship to food, heals our relationship to ourself. Balancing digestive fire is necessary for balancing these relationships. By cultivating strong agni through mindful eating and healthy lifestyle practices, individuals can experience profound benefits in their physical health, mental wellbeing and spiritual growth. Discover Your Unique Path to Wellness with Ayurveda
Article authored by Chloe Chaput, who is dedicated to her role as a Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist to work with women’s health, male and female fertility challenges, parents or caregivers, and children to address a variety of clinical health concerns at the root of their cause. Contact Path Wellbeing today to set up your appointment with Chloe Chaput, CAS.
The information contained within this article is for educational purposes only and should not replace the direct advice of a doctor or other qualified healthcare professional. Always consult a medical or other professional healthcare provider when considering a new health regime.
