Vegetarian Vitality

With the pace of modern life we often feel we don’t have time to prepare meals so we may go for quick options of pre-prepared foods or meals. One of the main comments I hear is – “I don’t have time to prepare my own food”.

What if I said to you “You don’t need much time”. It’s all about planning and preparation.

I know that Ayurveda recommends cooking over a wood fire, if possible. Since for most of us this is not a viable option, a gas stove is also fine since it is also close to natural fire. An electric stove is also an acceptable option. We want to be cooking over a slow lower heat for a longer period of time, especially if we have digestive issues (low agni – see article in last issue). The food will then be in a form that allows us to assimilate its life force or prana.

I also get asked my opinion about using a microwave oven as a way to speed up food prep. The microwave oven has become part of the modern kitchen because of our desire for convenience and speed. When I was growing up, my mother used her oven to reheat food but many people also use it to cook their dishes. Microwaves cook the food from the inside out by vibrating the molecules in the food against one another with force. Most natural health experts recommend avoiding the use of a microwave oven because the energy/life force of the food is reduced or destroyed. This opinion is supported by scientific studies such as the one by Swiss researcher, Dr Hans Hertel, who found that microwave cooking changes food nutrients significantly and reduced haemoglobin levels in people eating it.

Since using a microwave oven to save time reduces the life force in the food and thus that which is available for us to assimilate, we’ll see a reduction in our intrinsic life force, which can lead to physical and psychological issues in the long run.

Rapid food preparation does not require a microwave oven, it just requires a minimum of planning and preparation. If you do re-heat food, your cooker or an electric toaster is almost as quick for many dishes. But for fuller health now and in the future it’s important to enjoy a diet of fresh whole foods that have been processed as little as possible and are freshly prepared. So, how about taking a little more time now and letting 2009 be the year when you got on track for fuller health with Ayurvedic Nutrition?

(c) 2009 Janet Gomez

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About the author:  Janet Gomez, nutritional consultant, produces the “Nutri-Jyoti News”, a free bi-monthly e-newsletter for busy professionals. Feel ready to learn how to use nutritional strategies to manage your energy levels? Then sign up for her FREE e-course “5 Nutritional Keys to Vitality in your Life” at http://www.nutrijyoti.com

If you’ve ever have had trouble with headaches, indigestion or bad breath to name but a few, the knowledge from Ayurveda and an Ayurvedic diet can help you handle these issues. You’ll discover how easy it is to increase your energy and get on a healthy track for 2009.
Learn how to:
* determine your body type so you eat what energises you
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* make the right choices for your balanced nutrition programme with ease
When is it?
This teleseminar is
Wednesday, January 28th at 12:00pm EST/ 5pm GMT/ 6pm Swiss time
Learn more and register now here: http://budurl.com/FullerHealth2009

Ayurveda is a natural medical system that’s been going for over 5000 yrs. It’s made up of many different parts and is the “science of life” that offers us knowledge that comes from the beginning of time.

Traditionally Ayurveda is associated with India because of how long it has been used in this region but if you look at traditional cultural knowledge you will also see evidence of the information Ayurveda provides.

We have all heard the saying “You are what you eat”. In Ayurveda there is a saying

“without proper diet, medicine is of no use. And with proper diet, medicine is of no need”.

Diet is the basis of Ayurveda because our bodies are the result of what we eat or rather of what we digest. What’s more, it’s a practical and easy way to maintain good health to prevent illness – a main goal of Ayurveda. But the choices we have choices also mean we have responsibility.

The concept of “digestive fire” or agni is key to maintaining health and building immunity in Ayurveda. Depending on your body type at any given time, the season, your environmental stresses, the particular food you choose to eat etc., you can influence your digestive capacity or fire.

When I was at school we would go camping at weekends. We’d have to get a fire going to cook our food. If the fire was low, the food would take ages to cook. If the fire was too strong, the outside of the food would cook more quickly than the inside – often the food would be burnt! It was important to find a happy balance to satify our rumbling tums.

Our digestive fire is just like the camp fire. If our agni is too low then the food we ingest won’t be cooked/digested properly, leaving it to move undigested into the rest of the digestive system. Our cells can’t benefit from the nutrients in the food and waste matter clogs up the system and prevents the available nutrients from getting through. Not the more efficient way to get our energy.

If the digestive fire is too high then the food will “burn” i.e. move through the system too quickly, not giving our bodies the chance to extract the nutrients required. Not the best situation either to get the nutrients our intrinsic healing system needs to build our immunity and keep fit and healthy. So, how do we find the “happy balance” of nicely cooked food?

Here are three of my top tips on how to achieve the “happy balance” to be able to use food for greater energy and fuller health:

1.  Eat food that’s right for your particular digestive fire.

2.  Eat food when you’re hungry – when the “fire” is stoked up – so it digests properly.

3.  Don’t throw (too much) water on the fire!

These simple tips are a way of taking charge of your health. You have tools to:

1.  Save money on medical bills;

2.  Save time going to the doctor; and

3.  Most importantly start the New Year with plenty of energy to do all those things you’ve planned to do and enjoy them as well!

So what are you waiting for? Start looking after your digestive fire with a taste for Ayurveda!

(c) 2009 Janet Gomez

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About the author:  Janet Gomez, nutritional consultant, produces the “Nutri-Jyoti News”, a free bi-monthly e-newsletter for busy professionals. Feel ready to learn how to use nutritional strategies to manage your energy levels? Then sign up for her FREE e-course “5 Nutritional Keys to Vitality in your Life” at http://www.nutrijyoti.com