Vegetarian Balance

What an enthusiatic group of participants for my seasonal brunch workshop on Ayurvedic nutrition today, the last day of Swiss Taste Week!

After covering  the basic principles of Ayurvedic nutrition, the participants enjoyed a brunch of 8 dishes to illustrate the theoretical points raised and had a chance to get their questions answered.  Among others I had questions about the merits of eating particular foods including garlic & onions, wine, milk.

In Ayurveda, foods can be considered as a medicine, as nourishment or as poison. It depends how they are used. The  action of particular foods within your body is very important. That’s why it’s important to be conscious of what you eat, how you eat and how you feel after eating it.

I was fortunate to have a concrete case to deal with during the workshop. The oldest participant, a lady of eighty, commented, while partaking of dishes 6 & 7 (kitcherie and cucumber raita) that she felt that one of these dishes was  too acidic for her since she was feeling the effects in her body. She felt that the raita was to blame since there had been other dishes with an acidic taste that she had eaten without problem.

The acidity she felt could have been a result of eating too much of the sour taste from various dishes. It could also have been that she was particularly sensitive to natural shop-bought yogurt (I suggested that freshly made home made yogurt could be an alternative since it would be less acidic). However, after further enquiry it, it turned out that she didn’t normally eat dairy but was enjoying herself so much that she had eaten the raita anyway.

I had a quick think, looked at what I had accesible and, since, cucumber is sweet and cooling, offered her a little cucumber juice to neutralise the acidity.  A short time after she reported that she felt much better.  By her immediate awareness of the effect of the food on her body, this lady was able to get help in a simple natural way.

How often do we ignore “alarm bells”  from our digestive systems only to find them ringing even more loudly a few hours, days, weeks, months or years later?

Share your comments below!

Turmeric is one spice which has received a lot of good press, particularly for its role in helping to beat cancer. In his book “Anti-cancer“, the doctor David Servan-Schreiber indicates that turmeric is
« a spice with astonishing properties … one of the most common ingredients used in Ayurvedic medicine for its anti-inflammatory properties. »

Turmeric has a heating action on the body but it also cleans the blood and stimulates the formation of new blood tissue. It is good for hyperacidity and helps heal stomach ulcers.

This root spice probably came from Indonesia and Malaysia where it has been consumed for thousands of years. Arab traders then brought it to Europe.

It is sold in powder form after being cooked and dryed. With the balancing effect it has on all, turmeric enhances digestion, especially of proteins, and increases the metabolism. Black pepper improves turmeric’s action to help it pass through the intestinal wall and thus be much easier to assimilate into the body.

Advice in Ayurveda

In Ayurveda, it has long been know that turmeric has many healing properties which include antiseptic, antibiotic and anti-inflammatory especially for arthritis and skin disorders. It is pungent and bitter in taste and can ease liver and stomach complaints and improve intestinal flora. A pinch of turmeric is also said to make it easier to digest milk.

Tip: Once you have bought turmeric it’s best to store it in the dark.

Recipe Time!

- Simple kitcharee (or rice & lentils)

(adapted from my book “Plans for dinner?”)

Serves 4 (as side dish)

100 grams basmati rice
100 grams red lentils
pinch salt
water (2x the amount of rice and lentils)
1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1. Wash the rice and the lentils until the water is clear (at least 4 times).
2. Put the rice, lentils, salt, turmeric and water into a pot and stir well.
3. Bring everything to the boil and keep boiling for 5 minutes.
4. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Cover, turn off the heat and leave to rest.
6. Serve with sautéed vegetables or salad for a simple meal.

What next?
1. Enjoy this dish and share your experiences with us below.

In Ayurveda spices and herbs play a special role in maintaining health because they enhance digestion, and thus our ability to absorb nutrients and energy from our food.

As we move towards a cooler season, ginger is an excellent spice to include in our diets. Not only is it a spice that most people enjoy in one form or another – fresh, dried, in power form, crystallised – it is also versatile. It stimulates the appetite and also provides relief for allergies and other respiratory complaints. And its heating effect on the body helps to improve circulation.

Ginger originally comes from South-East Asia but is now grown in most tropical countries. For centuries this root has been well known for its aromatic and medicinal properties, which include relief from flatulence and, when in the form of a herbal tea, relief from colds or coughs.

It works on all the tissues, enhances protein digestion and reduces the effect of uric acid after eating proteins. It aids digestion by promoting the secretion of gastric juices and eases swelling, rhematic pain and migraine headaches.

Advice in Ayurveda

Fresh ginger root is considered better for Vata and the dried root better for Kapha because the increased heat in the dried form helps to stimulate the inertia and dry the cool. Ginger has the pungent and neutral/sweet tastes and is considered good for all body types – (use very modestly for Pitta). It is useful to have handy when travelling since it provides relief from travel sickness and nausea, jet lag and general weakness.

Tip: When you are buying ginger look for a firm root that is not fibrous. Store in the fridge.

It’s Recipe Time!
Ginger & lemon tea
This is a cleansing and refreshing drink that can be drunk hot or at room temperature. It is best drunk approximately one hour before or after eating.

Juice of one lemon
3-4 cm fresh ginger root

1. Peel the ginger
2. Put it into approximately 2 litres water.
3. Boil for 15-20 minutes.
4. Add the lemon juice and serve.

What’s  next?

1. Go shopping for fresh ginger and lemons – organic if possible.
2. Start enjoying the tea and share your experiences with us below.