Ayurveda and the Practice of Mindful Eating

Good nutrition goes beyond the food that we eat, it takes into consideration the manner in which we are eating as well as the state that the food is in. Therefore Ayurveda considers factors such as lifestyle, right diet, food preparation as well as the examination of metabolic function. The Ayurvedic view goes beyond what you eat and explains how it is less about what we eat but more about how our body digests what we eat. It is just as important to watch what kind of food we put in our minds as we do the food that we put in our mouths.

Good nutrition is eating the right kind of food (in its most natural state and lightly cooked), with the right beverage (not hot or cold, but especially never cold- it suppresses and dilutes the digestive fluids being secreted by the stomach, pancreas, liver, and gallbladder. Liquids should be sipped throughout the meal), eating the right amount of food, at the right time, in the right order, with the right company, in the right place, and in the right frame of mind.

Without overcomplicating this approach to your diet, always remember that it starts with being mindful and present so that you can cultivate the awareness required to observe how your mind and body are responding to everything you experience. Foods should first be chosen according to your Prakriti or natal constitution. A balanced diet consists of all six different tastes, in different amounts depending on your constitution. In the case of imbalance or illness, food should be selected according to the present constitution or disease state, vikruti. According to Ayurveda, there are several key factors that affect the process of eating and digestion. These factors are:

Your mental attitude towards eating

The environment in which you eat and the company with whom you eat

The amount of attention paid to the process of eating

The quality and kind of food eaten

How the food is prepared

The order in which the foods are eaten in a meal

Liquids with food

How you eat

Good nutrition goes beyond the food that we eat, as when, how, where, and why we eat all affect our body's metabolic function. From an Ayurvedic perspective, nothing is right for everyone and everything is right for someone. This means... diets don't work and the best thing we can do to gain optimal health from the foods we put into our body is, eat with intention and awareness.