4 Principles in Energy Science Cooking
As we have discussed in the managment of any dis-ease nutrition is foundational to having success to acheiving health longterm But in the energy science of Ayurveda nutrition is more than just what foods are selected for your unique mindbody energy constitutional makeup Even though foods are integral to success because they bring about balance to the physiology and prevent imbalances from occurring there is more to nutrition than foods Where to eat, when to eat, how to eat, why we eat all add to the "what to eat"
As we discussed we have talked about always making a deal with ourselves to sit whenever we eat This simply allows us to improve the chances of agni doing a good job in digesting whatever we're eating Eating our biggest meal of the day at noon is foundational to successful nutrition Why we eat uncovers that aspect of nutrition about emotional eating as well as overeating
But what about "how to eat"? This covers the aspects of bringing attention to eating of food but also how we prepare foods
The Uniqueness of Energy Science Cooking
One of the objections that I have heard about the energy science approach to nutrition is that you have to be Indian in order to do an Ayurvedic nutritional format While this is complete and utter nonsense people buy into such false writing because they don't know any better And they believe the people that are protecting the matter science approach to nutrition by misrepresenting the energy science
1 Truth be told the nutritional formats that are at foodsheal.com can be integrated into anybody's way of eating because the change in foods chosen means that you simply find substitutes for foods that are aggravating for folks with the IC bladder pain syndrome If there are problem foods such as nightshades for Pitta Vata then find vegetable substitutes Another example of this substitution is using sunflower instead of peanut butter
2 One of the basic tenets of energy science nutrition is to cook food in order to predigest There is a lot of rhetoric about this from the raw food or macrobiotic community but it makes intuitive sense to break down the cellulose of vegetables in order to aid the agni of the mindbody particularly if it's struggling Another time that raw food comes up is in blenderized veggie drinks In this situation the mechanical breakdown of the veggies may predigest but again the lack of heat applied may make this food preparation technique substandard
3 The use of ghee in cooking cannot be overemphasized in the management of the IC bladder pain syndrome because often the Pitta energy pattern is involved and the best way to pacify Pitta is by the liberal use of ghee due to its liquid and oily qualities But there is good matter science data as to why one would want to use ghee which enhances agni It is completely made up of small chain hydrogenated fatty acids(most common butyric acid) which does not have to be digested and moves through all the tissues within twenty four hours This has important ramifications in the detoxification process of panchakarma(PK)
4 Spices have volatile organic compounds(VOC) which when activated facilitates digestion, absorption, and assimilation of foods Spices are integral to healthy cooking because they augment agni They are best activated during food preparation by placing them in ghee and heating to activate the VOC Once activated they can then be added to other ingredients of the recipe If you have a heavy aroma in the kitchen when activating VOC it means that you have overheated and overcooked the spices
So there you have it A way to prepare foods so that your mindbody can get the most out of it because you have enhanced your agni in the process of preparation
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The Salty Taste: 5 Ways to Avoid Inflammation
The energy science categorizes food according to taste(rasa which has an effect on the energy patterns of VPK), virya(effect that food has on our small intestine and tissues), vipak(effect that food has on our colon and cells), and prabhav(effect that it has on the DNA of our cells) This makes the interpretation of how foods affect us quite complex and explains why the nutritional formats at foodsheal.com are useful because they simplify our understanding of foods and allow us to make healthy balancing food choices that help treat disease states
To recall the qualities of Vata(cold, light, mobile, dry, rough, subtle, clear) and Pitta(hot, light, spreading, sharp/penetrating, liquid, oily) and Kapha(heavy, slow/dull, cool, slimy/smooth, liquid, dense, soft, hard, static, sticky) give rise to disease in the mindbody These qualities combine in various combinations to produce the diseases due to their physiologic excess
The key to understanding the energy science disease model is to begin to appreciate the imbalance in qualities that occur in the mindbody physiology and how you bring about the imbalance As we have discussed in the past the primary way we go out of balance is through foods
The Unique Salty Taste
The energy science of Ayurveda recognizes that there are 6 tastes called rasas(sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent) that allow us to scientifically study foods and their intimate impact on the mindbody energy field These tastes are typically in combination with one another in foods For example, seafood(meat that has lived its life in saltwater) has a salty rasa or taste energtically even though it doesn't taste salty Due to protein of the meat it has a heating vipak, and the dense and heavy qualities of seafood produce the sweet taste as the vipak energetic influence
Aside from seafood, mineral salts such as sea salt or table salt and surprisingly cottage cheese are the only ways we encounter the salty taste in foods so the salty taste becomes our first encounter with the concept of a "culinary spice"salty cottage cheese
The qualities of the salty taste are hot, light, liquid, soft, smooth/slimy, and subtle From the above qualities of Vata we can appreciate that the mobile quality will be reduced by the slimy/smooth quality of salt but Pitta will be increased due to the hot quality Because the salty taste carries the hot quality it will be aggravating to people with high Pitta
Due to the hot quality salt produces inflammation and due to the liquid quality it produces its well known congestive effect with fluid retention
Since rasa(taste) has an influence on our mindbody through the qualities of the foods that we take in, if we get an excess of the salty taste it can produce with the hot and liquid qualities, impatience, irritability, and easy frustration
As advertised in potato chip commercials, "Bet you can't each just one", implies that the salty taste can be addictive This addictive like characteristic of salt is why ALL fast food chains use a lot of the salty taste in their food preparation
Due to salt's penetrating and hot qualities it can be very effective in massaging and warming muscles and so soaking in epsom salt baths becomes valuable Another use of salt is with neti sinus wash that reduces Kapha mucous in the sinuses where it accumulates This is the experience everyone has with the common cold Neti uses a salt solution since tap water will burn the delicate mucous membranes But salt also is important in mobilizing with its hot quality the cool, slimy/smooth, liquid, heavy, dense, slow/dull, and static qualities of Kapha which are those of mucous
5 Takeaways About the Salty Taste
When it comes to high Pitta disorders(anything with inflammation) there are some basic things to remember when it comes to the salty taste
Avoid salt at the dinner table
Avoid all seafood Eat fresh water fish
Avoid all fast food
Avoid salt in food preparation at home
Avoid cottage cheese
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Eating Biorhythms
Biorhythms of sleep have become well recognized patterns and research has shown that they are intimately associated with health and the prevention of disease For example, people who work night shifts are more prone to health problems But the energy science of Ayurveda also gives us a biorhythm of eating which if adhered to improves the entire digestive process and supports this important concept of agni that I've talked about in the past
The biorhythm research data confirms what the energy science gives us as guidance about eating and rest As a matter of fact most contemporary research continues to support what the energy science talks about regarding prevention of progressive disease If we are plagued with disease of any kind, then we certainly don't want to get worse
The Eating Biorhythm
Since we are part of Nature(if you don't agree then show me how you remove yourself from Her) we will naturally flow with Her rhythms I just alluded to the health problems that occur when we don't go to bed with Nature and wake up with Her So it is with our eating biorhythm cycle
If we don't take our biggest meal when Nature is doing so then our digestion suffers Our agni or digestive power is maximal at between 11a and 2p Even if our agni is suboptimal the point is that it will be as good as it can be around the noon hour This is completely compatible with what our ancestors knew before we became accustomed to "city life" where schedules for a healthy lifestyle are abandoned
The energy science says that eating our biggest meal of the day at noon time is optimal for health and encourages the best chance for us to digest well What does "biggest" mean? What you can comfortably hold in your 2 hands represents two-thirds of your stomach capacity and Ayurveda's guideline is that more than 2 handfuls overdistends the stomach capacity and risks the chance to form ama or undigested unprocessed food If ama is formed due to poor agni it can escape from the GIT(gastrointestinal tract) and will spread to peripheral tissues where it can interfere with function
Eating out can be a major problem There are several reasons for this Things are done by restaurants that aren't conducive for good digestion The most common infraction is ice water Many of the entrees served in public eateries are popular but are not necessarily good for us(chocolate coffee ice cream) Many restaurants nowadays are serving incompatible food combinations The most common one is fruit with other foods
Eating Biorhythms: 3 Healthy Ways To Support
But probably the most damaging of all with our "restaurant fetish" is that it typically interferes with healthy biorhythms of eating Typically eating our biggest meal of the day turns out to be done at 7p or beyond which in the end is ama promoting Not only is it our biggest meal of the day but it's associated with all of the other ama promoting eating habits foisted on us because we're at the restaurant
So what can we do?
1 Make a pact with yourself to eat your biggest meal at noon
2 Minimize eating out...will be healthier and enhance the pocketbook If you have to eat out try to stay away from night time meals, avoid ice, eat according to your energy constitutional makeup(see foodsheal.com), and avoid incompatible food combinations
3 Breakfast is optional If hungry try fruit It should NOT be the biggest meal of the day
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Health and Numbing Out
Examples of Numbing Out
Numbing out is the inability to focus on the sensory experience that is bothering us Sure we notice the pain and inconveniences that "crimp our plans" but that's as far as it goes
Whether we know it or not numbing out is in our life experience The reason I can say this with such assurance is that we all do it to some degree or another Now one might claim that it's impossible to numb out when pain is in your face day after day and that is indeed true so we should define numbing out
Reasons for numb out are several 1 Often we don't have the tools to be more present with whatever is bothering us 2 At times it's inconvenient to bother or it's the same thing day after day so why bother 3 It's quick and easy to numb out 4 We get rewarded because of the pleasure that comes from numbing out
When we become students of whatever is bothering us we bring our full attention and in so doing intention to the issue at hand This is the crux of not numbing out By stopping the numbing out process we bring intention into the equation and voila healing occurs
Common examples of numbing out
Addictions of any kind...food(aka "comfort foods"), alcohol, marijuana, prescription drugs
Not managing stress and anxiety so we numb out unconsciously
Stress and anxiety produce flightiness which is a form or "run away" which is the heart of the numbing out process
Circles not together...essentially denial of the problems at hand
Social media....great way to avoid dealing with a problem
Ways to Avoid Numbing Out
1 Journal
Be aware of insights that come about the issue and solutions that will help the problem
2 Meditate on the problem at hand
Be willing to sit, think, and talk about the issue that you want to correct
Spiritual practices sometimes help uncover the unconscious processes such as fear,stress, and anxiety
Grounded minds produce composure to sit
3 The above process allows us to observe something that comes up and not be overwhelmed by it
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SIBO(Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth): 5 Energy Science Solutions
The energy science model of dis-ease states that except for trauma every dis-ease or imbalance begins in the GIT(gastrointestinal tract) Since this is the case we can appreciate how important foods become in the evolution of dis-ease and conversely how important foods become in the management and healing of dis-ease Correct food selection appropriate for own's energy constitutional makeup along with incompatible food combinations become foundational in any dis-ease healing
Short term acute dis-ease processes can be readily corrected over brief(months) periods of time Obviously the longer the imbalance the more likely that other energy science techniques will be necessary to deal with advanced dis-ease conditions This term dis-ease emphasizes that the energy patterns are not at ease or that an imbalance of qualities is physiologically present
The matter science(allopathy, naturopathy) often look at infection as a cause of many diseases Every once in a while you'll see matter science research studies attempt to unsuccessfully or questionably successfully incriminate bacteria in the cause of specific disease Because bacteria are treatable by antibiotics which is a big tool in the matter science toolbox an attempt to incriminate bacteria can be a scientific "home run" These attempts have happened unsuccessfully with GERD(gastroesophageal reflux), rheumatoid arthritis, and obviously IBS
Symptoms of Poor Digestion
Many experience poor digestion but discount it as just the way they are.....but in reality these symptoms should not be ignored Any unphysiologic food craving is unhealthy and shoud be best avoided Overeating is abnormal(eating more than 2 handfuls at any one meal) as well as cravings for ice Post meal digestive problems such as heaviness, bloating, loss of energy after eating, need for naps after eating, diarrhea, and constipation are major warning signs that things are not healthy in the GIT
Matter Science and Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth(SIBO)
Now the matter science is getting closer to what the energy science has been saying for 1000's of years....the GIT is responsible for all dis-ease But since the matter science model of disease can only hold space for offending insults such as internal(autoimmune) and external(bacteria, parasites, fungus, and viruses) it becomes limited as to seeing the origins of dis-ease Presently the matter science has a new approach to disease seeking an understanding through the alteration in bowel flora
This alteration or better yet described as disruption of normal bowel flora has become known as SIBO where "bad" bacteria overgrow the "good" bacteria is probably not only the small bowel but large bowel as well There are past models that lead to grounding in this kind of disease origin such as leaky gut syndrome and the candidal(fungus) overgrowth theories that have their proof in patient improvement by flora manipulations
Now the current rage for bowel disorder from IBS to systemic disease is to manipulate the small bowel flora with antibiotics(killing off the "bad" bacteria) or better yet "fecal bowel flora" transplants which have seen benefits
Energy Science Understanding of SIBO in Agni Terms
As we have discussed at length in past blogs the bacterial flora of the GIT which is 10x the cellular mass of our own individual body's cell mass is part of a greater concept called agni Called metabolism in matter science terms, agni is not only more user friendly, but as we have talked about in the past, a highly functional and malleable term that is freely manipulative by energy science techniques As a matter of fact one of the main tenets of the energy science that separates it from the matter science is this concept of agni
As we have alluded to earlier, qualities(vibrational frequencies) become disrupted in the GIT and this subsequently leads to an alteration in agni This disruption leads to SIBO but at times gut mucosal changes as well making this look like IBS in some respects
Then if the matter and enegy science models are talking about the same thing then what's the big fuss? Just use the matter science techniques that we have discussed above
Energy Science Solutions for SIBO
There is a general tenet in healing disciplines that the closer your treatment touches the origin of the disease the greater success the healer will have So what's better, to treat SIBO or the cause of the SIBO? If the energy science model tells us that the cause of SIBO is an energy imbalance leading to the SIBO, the best solution is to deal with the imbalance This is not rocket science folks!
1 So what is foundational in healing the bowel? Well from what we said already choosing foods appropriate for you energy makeup and observing incompatible food combinations are support any further manipulation
2 Probiotic It makes complete sense to support the "good bacteria" in the gut so as to improve agni But it's often too much of a good thing at times with probiotic use Find a good probiotic(not necessarily the most expensive)but supplement for 2-3 weeks and then do a break and perhaps another couple of rounds Then done
3 Yogurt as a probiotic As we've discussed in the past homemade yogurt is a great food to use to support the bowel flora Kefir has the potential of carrying yeast along with the probiotic so it's not recommended from an energy science point of view
4 Avoid antibiotics if possible All that antibiotics do is further disrupt the already compromised bowel flora If you have to use antibiotics then you should definitely supplement with probiotic or yogurt for a period of time
5 Reduce ama As we have talked about in the past when agni suffers ama forms in the gut and begins to leave the GIT This unprocessed undigested debris which is the result of poor digestion is the basis of all chronic dis-ease
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Medicinal Energetic Effect of Sprouted Grains
Grains are an interesting food group energetically but the one use of grains that is universally safe for all energy constitutional makeups is sprouted grains
Grains vary in terms of the types that can be used For example, Pitta Vata can use cooked oats, rice, and pancakes all the time whereas PK would use these in moderation Typically it's recommended to avoid yeasted bread products so flatbreads become the best way to use grains as a form of "bread"
Use of Sprouted Grains
In general the husk of the grain is difficult to digest and requires strong agni Since most people's agni is not up to par it makes the digestion of husked grains difficult to digest For example, brown rice is not balancing for any of the energy patterns due to the husk
White basmati rice is a classic grain without the husk Other grains are usually husked Here's a video demo demonstrating the dehusking process
Another way to deal with the tough husk of a grain is to soak the grain and that stimulates the grain to begin to sprout Sprouting grains is a time honored way of releasing nourishing aspects of any grain The benefits of sprouting are three fundamental aspects: 1) sprouting activates food enzymes; 2) sprouting increases vitamin content, and 3) sprouting neutralizes antinutrients like phytic acid which bind up minerals preventing your ability to fully absorb them
It is the last aspect that is of most interest for those with IC since phytic acid would be irritating and provoking energetically But all three of these benefits are important in terms of improving the nutrition of the foods we eat
So another way to take advantage of sprouted grains is to access available products commercially The best is a nonyeasted sprouted grain product, tortillas Nonyeasted products are superior to yeasted grain products because yeast produces gas and heat in the small intestine
The most affordable and commonly commercially available bread source of sprouted grains is sprouted wheat bread
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