The Ayurvedic Kitchen
(Page 2 of 2)
September/October 2004
By Jennifer Rabin
Be mindful of your mental state when preparing food. If you’re having a bad day, try playing your favorite music while you cut the vegetables. If you’re having a good day, stir that energy into your stew. Take a second to think about who you’re cooking for and what you hope the dish will provide for them.
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Right Quantity of Food (Raashi)
A basic tenet of ayurvedic medicine is that the body can successfully digest only a certain amount of food at one time. Consistently exceeding capacity can lead to improper digestion and disease. Ayurveda offers a sure-fire way to determine the correct amount of food to eat at each sitting: The serving size is called one anjali. Put both hands together with pinkies touching in the shape of a bowl and imagine a rounded serving of food filling that space; that is exactly one anjali.
Right Conditions (Bhaara)
Concentrate on when, where, how, and with whom you eat. In ayurveda, the digestive process is seen as one of transformation—the food is literally being broken down and changed into molecules the body can more readily use—and, as such, we must create an environment conducive to that process. First, it’s important to eat only when you’re hungry. Second, digestion is affected by mood, so avoid eating when upset. As a general rule, ayurveda advises eating in a quiet, soothing environment with people you trust, as eating is considered an act of intimacy.
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