WHAT IS
Ayurveda
Ayurveda is medical knowledge developed in India and means, in Sanskrit, science (veda) of life (ayur). It remains the official medicine in India and has spread worldwide as an effective technique of traditional medicine.
Make an appointment with Dr. Veena, Ayurveda consultations in Monchique, Lagoa, Almancil, Lisbon and Porto.
What are the Doshas
Do you feel especially uncomfortable in summer? Is your digestion slow? Have a heavy sleep that nothing shakes? Have a greater tendency to have joint pain? Do you feel an unusual hunger? You can identify with all these issues, some, or feel completely the opposite of them. And for Ayurveda this is no accident. Each physical or personality trait of a person is due to their dosha.
Everyone carries within them the three existing doshas in varying proportions: Vata, ruled by air and ether, Pitta by fire and water, and Kapha by earth and water. When we are born, this proportion of the elements is in balance (prakrti), but over the years there is a natural imbalance caused by one’s lifestyle, which for scholars of this wisdom contributes to the onset of disease.
The main purpose of Ayurvedic medicine is to restore this balance between body and mind.
Find your Dosha
They are thin people, with little muscle, long and cold. They are usually agile, enthusiastic, communicative and indecisive. Vata brings together qualities such as dry, light, cold, mobile, rough and clear.
Individuals with the predominance of these elements have medium size, accelerated metabolism and feel very hot. They tend to be active and critical. Pitta is characterized by what is hot, liquid, acid and oily.
This combination is associated with a strong and broad physical structure with a tendency to gain weight. People of this kind are stable, slow, patient and lazier. Kapha is heavy, smooth, oily and sweet.
Food & Ayurveda
For Ayurvedic philosophy, the way your body reacts to what you consume is also all about your dosha. Therefore, they believe that some foods may do well for one person and others, the opposite. After all, Ayurveda assumes that each individual is unique, as are their reactions.
Ayurvedic diet considers all individual biopsychosocial characteristics to establish a healthy and balanced diet. With this, it is possible to take care of maintaining the health of the body, avoiding imbalances and preventing disease. To create this planning, the Ayurvedic physician analyzes the profile and temperament of each individual.
This is a type of diet that encourages the consumption of all food groups, seeking balance not only nutritionally, but also flavors. This avoids compulsions for a particular item. Another feature is that each menu takes into account seasons, time, day and weather throughout the year.
THE BEST MENU FOR VATA
Because Vata is a cold and dry dosha, eating rich and nutritious foods is very important. Vata people tend to be very thin, so extra doses of Ghee (purified butter) or other fat is not only advisable, it is encouraged. If it’s Vata, Ayurveda says that hot drinks are a good way to stay balanced by avoiding stimulants like coffee.
THE BEST MENU FOR PITTA
Pitta people are known to be fiery, so cold foods are preferable to balance them. According to Ayurveda, Pittas benefit most from vegetarian foods because meats tend to produce more heat as they are digested. If you want something hot, mint tea is known to have a soothing effect on Pitta lovers.
THE BEST MENU FOR KAPHA
Kaphas are typically heavier and retain more fluid than the other two mind-body types. Kaphas should avoid excess sugar, fat and salt. Cooked and light meals are your best choice, and if they are “dry cooked” (baked, boiled, grilled or sautéed) better! Spicy foods that are low in calories make an ideal lunch because your metabolism slows down throughout the day.
The method in practice
To balance the doshas and maintain health, there are treatments that eliminate ama, undigested and can cause disease. This is the case with bowel and airway cleaning.
It is recommended to eat foods produced in your region following the season in which they are grown. The diet should take into account the dosha, profile based on certain characteristics of each individual: pitta people, for example, need to avoid spicy flavors that accent fire.
Color therapy, aromatherapy, meditation with repetition of mantras… All this is also contemplated by ayurveda. These are practices that, beyond the physical body, work with subtle energy and life purpose.
Herbal medicine is an important pillar of oriental medicines such as Ayurvedic and Chinese. In general, herbs and roots are used whose properties appear in ancient compendia. Today the use comes in the form of teas, syrups and capsules.