Did you know that 70% of deaths are attributed to diet and lifestyle factors, while 1.7 million deaths a year are also attributed to inadequate fruit and vegetable intake. By nourishing ourselves holistically, we work to improve that immune function and create balance in the body. One way of balancing our energies is through Ayurveda.
Ayurveda, or “science of life,” is an ancient healing system that supports health through balancing energies. When energy is balanced, it supports health, but an imbalance of energy can lead to illness. According to Ayurveda, “when diet is wrong, medicine is of no use. When diet is correct, medicine is of no need.” In this case, a “correct” diet refers to one that helps balance an individual’s condition through the types of foods eaten, the ways they’re prepared, and how they’re combined.
Specific combinations of food are thought to have a negative effect on agni, or “digestive fire,” leading to poor digestion and leaving the body prone to disease and disorders. To strengthen agni, Ayurveda recommends eating all the colors of the rainbow, including all six tastes– sweet, salty, sour, pungent, bitter, and astringent – and combining food mindfully. Certain combinations go well together based on their qualities as well as season, time of day, quantity consumed, nutrients, and similar rates of absorption. Ultimately, Ayurvedic food combining attempts to balance each quality in a meal so one doesn’t overpower another.