Ayurveda: An Old Tradition Inspiring New Light

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On a quest to discover what foods were right for my body, I discovered…myself.

In this busy life of technology and information, we seek the truth from “experts” on health and wellness. But sometimes we forget that we are own experts.

For years I have been going to food coaches, trainers and doctors while reading book after book on health and gluten and sugar to help me figure out.. ME! But I never sat down and listened to what my own body was telling me.

Ayurvedic Healing

In search of more answers I met with an Ayurvedic specialist. Ayurveda is a system of ancient Hindu/Vedic medicine that has been heralded in India for centuries as an alternative form of healing.

When I met with the Ayurvedic specialist, she listened to my words, but received more information from listening to my body. She silently took the pulse of my wrists and immediately told me my dosha body type and what that entailed. Every word that came out of her mouth was a truth on how my body was acting. She told me things I knew all along, things my body was desperately screaming at me, but I ignored.

Listening to My Body

At the time, I was then eating an almost fully raw fruit and vegetable diet with no meat or grains and having terrible flatulence. I was almost ignoring this body signal due to all the “experts” telling me I would only get nutrients from raw foods and juicing. The fact is that my stomach was not properly digesting food; therefore no matter what I ate my body would not take in and assimilate the nutrients. Every dollar spent on organic food was literally going down the toilet. My body needed warm nourishing food; cooked food, hot breakfasts, soothing warm teas and water.

Once I started eating this way my flatulence was cured and bowl movements were normal again. And guess what? I feel so good eating warm foods and including grains in my diet now.
I started off as being on the Paleo Diet and then the raw food diet and completely demonizing certain foods. I learned not to fear foods and I am practicing listening to my body. I appreciate my food, I cook my food, I chew my food slowly. I am just beginning my Ayurvedic eating journey and nothing else has made more sense than this.

Creating Balance

Ayurveda is about being in tune with your body. Knowing your dosha  (body type) and getting yourself into balance. Learning what foods will heal your body. By knowing the five elements of foods you can help keep balanced. For example, if you have gas and eat and air food such as lettuce, it will increase the gas. Like increases like. Ayurveda is also all about eating whole, natural in-season organic foods. Anything processed is a dead or dumb food. It will only hurt you.

So here they were: all the answers right under my nose the whole time. Not from some fad diet or trend, but from ancient truths of Ayurveda that deal with nourishment and balance.
I am not sure when we all stopped being in tune with our own bodies. We have lost our intuition, especially Americans, many with no solid culture in their background like myself. We are all so busy trying to seek the truth from others, that we forget that we -ourselves- already have the answers. We just have to stop and listen. So I urge you to listen to your body, take an online Ayurvedic Dosha quiz, and eat for your health.
With all that said I still have sweet tooth- so here is a balancing dessert recipe!

Sesame seeds have life supporting qualities in Ayurveda; they help cure phlegm and are rich in calcium.

Sesame Seed Sweeties 

sesame

Ingredients:
• ½ cup brown sesame seeds
• ¾ cup raw sunflower seeds soaked for 4 hours
• 1/8 tsp salt
• ½ tsp ground cardamom
• ¾ cup unsweetened shredded coconut plus additional for garnish
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbl roasted tahini
• 1/3 cup raw honey or less

1. Dry roast the sesame seeds in a skillet until browned.
2. In a food processor or chopper grind the soaked sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, salt, cardamom, vanilla, and coconut into a course powder.
3. Transfer into a mixing bowl and mix with tahini well. Add only enough honey to create a sticky consistency depending on your honey brand and type. – (If mixture too soft add more coconut).
4. Press into balls and roll into more coconut.
5. Serve!
6. Makes about 15 balls- total time about 15 min.

Enjoy! And keep eating for your health. Namaste.

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About the Author

jessicaleffler1

Jessica Leffler has been embarking on a journey to find balance, both mentally and physically, through food. She has found that you can attain optimal happiness and health by listening to your own inner guidance.  An intuitive empath, New Yorker, sister, daughter, fashion buyer, Jessica is the blogger behind Food Journey: Eating to Live. Eat Clean and Love.  She loves to cook, inspire, and learn from her fellow humans.

 

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