Ayurveda is an old age system of healing and preventative medicine but is also an amazing way of cultivating healthy eating habits which is essential for great living. Ancient Indian science of life, Ayurveda has some principles and rituals to be followed pertaining to the latter. As per Ayurveda, maintaining the body balance is essential and can be done through diet, natural herbs and following Ayurvedic lifestyle, which can profoundly be understood by undergoing Ayurveda cooking courses in Kerala.
Food plays an immense role in Ayurveda practice, and it is said that breakfast is the most ‘important meal of the day’, following which is lunch that is considered ‘king of all meals’, and then there is dinner ‘lighter but filling’.
People usually have a misconception about dinner and skip it often but as per Ayurveda skipping dinner is a big no. So, here are the amazing tips from Ayurveda you must follow at dinner time.
1. The Basic One
This tip one should for every meal is that, avoid the food items that are liable for dosha imbalance, especially at night. If you’re eating them, consume it in moderation and hours before going to bed.
2. Rituals to Follow
There are certain things one needs to follow as a ritual during the meals – like eating food in small portion and as per the season. Don’t eat a meal while sitting in front of the screen in order to practice mindfulness eating. Eat slowly and while seated down, don’t rush the movements and actions.
3. When to Eat
It is advised that you should eat when you actually feel hungry, and as per the appetite especially during dinner. Your dinner should be light and filling, but if you’re already feeling full, then a bowl of soup works well.
4. Time to Consider
Many consider that eating after 7 pm lead towards weight gain, and thus, they skip their supper. Agree with the fact but skipping is not a solution, rather eating before seven is great and if you can’t then, try to avoid particular food items after the hour. Also, it is advised to eat your dinner 2-3 hours before you doze off, and also keep a gap of 3-4 hours between all your meals.
5. Say No to Whites
According to Ayurveda, whites like curd, sugar, and salt are unhealthy to consume at night. Curd at night increase Kapha dosha in the body, sugary food spike the blood sugar level in the body and disrupts the sleep. You can replace sugar with honey or even jaggery. Another big thing to say no to is Salt. Salt after dusk or for that matter after 7 pm increases water retention in the body and skipping the same prevents the risk of stroke, blood pressure, heart diseases, and premature death.
6. Protein to Incorporate
As per Ayurveda, inclusion of protein at supper and less amount of carbs is beneficial for the health and helps to burn the fat. So it is advised to eat dal, pulses, cottage cheese, quinoa and veggies like broccoli.
7. The Golden Magic
It is ideal to drink turmeric milk at night for sound sleep, and the same helps in preventing mucus formation and also helps fight bacteria. Turmeric milk is the ancient Ayurvedic food item from India and is now famous as yellow or golden latte worldwide. You can learn more such Ayurvedic recipes during Ayurveda cooking courses in Kerala.
8. Drinking Rule
Consuming water throughout the day is important, and it is advised to sip warm water after an hour of every meal. As per Ayurveda, it is advised to consume less water at night especially after having your dinner, just sip a glass of warm water after an hour.
9. Spice it Up
Include spices in your supper. Prefer the lighter ones like fennel, cinnamon, cardamom, cumin, and fenugreek. These spices not only enhance the taste, but also increase the warmth of the body, maintain healthy digestion and help with weight loss by curbing appetite.
10. Salads to Avoid
Salads are healthy, raw food is good, but not during dinner, says Ayurveda, as raw salads increase vaayus dosha in the body.
Dinner needs to be healthy and limited in quantities for better sleep and healthy digestion, and following these Ayurvedic tips will help you in the long run.
