Diet
Diet: A Short History
Human evolution has been a gradual process over millions of years, from our earliest ancestors that diverged from other primates over four to seven million years ago, to the modern Homo sapiens of today. We first begin to bear some semblance to the modern human as Homo habilis and H. erectus 2-3 million years ago, with rudimentary practices that characterize distinctly human behaviours such hunting and gathering, using spears and stone tools, and according to anthropologist Richard Wrangham, the control and use of fire.
Please login or register to see the full articlePaleolithic Diet
The Paleolithic diet is reflective of the traditional eating patterns of nomadic humans before the advent of agrarian civilization, exemplified in modern times by the traditional eating patterns of the First Nations people of Canada, as well as the Aborigines of Australia and the native peoples of Amazonia. These and early human societies were centered around a hunter-gatherer lifestyle, following the seasonal migrations of large herds of mammals, the spawning of fish, and gathering a large variety of wild vegetables, seeds and fruits.
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It is relatively common nowadays to find people interested in following a vegetarian diet, especially as more and more people become aware of our dysfunctional food production system, and the inhumanity by which food animals are treated. The change can range from eating less meat on a weekly basis, eating some fish, eggs or dairy, to becoming a full-fledged vegan that avoids any type of animal product.
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Ayurveda states that one of the five causes of disease (pancha vidha karana) is the effect of the season (rtu) and climate (desha), something that our modern society often sees more as an inconvenience or obstacle rather than as a guide to living well on this earth. We can see that many diseases such as influenza follow a seasonal pattern, such as influenza, gastroenteritis, heart attacks and hayfever.
Please login or register to see the full articleFood Combining
Food-combining is extremely important issue to take note of when suffering from chronic digestive disorders. The basic idea behind food combining is that different parts of the digestive tract attend to the digestion of different classes of macronutrients and foods. Carbohydrates such as bread, potatoes and oatmeal undergo preliminary digestion in the mouth with the secretion of salivary amylase, and by mechanical digestion (chewing).
Please login or register to see the full articleDiet for Congestion
A congestive state is any state in the body that is characterized by symptoms including excess mucus, heaviness, lethargy, lymphatic congestion and mental dullness. In Ayurveda the aspect of congestion is correlated with kapha dosha, consisting of cold, heavy, smooth, moist and dull qualities. Thus to balance these qualities herbs, foods, beverages and lifestyle habits used to pacify kapha are used, i.e. warming, light, rough, dry and sharp.
Please login or register to see the full articleDiet for Inflammation
An inflammatory state is any state in the body that is characterized by symptoms including burning sensations, heat, swelling, redness and exquisite pain or tenderness. In Ayurveda the aspect of inflammation is correlated with pitta dosha, consisting of hot, light, ascending and quick-moving qualities. Thus to balance these qualities herbs, foods, beverages and lifestyle habits used to pacify pitta are used, i.e. cooling, heavy, descending, and relaxing.
Please login or register to see the full articleDiet for Degeneration
A degenerative state is any state in the body that is characterized by a loss of tissue integrity, loss of function, atrophy, wasting and weight loss. In Ayurveda the aspect of degeneration is correlated with vata dosha, consisting of cold, dry, light, unstable and erratic qualities. Thus to balance these qualities herbs, foods, beverages and lifestyle habits used to pacify vata are used, i.e. warming, moistening, heavy, stable and grounding.
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Once you have determined the nature of your diet, it is important to develop and observe some rules of when you eat, in order to provide enough energy as well as balance your metabolic needs. We are somewhat unique in our Western culture with regard to the frequency of our eating patterns. Although many of us hold to the notion of ‘three square meals’, depending on what we eat during meal time, many of us end up eating much more than this, indulging in several snacks or ‘treats’ throughout the day that we use to elevate mood and energy.
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