I am sure many of us saw the movie Forrest Gump and were especially fond of the character Benjamin Buford “Bubba” Blue. He would go on and on about shrimp. He was passionate about the subject and would talk to Forrest non-stop about his dream. I am kind of that way when it comes to Ayurveda. Ayurveda is one the oldest traditional systems of medicine that is still widely accepted around the world. It originated in what we know as India more than 5,000 years ago. The goal of Ayurveda is to keep people healthy, while they pursue their more important spiritual goals. This is a system of medicine that is mainly interested in the prevention of disease at its roots before it can blossom. In the spirit of this holistic system of health and well being I will present you with some simple breakfast ideas for the fall season, which is considered the Vata time of year.
What is this Vata thing you keep talking about?
Vata is one the three primary doshas or constitutions in the Ayurvedic system. The other two are Pitta and Kapha. Each being comes into this world with a certain percentage of each of these doshas. Each dosha is associated with particular elements and have their own distinguishing qualities. For our example today I will outline a high-level overview of Vata. Vata consists of air and ether and some of its qualities are mobile, dry, light, cold and subtle. According to Ayurveda, we have the Vata times of the day (2pm-6pm & 2am-6am), time of the year (fall) and the years of our life (60+). Without getting too far into the weeds I can tell you that we must try and honor these factors and try to find the best lifestyle routines and foods to keep us in balance. The problem is not many people know or understand what Ayurveda is and how, with the guidance of a qualified practitioner their chronic conditions may be helped.
What are the best foods to eat during the fall?
If a person is primarily Vata then the autumn season has the potential to be challenging for you. You might have drier skin than normal, excess anxiety, difficulty sleeping, crackling joints, and an increased sense of coldness. For this person foods that are warm, moist, and heavy are the best. This person would most likely be aggravated by cold salads, smoothies, raw foods, dry snacks and iced beverages.
Ideas for delicious and easy morning meals?
Baked Apples with Cardamom, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Ghee sauce
Bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Core the apples (2 total), keeping the bottom intact. Place apples in a baking pan with the boiling water. Set in the oven. After about 10 minutes, spoon the sauce (1 tbsp ghee melted, sprinkle spices and a pinch of sugar) into the center of the apples and return to the oven. Bake 30-40 minutes in a 375 oven until soft.
Cozy Overnight Oats
You can prepare this the night before as overnight oats. This is a handy method because all you need to do is warm the oats up in the morning. The ratio is 1 part oats plus 1 part milk (any kind). I like to add warming spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, cloves etc. plus ground flaxseed or chia seeds. You can also add a touch of agave or maple syrup. If you want to add nuts, do that just before you sit down to eat. If you are not a fan of oats, why not try quinoa, millet, or rice.
Please watch for more blogs coming soon that will help you with the change of seasons.
If you don’t know your dosha, check out this test by Joyful Belly:
Further reading: https://lovingkindnessreikiyoga.org/2020/06/08/what-is-ayurveda-how-does-ayurveda-fit-into-my-life/