Ayurveda

While browsing in my favourite book store, Daunt Books, I came across this book "Eat Right for Your Body Type".  A quick flipping through registered home for me.  The author is downright beautiful, so I picked it up to read about its theories in more detail.

The basic principle (founded from ancient Eastern thinking call Ayurveda) is that there are three distinct life energies.  We all possess some of each, but most will favour one more strongly.  Based on the one you favour, there are dietary recommendations to keep your systems in balance and keep you in good health.

All in all, this is an advanced holistic approach to wellness.  I did some quick independent research online regarding Ayurvedic medicine, and it is quite interesting to me.  Fundamentally, what we eat ultimately effects everything in our body ... if you are eating what is good for you, digesting it thoroughly, you will avoid premature health problems and be the best you today.

The book offers up a questionnaire to help you figure out your "dosha" based on your physical structure, personality traits, and bodily functions.  I am what they call "Kapha" and without getting too into the doctrine means that I tend to have a slower metabolism and would benefit from more spice (well, it is not quite that simple).  Of course there is the avoid meat, saturated fats, and processed carb mantra to go along with it.

I decided to give it a shot.  The book provides a menu for a week along with all the recipes, so off I went to go shopping.  It has been fun getting ingredients I typically would not buy like cardamom pods, rice milk, nigella seeds, and tofu.

There is a recipe for spiced tea that is delicious, and I am advised to sip on it throughout the day.  I also found it quite interesting they suggest I start the day with a hot cup of water with a lemon in it to get my system ready for business.  I had thought I would always prefer a cold glass of water, but I am kind of liking this warm water business ... it is still chilly here though.

Anyway, breakfast, lunch, and dinner for five days I stuck to it.  No cow milk (dairy is only to be taken in infrequent doses, as it increases mucus and allergies), bread, red meat, cheese, etc. for a week - mostly vegetables and grains and fun spices.

I actually really enjoyed it.  I got to try some new recipes, was not hungry ... and bam! I lost four pounds. I already planned out and bought for week two!