How I started my Ayurveda Journey
Day 2 of my journey into Ayurveda begins with a warm cup of water and a slice of lemon when I rise at 5 a.m. After warming my water, I go to the oven to see how my “breakfast” is looking. I will be eating something called Congee for breakfast for the next two weeks.
I had finally set up a student consultation at The Ayurvedic Institute last week. A life time of digestion problems that at times seemed to be resolved but recently have left me quite uncomfortable after I eat brought me here. Described by the Chopra Center as more than a system of treating illness, “Ayurveda is a science of life” (Ayur=life, Veda = science or knowledge). This is a traditional Indian system of medicine designed to bring the body back into balance with itself. Ayurveda philosophy seems clear that all health starts with digestion. The consultation itself resembled a consultation at any teaching hospital or clinic. The student intern introduced herself and her teacher. The teacher would be coming in and out of the room during the visit and ultimately approving the treatment plan.
I have long realized that Western medicine and Eastern medicine don’t agree on many things. This experience reinforces that. I typically eat small amounts of food every couple of hours. At least half of my intake is raw foods since I am a vegetarian. Sounds great by typical Western standards, right? What I learned is that from an Ayurvedic perspective, food should be warm and ideally freshly cooked. Three meals a day are recommended. Since it takes 4-5 hours for your food to digest, if you are eating every two hours, the food from your “last meal” have not yet had a chance to digest. Eating foods that are dry and cold can strain your digestive system. Being mindful and eating slowly is the recommended philosophy.
So when I told them about my diet of raw foods every 2 hours while I am at my desk reading emails, you can imagine that they could easily see the problem. Textbook.
For two weeks, I will be rising to a warm cup of water and a slice of lemon. For breakfast, I can eat Congee which has been slow cooked overnight. They provided me with a recipe which included options for variety (see below). No snacking in between the 3 meals is allowed. If I feel hunger between meals, I should have a cup of tea. An ayurvedic herbal mixture called Hingvastak was prescribed and is to be ingested in the middle of each meal followed by warm water. No more reading emails at my desk at lunch (?). The last thing was that I should be incorporating the yogic breath (see link below) into my daily routine in 3 minute increments. Prior to my daily meditation and prior to sleep, and prior to yoga if possible.
I agreed to try this for two weeks. The recommendation was to use a crockpot and in the evening, prepare the Congee, and let cook overnight. While I am not known for my culinary skills, I figured I could handle this. Day 1 I awoke to a burning smell. Oh yes, I burned it. Apparently I had not put enough liquid in the crockpot. I made oatmeal instead. I consulted with my husband and we decided low heat in the oven might be the way to go with more water. Day 2 was a success I am happy to report! Usually I eat Greek yogurt with fruit followed by a protein bar. This is quite a different experience. I can do anything for two weeks, right?
Congee is a medicinal porridge and is traditional in East Indian and Chinese homes. Eating congee for breakfast is intended to jump start and strengthen your digestive system. Day 2 has gone well. I am longing for a handful of trail mix but have resisted. For dinner, I will be steaming the vegetables that would usually be my salad. Most of the changes are about habit for me I think. I will keep you posted as I progress but would love to hear if you have followed any of the ayurvedic dietary recommendations and how it went.
Congee Recipe:
1 part grain to 5 parts water
Combine in crockpot and cook on low overnight (8 hours)
Grain options: Brown rice, Oat groats, Quinoa
Spice options: cinnamon, bay leaf, allspice, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, mustard seed
Nuts/fruits/veggie options: jujube, lyceum berries, dried cherries, walnuts and almonds can be added at the end, sweet potato, carrots, pumpkin, spinach, squash
Flavor options: gomasio, molasses, honey, maple syrup, rice milk
Full yogic breath
https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-6751/Mastering-the-Full-Yogic-Breath.html