Ayurvedic food over the holidays

Now it starts again with the sumptuous Christmas menus with our loved ones. Some of the Christmas classics are often quite heavy on the stomach, but this is often due to the fact that we simply eat too much and exercise too little at the same time.

Here are a few simple Ayurvedic tricks, because it's good to see that there are no contradictions according to the Ayurvedic approach and any Christmas menu can be truly Ayurvedic if we follow a few basic rules:

In principle, the following applies:

Ayurvedic food does not always mean pure vegetarian food. Of course, animal products are harder to digest, and frequent consumption in everyday life can also be the cause of various diseases.

If you don't want to give up animal protein, consider the following:

• The smaller and more mobile an animal is, the easier it is to digest. That means the ox is heavier than the cow, the cow is heavier than the deer, the deer is heavier than the hare, etc.
• Light meat is generally better tolerated than red meat.
• Poultry is best tolerated by all animals.
• Very important — do not combine milk with the meat menu (for example in dessert or coffee). That's right Ama!

The right menu and digestive spices help to burn food better:

• As a starter, a soup should be served which, with Agni-stimulating spices — such as ginger, pepper or mustard seeds — prepares the digestive fire well for the upcoming main course.
• For the main course, fat and cream should be used as sparingly as possible, especially if fish, meat or poultry are included. Ghee and sesame oil are best as cooking fat. Cabbage should always be cooked for a long time and thanks to the addition of cumin, it is lighter and free from bloating.
• If possible, the dessert should be prepared without dairy products. Afterwards, a bitter coffee or tea should be served — this stimulates the digestive juices and protects against tired sleep after a meal.

What about wine or other alcoholic beverages with the meal?

Basically, you say:”A glass of wine extends life by 10%. Two glasses of wine shorten it again.”

A little wine is allowed or even recommended during the cold winter months. When enjoying wine:

• White wine has an Agni stimulating effect and should be drunk earlier at the beginning of the meal.
• Red wine has more bitter properties and goes well with the end of the meal.

In Ayurveda, other alcoholic beverages are considered tonics, which can be taken in small amounts with heavy food and are characterized by a digestive effect.

As the most important tip for the gourmet holidays: Drink plenty of warm water in the morning and during the day (ginger water is optimal), maybe skip breakfast and make A long digestive walk every day.

And never forget: Even if we can't fully comply with our dietary principles, that's not so bad: there are still days left after the festive days, and the joy of eating and partying should not be neglected!


(Source: ayurveda-portal.de)