What is a yogic kitchen?
Firstly, let me say loudly THIS IS NOT A DIET BOOK. I also hope that you get more from this book than the pleasure of cooking the 100 fabulous recipes in here because this book is not just about food, either! I called this book The Yogic Kitchen not because I am an experienced yoga instructor, but because my yoga practice sits alongside Ayurveda, its sister science. And just as yoga is not just about the asanas (postures), neither is Ayurveda only about food. Ayurveda has way more to offer you than handy hints on what to eat. So, what is a yogic kitchen and what is Ayurveda? You don’t have to practise yoga to have a yogic kitchen, but the benefits of yoga practice are well documented. A yogic kitchen is simply one where the principles of Ayurveda inform your daily menu.
Ayurveda is the traditional Indian healing system that is over 5000 years old, so the information I am sharing with you in this book is tried and tested; it has been passed down through generations. Ayurveda predominantly uses food as medicine to help people maintain their health and increase their longevity. It is, admittedly, my interpretation of it, but I have tried to be as faithful as possible to the practice.
I use Ayurveda on a daily basis in my health coaching practice and as a therapeutic tool with my yoga students to give them a deeper understanding of their bodies, minds and natural tendencies.
Ayurveda means science of life: ayur – science, veda – of life. It teaches that eating well is the foundation of one’s health and when we are not eating well, the body will show symptoms of illness and disease. By following the recommendations in this book it is my hope that you will gain a greater understanding of how to achieve more balance and harmony in your own life. That’s what happened for me when I discovered Ayurveda and it is the reason I continue to share my passion for this ancient science of wellness with the world through my books but also through my retreats and workshops.
THE THREE DOSHAS
The healing system of Ayurveda is based on the principle that five elements – earth, fire, water, air and space – exist both within our bodies and in the world around us. The elements combine in our bodies to form one’s constitution. These five elements, in varying degrees, comprise the three doshas (otherwise known as energetic forces of nature or functional principles) that describe one’s unique constitution (or prakruti in Ayurveda). The three doshas are known as Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Each dosha describes certain characteristics based on the elements they contain. Vata represents predominantly the quality of air, Pitta represents fire and Kapha represents water. We are all made up of varying amounts of each element and each person has a unique combination – we all have a unique proportional mix of the doshas but one may dominate. Some people have more air, others more fire and others more earth.
These elements govern the way our body responds to certain foods and lifestyle choices, and like increases like and opposites balance in Ayurveda. So a person with lots of fire in their constitution will be more susceptible to illness in the heat (Pitta dosha), a person with more water will be vulnerable in cold, damp and humid conditions (Kapha dosha) and a person dominated by air is shaken in cooler windier months (Vata dosha). The more you learn about the qualities of the elements that make up the doshas, the more it will help you determine the foods and other life choices that are best for you for balancing your dosha and that will create calm in your constitution. The elements don’t just exist in nature, they are also present in the food we eat. Some foods are more heating, some more watery, some more crisp, light and airy.
A person with a dominant Pitta (fire) dosha will thrive in the cooler months or achieve