jenny cares 

Ayurvedic Healing Foods
from Yoga Journal By Miriam Kasin Hospodar
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Lemons are both purifying and nourishing, and they stimulate digestion. For reducing toxins, drink unsweetened lemonade as many times during the day as desired.

Ghee (clarified butter) is among the best rejuvenating and longevity-promoting foods. It aids digestion and calms the nerves. Ghee's rate of absorption is high, making it an excellent medium for transporting the nutrients of other foods to the tissues.

Dates and Figs are prized as excellent sources of energy. They also help build tissues. Eat one or two every day.

Almonds are nourishing and life-supporting. Ayurveda recommends blanching and peeling almonds because their skins are slightly toxic. Eat several almonds daily to increase strength and energy.

Mung Beans are among the best legumes for their supreme digestibility and health-giving qualities. They are beneficial when people are sick or otherwise in need of very light food. Mung beans are particularly nourishing when mixed with rice or other grains.

Ginger is often referred to as "the universal medicine." It promotes good digestion and helps remove ama. Dried ground ginger is more concentrated in its flavor and its effects. To aid digestion, sprinkle a thin slice of fresh ginger with lemon juice and salt, and eat one-half hour before a meal.

Cumin Seeds serve as a digestive aid and ama-reducer for all doshas. To help remove toxins, start the day by drinking warm water mixed with a pinch of powdered cumin and ginger.

Lassi is a beverage prepared by mixing one part yogurt into two parts water. It is an excellent nutritive digestive aid, taken during or after a meal. You can flavor lassi either with raw sugar or honey and a little ground cardamom, or with toasted ground cumin seeds and salt.
Juicy, Seasonal Fruits are both highly nutritive and purifying. Juicy fruits should be completely ripe for maximum healing value.

Green, Leafy Vegetables are both nutritive and purifying. Their bitter flavor stimulates the liver, helps balance blood sugar, and aids skin conditions. Prepare with a little ghee or oil.

Cow's Milk is considered a vitalizer by Ayurveda and recommended for those emaciated after injury. Ayurveda recommends bringing milk to a full boil to remove the qualities that can cause excess mucus. To further reduce milk's clogging qualities, add a pinch of ginger and/or black pepper. Also, milk should be imbibed separately from foods with any taste other than sweet.

Water is universally beneficial for everyone, and assists virtually all healing. It promotes digestion and, when imbibed while hot, is particularly effective for removing ama.

Your stomach is upset. You can pop a pill for temporary relief, but sooner or later indigestion will take its toll.

Ayurvedic expert Robert E. Svoboda explains,
“Indigestion is the base of all physical disease, the condition from which all other conditions arise.”
According to ayurveda, the key to good health is properly functioning agni, which in the form of digestive fire helps us assimilate nutrients and get rid of waste, or ama. Efficient digestion nourishes and sustains every tissue and organ in our bodies.
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When agni is balanced and strong:
  • Efficient digestion
  • Minimal toxic buildup
  • Internal warmth
  • Energy and vitality
  • Clarity of mind
  • Courage
  • Robust health
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But when agni is weak,
...digestion is incomplete and leaves behind toxins, which interfere with the flow of blood, lymph, and energy throughout the body. When we’re unable to rid ourselves of these wastes, ama accumulates and leads to disease.
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Warning signs:
 • Inefficient digestion (bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhea)
 • Evidence of toxic buildup (coated tongue, unpleasant body odour, excess mucous, and foul-smelling, cloudy urine)
 • Internal coldness
 • Low energy
 • A dull, forgetful, confused, unfocused mind
 • Mental/emotional weakness
 • Illness
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Activate Your Solar Power
Agni’s home is in the solar plexus.
By generating heat and strengthening the muscles in this region, we can “fan the fire” and increase our digestive power.
Here’s how.
Get regular aerobic exercise. Ayurveda’s general rule is to exercise daily until sweat forms on the forehead, under the arms, and along the spine.
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Strengthen your abs. Do sit-ups, crunches, or leglifts for 5–10 minutes a day.
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Practice agni sara. This yogic cleansing practice is the most important exercise for improving digestion and maintaining overall health. (Learn this practice from a video here).
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Before You Eat
Do five minutes of diaphragmatic breathing. This activates the body’s rest-and-digest response, relaxing the nervous system and enhancing blood flow to the digestive organs.
Make sure that your right nostril is open.
According to the yoga tradition, nostril dominance has subtle effects on our energy and can help or hinder our digestion.
When the left nostril is dominant (open), our energy is more “yin”—cool, receptive, and passive.
When the right nostril is dominant the energy in our body is more “yang”—hot, aggressive, active, and ideal for digestion.
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Hints:
1. If your nostril dominance changes from right to left mid-meal, stop eating. This is a subtle signal that your body has had enough.
2. Lying on your left side for five minutes after a meal will stimulate digestion, since it helps to keep the right nostril open.
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The Dos & Don’ts of Eating
Ayurvedic physicians believe that it’s not just what you eat, but how you eat that stokes (or chokes) your digestive fire. Here are six tips for effective eating.
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DO
 • Follow a balanced, vegetarian, whole-foods diet.
 • Eat your largest meal around noon, when agni is the strongest.
 • Fast daily for at least 12 hours (e.g., 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.)
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DON’T
 • Dilute your digestive fire by drinking cold beverages at meals.
 • Overwhelm agni by overeating.
 • Pollute your system with late-night snacks or junk food.
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A Belly Massage
A little tender loving care works wonders on an upset (and previously ignored) stomach. Warm up some organic sesame oil, find a quiet room, dim the lights, lie down, and slowly rub the oil on your belly in a clockwise motion for up to five minutes. This will soothe a gaseous stomach, promote digestion, and help you tune into your body and breath.

Overcome Indigestion was posted by Megan, selected from Yoga+ Magazine Oct 16, 2009 -original article by Shannon Sexton, Yoga + Magazine- Shannon Sexton is the editor at large for Yoga+ Joyful Living  - Yoga+ is an award-winning, independent magazine that contemplates the deeper dimensions of spiritual life–exploring the power of yoga practice and philosophy to not only transform our bodies and minds, but inspire meaningful engagement in our society, environment, and the global community.