"Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food"
~ Hippocrates ~
Many people eat to indulge and many eat to fill the hole but very few people eat food as medicine. Does that explain the rise of diseases in the modern world? Food for thought.
Many of us take food and the body for granted... and assume that by feeding ourselves anything, our bodies will continue to perform. I was one of them! Until I learnt that...if we want true well being, nothing is going to change, until we get our nutrition right, after all, the food that we eat becomes the body.
In this modern world of today, it is a challenge for most to eat a clean diet. We are used to the so-called "tasty" foods which are laden with ingredients cranked up in sugars, calories and all kinds of synthetic chemicals.
Yes, the human body is resilient and it lasts a long long time even when we abuse it. I use the word 'abuse' because when we unknowingly feed our body with foods that are detrimental to our well-being, it is equivalent to abusing it. I did it for years unknowingly!
Our body is like a machine. Imagine a machine that runs on 70% fuel, 20% lubricant and 10% water...if you put 50% fuel, 10% lubricant, 5% water, 10% cooking oil and 25% chemicals in it...would the machine work?
Simple analogy, but that's pretty much how our body works. We are natural beings, we are supposed to consume food and drinks that come from nature. That is why eating clean is vital, not just for our well-being but for being who we truly are. Living is not just about surviving until the body gives up but feeling the vibrancy of life and that comes when we learn to become one with nature.
So, what do I mean by eating clean?
It means:
No refined sugar
No refined table salt
No additives or synthetic man-made chemicals
No ready-made sauces
No ready-made meals
No processed food
No un-natural ingredients
No prana-negative ingredients
I don't think the top seven need any explanation, but I shall talk a little about the last one, just in case you are not aware.
'Prana' means energy in Sanskrit. It is the life force that is present in all living beings. Just as we have this #energy flowing through us, it flows through all plants and animals too. Hence, when we consume these animals or plants, we also consume the energy that's flowing through them. Their energy become one with ours. Thus, it is important to understand that our food choices affect our prana if we want to understand true well-being.
The other aspect of consuming prana negative foods is that some of them are powerful medicines, therefore, it is like eating a strong tablet every day when you don't need it... too much of a good thing can be bad. They also affect our nervous system. I am writing this after experimenting on myself for many years and I found some very interesting observations, how they affected me mentally and physically, which I shall write about some other time.
What are these prana negative ingredients?
Garlic
Onion
Chilies
Aubergine
Asafoetida (which is not a common ingredient, so not to worry)
Alcohol
Caffeine (Tea/Coffee)
Hence, all the recipes that I share here on my blog are free from the above ingredients. They are also free from gluten & dairy and I use minimal grain. If you are battling with #autoimmune disorders or any #hormonalimbalance or mental and emotional challenges, it is essential to remove all allergens from your diet because healing begins in our gut. I know what a difference it made to my healing journey when I started removing them from my diet.
We have enough data today that tells us that food modulates our hormones, our biology, our chemistry, our brain functions, etc.
Healing is easier when you feed your body with nutritious, clean food. Gut health is important for physical and mental well being. When your gut is happy, you are happy. When you are happy, you heal...it's a good cycle to be caught in.
Feed your body with love and your body will love you back.
It's a simple equation:
➡️ nutritious food = happy body = vitality = happy mind = happy thoughts = well being
It's a simple "happy" equation!
In simple words, I cook using natural and fewer ingredients. There's a lot of simplicity there! LOL! Keep it simple, simple, simple is my rule of thumb.
Of course, it isn't just food that plays a part in our healing. Being mindful of our mental and emotional habits, re-wiring our brains by removing our limiting belief systems, quieting the self-critical mind, introspecting, moving our body, focusing on self-love, understanding our connection between the body, mind, heart and soul...all of these play a part in the process of healing and growing.
Healing is not just of the body, but of your mind and your life.
Enjoy the journey. Keep it #clean. Keep it #simple. Keep it #fun. Get #creative and before you know it, you will be on the fun #healing ride. Focus on the fun.