Vedic Foods
( The Recommended Diet by
Ayurveda, the Science of Life )
The Scientific
Aspect
Vedic Foods means high octane fuels
like clean water fruits, vegetables, sea vegetables, herbs and their teas, whole
grains, seeds, nuts, legumes and plain white yogurt without fruit or sweeteners.
Foods not okayed by Ayurveda include low octane fuels - all sugars,excess
oils,alcohols, stimulants such as narcotics, tea and coffee, white breads,
candies,carbonated soft drinks and sweetened fruit juices.
Modern
scientific research has found out the presence of "Phytochemicals" ( "phyto" is
a Greek term meaning "plant derived") that are disease preventing ( cancer
preventing ) substances in all fruits and vegetables. Eat a variety of coloured
fruits & vegetables to get a full range of phytochemicals. One should favour
the consumption of less animal protein foods or dairy.
The Solar Ingress into Capricorn and the six months following that Ingress are known as Uttarayana ( The Northern progress of the Sun, Declination North ). This time is known as Adana and we have to eat seasonal fruits like Pomegranate, Water Melon, Orange, Grapes, Tender Coconut and its water, carrot juice etc. The Solar Ingress into Cancer and six months following that are known as Visarga or Dakshinayana ( The Southern progress of the Sun, Declination South ) and we are instructed to eat bittergourd, gherkins, guava etc.
Acid-Alkaline Balance - Key
Indicator of Health
Foods either leave an acid ash or an alkaline ash. Maximum
health is in an alkaline body. The average 20th century diet, stress, pace,
lifestyle & environment produce far more acid than is healthy. The human
body is alkaline by design & acidic by function, which means that your
body's health is dependent upon it being alkaline.
The original source of
stress is known as a stressor. Most of the stressors in todays' society (
cigarette smoke, alcohol, stress itself, bad diet, coffee, sodas,
pharmaceuticals) all produce an acid state in the body. All cancerous states are
acid states of long duration.
Research indicates that 90% of our general
population is far too acidic, which leads to a variety of negative health
effects. Over time, being acidic is the main cause of degenerative diseases
& aging. If you have an acidic body, you become energyless, exhausted
physically & mentally and you lose the radiance and shine of skin &
hair. Grains, sugar, dairy, animal or vegetarian protein & oils yield
an acid ash while fruits, sea vegetables, quality water & herbs yield
an alkaline ash You should consume 20% of your food daily, by weight from the
acid ash-forming foods & 80% , from the alkaline ash-forming
foods.
pH ( standing for 'potential of Hydrogen' ) is a measure of the
relative acidity or alkalinity of a solution. The scale of pH ranges from 1 to
14. 14 is totally alkaline and zero is acidic. The middle of this line is 7,
neutral. Quality water has a Ph of 7 and you should maintain this
level.
It is ideal to incorporate 2 glasses of lime juice along with the
8-12 glasses of water which is taken daily . A diet of 80% alkaline ash foods is
ideal. We have to maintain this ratio - 80 % alkalinity & 20% acidity for
optimum health.
The effects of having an alkaline body
1) we are
calm & collected
2) we have high energy level
3) our sleep patterns
are deep
4) we have less colds and flus than normal
5) the immune system
is fortified
6) the body has good
absorption/assimilation/digestion.
One of the
Ten Commandments of Hygiea ( the Greek Goddess of Health is that "Thou shalt eat
pure, unprocessed, living natural food". This means we have to eat more natural
foods & less processed foods ( which are more or less acidic ). Truly
speaking, processed foods,even though they taste well, are robbers as they rob
us of our natural, vibrant health. We are, indeed, indebted to Mother Nature for
giving us these natural foods or to the Divine Blueprint who created these
powerful, natural foods.
The Philosophic aspect
The Vedas
averr that the Sun causeth vegetation and from vegetation cometh all food and
that the earth is the storehouse of all enery. The food that we consume helps us
to tap the negative or positive earth energies. Food influences the mind. We are
what we eat. Our present and future are influenced by our thoughts. What you
think, you become.
The Vedic food perspective is
multi-dimensional.
Cancer, allergies, Alzheimer's disease,pollution of
the blood, Stress & depression are all caused by the consumption of red
meat, beef & cow meat. Not only that, it will disturb your electromagnetic
energy.
The Seers declared that you can stay with lower consciouness
animals till your consciousness grows, if you crave meat. Man is basically a
fruitarian.
The Five Scientifc Reasons behind
Vegetarianism
The key to good health &
happiness is Vegetarianism. The Vedic perspective, which is multidimensional
includes the medical, ecological & spiritual viewpoints. These are the major
reasons
I) The Ethical Law of
Reason
Love in Action is Non-violence &
because of this noble passion, ethically one desists from killing animals.
Inflciting pain is Sin.
II) The Consequences
of the Law of Karma
The Law of Cause &
Effect, of Action & Reaction & the Grand Law of Causation is known as
the Law of Karma.
Divine Merit & Sin have been defined in
transcendental literature thus.
Helping others is divine
merit.
Inflicting pain is sin.
All actions have reactions, physical
& karmic.By involving in inflicting pain to others ( animals included ), one
must in the future, experience an equal measure of the suffering
caused.
III) Medical Reason
Fruits and vegetables are alkaline by nature and by
consuming them we keep our 80-20 percent ratio of alkalinity &
acidity.
Vegetarian diet is easier to digest, imposes fewer toxins on the
body & provides a wide range of nutrients. Vegetarians are less susceptible
to major diseases ( because they are more alkaline than acidic ) and thus live
longer. They have smaller medical bills, fewer physical complaints & less
frequent visits to the doctor. Their immune system is stronger, bodies purer
& skin more glamorous because of natural foods.
IV) The Spiritual Reason
While
the Occidental perspective is to consume food which will bring out aggression
& dynamism, the Oriental perspective is to consume food which will bring out
the latent divinity in man.
Food is the source of the body's chemistry
& the subtle essence of food becomes the mind. What we ingest, affects our
Consciousness, emotions and experiential patterns. One should abstain from meat,
fish & eggs if one wants to live in higher states of Consciousness. By
ingesting the grosser characteristics of animal foods, one introduces in to the
mind lust, greed, anger, jealousy, anxiety, suspicion, fear etc all of which are
locked into the flesh of the butchered animals. For these reasons, vegetarians
live in higher consciousness & non-vegetarians abide in lower states of
Consciousness.
More information about Transcendental Philosophy &
Yoga can be
had from http://www.astrologiavedica.com/html/yogamain.htm
V) The Ecological
Reason
As our Mother Earth is suffering, we
have to understand that Meat is the cause of the escalating loss of species,
destruction of ancient rain foreststo create pasture lands for livestock, loss
of topsoils and the consequent increase of water impurities and air pollution.
Hence by renouncing meat, we save our Planet Earth.
Here we give below
foods for the tripod of Body, Mind & Self
Food for Self
Ghee ( Indian Clarified Butter ) & Water
energized with Mantra
Food For for
Mind
Fruits ( sweet ), Green Vegetables,
Coconut, Yogurt, Sugar, Walnuts. Rice ( basmati)
Food For Body
Fruits ( citric ),
Vegetables which grow under the earth, Milk, Proteins, Wheat, Corn, Barley
etc
Lentils & Spices
Foods to be
generally avoided
Eggs ( Can cause ulcers,
Heart & kidney problems )
Coffee ( Can cause BP, Arthritis, Nervousness
)
Red Meat ( Can cause Cholesterol related diseases )
Old Chocolate ( Can
cause Leukemia )
Pound Cakes ( Stagnation of digestive
system)
Refrigerated Food.
May I finish my article with a quotation
from the Philosopher-King Parikshith " The animal killer cannot relish the
message of Absolute Truth " !