How Ayurveda Revolutionized My Approach To Food & Improved My Digestion

While I don't have anything clinically wrong with my digestion, for years I've struggled with bloating, gastrointestinal pain, and um, achieving regular, healthy bowel movements.

With my interest understandably piqued, I was happy to explore more of this ancient Indian system of medicine through Sahara Rose's ayurveda class, particularly when it came to approaching my diet.

One of the biggest takeaways I learned from Rose was the idea of digestion as energy; the more energy the body has to dedicate to digestion, the less energy it has for other things. Going back to smoothies versus stews, I realized the strain I was putting on my body by forcing it to warm up the cold foods and drinks I so often consumed. Now, I've grown to love room temperature water and warm teas.

Over the course of the class, we discussed how in ayurveda, it's actually recommended not to drink much during meals, as that will also negatively affect your digestive fire. I gave it a try, and it's made a huge difference for such a small change. (Less gas and bloating. Win.)

Yes, I'll still go for a smoothie here and there, but I've incorporated way more warm, easy-to-digest foods into my diet. Speaking of, Rose explained why soaking legumes is so important for digestion and how to do it. As a primarily plant-based gal with a love for beans, this was incredibly helpful info and has noticeably improved the uncomfortable gas issues I used to think were normal after eating legumes.

All in all, the same benefits I felt while eating ayurvedic food during my training are now accessible to me through my own cooking, thanks to this class.

If you're looking to eat in a way that nourishes and supports your individual needs, take your self-care to the next level, or simply improve your digestion, this class is one to dig into.

Figuring out your dosha is a great place to start, so you can then learn how to best maintain balance depending on your constitution. Knowing what dosha(s) you're dominant in can help you figure out the best things to eat and drink, plus which things to avoid. Rose goes into all of this and more, for a foundational framework of ayurveda that makes it super easy to adopt its practices.

Ayurveda has been trusted for centuries, and for good reason. It's intuitive and holistic, viewing the body as one whole of interconnected parts. And the basis of ayurveda as a medicinal practice is not to treat ailments but rather to prevent them from happening at all. In a world of popping a pill for what seems like every little symptom, I greatly appreciate ayurveda's holistic approach. (Regularly using a neti pot, for example, has kept sinus infections at bay when I used to suffer from one every time allergy season rolled around.)