Dr Hiral Bhatt explains Fermentation is the process by which yeast and bacteria break down starches into simpler substances. In fact, this process is the basis of all food preservation, making sure that foods stay fresh for longer.

Fermented foods are widely consumed in the Indian subcontinent. A variety of fermented foods are consumed daily, including buttermilk, curd and paneer. Whilst the majority of Indian food is vegetarian, fermented foods such as tofu, pickles and soured buttermilk can be used to make sour dishes for non-vegetarians or for those with dietary restrictions.

Qualities Of Fermented Food

Some of the well-known qualities of fermented foods are

• Fermented foods act as a probiotic while also giving out rich taste.
• They contain good healthy bacteria that provide the same health benefits as our own gut flora.
• A number of studies have shown that fermented foods are beneficial to our health in a number of ways, including increasing the absorption of nutrients.

Besides the commonly known qualities of fermented foods, there are some more qualities that, which you may not be aware of.

As Ayurveda says Fermented Foods are agni vardhak i.e. digestives. A food that helps to Kindle the digestive fire by enhancing secretions from glands of the GIT is called an Agnivartak. This can include any type of food, particularly those like fermented foods which contain a significant amount of heat. They are more likely to improve digestion but might also have some effect to imbalance heat. They may also have congestive effects leading to blockages and related diseases on some body types and in some seasons.eg a Kaf body type person in spring season.

For Whom Is Fermented Foods Suitable

When it comes to health, fermented food is all the rage. Fermented food can help to gain weight and improve overall health. This is because fermented foods made with urad daal which is high in protein and the fermentation process makes it easier to assimilate. So it helps those wishing to gain some muscle mass. Pickled foods help the body to absorb all essential nutrients and minerals. So they are an excellent dietary supplement for people with weak digestion, or even a little bit of pickle in a meal will help your body absorb the nutrients from the food better and efficiently.

Fermented food can be highly beneficial for health in some conditions. For people having a heat imbalance in their bodies, fermented foods are not recommended. For example, those with skin conditions, ulcers or high blood pressure should completely avoid consumption. People with certain diseases should also avoid consumption of it because it may worsen the condition. However, Dr Hiral Bhatt suggests that during hot climates, the consumption of fermented foods should be kept to a minimum or completely avoided, otherwise we may experience adverse effects on our health.

Conclusion

As per Ayurveda Doctor in Navi Mumbai effects of all things that we come across in our life are determined by our present state of mind, diet and activity. Fermented foods are never a bad thing to eat but when you want to consume ferments it must be at the right time and in the right place. So, one has to be careful about the state of mind or lifestyle, climate, body type and age of the person who wishes to consume the food that is being fermented. We don’t consume fermented food just because it is good for our health or it is a healthy food. It is advisable to weigh the pros and cons before making it a regular part of diet.

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The good thing about this is that people are now becoming health-conscious. They want to know what to eat and how to live to stay healthy. Even though it’s a good thing, with so many diet plans and they are being so opposite to each other, it gets confusing for people to decide. One diet says you should eat every couple of hours. While the other one says that you should fast for 6-7 hours and take a heavy meal after that. Therefore, we become confused after reading such confusing articles or watching such videos.

This article will provide you with some information or keys to clear up your confusion. Keeping these tips in mind will help you always make the right decisions, such as when is the right time to eat and what is the right time for every person.

Listen to your body signals

Any decision we make, such as whether something is right or wrong, should be based on the individual. In Ayurveda, each individual’s symptoms are taken into consideration when making decisions. Whatever the symptoms are told to you, they are subjective. You will understand on your own, and your body will assist you. There is no need to depend on whether it is mentioned in a book or suggested in a diet. Just understand yourself and take your own decision.

So now I will tell to what is the right time for you to eat. In Ayurvedic diet, he most important thing to remember is that the right time to eat is when you are hungry. There are a few other symptoms also which make it more clear that yes this is the good time to eat. But why this is so important?

The reason is that if we eat after fully digesting the previous meal, the body will digest it properly without creating any unnecessary toxins in the body. Your doshas will remain balanced. Keeping all these things in mind will prevent diseases. In contrast, if you eat without properly digesting your last meal then your body is not in the condition to digest it, no matter how nutritious food you eat, it will be a waste. You won’t get any nutrition from it. Rather, it will create doshas and block the channels, causing harm to your body. To save yourself and keep your health at its peak level, it is important to pay attention to the 5 body signals that I am going to tell you below.

It is basically a matter of paying attention to your body and understanding its signals. Depending on that, you should decide whether to eat or wait.  So, let’s get started.

1. Notice your Burp

The first sign is your burp. The burp we get after eating indicates that our stomach is full. When you burp after having eaten even a few hours ago and feel the taste of your last meal with the burp, it indicates that your last meal is still in the process of digestion. It is not completely digested yet. In such case, you should not take your next meal. If you get burps of lunch till dinner time, then skip dinner.

There are some people who don’t burp. They can take some lukewarm water and wait for a burp to come. And if the taste of the burp is blank and it doesn’t have any taste then you can take your next meal.

2. Feeling Energy or Enthusiasm

Next, look for enthusiasm or energy. After eating, it’s common for people to feel lethargic. At that time, we don’t feel like doing any active work. But after a few hours if your start feeling active and energetic to do any physical activity or exercise or any work that requires high concentration then it shows that your body is free from digestion work.

3. Properly Passing of Urine and Stool

The next sign is the correctly passing of urine and stool. It is easy to tell in the morning how well your dinner or yesterday’s meal has been digested. A normal stool pass and urination in the morning indicate that your last meal has been properly digested. After your food is digested well, your body is prepared to expel waste from your body and recharge itself, making you feel light and hungry. Until you feel so in the morning, don’t take your breakfast.

If it is a regular problem of chronic constipation then it needs treatment. You can get Ayurvedic treatment in Navi Mumbai to cure your internal health problems.

If you normally get a regular motion and one day you don’t, then you need to understand there is some indigestion and give some rest to your body. Skip your breakfast and fast for a few hours so that your body can sort out the things itself.

4. Hunger and Thirst

Hunger is when your body starts feeling light and your stomach feels empty. You feel like eating something. You need to understand that the craving to eat and the hunger to eat are both different. Hunger is when it won’t let you do any other work. You feel like eating something first before doing any other activity.

Along with this, you must feel the sensation of thirst. We should wait for our body or mouth to feel thirsty and demand water. Usually, most people today have the habit of keeping bottles full of water on their desks and drinking lots of water for the whole day. This is a very harmful practice. It is like constantly pouring lots and lots of water on your digestive fire. Unnecessarily pouring water on the fire makes it weak. So, wait for the thirst sensation to come and then drink half or a full glass of water. If you can satisfy your thirst with this then it is not necessary to drink 8 glasses of water a day. You should take water as per your body’s demand.

5. Feeling of lightness in the Body and Mind

Lastly, you should feel lighter inside. A feeling of lightness can be felt in our body, stomach, and mind. If we don’t feel like moving or feel heavy, we shouldn’t even think about eating the next meal. Don’t just eat your meal because it’s your meal time or the meal is prepared or it’s a tasty meal today. It is important not to overeat.

Final Note

The special responsibility that we have towards our body is to understand what our body is trying to say to us. If we give our body the right food at the right time when it needs food, then it will never get sick.

So, this was all about when to eat according to Ayurvedic diet. In our next article, we will cover what type of food is appropriate for which people, so you will be able to clear up your diet-related confusion. It will solve all your questions like whether you should take more protein or fat or carbs or not. For this also, I will give you some simple rules like the above that will easily help you to understand what is right particularly for you as we cannot generalize this. Every individual has to understand their body’s situation and take decisions accordingly. Hope this article has solved some of your confusion and has helped you.

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Too many diya pics these days, I know!

Yet, I do not want to miss sharing the big learnings that such small occurrences bring.

In this picture, I have two diyas. They are different in design, but serve the same purpose. I picked them up at different times simply because I liked them. Do note that I liked them because they were different.

Yesterday evening, I put oil and a wick in each of them and lit them together. Both shone beautifully. But, since their size and shape is different, there was one difference in the way I had to use them. In the bigger one, I put oil only once and it lit for a good 3 hours. While in the smaller one, I had to refill oil thrice for it to go on that long.

Now, we don’t need too much knowledge to figure this out. Small size means less oil fits and thus needs refilling. Our bodies are also that simple if only we do not get stuck in information over load. All our bodies are made up of the same stuff, same organs in each, but depending on the structural changes, the functioning may vary. All of us eat, work, sleep, think. But we all do not do all of this in the same way and same degree. We have our individual body types, our own unique permutations and combinations – this is the variety and thus the beauty of nature.

To know in detail, read https://ayurvedicanswers.com/preventive-ayurved/body-constitution/

Trouble begins when for some reason we feel, all of us must eat the same amount in the same frequency. Children are the most common targets for this absolutely misplaced belief we carry. We even take it forward to expect that all must grow up to be tall and well built, to excel in the same subjects (that even means ALL subjects for some parents!!) and achieve the same accolades.

From the above example we must understand that a Vat prakruti person has a smaller stomach and digestive capacity as compared to a Kaf prakruti person. So he will need to eat frequently in smaller amounts while a K person needs to eat one big meal. Doing vice versa will harm both. The Vat person risks indigestion if he overeats and low energy, aches and pains if he skips a meal. The K person risks being overweight if he eats frequently and unsatisfied if he eats tiny meals.

Both of them will work to their best potential, albeit differently, if given what they need, instead of going by what some ‘standard’ suggests.

Hoping this Diwali, we celebrate our differences while rejoicing in our oneness.

Let’s put oil as our diya demands and enable it to shine the brightest it can.

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Nature never stays constant. In fact the only thing constant about nature is its changing feature! The seasons follow one another and keep changing. We never have one season throughout the year. While this is mostly good for us, it does require adjusting on our part to prevent seasonal illnesses. 

The best prevention is modifying our food and routines as per the demand of the present season.

So lets learn about what the monsoon demands from us.

I will talk in terms of qualities that we all can relate to, rather than traditional textual terms that may seem alien!

The monsoon is –

WET and COLD

It was preceded by – 

an EXHAUSTING summer.

Good health always means a good, efficient digestion. 

Disease always means an impaired digestive function.

So our aim right now, should be to balance these qualities along with keeping the digestion optimum.

When I say ‘digestion’ think of food cooking over your stove.

Now, wet and cold are not exactly qualities that help with cooking up. So we must balance these with WARM, FIRE STIMULANTS and avoid exposing it to too much WIND.

We also need to have food that is LIGHT or not too heavy. Just as we avoid washing thick heavy clothes during the rains in fear of them not drying up, we must avoid food that is too heavy to digest. A nice tempering (tadka) with ghee or oil and spices like mustard, cumin, asofeotida is an easy Fire Stimulant. Dried ginger powder, pepper powder are also advised.

Regular use of a small amount of honey is beneficial.

To summarize,

We need-

Light (easy) to digest food

Warm food in terms of temperature and qualities 

Fire stimulants like oil, ghee and spices

Actual things to eat

1. Old rice
2. Wheat flour mixed with barley flour for chapatis or
3. Wheat flour mixed with jowar/ bajra (sorghum/ pearl millet)
4. Green gram, well cooked
5. Oil/ghee, spices 
6. Honey
7. Sour and salty taste
8. Good quality traditionally made pickles

We must stay away from-

1. Heavy to digest food – fried food, sweets, bakery food
2. Cold food in temperature and properties – milkshakes, ice cream, fermented food
3. Dampness creating food and places
4. Exertion of all kinds should be avoided. Exercise, physical labour, too much traveling and sexual excess all are harmful as the body is already weak even though you may not feel so.
5. Sleeping during the day is to be cancelled. On those wet, dark cloudy days of heavy rainfall, engage in reading, or catching up on t.v, meeting up friends,  indoor family games etc. But do not spend them sleeping.

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We are all aware of pulses and they are found in most Indian homes. In this post I will talk about the Ayurvedic point of view of this staple food item. Since we are eating them, lets know the right way to eat them.

Why should we have dals or pulses?

Ayurved recommends maintaining balance in all sphere of life. Balance in food is of prime importance. It also explains concepts in a way that all of us can easily connect to and understand. Only then can they become a part of our daily life.

When we look at our plate served with food, immediately we should be able to see balance. Among the six tastes, among the colours, among the heating or cooling properties of food, among the form of food preparation etc. To know more Ayurvedic information on food read http://ayurvedicanswers.com/preventive-ayurved/food/

Fluid balance

Food should have the dry and wet or fluid part in balance. A dry meal of just roti sabzi on a regular basis requires much more effort from the digestive system to be digested and then from the other systems too as it tries to compensate for the dryness. Cooked dals or pulses provide the much needed fluid component in a meal. This helps to balance the roti and rice. When a balanced meal goes into the stomach daily the system functions smoothly. It has the water it needs and thus does not borrow it from other systems. The blood composition stays in balance and so do all other tissues.

The hormones, the enzymes, the fluid in joints, the urinary system all require fluid for its normal working.

Weight check (Kaf balance)

Most dals help keep weight in check. Wheat chapati and rice that we have almost for all meals are kaf promoting food. This is the dosh responsible for weight gain. Dals on the other hand are vat and pitt promoters predominantly. So together they keep the kaf in balance. To understand about kaf better, read http://ayurvedicanswers.com/ayurvedic-principles/tridosh/

Nutrition

Yes, pulses provide us with proteins (note- non dairy protein) and fiber and other nutrients as well. They have low fat and a low glycemic index too. This is the language that most of us are used to hearing. We may not be able to see the protein etc, but we can surely see how the bowl of dal balances our thali. Understanding is more important than complicated details.

How should dals be cooked?

To gain the benefits dals carry and to prevent the problems commonly associated with eating dals it is important to know the correct way of cooking dals. Dals will not cause too much gas, acidity, abdominal discomfort when cooked as below.

• Use unpolished dals.
• Soaking

Wash and soak dals in water for at least one hour prior to cooking. Discard the water used for soaking. Whole pulses need to be soaked even longer, around 8 to 10 hours. This helps in re hydrating the dals and pulses. Cooking them after soaking becomes easier.

• No pressure cooker 

Do not use a pressure cooker to cook the dals. That is not cooking at all. As the name suggests it is the use of pressure. The dals are pressurized and they break. It takes much less time compared to cooking without a cooker. So the dals don’t really get the heat they should be getting to cook up well. They just end up breaking and we think it is all mushy, so must be cooked.

Cooking without a cooker, in a pan covered with a lid, on a medium flame is the ideal way to cook. Let it stay the time it needs to become soft and cooked. 

If we pressurize the dal, it will surely create pressure (gas) on our intestines too

• Spices

During cooking add easily available  spices like ginger, green chilli, asafoetida (hing), curry leaves and turmeric. At the end add coriander leaves.

• Oil/Ghee

Once cooked well, temper with oil or ghee (Tadka)

Add mustard seeds, cumin, a bit of clove and cinnamon.

• Consistency

The final dal should not be too thick. Keep it a thin, fluid type consistency that can be sipped between bites of food.

Which dals and how much?

*Moong as whole pulse, dal with chilka and the yellow moong dal all are easy on the stomach, can be had regularly by everyone.

*Masoor dal too is light to digest.

*Tur dal comes next after moong and masoor. When cooked well it is well digested by most and is nutritious too.

*Urad dal is heavy to digest and should not be had often. It is good for those trying to gain weight.

*Moth beans are better when sprouted. Using garlic is important when cooking sprouts.

*Whole pulses like rajma, chole, black eyed peas, white peas are quite heavy to digest, should be had during the winter months and lesser in quantity. Also they are best avoided for dinner. Use good amount of ginger and garlic along with other spices.

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