Ayurvedic Practice
In Ayurveda, meals are designed to balance the six tastes (sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent) in order to promote proper digestion, which is the foundation of health from the Ayurvedic perspective. According to this system, strong digestive energy and metabolism, called agni and metaphorically viewed as fire, supports efficient elimination of waste and the creation of healthy tissue, and promotes strength, immunity, and clarity. When agni is weak, poor digestion creates toxic residue--called ama--that obstructs the flow of energy and nutrients, leading to disease.
A thorough understanding of the Ayurvedic way of eating can take years of study. A food's characteristics can change depending on whether it is eaten raw or how it is prepared. In addition, in certain situations, it may be beneficial for a person to eat foods they normally eschew. John Moore, a consultant with The Raj Maharishi Ayurveda Health Center in Fairfield, Iowa, describes how as a firey pitta he thrives on cold, sweet ice cream, but when he has a head cold he gravitates toward heating foods, such as ginger and honey, that normally aggravate his constitution.
This specificity is one reason why it's advisable to study the six tastes at such educational organizations as The Ayurvedic Institute in Albuquerque, New Mexico, founded and headed by Lad, a renowned Ayurvedic physician. But those eager for a smaller nibble of the six tastes can take a workshop at The Chopra Center or stay at an Ayurvedic health spa such as The Raj. For a headstart, The Raj even offers a free booklet, The Maharishi Ayurveda Approach to Healthy Daily Routine, downloadable from its website. It includes a chapter devoted to balanced diet and the six tastes, providing plenty of information to chew on.
