Eating Less, Eating Nutritionally Rich - Living Long, Living Well Part 3

While eating abundantly at will has been a sign of wealth, it has diminishing returns.  Our ancestors had their feast times, and their famines.  Now food is always very available to most of us in the US—but not always full of the nutrition we need to maintain our health.  The obesity  epidemic which is spreading over the world, along with the American lifestyle, is one result of lots of food, not so nutritious.

Understanding & Taming Our Food Instincts

Vata Increasing Foods

Our instincts are for rich and sweet foods.  The fats maintained our ancestors in their hunter –gatherer days and the sweet fruit was the least likely to be poisonous.  Those instincts saved us – until today when fat and sugar–laden junk foods are so readily available.  

Today we must counter our instincts some by carefully choosing healthy fats – coconut oil, ghee, and organic butters – to sustain our tissues and limiting exposure to large amounts of vegetable oils and chemical laden, inorganic meats.  Eat just the best quality.  

And we must avoid foods with sugars and simple carbs that quickly become sugars.  The dangers of obesity include those of diabetes—a major ager.

Quality Over Quantity

Kapha Increasing Foods

Eating our veggies and fruits has been shown to be essential over & over again. I won’t belabor this. The sad thing is that because the quality of most of our soil hasn’t been maintained organically, the nutrients in foods are shown to be lower than in the food our grandparents grew up on. That might be one reason why life expectancy in our country has flattened out after making so many gains.  So organic is bound to be better.  

Artificial means to maintain food looking good in grocery stores can fool our eyes but don’t optimally feed our bodies. One reason that people may over eat is that though they are getting lots of calories, they aren’t getting NUTRITION and their bodies keep trying to get it.

Food picked and eaten soon after is more nutritious because once a plant is harvested it’s nutrients are  slowly deteriorating.  Support your local organic farmers. And grow your own when you can. There’s nothing like eating straight from your own garden!

The Right Amount

One aspect of aging is that our digestive capacity and appetites may diminish.  This means it’s all the more important to eat nutritionally dense foods, as well as learn how to maintain digestion (as in part 2 of the Living Long, Living Well series).  Remember- your stomach is the size of about two handfuls of food.  If the stomach is overloaded it doesn’t digest as well.  

Pitta Increasing Foods

Our eating levels must suit not just our digestive capacity but also our activity levels and our metabolism. People with slower metabolisms may actually live longer -- if they don't over eat.  So if you're a Kapha, by disciplining yourself  and avoid the diseases of obesity you have a great capacity for longevity.  Pittas must avoid inflammatory diseases by reigning in their wish for stimulating, spicy, oily diets and try cool themselves with cucumbers rather than sugar. Vatas must slow down while eating and eat grounding rich foods while avoiding tendencies to going to extremes--while they shouldn't overeat, fasting is also contraindicated to avoid depleting their tissues.  If you need more guidance on this, contact Terra at www.wisewomanhood.com !

It's also important to note that some people eat way TOO LITTLE food or might starve themselves to lose weight.  Our bodies respond to lack of food over time by going into starvation mode, which will cause the body to hold onto weight.  If you want to lose weight, eat vegetables with some protein - avoiding carbs and fats and exercise more---but DON'T try to just skip eating.

Tips for eating less:

• ·         Start with a prayer or several relaxed deep breaths. Slow down at meal time.
• ·         Use smaller plates.
• ·         Chew each mouthful longer.
• ·         Have some healthy fats and different tastes for a balanced satisfaction.
• ·         If you eat carbs, include a protein or fat to slow the burn and avoid ups &downs of blood sugar.
• ·         Avoid working or reading while eating.  
• ·         Always put food on a plate and, if you need it, measure out portions. 
• ·         You can eat lots of veggies, so make them half of your meal.
• ·         Avoid snacking by eating 3 healthy meals a day.

Tips for eating nutritionally rich:

• ·         Buy local, organic food and eat it soon after buying to get the most from your food.
• ·         Cook your own food so you know where it’s from and what’s in it and how old it is.
• ·         Eat lots of veggies and some fruits.
• ·         Eat healthy oils daily.
• ·         Nutritionally dense foods include fresh veggies, fruits, sea vegetables, nuts & seeds, tahini, quinoa, bee pollen, herbal infusions, organic dairy & meat that are raised naturally.