THE GRANDEST FEASTS FOR THE BODY

THE GRANDEST FEASTS FOR THE BODY

The Vedic physicians of ancient India say that food that contains the six tastes of Sweet, Sour, Salty, Hot, Bitter, and Astringent, is the grandest feast for the body.  This is the secret for healing.

It is still a practice in India in weddings and festivals to prepare foods that contain all the six tastes. Eating all six tastes every day can balance your body, eliminate cravings, and help keep weight in balance.  Not eating the full complement of tastes everyday causes cravings and thereby obesity.

According to ancient Vedic science, our bodies are greatly benefited by each of these six tastes of food. Each of these tastes are connected with the health and well being of particular body organs and emotions.

The heart, which is the vital organ of our body, is connected with the emotion of happiness and the bitter and astringent tastes are the vital supplement for the heart, they help to keep our emotions in the place of “happy”.  Most of our diet includes salty, sweet, hot and sour, it is very important adding bitter and astringent tastes to our diet everyday.
Bitter tastes are available from foods like bitter melons, and gourds, all kinds of leafy green vegetables, turmeric and fenugreek seeds. Astringent tastes are available from foods like pomegranate, apple, pear, ginger, lentils, legumes, and sprouts.

The lips and the stomach are connected with the emotion of worry, the sweet taste is the vital supplement for these organs, when we add sweet taste to our diet we keep ourselves away from worry.  Sweet can be obtained from natural foods like fruits, honey, jaggery (raw brown sugar), and maple syrup.  Avoid white sugar as much as possible.

The nose and the lungs are connected with the emotion of sadness; the hot taste is the vital supplement for these organs.  When we add hot taste to our food we do not go into sadness.  I have witness people relieved of sinus and cold by taking hot/pungent food.  Recently I had a beautiful experience that assured me of this concept.  My neighbor was 9 months pregnant, I asked her what she liked most so that I can cook some dinner for her, she immediately told me ‘please cook anything but see to it that it is nice and hot taste.’  Only during the 9th month the baby’s lungs start to form ( the lungs are the last organs to form for the baby in the womb) , and here she was craving for hot/pungent food.

The Ear and the Kidneys are connected with the emotion of fear, our kidneys are exactly in the shape of our ears, the salty taste is the vital supplement for these organs.  When we add salty taste to our food we do not go into fear often. Salt blocks are hung from the roof of the barn where baby calves are kept, they happily lick the salt, the salt block keeps them from the fear of separation from their mothers.

The Eye and the liver are connected with the emotion of Anger; the sour taste is a vital supplement for these organs. When we add sour taste to our food everyday, we do not go into anger.  Foods that contain sour taste are limes, lemons, oranges, and fermented foods like yogurt, buttermilk, cottage cheese, vinegar, sauerkraut, and pickles. These foods promote good digestion and elimination for the liver is balanced by these foods.

Hence, all the six tastes are a necessity for the balance of the body and mind.

The next important practice to keep the body and mind in balance is ‘conscious awareness’ in cooking and consuming foods.
While cooking food make it a practice to give thanks to the source of the food, the plant, the animal, the farmer, the storekeeper and every one who helped to bring your food to your kitchen.  Give thanks to the animal or plant for giving its life energy for you.  Cooking with gratitude enriches the food; gratitude is the special spice for the food. Cooking and eating food in the right consciousness helps one to make spiritual advancement in life. Cooking is done to nourish not only our bodies but our souls also.
Being mindful and conscious during cooking we purify our mind and create a grand connection with existence.  Our food becomes a beautiful offering for all who consume it.  Connecting with the Divine through the process of cooking and eating is called as Bhakti Yoga.

The third most important practice is to eat food with gratitude and conscious connection. Consciously relating to your food is the wisest way to maintain the health and well being of your body temple. Most of the dis-eases of the body are because we have forgotten to connect with the wisdom of our body.  Our bodies produce amazing juices, enzymes, and medicines for our well being.  The saliva, the juices of the liver, pancreas, gall bladder etc. are highly potent than any medicine in the world.  They are extremely capable of balancing and healing, but we also need to participate with our conscious connection. It is imperative to trust the wisdom of the body, and to become a true participant in performing the action of eating food.

It is good to eat food only when one is hungry.  When one is eating it is very important to think only about the food.  By this we trust the body’s wisdom and wholesomely participate in eating. We can follow the food from our mouth to our stomach consciously.  It is good to chew the food with closed mouth and consciously be present with the food, allow for the teeth to do its work instead of swallowing the food. Allow for the saliva to completely mix with the food.  Do not drink water about half an hour before eating, during eating, and after eating food, by this we avoid diluting the body’s juices and aid in the digestion and assimilation process.

It is important not to watch TV, or talk on the phone, or talk to someone beside you, or read books, or think worry or angry thoughts while eating.  We are feeding the body and our cells are listening to our thoughts, they act according to the thoughts that we are feeding.

Choose to sit in a lotus position while eating, folding the legs will help supply more blood to the vital digestive organs of the body, and help in proper digestion and assimilation.

Choosing to participate consciously in the creations of cooking and the actions of eating play a great part in enhancing your body, mind, and soul.  These are the grandest feasts for the body.

Blessings!
Premlatha Rajkumar

© 2013 Premlatha Rajkumar