Ayurveda appeared due to the meditation of seers, true rishis (sages). For thousands of years, their teachings were transmitted orally from teacher to student, and later these teachings became the subject of melodic Sanskrit poetry. Although many of these texts have been lost over time, most of Ayurvedic knowledge has been preserved. This wisdom, originating in the Cosmic Consciousness, was received by the hearts of the Rishis. They realized that consciousness is energy manifested in five basic principles or elements: ether (space), air, fire, water and earth. Ayurveda is based on this concept of five elements.
The Rishis realized that in the beginning the world existed in the form of unmanifested consciousness. Out of this universal consciousness emerged the soundless sound "OM" as a subtle cosmic vibration. From this vibration, the element of ether first arose. Then this element of ether began to move, and this subtle movement created air, which is the mobile ether. The movement of the aether contributed to the emergence of friction, which generated heat. Particles of heat energy combined into a form of intense luminosity, and from this light, the element of fire manifested.
So the ether was transformed into air, and it was the same ether that later manifested itself in the form of fire. Generally, heat dissolves and liquefies the ethereal elements, revealing the water element, and then solidifies to form earth particles. Thus, the ether is manifested in four elements: air, fire, water and earth.
All original living bodies were created from the earth, including the vegetable and animal kingdoms, as well as man. The earth is also contained in inorganic substances, which include the mineral kingdom. Thus, all matter is born from the womb of the five elements.
In all matter these five elements exist. Water is a classic example that proves this: the solid state of water - ice - is a manifestation of the earth principle. The latent heat (fire) in the ice melts it, revealing water, and then there is a transformation into steam, indicating the air principle. The vapor disappears into ether or space. Thus, in one substance there are five basic elements: ether, air, fire, water and earth. All five elements arise from the energy emanating from the Cosmic consciousness, all five are present in matter throughout the Universe. Thus, energy and matter represent a single principle.
Man is a microcosm. Just as the five elements are everywhere in matter, they also exist in every person. There are many places in the human body where the element of ether is manifested. For example, there is space in the mouth, nose, gastrointestinal tract, respiratory tract, abdomen, chest, capillaries, lymph, tissues and cells.
The space in motion is called air. Air is the second cosmic element, the element of motion. In the human body, air manifests itself in the diverse movements of the muscles, the pulsation of the heart, the expansion and contraction of the lungs, and in the movements of the walls of the stomach and intestinal tract. Under the microscope, you can see that even the cell is in motion. The reaction to irritation is the movement of nerve impulses, manifested in sensory and motor movements. All movements of the central nervous system completely controlled by air.
The third element is fire. Source of fire and light in solar system is the Sun. In the human body, the source of fire is metabolism, metabolism. Fire works in the digestive system. Fire manifests itself as intelligence in the gray matter of brain cells. Fire also manifests itself in the retina of the eye, which perceives light. Thus, body temperature, digestion, thinking and the ability to see are all functions of fire. The entire metabolism and enzyme system is controlled by this element.
Water is the fourth important element in the body. It manifests itself in the secretion of gastric juice and salivary glands, in mucous membranes, in plasma and protoplasm. Water is vital for the functioning of tissues, organs and various body systems. For example, dehydration due to vomiting and diarrhea must be treated immediately to save the patient's life. Because water is so vital, the water in the body is called the Water of Life.
Earth is the fifth and last element of the cosmos, which is present in the microcosm. Life becomes possible at this level because the earth holds everything living and non-living on its surface. The solid structures of the body—bones, cartilage, legs, muscles, tendons, skin, and hair—all came from the earth.
These five elements are manifested in the functions of the five senses of a person, as well as in his physiology. These elements are directly related to a person's ability to perceive the world around him. Through the sense organs, they are also associated with the five actions corresponding to the functions of the sensory organs.
Essential elements - ether, air, fire, water and earth are associated with hearing, touch, sight, taste and smell, respectively..
Ether is the medium that transmits sound.. This ethereal element is associated with the function of hearing. The ear, the organ of hearing, expresses action through the organs of speech, which give meaning to human sound.
Air is associated with the sense of touch.; the organ of touch is the skin. The organ that transmits the sense of touch is the hand. The skin on the hand is very sensitive, the hand is endowed with the ability to hold, give and receive.
Fire manifested as light, heat and color, associated with vision. The eye, the organ of vision, governs walking and is thus associated with the foot. A blind person can walk, but without choosing a direction. The eyes give direction to actions when walking.
Water is associated with the organ of taste Without water, the tongue cannot taste. The tongue is closely related to the functions of the genitals (penis and clitoris). In Ayurveda, the penis or clitoris is considered the lower tongue, while the tongue in the mouth is considered the higher tongue. Man in control higher language naturally controls the lower language (!!!).
Element Earth Connected with sense of smell. The nose, the organ of smell, is functionally related to the actions of the anus, the organ of excretion. This connection is manifested in a person who has constipation or an unclean rectum - he has bad breath, his sense of smell is dulled.
Ayurveda refers to the human body and its sensory sensations as a manifestation of cosmic energy, expressed in five basic elements. The ancient rishis realized that these elements originate from pure Cosmic Consciousness. Ayurveda seeks to enable each individual to bring his body into a perfect and harmonious connection with this Consciousness.
According to the philosophy of Ayurveda, the Moon is the Goddess of Water. Water in the atmosphere in its pure form cold, light, transparent and absolutely tasteless. Water enters the soil, interacts with other elements and passes into plants. Water - lunar nectar - brings and creates different flavors in every plant. Thus, water is the mother of all flavors. Tastes are perceived by the tongue, our sense organ, which determines the element of Water.
Each substance that is food, each medicinal herb has its own special taste. The moment a substance hits the tongue, we experience a taste. Taste - the most important property, which has a direct effect on doshas in our body.
Ayurveda identifies six main tastes — sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter And astringent. All these kinds of tastes are present in plasma. Each type of food is created from a combination of the basic five elements, which means that these elements are present in six tastes. Certain combinations of elements create the taste of different foods. The relationship between elements and flavors is shown in the following table.
Earth + Water = Sweet
Earth + Fire = Sour
Water + Fire = Salty
Fire + Air = Sharp
Air + Ether = Bitter
Air + Earth = Astringent
Fire and Air are light elements and tend to move upward, so the flavors containing these elements also move upward, warming the upper parts of the body, creating lightness. Conversely, Earth and Water are heavy elements and move downwards, so the sweet taste cools the lower body, the urinary tract and can create heaviness in the body. Presence of elements in some products
Earth— Wheat, rice. Meat. Mushrooms, root vegetables, legumes. Dried fruits. Sesame, pumpkin seed and sunflower seeds. Almonds, cashews and walnuts. Salts and minerals.
Water— Milk and dairy products. Juicy fruits such as plums, watermelons, grapes, oranges, papaya, peaches. Coconut water. Juicy vegetables like cucumbers, zucchini and tomatoes. Salt.
Fire- Spices such as hot pepper, black pepper, green chili, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, turmeric, ginger, asafoetida (hingu), garlic, onion. Acidic fruits such as pineapples, lemons, berries such as cranberries. Alcohol. Tobacco.
Air- Substances that cause gas, such as dried fruits, raw vegetables. Rough vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, sprouts. Nightshades (potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant), some legumes, such as black beans, pinto beans, chickpeas.
Ether - Substances that cause intoxication, hypnosis, drug intoxication, such as alcohol, marijuana, LSD, cocaine, tobacco.
Taste ( Race) - the unique combination of elements in the product will determine its taste and the effect it has on the body.
Sweet
Sweet taste is present in foods such as rice, sugar, milk, wheat, dates, maple syrup. Sweet-tasting foods tend to be moisturizing, cooling, and heavy in quality. The sweet taste is refreshing. When consumed in moderation, it is good for the body and promotes the growth of all seven dhatus (plasma, blood, muscle, fat, bone, bone marrow and nervous tissue, reproductive tissue). Correct use This taste gives strength and longevity. It sharpens the senses, improves appearance, voice, contributes good condition leather and stripes. Sweet taste reduces thirst, relieves heartburn and gives strength. It promotes stability.
Despite these positive traits Excessive consumption of sweets can cause many diseases. Sweet food increases kapha and can cause colds, coughs, congestion, heaviness, loss of appetite, laziness and obesity. In addition, it can provoke lymphatic congestion, tumors, dropsy, diabetes, and fibrocystic mastopathy. Sour
Foods that taste sour are citrus fruits, sour cream, yogurt, vinegar, cheese, and fermented foods. By their nature, acidic foods are usually liquid, light, warming, and moist. Used in moderation, they refresh, whet the appetite, increase salivation, improve digestion, energize the body, nourish the heart, and lighten the mind.
When abused, the sour taste can cause thirst, acidity, heartburn, indigestion, peptic ulcers, and tooth sensitivity. Due to its fermenting action, consumed in excess, it can be toxic to the blood and cause skin conditions, including dermatitis, acne, eczema, furunculosis, and psoriasis. Its hot quality can acidify the body and cause burning in the throat, chest, heart, bladder and urethra. Salty
Examples of substances that have a salty taste are sea and rock salt, sea kale. By their qualities salty taste- warming, heavy and moisturizing. When used in moderation, it reduces vata and increases pitta and kapha. The water element gives it a laxative effect, and thanks to the fire element, it reduces spasms and pain in the colon. In moderation, it promotes growth and maintains fluid and electrolyte balance, stimulates salivation, and aids in digestion and absorption, as well as waste removal.
Excess salt in the diet can lead to excitation of pitta and kapha, make the blood thick and viscous, cause puffiness, high blood pressure and worsen the condition of the skin. Hot flashes, fainting, wrinkling, and baldness can also be caused by excessive salt intake. A number of other disorders, including patchy hair loss, ulcers, hemorrhagic conditions, skin rashes, and hyperacidity, can result from salty taste abuse. Spicy
The pungent taste is present in various types pepper (black, cayenne, chili), onion, radish, garlic, mustard, ginger. By its nature, it is light, drying and warming. With moderate use, it improves digestion and absorption, cleanses the oral cavity. It eliminates congestion in the nasopharynx by stimulating the formation of tears and nasal discharge. The pungent taste promotes blood circulation, breaks down blood clots, aids in waste removal, and has an antiseptic effect. It gives clarity to perception.
On the other hand, the abuse of spicy taste in the daily diet can cause negative reactions. It can cause emaciation, impair sexual and reproductive power, and lead to infertility in both women and men. It can cause suffocation, a burning sensation, fainting, and extreme fatigue accompanied by fever and thirst. Excessive use of pungent taste excites pitta and can cause diarrhea, heartburn, and nausea. Since the element of air is included in the pungent taste, it can excite vata, causing dizziness, tremors in the limbs, insomnia and pain in the legs. In addition, the result of excessive consumption of spicy food can be stomach ulcers, asthma, colitis, skin diseases. Bitter
Coffee, aloe, rhubarb, medicinal plants such as curly sorrel, fenugreek, turmeric, dandelion root, sandalwood have a bitter taste. The bitter taste is usually lacking in the diet of people living in northern latitudes. It is cold, light and dry in nature and increases vata and reduces pitta and kapha. Although the bitter taste itself is not very pleasant, it restores the sense of taste, enhancing the sensation of other tastes. It has a bactericidal effect, eliminates toxins, helps to get rid of burning sensations and itching, fainting and intractable skin diseases. Bitter taste reduces fever, gives elasticity to the skin and muscles. In small quantities, it promotes digestion, suppresses gas formation in the intestines. Having a drying effect on the body, it reduces the amount of fat, bone marrow, the volume of urine and feces.
The abuse of bitter taste can cause exhaustion of all the dhatus of the body, extreme dryness, emaciation and fatigue. Sometimes there is dizziness and loss of consciousness. Astringent
Astringent: They have pomegranates, beadan, chickpeas, green beans, okra, alfalfa sprouts, unripe bananas, and herbs such as golden seal, turmeric, logos seed, arjuni, geukhera. It is cool, dry and heavy in quality, causing a dryness in the throat and weakening the voice. In moderate doses, the astringent taste calms pitta and kapha, but can aggravate vata. It stops bleeding and helps heal ulcers by promoting healing.
Abuse of an astringent taste can cause dry mouth, speech difficulties, constipation, bloating, heart pain, congestion of blood vessels, weaken sex drive, and impair sperm quality. Excess astringency can cause malnutrition, seizures, facial paralysis, stroke, and other vata-type neuromuscular disorders.
VEDIC RULES OF HEALTH
These rules are given in the Manu Samhita.
People in the Vedic civilization knew these rules and followed them.
2. Never eat when tired, angry, irritated, afraid. With any emotion there is a violation Agni and circulation Prana in the stomach and intestines, so food turns into poison.
3. Before eating, rinse your mouth, eyes, wash your feet cold water, and even better to take a full ablution.
4. You need to eat food facing east, but not north, because. if we eat food facing north, west, then the energy leaves us, and decreases Ojas in body.
5. Food must be prepared with love. Food must be prepared for God, and after offering it to God, you can eat it yourself. Therefore, food should always be prepared in a good mood with a pleasant frame of mind, then the food will be easily digested. If the food is prepared by you bad mood, in a state of irritation, anger, anxiety and despondency, such food should not be offered to God, because. it is cooked without love for him, such food will not benefit you either. The mentality with which the food is prepared will make it just as bad, and therefore such food is also considered unclean and poisonous.
6. Food must be taken when the right nostril is working, so tells us Ayurveda. If the right nostril does not work when eating, it is necessary to breathe through the right nostril, while closing the left. When the left nostril works, the digestive fire is weakened, so the food will not be digested well. In order for the right nostril to work, you can lie on your left side.
7. Before eating, you must always pray, because. eating is a sacred process. And therefore, when we read a prayer, we are psychologically tuned in.
8. Food offered to God is prasadam. You need to put on your plate exactly as much as you can eat. Prasad cannot be thrown away, so you need to eat everything that is on your plate. If there are animals, then the rest prasada you can give them. Can't be translated Prasad from plate to plate, so that family members finish their leftover food after someone. Use of metal utensils, it is considered pure and does not transmit karma. Each family member should have their own dishes. This rule should be followed every day, and not only when one of the family members is sick.
9. Before you can eat yourself, you need to feed others. Earlier, in ancient Vedic times, there was a custom for family people when it was cooked Prasad, then the owners went out into the street and offered food to the hungry.
10. To improve digestion, it is recommended to chew ginger with a slice of lemon and a pinch of salt before eating, this will give a signal to the stomach to make the digestive glands work.
11. You can't talk while eating. Empty talk wastes energy and impairs air circulation.
12. Teeth were given to us not for decoration, but for chewing food thoroughly, so food must be chewed thoroughly, and not swallowed quickly. Food should be taken calmly. If you are in a hurry, it will be better for you if you skip the meal than if you eat it.
13. Food should affect all 5 senses, it should please the eye, it should rejoice our heart, it should be beautiful in appearance and exude a pleasant aroma.
14. Never eat food that exudes bad smell, or food that was cooked more than 3.5 hours ago. If the food was offered to God, then it can be stored for more than 3.5 hours.
15. After eating, rinse your mouth, wash your feet with cold water, rinse your eyes with cold water.
16. You can't sleep right after eating. You can sleep after eating in an hour or an hour and a half. At all, Ayurveda does not recommend sleeping during the day, tk. this leads to a weakening of all processes occurring in the body, and sleep does not contribute to the absorption of food, because. the current slows down Prana in body. A short sleep of 15-20 minutes is recommended only for the Vata constitution, because. she is the most restless nature. Also, if you are tired, then before eating you can rest for 15-20 minutes, you need to lie on the left side of the body, this will increase the fire of digestion and open the right nostril.
17. Do not eat sour fruits at night and do not drink fermented milk products.
18. Never eat before sunrise or after sunset, especially at dusk.
19. You can not snack between meals and eating while standing.
20. Do not drink water immediately after meals and before meals. If you want to lose weight, drink water before meals, if you want to maintain weight, then drink water with meals. But do not get carried away in this way, because. it impairs digestion. If Pete's constitution is very hungry, then she needs to drink a few sips of water before eating in order to reduce her appetite.
21. If you need to empty your bowels, then this should be done no earlier than 3 hours after eating.
22. Never eat until the intestines are empty.
How to organize harmonious nutrition in your life? First of all, you need to understand the nutritional value individual groups products. To maintain good health, a regular intake of a complex of nutrients into the body is necessary.
To quickly bring the diet to an optimal balance Ayurveda recommends a simple and easy diet system based on six tastes. Apply the recommendations, and daily nutrition will acquire the fullness and balance of carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, proteins and minerals, give you health and a wonderful mood.
According to Ayurveda, there is six tastes: bitter, salty, astringent, pungent, sour and sweet. Below are some foods that match these tastes. Harmonious nutrition contains the entire list of six tastes. Thus, the optimal vital activity of the body is ensured, maintaining the balance of all doshas (see the three doshas and their characteristics in the picture below).
In practice, you can see that following this system will not be difficult. If necessary, you can take tests on the Internet to determine your dominant dosha, if the information provided in this article is not enough.
6 tastes, their characteristics and effects on the body and mind
Bitter(Earth + Air)
Has cooling quality.
Food Options: Rhubarb, Fenugreek, Bitter Melon, Spinach, Lettuce, Chard, Yellow Sorrel, Dandelion Roots, Fresh Turmeric Roots, Gentian.
Bitterness increases Vata, weakens Pitta and weakens Kapha.
Among the six tastes of Ayurveda, bitter is the most effective in correcting imbalances in the body and mind. Has bactericidal property. Serves as an antidote for itching, burning in the body, fainting. Reduces fever. Stimulates the digestion of food. Removes the feeling of thirst. Bitterness in food and herbs has a drying quality, cools, creates lightness. Purifies the blood and accelerates the elimination of Ama (toxins) from the body.
Caution: Eating bitter food leads to dehydration, increases dryness, roughness, exhaustion. Makes seminal fluid and bone marrow weaker. In rare cases, it causes loss of consciousness, a feeling of dizziness.
Salty(Fire + Water)
It has a warming quality.
Product options: food sea salt, table salt, rock salt, algae and sea cabbage.
Salty is one of the six tastes in Ayurveda that weakens Vata, increases Pitta and Kapha.
Salinity holds liquid in Vata and conducts electricity. Regulates the process of digestion. Acts as a laxative, antispasmodic. Enhances salivation and reduces the effect of other tastes.
Caution: Too much salt is bad for the skin and hair. Causes gray hair, hair thinning, wrinkles. Excess salinity can provoke such Pitta disorders as: gout, skin rashes, acne, fainting, body heat, hypertension, peptic ulcer. Spoils the blood.
Astringent(Earth + Air)
Owns the quality of cooling.
Food options: pomegranate, cranberries, unripe bananas, beans, myrrh, okra, parsley, saffron, turmeric, nutmeg, basil.
Astringent taste is necessary for harmonious nutrition, it makes more Vata, less Pitta and Kapha.
Astringent-tasting foods and herbs remove moisture from the body. This is one of the six flavors of Ayurveda that can stop diarrhea, slow down bleeding, reduce sweating due to vasoconstriction and blood clotting. It acts as a healing, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, but can cause dryness, constipation, cold.
Warning: an excess of astringent - leads to weakness and premature aging. Provokes dry mouth, chronic constipation. It is the cause of Vata disorders: spasms, paralysis, difficulty in speech. Negatively affects the work of the heart.
Spicy(Air + Fire)
Its quality is warmth.
Food options: garlic, mustard, black pepper, red pepper, cayenne, chili, ginger, onion, asafoetida, radish.
This is one of the six tastes of Ayurveda, which increases Vata and Pitta, weakens Kapha.
Stabilizes the absorption of food, improves appetite. Gives clarity to the mind. Relieves Kapha disorders: excess moisture in the body, obesity, poor digestion. Purifies the blood and improves blood circulation. Increases perspiration and elimination of toxins from the body. Cleans the mouth. Treats skin diseases.
Caution: Excessive spiciness causes weakness, fatigue, burning sensation in the body. In extreme cases, it can reach dizziness and loss of consciousness.
Sour(Fire + Earth)
It has the quality of warming.
Product options: sour cream, lemons, hard cheeses, green grapes, yoghurts, vinegar, marinade, rose hips, hibiscus, coriander, cloves, cumin.
Acid weakens Vata, increases Pitta and Kapha.
Adds delicacy to food, exacerbates sensitivity. Increases appetite, salivation. Beneficial for the heart muscle. Removes gases and promotes the absorption of food.
Caution: This is one of the six tastes of Ayurveda that dilutes Kapha when in excess. Initiates thirst, heartburn, acidity, swelling and ulcers, as well as itching and skin irritation.
Sweet(Water + Earth)
Has a cooling quality.
Food options: all sweet fruits, sweet carrots, beets and potatoes, milk, cream, rice, whole grain wheat bread, dill, mint, basil, honey.
Ayurveda advises to refrain from eating sweets, sugar and other processed foods with an abundance of sugar, preservatives, artificial colors.
Sweet weakens Vata and Pitta, increases Kapha.
Of all the six tastes in Ayurveda, sweetness is identified with pleasure. Promotes calmness and contentment. Heals weakness, nourishes, promotes tissue growth. Useful for children, the elderly, as well as injured and weakened. Favorable for skin, hair. It is an integral part of a healthy and harmonious diet.
Warnings: Too much sweetness leads to Kapha imbalance and can lead to obesity, loss of appetite, coughing, diabetes, heaviness, laziness and dullness.
More information on 6 Ayurvedic Flavors and Healthy balanced nutrition you can learn from lectures on Ayurveda, they are available online for free. Read the site and other articles on the topic of health and nutrition.
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Ayurveda believes that each food product has a special, specific taste that has a direct effect on the doshas. If you use the taste in the quantities you need for your dosha, then you can balance all the organs and systems of the body.
In total, Ayurveda distinguishes 6 tastes, determined by six groups of taste buds on the tongue - sweet, salty, bitter, sour, astringent and spicy. Different groups of taste buds of the tongue perceive different tastes and send appropriate reactions to the brain, which in turn gives feedback commands that affect primarily digestion, but also organs, tissues, and cells of the body.
6 tastes are associated with 5 primary elements, more precisely, they are formed by:
Sweet=Earth+Water
Sour=Earth+Fire
Salty=Water+Fire
Sharp=Fire+Air
Bitter=Air+Ether
Astringent=Air+Earth
sweet taste
Sweet taste prevails in foods such as rice, sugar, wheat, milk, dates, and so on.
Sweet food quality usually moisturizing, cooling and heavy.
With moderate use sweet-tasting food promotes the growth of all vital foundations human body(dhatu: plasma, blood, fat, muscle, bone, bone marrow, reproductive tissue). Properly using the sweet taste, you will gain bodily strength and longevity. In addition, the sweet taste sharpens the senses, improves the appearance of the body, hair and skin, and improves the condition of the vocal cords. It also reduces thirst, helps relieve heartburn. In general, the sweet taste in Ayurveda promotes stability.
Abuse of sweet taste leads to an increase in kapha in the body, which manifests itself in stagnation, heaviness, loss of appetite, laziness. Ultimately, obesity and associated diseases, such as lymph stagnation, tumor development, dropsy, diabetes, fibrocystic mastopathy, may develop.
Sour taste
The sour taste is characteristic for all citrus fruits, sour cream, yogurt, cheese, vinegar, highly fermented foods.
Acid food in terms of quality usually liquid, light, warming and moist.
Moderate consumption of sour taste promotes appetite, refreshes, improves digestion, energizes your body, lightens the mind and nourishes the heart.
Abuse of sour taste increases thirst, increases acidity, can cause heartburn and increased tooth sensitivity. Excessive consumption of foods with a predominance of sour taste can increase the content of toxins in the blood, cause skin diseases such as dermatitis, acne, eczema, furunculosis, psoriasis. The hot property of sour taste can lead to acidification of the body, which will manifest itself as a burning sensation in the throat, heart, chest, bladder or urethra.
Salty taste prevails in sea and rock salt, sea kale.
Salty Taste Qualities- warming, heavy moisturizing.
Moderate consumption of salty taste reduces vata, increases pitta and kapha. The water element in the salty taste gives salty foods laxative properties, and the fire element helps to reduce spasms and pain in the colon. A moderate amount of salty taste maintains fluid and electrolyte balance, promotes growth, stimulates salivation, aids in food digestion, nutrient absorption, and waste removal from the body.
Abuse of salty taste causes overexcitation of pitta and kapha, thickening of the blood, swelling, high blood pressure and worsens the condition of the skin. Possible consequences an excess of salty food can cause hot flashes, fainting, early baldness, wrinkling, as well as skin rashes, increased acidity, hemorrhagic disease, ulcers.
spicy taste
Pungent taste prevails in pepper (black, cayenne, chili), onion, garlic, mustard, radish, ginger.
Naturally spicy taste light, dry, warm.
Moderate consumption of spicy taste improves digestion and absorption in the intestines, cleanses the oral cavity, eliminates congestion in the nasopharynx (and as a result stimulates the formation of tears and nasal discharge); stimulates blood circulation, breaks down blood clots, helps in the removal of body waste, gives clarity of perception, and also has antiseptic properties.
And here spicy taste abuse in your daily diet can cause exhaustion, weaken the sexual energy and reproductive function of the body, and even lead both men and women to infertility. Also, symptoms of an excess of spicy taste in the daily diet can be suffocation, fainting, severe fatigue with simultaneous heat and thirst, a burning sensation. Spicy tastes excite pitta and can cause heartburn, nausea, or diarrhea. Vata is overexcited by the strong influence of spicy taste, which manifests itself in people with a predominance of this dosha in the form of dizziness, trembling in the limbs, insomnia, pain in the legs. Prolonged abuse of acute can lead to ulcers, colitis, asthma, skin diseases.
bitter taste
Ayurveda attributes the bitter taste to such products. like coffee, rhubarb, aloe, curly sorrel, fenugreek, turmeric, sandalwood, dandelion root.
Bitter in taste cold, light and dry; it increases vata and reduces kapha and pitta.
Bitter taste in its purest form not particularly pleasant, but has the ability to restore the sense of taste and enhance the sensation of other tastes. It is the bitter taste, as a rule, that is lacking in the diet of the inhabitants of the northern latitudes. Bitter taste in moderation has a bactericidal effect, eliminates toxins, helps to cope with fainting and intractable skin diseases, reduces fever and gives skin and muscles elasticity. In small quantities, the bitter taste according to Ayurveda stimulates digestion, suppresses gas formation in the intestines. In general, it is characterized by a drying effect on the body, leading to a decrease in body fat, bone marrow, feces and urine volume.
In case of abuse of bitter taste All vitality body (7 dhatus) are depleted, the body feels extreme fatigue and dryness, up to dizziness and loss of consciousness.
Astringent taste
Has an astringent taste pomegranates, green beans, unripe bananas, turmeric, bergenia.
Astringent qualities- cool, heavy, dry.
In moderation, food with a predominance of astringent taste calms pitta and kapha, but often leads to an overexcitation of vata; helps to stop bleeding and in wound healing, heals skin ulcers.
Abusing astringent taste, you will feel dry mouth, bloating, pain in the heart, blood congestion, weakening of sexual desire. As a result of an excess of astringent taste, general exhaustion of the body, the development of neuromuscular diseases of the vata type, for example, paralysis of the facial nerve, etc., may occur.
The effect of tastes on doshas
So now we have general idea O salient features each of the 6 tastes in Ayurveda. But how to apply it in life? Very simply - in accordance with the dosha prevailing in your constitution:
- Vata-type constitution to be avoided frequent use bitter, pungent and astringent tastes, as they greatly increase the air element in the body and lead to overstimulation of vata. Conversely, sweet, sour, and salty foods will balance doshas and balance vata.
- Pitta individuals it is better to refrain from eating sour, salty and spicy, as these tastes increase the element of fire in the body and, accordingly, lead to overstimulation of pita. Pitta should strive for food with a predominance of sweet, bitter and astringent tastes.
- Kapha-type constitution, it is better to refuse food with a sweet, salty or sour taste, which increases the water element in the body. And you need to strive for bitter, spicy and astringent food.
The result is this distribution of 6 tastes by doshas:
Cotton wool: sweet, sour, salty - can be consumed; pungent, bitter, astringent - it is better not to, or at least in small quantities.
Pitta: sweet, bitter, astringent - can be consumed; sour, salty, spicy - better not worth it.
Kapha: pungent, bitter, astringent - can be used without restrictions, sweet, sour, salty - better not.
Thus, if you carefully consider the predominance of the tastes prescribed by your dosha in the food you eat, and also compare the taste with, you can make a diet for yourself and choose dishes for the everyday menu. Applying such a menu in your life, you can short time balance all the systems of your body and bring them into harmony. In the future, following a diet that is appropriate for your dosha will help keep the doshas balanced and your body stable.
With excessive use, it leads to the accumulation of toxins in the blood, causes lethargy, loss of strength, bleeding, dizziness, hiccups, yellowing of the skin, skin diseases (eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis, just various rashes). Causes a burning sensation in the throat, chest, heart, urinary tract, heat and thirst. It also leads to atrophic changes in the muscles and reduces the tone of the body, causing swelling in the weak, injured and in the process of recovery.
Enlarges various tissues of the body, except for tissues reproductive organs(here, on the contrary, there is a decrease. Due to its hot action, it promotes suppuration, the manifestation of wounds, burns, fractures and other injuries.
Physical manifestations of the action of the Sour Taste: sends goosebumps through the body, “pulls” the teeth and makes the eyes open wide. This taste causes a burning sensation in the throat, chest and in the region of the heart.
Sour Taste is less common in nature than sweet. It is present in all acidic fruits (all citrus fruits, pomegranate, tamarind (Indian date), raspberries and rose hips, green grapes), in pickles, tomatoes, fermented products (sour cream, yogurt, vinegar, soy sauce, miso soup, cheeses) .
Sour The taste of plants and herbs can be enhanced by making herbal tinctures in alcohol (which tastes sour).
There is no sour taste in spices.
Salty Taste needed in small amounts by all Doshas, as it is a very concentrated Taste. Salt is needed by the body to maintain mineral and water balance.
In small doses Salty Taste promotes digestion and increases appetite, in moderate doses it is used as a laxative, in large doses it induces vomiting. Suppresses all other tastes. It cleanses energy channels, removes all clamps, dissolves blockages and hardenings, cleanses blood vessels.
Increases digestive activity, kindling (Fire of digestion), has a laxative and soothing effect. It also has a moisturizing effect, causes salivation, penetrates tissues, cleanses the tongue.
When used in excess or with insufficient amounts of other Tastes, it aggravates Pitta, leads to stagnation of blood, making it thick and sticky, promotes thirst, fainting and burning sensation, leads to erosion and atrophic changes in the muscles.
Promotes tissue growth throughout the body and causes water retention in the body. The salty taste is hot, moist and heavy on the body.
Most of all (from this small dose) the Salty Taste is needed by Vata, less by Kapha. The salty taste is the taste of minerals, and in plants, as a basic taste, it is rare.
Typical substances with a salty taste include: mineral salts, sea salt and seaweed, Irish moss (Irish moss).
The salty taste of plants can be enhanced by adding salt to herbal preparations.
SpicyTaste needed in small amounts by all Doshas. It balances all the Three Doshas, especially the increased Kapha. Increases Agni (Fire of digestion.) Increases heat (reducing the feeling of cold), increases perspiration, increases nasal discharge, causes watery eyes. It increases metabolism and helps all organs to function properly, improves digestion and intestinal motility, fights obesity and excess fluid accumulation in the body well. Helps to remove oily and viscous toxins from the body. Normalizes appetite.
Pungent Taste, when used wisely, reduces the phenomena of blood stagnation and the formation of blood clots, helps to eliminate blockages, opens blood vessels, treats diseases of the chest, larynx, throat, intestinal disorders, destroys hard masses (fecal stones), reduces swelling. Dries up fat and pus. It also kills microbes. Helps in the treatment of skin diseases (including leprosy), promotes the resorption of skin outgrowths, reduces foreign deposits. It is carminative, diuretic, thinning sputum (being a good expectorant).
At excessive the use of Spicy Taste may cause nausea, thirst, dizziness, loss of consciousness, fainting. There may be a burning sensation in the throat and throughout the body, trembling, as well as sharp and stabbing pains throughout the body. There may be indigestion, the occurrence of ulcers of the gastrointestinal tract, colitis, inflammation of the skin.
Also bile and urine have a Pungent Taste. That's why it's so effective.
Balances Pitta and Kapha, normalizing water balance, subcutaneous and muscle fat. Bitter taste is characterized as cold, dry, light. Due to its dryness, when used in excess, it causes disturbances, depletes and reduces body tissues, dries up fat, bone marrow, feces and urine. It also prevents the development of tumors.
Excessive use interferes with the perception of other tastes. The bitter taste, although unpleasant in itself, restores the sense of taste.
Pitta and Kapha need the most (out of this small amount) of Bitter Taste and very little Vata.
Bitter taste is common among herbs and plants.
Typical bitter plants include aloe, all types of lettuce (especially with dark color), spinach, sorrel, chicory, dandelion, rhubarb, many fresh vegetables(in particular - eggplant), olives.
Spices with a Bitter Taste - cinnamon, cloves, Bay leaf, (turmeric), (shamballa, fenugreek). From herbs - wormwood, tansy, yarrow, barberry, echinocea, gentian.
From common products - coffee possesses this Taste (and, like all dry Tastes, it leads to desiccation of the body and, accordingly, to constipation).
Bitter Taste clarifies consciousness, increases intellect.
Astringent Taste needed in average quantities by all Doshas, as it is one of the (Taste after digestion). It is necessary to keep all tissues of the body in good shape and prevent any excessive secretions such as bleeding, excessive sweating, diarrhea.
It is drying due to the adsorption of fluids in the body, which can also lead to constipation, gas retention in the intestines, and urine. It also calms the Doshas, purifies the blood, causes healing of wounds and ulcers (drying them out), helps to heal the joints. It also promotes muscle contraction and promotes recovery right position displaced organs (when they fall out). Very well cleanses the skin and improves its color.
Astringent The taste is cool, dry, light. Pitta needs it most of all, less Kapha and very little Vata. When used in excess, it also blocks the sensitivity of the tongue (envelops it, thereby impairing its sensitivity) and irritates the throat.
Attaches dark shade skin covers. Clogs blood vessels. Causes gas, constipation, pain in the region of the heart, thirst, excitement and restlessness. Reduces the vitality of the body and leads to premature aging. Due to its inherent natural qualities - coarseness, dryness, it causes Vata-type diseases such as paralysis, spasms, convulsions and convulsions.
Astringent Taste is quite common in plants. Astringent Taste; honey, pomegranates, persimmons and black currants, almost all types of cabbage, many beans, unripe bananas, chickpeas (chickpeas, chickpeas), okra, (it has several Flavors), raspberry leaves, alfalfa sprouts, geraniums, lotus fruits, plantain, bear ears, white water lily, white oak bark.
Astringent taste provides a person with clarity of mind.
The 6 Basic Tastes come from
Each Taste is derived from 2 Elements:
Sweet– Earth and Water
Sour– Earth and Fire
Salty- Water and fire
Spicy (burning, caustic) –
Fire and Air
Bitter –
Air and Ether
Astringent (Tart)– Earth and Air
ORDERING A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE CONSULTATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH AYURVEDA IS MADE ON PAGE
6 Basic Tastes in Ayurveda. part 1 was last modified: October 13th, 2017 by consultant
Loss always tastes salty... Jodi Picoult
The sense of taste is made up of five basic components: bitter, sweet, salty, sour, and umami (or the taste of protein substances, which has only recently been recognized as the fifth basic). All mammals (including humans:o) love sweets and umami, and tend to dislike sour and bitter.
With salt, the situation is more interesting - it all depends on the concentration. Both humans and animals like low concentrations of salt - they prefer a slightly salty solution to fresh, but too high a concentration becomes disgusting. Moreover, animals reject oversalted, even if they feel a lack of salt in the body. Well, a man loves salty ....
According to Ayurveda, salty taste consists of fire and water. Fire is not visible, but it is present. If you sprinkle salt on the wound, it will start to burn, fire will appear. If salt is sprinkled on ice, it will begin to melt, and the element of fire is also manifested here.
Salt also strongly draws water into itself.
As a rule, salty taste is associated with such emotions as grief, experience, a sense of doom, loss, as they are associated with the taste of tears.
Salty products. With regard to the salty taste, it has been proven that only one substance, common salt, has it in its pure form. All other brackish substances have a bitter or sour taste - both ordinary rock and sea, bitter salt and mineral salts.
Canned foods (+ vegetables), salted fish (+ herring) and meat (+ sausage) contain a lot of salt, soy sauce, chips, nuts, etc.
Foods with a salty flavor have laxative properties, as well as an analgesic effect. Salt gives warming properties to cold foods.
salty plants: The salty taste is essentially the taste of minerals, and therefore it is rarely found in plants as the main taste. Typical salty-tasting substances include: Irish moss, kelp and all seaweeds. The salty taste of plants can be enhanced by adding salt to food.
Salty taste and health..Salted food is involved in the regulation of the water balance of the human body. The salty taste promotes fluid retention in the body. Due to its hot properties, salty taste in small doses stimulates digestion, in moderate doses it acts as a laxative, and in very large doses it induces vomiting. Also, this taste has a softening, laxative and sedative effect.
The salty taste is so strong that it overshadows all other tastes. It stimulates salivation and secretion of gastric juices, improves the taste of food, aids in digestion, absorption and excretion of waste - removes hardened feces and accumulated gases, cleanses clogged blood vessels, removes mold, supports appetite, stimulates
And the salty taste promotes tissue growth. (moreover, both benign and malignant: o(
With excessive use, it leads to stagnation of blood, making it thick and viscous, thirst, fainting and burning sensation, leads to atrophic changes in the muscles. This taste impairs the functioning of the senses.
Due to its hydrophilic properties, salt can cause swelling and water retention in the body.
Being carried away by salty food in large quantities, you cause significant damage to your appearance - the skin becomes drier, which increases the formation of wrinkles. As a result - premature aging of the skin, graying and hair loss. And that's not all! Islet hair loss, ulcers, bleeding, cracked skin, acidity (heartburn), high blood pressure, and even tooth loss can be the result of excess salt intake.
I'm not talking about the so-called salt deposition, which simply "kills" the mobility of the joints. So, whatever one may say, one should try to limit oneself in the use of salt! Moreover, doctors advise eating less salty in a number of diseases. But this recommendation is difficult to implement (at least for me :o(.
Salt and character. The effect of salty taste on the mind and senses is very versatile. salty tiedwith zest for life, intensifies all desires at once. A small amount of salty taste balances the mind and gives confidence. Overindulging in salt has several consequences. In some cases, this manifests itself in the form of increased mental activity, the creation of plans and schemes in the mind, constant calculations. And others the abuse of salty foods leads to the desire to indulge in all the sensual pleasures physically available to the body, exacerbating the tendency to excitation and stimulation. The desire for intensity and brightness of experiences is clearly expressed. And overexcitation leads to irritability, impatience and anger.
The salty taste is the taste of the ability to work long and efficiently without fatigue. Salty helps to increase the amount of prana in the body and has a tonic effect on it. Such a person feels "THE TASTE OF THE FULLNESS OF LIFE".
If you literally add salt to every dish, then first of all this indicates a lack of certain minerals in your body. For example, animals consume salt in considerable quantities with a lack of calcium, potassium and iron. Check with a doctor. If a person has always preferred salty foods and likes to eat spicy herring with pickles, then, according to the findings of Alan R. Hirsch (Chicago Foundation for Research on Smell and Taste Disorders), such people go with the flow. They believe they are in control of their destiny external forces, which simply do not see the point in resisting.
Negative emotions of salty taste: greed, madness, hunger. Excessively salty taste is like intense thirst, it attracts material attachment. Greed is the desire to have more than one's own capabilities allow.
Salty in the morning - causes a strong overstrain of tone and as a result, hypertension develops (neuritis, pressure, etc.).
Taking salt in the evening - the amount of prana increases and a person loses the opportunity to rest and recover. Hence there is a weakening of a person, a weakening of the mind, a sensitive sleep, a decrease in memory, a decrease in the body's defenses.
Based on materials from health.wild-mistress.ru, yasochka.nam, taichi-vsem.ru
