Ayurveda and raw?

I’ve been doing a lot of reading lately on Ayurveda, and notice that, according to my ‘dosha’, I shouldn’t eat a lot of fruit (I’m kapha). Sweet, sugary fruit (bananas, coconut, dates, pineapple, etc.) and sour fruit (grapefruit, lemons, limes, etc.) should be avoided because it aggravates/intensifies my dosha. I absolutely loooove sugary fruit, and probably eat too much of it. I’m also supposed to avoid eating nuts, which I’ve been pretty good about. I haven’t really noticed much of a difference in the way that I feel/look since I started eating raw approx. a month ago, and I’m wondering if it’s because I’m eating foods that I should be avoiding according to Ayurvedic principles. Anyone have any insight/suggestions??

Comments

  • elizabethhelizabethh Raw Newbie

    I’m about 80% raw, and I don’t eat a lot of sweet fruit, I find it spikes my blood sugar and just leaves me craving more sugar and makes me hungry all the time. Try going without sweet fruit (or at least a lot less) for at least a week, and see how you feel. If you feel better, you know you’re on the right track. If not, it’s back to the drawing board for you! Good luck!

  • elizabethhelizabethh Raw Newbie

    I’m about 80% raw, and I don’t eat a lot of sweet fruit, I find it spikes my blood sugar and just leaves me craving more sugar and makes me hungry all the time. Try going without sweet fruit (or at least a lot less) for at least a week, and see how you feel. If you feel better, you know you’re on the right track. If not, it’s back to the drawing board for you! Good luck!

  • just an update… i’ve been following Ayurvedic guidelines while eating raw, and i already feel TONS better. might want to read into it, just to see if it holds any truth. it does for me, at least!

    here are a couple of sites that discuss Ayurveda and raw:

    Raw Food Diets – The Ayurvedic Perspective

    Ayurveda and Raw Foods

  • kminty3kminty3 Raw Newbie

    I’m Kapha too culdesaccharine and have been wondering how to balance raw with Kapha. Any tips? what’s working for you? I’ve been eating a lot of fruit.. trying the 8-1-1 thing and find I need some cooked grains to balance it out.. I wonder if that’s something with my dosha being out of whack..

  • lzhptlzhpt Raw Newbie

    Gabriel Cousens goes into this a bit with reference to raw foods support in his book Rainbow green Live Cuisine. You can be quite successful raw even bearing in mind those principles. I’m vatta/pitta so it’s quite the battle between hot/cold. I don’t read much about Kapha ‘cause I don’t have a single Kapha trait. Remember that spices can heat as well-it doesn’t need to refer to the temp. of the food. The recommendations on-line are great for essential oils and massage oils to balance you. When vatta takes over, i don’t sleep. A little coconut oil massage and I’m out like a light. As a Kapha, you will need a different oil. In general, I just eat all raw foods. For me, if I have anything cooked, the whole process is slowed and i only get out the effort i put in. So at 85% raw, i get about 60% benefit, but at 100% raw, I get 200% benefit. Vattas are supposed to eat LOTS of heavier raw foods and I just can’t do that. i feel terrible. I’ve settled into what works for me-1.5 L of green smoothie in the am. If hungry at work, i have a PURE bar or a couple of figs. 3:00 is my big meal—usually a spinach hummus with lots of raw veggies. I’ll often have a carob “treat” or 2 dates stuffed w/ homemade sprouted almond butter. If I’m hungry at all for dinner, it’s late and a small green salad with dulse will suffice. Critics of raw food diets have never completed 30 days raw usually. It takes a LONG time to be consistently raw. It is very normal to go through the phases of, “I need iron from meat.” or “I can’t do that because…” Letting go of all that is part of being receptive on all levels. It takes a long time. I spent a long time convincing myself that steel cut oats were essential to a marathoner or that there was NO way i was giving up my 2 drinks on sat night, that often turned into 3. The clarity and receptivity of being raw leads you away from these things naturally over time. Everyone comes to a different rae place that works for them. Whatever you do, follow your passion and if it’s fruit. Eat it!

  • kminty3- i’ve been cutting back on the “sweeter” fruits (bananas, pineapple, dates, grapes, kiwi, oranges, papaya, coconut, melon) as well as high acidity citrus, and increasing the veggies. no nuts, but i eat a few pumpkin and sunflower seeds in my salads. from what i’ve read, the 8-1-1 diet is not a good idea for people that are kapha… too many sweet fruits, not enough veggies. maybe you could still follow 8-1-1, but just focus on fruit that decreases kapha. “good” fruits for kapha are: apples, apricots, berries, cherries, cranberries, mango, peaches, pears, pomegranate, prunes, raisins, and strawberries (go easy on the strawberries, though). cut out nuts entirely, and only use sunflower oil. you can eat most veggies, except for avocado, any squash, cucumber, olives, and tomatoes. good luck!

    lzhpt- i’m pretty new to raw, and even more “new” to Ayurveda. definitely some interesting stuff… seems like the two schools of thought make quite a few of the same points—don’t put bad stuff into your body, according to your body type. sounds like you’re stuck right in the middle! eating a raw diet will definitely help you find a balance between the two doshas. seems like you’re doing a good job!!

  • kminty3kminty3 Raw Newbie

    thank you for the tips! I have read some ayurveda literature and found it fascinating. I hadn’t heard sunflower oil was good for Kapha.. I usually do coconut oil because I have a lazy thryoid. Cutting out cucs and tomatoes would be tough! especially because I avoid broc/cauli and cabbage because of my thryoid! I’ll figure it out though.. thanks so much for the responses.. I do need to cut down on bananas and sweet fruit.. I’ve been feeling that I need more apples, etc..

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