What is the meaning of ahara?

Ahara is anything we take in for nourishing the mind and body.  

• Ahara includes all foods, herbs and drinks, the air we breathe, our emotions and the information received through the senses (sight, taste, smell, sound and touch).   

• Ahara is broken down and used as the building blocks for building and replenishing the body.  

• Ahara is one of the three pillars of life. We must have food and water to survive.  Without food, the body tissues slowly waste away.

What does ahara have to do with beauty?

When it comes to food and beauty, digestion is everything but it's not the only thing.  Your choice of food also matters.  Freshly prepared foods have life force (prana) and are very nourishing.  Preserved, stale or overcooked foods are considered dead.  Eating unhealthy food in an unhealthy way is the cause of many diseases.  Eating with the principles of Ayurveda can actually prevent or even reverse the disease process.  If you want glowing skin, shining hair, and strong nails, you’ll need to optimize your digestion, limit the intake of dead foods and eat foods high in prana.  

Foods to limit:

• Processed and preserved foods

• Chemicals in productions (artificial fertilizers, hormones, pesticides)

• Frozen foods (ice expands and breaks the bonds between food molecules)

• Raw foods (in moderation for those with very strong digestion).

• Refined foods

• Fried food (heating oil beyond its boiling point changes the natural structure and could make it carcinogenic)

• Carbonation (produces hyper acidity in the GI tract)

• Microwaving (breaks bonds between food molecules)

• GMO (altering the basic structure of food will cause serious effects on us)

Eat foods high in prana:

• Fresh seasonal fruits

• Fresh cooked seasonal vegetables

• Soaked and cooked whole  grains

• Organic foods

• Unrefined oils

• Homemade ghee

• Spices and herbs

Don’t forget your mindset!

Ahara is food for life force energy.  It’s also breath and what we perceive form the senses.  Most important is to enjoy food and take care not to become obsessive.  Stressing about eating healthy is unhealthy.  If you are eating something considered to be harmful but doing it in moderation and with joy, by all means go ahead and enjoy!  On the other hand, if you are eating harmful foods and beating yourself up or feeling guilty about it, these negative thoughts and emotions are just as bad for your health as the food itself.  You don't have to be perfect.  I know I’m not!  Remember the body is an amazing healing machine and occasional processed foods or leftovers won't kill you.  When you sit down for a meal, eat it with joy and gratitude.  Appreciatie where it comes from and how it gives you nourishment and health.

-Cheers to good health!

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