Practice observing elements around you! Everything is a play of 5 Elements.⠀
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If we understand this simple yet profound concept, we can incorporate necessary changes in our diet and lifestyle to stay healthy both mentally and physically.⠀
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Food we eat is a combination of 5 elements. Our body nourished by the food we eat is also made up of the same elements. It is therefore evident that a healthy or disease state of the body is a result of increase or decrease of these elements. ⠀
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Taste and Elements Make up:⠀
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Sweet– Earth and Water⠀
Sour—-Fire and Earth⠀
Salt——Fire and Water⠀
Bitter—-Air and Space⠀
Pungent—–Fire and Air⠀
Astringent-Earth and Air⠀
Effects of the tastes in our mind
Sweet taste (when in balance) brings a feeling of love, well-being, a sense of comfort and satisfaction. Sweet taste is overall grounding and cooling in nature. No wonder babies doze off after drinking their mothers’ sweet milk! However, in excess it can make us feel complacent or inert. Consume something sweet when you need some comfort and relaxation.
Sour taste (when in balance) has a warming effect, and it helps us become more aware. It is kind of like a wake-up call to reality. We become more conscientious, and we are able to better decide between what is “right” and what is “wrong”. In excess, sour taste can create envy, pessimism, or irritation in the mind. Consume something sour when you feel lost.
Salty taste (when in balance) also has a warming effect, stronger than sour taste. It gives us enough stimulation to do things we might otherwise not want to do while remaining grounded. Excess use of salt can create many different scenarios such as rigidity, excess desire for gratification, wanting to be “right” at all times, etc. Make sure your foods are properly salted when you feel you need a bit of stimulation.
The bitter taste is the coldest and lightest of all the tastes. When in balance, it helps us see life as it really is, allowing us to see and think more clearly. The bitter taste brings down our illusions, allowing truth to surface. This truth can be “cold” and give us a slight sense of dissatisfaction. But it is that same dissatisfaction that can push us towards making improvements. And in excess, this same dissatisfaction can grow into long-term disappointment and sadness. Consume something bitter when you feel you are stuck and would like to find a new perspective in life.
The pungent taste is the hottest of all tastes. It is also the most stimulating to digestion, although this is not a surprise to anyone. In moderation, the pungent taste stimulates the intellect, helping you make smarter decisions. It removes fear, or to better put it, it gives your courage to do things you are afraid of. On the excessive side, it can bring a lot of anger, aggression, and/or mercifulness.
The astringent taste has a slightly cooling and contractive kind of nature. It gives us a more “down to earth” type of perspective, helping us contract emotional swings. In excess, it can promote a loss of interest in life. Consume something astringent when your emotions are all over the place and you need to be more practical.
Start observing the elements in your food and go inwards…see what tastes balance out your excessive traits.
For a more accurate diet protocol, make an appointment with me!
510.556.3738
manju@ayurhitam.com