focus on carbs, calories, fat grams, protein, and is food focused. Western medicine is all about the latest fad diet and what is bad for us. Eggs, wheat, and salt are three examples of those "bad foods." The reality is eggs are not as bad as once was believed and do not raise the cholesterol levels. The liver actually produces more cholesterol than you consume in eggs.

Salt is a big one for me. I have shared before that I never ate salt, because I believed it
was "bad" and the realty is good sea salt, black salt, pink salts are needed for mineral
absorption and hydration. I now carry black salt in my purse for meals out.
Wheat is not bad if you can digest it. It has a heavy quality, so if your digestion is slow, it
will be difficult. However, if your digestive fire is strong, you can handle it.
Ayurveda looks at the individual person and the ability to digest. It also looks at the
prana (life force) of the food as well as the quality of it.
The qualities are known of as the gunas. You experience in the food found in those
simple pairs of opposites: hot and cold, heavy and light, oily and dry, dull and sharp.
Chili peppers for example, give an experience of being hot and sharp and ice cream is
cold and heavy.

You want food with qualities that are going to provide a balance to your body rather than
reinforce them.
For example, if you're a Vata person with a lot of dry and lightness you don't need more
of the same. If you're Pitta, you don't need more hot and sharp, you've got plenty.
Kapha, you have lots of heavy and cold, you need astringent, pungent, and light (we will
talk more about taste tomorrow).
If you continue to bring in these foods that have the qualities that you already have,
you're just going to increase those qualities and eventually end up with an imbalance.
I am pitta and love spicy hot food. When I eat foods with those qualities, I get heat
rashes and start sweating. It heats my liver and affects my eyes and skin. The liver is
the seat of Pitta so I am constantly trying to cool the liver.
Ayurveda is a system of opposites. If you have too much dryness in your system, then
you need to bring moisture into your diet such as ghee or coconut. If you have too much
cold, you're cold all the time, you want to bring in things that are hot/warm and vice
versa.
There are 20 gunas see the list below. Start to notice your food and what qualities you
experience.
Building (K+) Reducing (V+) Measures
Heavy Light Weight
Dull/Slow Sharp/Pungent Intensity
Cold Hot Temperature
Oily Dry Moistness
Smooth Rough Texture
Dense Liquid Compactness

Soft Hard Firmness
Gross Subtle Perceptibility
Stable Mobile Movement
Cloudy Clear Transparency
I love getting your emails and feedback. I know you are all doing a great job! I am so
proud of you.
Namaste,

jen