Similarly, when it comes to food, Ayurveda guides you through what to eat, what to avoid, and what food combinations are compatible or incompatible for you. With food, Ayurveda says your diet should be as per your doshas, depending on whether you’re more pitta, vata or kapha dominated.
What about sex?
Sex is an important aspect of life. In this day and age, you’ll find that a lot of people are sexually deprived. They don’t talk about it because they are working so hard and don’t have enough personal time. But according to Ayurveda, that is not how life is prescribed to you. Having sex is important and is an important part of our being. Being sexually deprived can lead to a number of psychological and emotional issues. Ayurveda also believes in monogamous relationships and considers sex to be almost like a form of art, an art of love-making where you genuinely feel love for that person and are emotionally connected to them.
You spoke about doshas earlier. How does one figure out what dosha dominates them?
There are five elements that exist inside us in the form of three doshas, which are vata, pitta, and kapha. Each of these elements is composed of two doshas. This book simplifies it all, making it easier for anyone to figure out what their dominant dosha is.
How do you see the people embrace the principles of Ayurveda in their daily lives?
Honestly, I think Ayurveda is hitting home with the new generation, a generation that is educated, curious and more sensible than previous ones. It’s always a pleasant surprise for me when people tell me that they know their doshas and that they are following the Ayurvedic principles in their daily lives.
What’s the one myth you’d like to bust?
You should never have coffee on an empty stomach. According to Ayurveda, it just ends up serving your pitta. If you like coffee, then have it between your meals, not the first thing in the morning.
In your personal life, how do you incorporate this Ayurvedic knowledge?
Whatever I eat is as per my dinacharya–which tells you about how your day should be, depending on the season and time of the year, and ritucharya–which tells you what to eat, what to avoid, and how much to sleep, among other things. I also take a few Ayurvedic tonics like Ashvagandha and some form of amla every day. My four-year-old son also follows Ayurveda and regularly has amla like me, and sitopaladi for his lungs since we live amidst the pollution of Delhi.
Any tips on how people can incorporate Ayurveda into their daily lives?
Have amla in some form every day. Amla is the most potent antioxidant in the world, more than blueberries or green tea. You can have it as juice with a dash of honey, or as amla rasayan which comes in a box so you can have it throughout the year, even when amlas are not in season.
The second would be to have Ashwagandha. It’s a tonic that gives you strength from within and keeps you calm, especially men. It’s from the same family as ginseng and it’s truly the best thing.
Thirdly, everyone should try and understand the basics of Ayurveda so that they can understand their own constitution and plan their lives around it. Someone who is kapha dominated will have a slightly different lifestyle than someone who is vata dominated. We all have these three elements, but knowing which one is more dominant can help you find a good balance between all three. And once you find that balance, life is very easy.
