Thoughts: Below are thoughts from Deepak Chopra - on the benefits of eating foods that the earth naturally provides, some being easy digestion and removing stored toxicity from the body.
If the words he uses throws you off don't stress about learning them, replace them with 'life', 'death' 'toxic' 'energy' - whatever words you can relate to.
Agni or the “digestive fire,” is one of the most important principles in the ancient science of ayurveda. It refers broadly to our ability to process all aspects of life, including food, experiences, memories, and sensory impressions. Agni is responsible for absorbing the nutrients and essential elements the body needs while burning off waste products (agni is the root of the English word “ignite”).
If our agni is strong, we’re able to digest food efficiently and easily assimilate our daily experiences. On the other hand, if agni is weak, our body won’t digest well, creating toxic residue or ama that lodges deep in our cells.
Agni
According to ayurvedic teaching, strong agni leads to excellent health and well-being, while the accumulation of ama results in the slow deterioration of the body and—ultimately—disease. The inability to metabolize emotions produces just as much toxic residue as undigested food. In fact, pent-up anger, long-held sadness, and lingering guilt are more debilitating for most people than problems with physical digestion.
Ojas: The Vital Nectar of Life
If we desire perfect health, it’s crucial to eliminate the ama stored in our body and focus on producing ojas, which is the essential life energy. A Sanskrit term meaning “vigor,” ojas is the pure and subtle substance that’s extracted from food that has been completely digested. Ojas circulates throughout the bodily tissues and heart, sustaining the physical self, bringing clarity to the mind and balancing the emotions. In short, when the body produces ojas, the vital nectar of life, we feel blissful. The cells sing with happiness because both the mind and the body are receiving the nourishment they need.
To promote the creation and flow of ojas, we need a good diet focused on pure foods, referred to as “sattvic” in ayurveda. The body can easily digest sattvic food and extract its ojas or prime energy. The most sattvic foods include organic milk & almond milk, almonds, sesame, honey, rice, and fruits. It’s not necessary to eat these foods exclusively — just focus on having them on a regular basis.
Some foods are difficult if not impossible for the body to convert into ojas, including meat, poultry, fish, oily foods, cheese, leftovers, processed food, and items with an excess of sour or salty tastes. Food that has been canned, frozen, or reheated won’t produce as much ojas as freshly prepared meals. In addition, consuming alcohol and smoking cigarettes destroys ojas.
The following chart will help you determine whether you have healthy ojas or an accumulation of ama in your body. If you’ve been storing toxicity, you can choose now to begin to nourish yourself and enjoy increasing levels of joy and well-being in your life.
Signs of Ojas
You feel rested upon awakening
Your skin has a healthy glow
Your tongue is clear and pink
You feel centered throughout the day
Your digestion is strong without bloating
You feel energized & enthusiastic
Your mind is clear
Your body has a pleasant smell
You rarely get sick
Your body feels light, regardless of the number on the scale
Signs of Ama
Bad breath
Coated tongue
Dull appetite
Delicate digestion
Generalized pain
Fatigue
Depression
Susceptibility to infections
Difficulty manifesting intentions
Sluggish or irritable elimination
Creating Nurturing Mealtimes
Our experience while we’re eating is just as important as the kinds of foods we’re consuming. If we’re having a fight with our spouse over the dinner table, our stomach cells are aware of the upset and send distressed chemical messages throughout the body. As a result, we’re not able to create ojas because of the indigestible emotions coursing throughout our cells and organs.
Since ojas is the by-product of all the signals our body receives, we need to create a nurturing atmosphere for our meals, paying attention to all of the senses — taste, sound, sight, touch, and smell. Here are a few tips for making your body happy while you eat:
* Eat in a settled atmosphere
* Don’t eat when you’re upset.
* Always sit down to eat (don’t eat in front of your computer or TV or while you’re driving).
* Only eat when you’re hungry.
* Dine at a moderate pace. Don’t gulp down your food or eat too slowly.
Deepak Chopra
Quotes: Attachment is one of the greatest sources of our suffering. Addiction is a prevalent form of attachment. - Eckhart Tolle
What I Ate Today:
Meal 1: A water with a squeeze of lemon.
Meal 2: An avocado.
Meal 3: 3 tablespoons of almond butter.
Meal 4: 4 nectarines.
Meal 5: Strawberries!
Meal 6: Mexican Rice and Beans :) With avocado and yucca! Created with Red onion, Green Pepper, Pinto Beans, Brown Rice, Tomato Paste, Cumin, Chilli, Coriander (Cilantro), avocado, lime!
Meal 7: 3 Chocolate Almond Butter Cups :) Divineeeee! And a Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup!
Recipe:All recipes will be published in The Earth diet book and some are currently available free on The Earth Diet website www.TheEarthDiet.Org
Exercise: A run in the morning, a stretch and yoga.
9 days to go!!!
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