Top Ayurvedic items for your kitchen

If you’ve done any sort of investigation into Ayurveda like I have, you might have noticed how much information there is to learn about it. With so many guidelines, terms, and lists of foods and herbs to take or avoid, the whole system can seem rather overwhelming and unmanageable.  Luckily, our favorite guru, Yogi Cameron, breaks it down for us.  He claims there is no need to go into information overload from the beginning. Below are five items that benefit most people’s body types and can be kept in your kitchen:

Turmeric: This herb’s immune building properties makes it a natural choice for incorporation into any number of meals or infusions (teas). Take a small amount of turmeric each day to aid digestion, relieve congestion, and prevent gas. 

Ginger: Like turmeric, dry ginger also aids in digestion as well as in resolving symptoms related to having a cold. Use it as a spice in your cooking or take it as a tea after having a meal.

Tulsi: Also known as holy basil, this herb provides a generally balancing effect on most who consume it. Take it as a tea each day so to remove excess mucus or help the body to heal the flu. It is also a plant used for spiritual practices.

Ghee: This clarified form of butter has many beneficial properties both as a food to be consumed as well as being applied topically for strengthening various parts of the body. You can find ghee in health stores or you can even make your own.  I actually combine melted ghee and turmeric a few times a week to keep my body balanced.  It tastes better than it sounds:)

Jaggery: This natural sweetener originates in India and other Asian countries and provides a natural, unrefined sweetener that can be used in cooking as well as a number of Ayurvedic remedies.

In addition to the above, here is a list of foods and spices that are generally balancing (when not consumed in excess) no matter what our constitution may be:  asparagus, parsley, rice, mung, sunflower seeds, cottage cheese, fennel, nutmeg, peppermint, spearmint and coriander.

Best wishes for a very Merry Christmas!