“Yoga se Bhoj” is an effort by Butterfly Ayurveda to help you connect within and extend this union with what you eat. Eating with awareness helps us enjoy our food wholeheartedly, deploying all our senses, and proves to be highly beneficial for the body, mind and soul.

Food gives us energy as well as nourishment. Food carries the “Prana Urja” or the life force which is essential for living a life.

Eating is a ritual

Eating is ceremonial in Indian tradition and starts way before the actual act of eating. It starts with cleansing of the body and mind. Through the simple act of washing our hands and feet, we cleanse our bodies, preparing ourselves for the profound experience that awaits. Choosing a peaceful environment to eat is recommended as it is calming to mind and nourishing to the soul.

It is suggested in Ayurveda that one faces East, towards the Sun while eating as it is the ultimate source of heat, fire and energy and it helps in digestion. Before eating, praying and ushering gratitude to the food that nourishes us is an old and significant Indian practice. Observing silence when eating the food, helps us to bring more awareness to how we eat and what we eat.

How to eat

When eating, it is recommended to eat or consume with all the senses. Enjoy the colors, aroma, texture and taste of the food. Red color for instance, stimulates appetite and green is suggestive of freshness and well being.

Eating with hands sends impulses of temperature and texture of the food to the brain. These cues and triggers help stimulate the organs to function well; properly digest, absorb, distribute and eliminate what one has ingested.

When to eat

The ancient science of Ayurveda emphasizes that one must eat only when hungry. Two to three meals are optimum in a day. It is recommended that one should refrain from eating if angry, sad or simply bored. Consuming food right after or before any kind of heavy work or physical exertion is not advised.

What to eat

“यथा अन्नम तथा मनम” literally translates to “You become what you eat” and hence it is advised to be mindful about what one eats. Ayurveda has delineated about how one should eat according to their own “Prakriti” - Vata, Pitta or Kapha, to maximize the benefits of the food that they eat.

Food as medicine

It is aptly said that - “If the food is right, one does not need medicine; and if the food is not right, medicine is of no use”. Food when consumed as per the recommendations becomes therapeutic. Freshly prepared food has everything to keep us healthy and disease free. Eating as prescribed by Ayurveda, has shown a decline in many lifestyle diseases and disorders like diabetes, arthritis, anxiety, insomnia and even depression.

Butterfly Ayurveda Special Gift Combos For Summer

Butterfly Ayurveda brings you specially curated combos for summer which are Tridosha balancing and Pitta pacifying. So connect within, eat what is best for you and celebrate this union the Butterfly Ayurveda way.

1. शीतल (Sheetal) - Rose Petal Infusion + Coconut Cookies - To cool from within

• Cooling, calming and embalming effects of Rose and Coconut
• Relieves stress
• Curbs sugar cravings after meal and helps in better digestion
• Fragrant, uplifting and Tridosha balancing, pitta pacifying

2. सौम्य (Saumya) - Mint Infusion + Tejas Cookies - Enhancing the softness within

• Fresh, relaxing, detoxifying effects of Mint
• Can be had after meal for better digestion
• Enjoy the cookies with evening tea or mid day tea as a snack
• Crunchy melon seeds help in cooling
• Tridosha balancing

3. साहस (Saahas) - Heartstrong Infusion + Fruit & Nut Cookies - For boosting the strength within

• Promotes overall heart health as made with Giloy and Arjun ki Chhaal
• Helps lowers cholesterol; maintains healthy Blood Pressure levels
• Balances Vata and Pitta doshas
• Boost of energy to go that extra mile
• Delicious cookies rich in antioxidants, and fibre

4. धैर्य (Dhairya) - Lemongrass Infusion + Oat and Raisin Cookies - Bring the calm and patience within

• Vitamin C for better immunity and also aids in iron absorption
• Helps maintain healthy blood pressure levels
• Rich in antioxidants, soothes senses, uplifts mood
• Vata and Kapha Dosha balancing
• Wholesome and chewy cookies

Key Takeaways

1. Mindful eating allows us to foster a deeper connection with ourselves and fully enjoy our food.
2. Food not only provides energy and nourishment but also carries the vital life force, known as 'Prana Urja.'
3. Eating is ceremonial in Indian tradition which involves body and mind cleansing, offering prayers before one starts to eat.
4. One must increase awareness of how to eat, when to eat and what to eat.
5. Fresh, thoroughly cooked food is therapeutic, and helps prevent and alleviate lifestyle diseases like diabetes, arthritis, and anxiety etc.