FOOD IN VAIDYAGRAMA Food is medicine according to Ayurveda! However during the treatment, “medicine is food”; and hence the endeavour is to keep the food as light as possible so that digestion happens easily and the focus can be entirely on the healing process. Thus ideally we would like to give most patients only rice kanji and green gram as food for the greater part of their stay here; but as many patients find this monotonous and tasteless, we have introduced a few other items for the patients to relieve the monotony.
BREAKFAST It is generally rice kanji with green gram most days of the week.
LUNCH It generally consists of 1 wheat roti, 1 cup of red rice (or other grains), 2 cups of vegetables, 1 cup of lentils and 1 cup of warm buttermilk; this can again vary slightly based on the treatment need.
DINNER Generally 3 numbers of some dosa (South Indian pancake) or similar variety or rice kichdi are served along with some vegetables and/or 1 chutney (mint or beetroot or coconut or coriander)
DRINKING WATER Warm medicated herbal drinking water is provided in flasks to your room; if you need more water, please do not hesitate to request for the same. Ayurveda recommends the use of this warm herbal water as it aids digestion and also purifies the water.
HERBAL TEA / COCONUT WATER We also serve herbal tea 2 times in a day – early morning and at around 4pm. In summer, we serve coconut water (instead of herbal tea) once in a day based on availability and the permission of your vaidya. We reiterate that the endeavor is to keep the food easily digestible so that the entire focus is on the healing process.
SOME TIPS FOR EATING AT VAIDYAGRAMA
Please relieve yourself (urination and defecation if necessary) and wash your hands before you sit to eat your food
It is best to eat food in silence; and to say a short prayer before you commence eating food
When you eat in silence, you become aware of the food and also about what works for you and what does not work for you
When you eat alone in silence, you will also know when your stomach is full
Please stop eating the moment you feel your stomach is full
Please do not worry about wasting food; the balance food goes into our composting pit to come back as fertilisers for the plants; so nothing is being wasted
Please sip warm water in between the food; do not drink too much water before or after eating food
Please do remember that the food can appear monotonous or tasteless within a few days of your being here; but if you keep your focus on the healing process and remember that the food is only secondary while in treatment, you will be able to eat as much as you need even if it does not satisfy your desire
You could follow these tips back at home also; they are very useful and will make a big difference to the state of your health.
