Ayurvedic Tips and Reminders- Can Eating Breakfast be Anti-Aging?

Dear friends,

According to Ayurvedic medicine eating breakfast is essential for many reasons. Why? because by eating food in the morning we set up the day for having even tempered emotions, balance, joy and contentment. Skipping breakfast can cause irritability and unsettled emotions. According to the following study by Rush University Medical Center it is true that:

Advantages of eating in the a.m.

Various studies have found different benefits of starting your day with breakfast, including:

• Having a lower BMI
• Consuming less fat through the day
• Meeting recommendations for fruit and vegetable consumption
• Having higher daily calcium intake
• Having higher daily fiber intake
• Having better performance (memory and attention)
• https://www.rush.edu/health-wellness/discover-health/why-you-should-eat-breakfast

So science is in agreement with Ayurveda’s 5000 year old wisdom.

Often women skip breakfast because they are either in a rush to get kids off to school or simply not hungry. In that case eating fruit in the morning is “golden” says Ayurveda.I’ve shared my cooked apple recipe many times but will post below as a reminder. Cooked apples in the morning enhance overall well-being by increasing strength, vitality, and increased digestive ability, a term called “ojas” ( the by product of digestion). Without “ojas” we age, added weight can increase risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, impaired digestion can lead to fatigue, allergies and a compromised immune system so can eating breakfast be considered anti-aging?

Sweet juicy fruits like papapa or pineapple can aid in detoxification and help improve digestion and are excellent eaten first thing in the morning followed by eating breakfast thirty minutes later. A cooked breakfast of steel cut oatmeal with soaked raisins and dates from the night before ( could put in crockpot) is another good option. Having a drink made with warm almond milk, ginger, cinnamon and cardamom can also be included.

So experiment with where you are- having fresh juice in the morning like carrot, apple, ginger, pear is a great start if you find you are not hungry. Ayurveda always recommends room temperature food and drink to keep the digestive fire burning brightly.

This morning ritual is one I personally love. When I began Ayurveda I was not hungry in the morning so I just ate fruit, but now having a good appetite and digestion I look forward to waking up and having a hearty breakfast.I personally love waffles and enjoy making them too. Here are a few pictures of my new favorite winter breakfast- Buckwheat waffles-You can add a little dollop of cottage cheese or yogurt to the waffle and even keep a few leftover in the refrigerator or freezer to heat up the next day with ghee. In this recipe I used coconut oil. It can be made with ghee, or sunflower oil. For kapha types the fruit alone might be enough- for vata and pitta types the sweet taste of fruit, cottage cheese and waffle will feel comforting and satisfying.  If you’re ambitious you can even make these the night before. And for the record buckwheat is NOT wheat (if you don’t eat wheat)- it is actually a fruit seed from a plant that is called ‘beech wheat”  and it is also high in fiber making it a great breakfast food.

Reminder, Bon appetite- enjoy your food. You can’t go wrong with fresh ripe juicy fruit- it will also hydrate your skin! My grandmother knew..

Hope to see you soon.  PS.The new Johns Creek office of Centre Spring MD is having a Grand Opening Tuesday night Jan 17th from 6-8pm maybe I’ll see you there. Also please read and pass forward my new published article in the Conscious Life Journal on the Chakras-https:gedaliahhealingarts.com/press Here’s to your health in 2017!

Gedalia Genin