Rains - Care during season change

The effect of the Moon on moods has been well known for centuries (The word lunatic has its origin in the variation of hysterical and depressed patients around moon cycles). But what is often missed is the effect of the Sun on digestion. It will soon be rainy season, and all over India, marriages or any other functions where a feast is usually the norm will be avoided. This is for a reason. Your digestive system is less active (it rests and rejuvenates) during the rainy months because it will be cloudy. So to keep good health for yourself and your family during the next 3 months, eat an early meal (you can replace your Breakfast with lunch); eat a light lunch and even lighter supper (a simple rice gruel around sunset is enough). Avoid eating anything after sunset. A glass of milk with turmeric is recommended at night. Avoid rich foods (Oily foods and Flour based with excess sugars) during the next 3 months.

The rainy months are also ideal for rejuvenation of the body – People who are considering detox programs and Ayurvedic massages can consider doing so in June-July for this as the body is very responsive to these treatments during these months. The above regimen also is helpful to lose weight without strict diets as you are now working alongside the body’s biological clock.

Following the above regimen will also protect you in case there are breakouts of epidemics like Chikungunya and Dengue. Pass this on to friends and family who have children and older people as they are more susceptible.

Sutra 48 - Wheatgrass

Drink wheat grass juice once every week. Described as "green blood", it removes iron deficiency and helps build damaged cells. It is an excellent restorative tonic if you are recovering from a weakening disease.


Many organic food stores have dried  wheat grass powder for convenience. Else it takes very little effort to grow wheat grass at home. Soak ordinary wheat grains until it sprouts and put it in a tray for about 7 days. When it about finger length, it is juicy and soft. Pluck a handful and put it as part of the vegetable juice described earlier or chew if you can.

There are several wheat grass suppliers as well in Bangalore and other parts of the world after reports of cancer remissions with its use.

Sutra 46 - Coconut

Include coconut in your meals. Adding freshly grated coconut in your meals helps reduce weight, reduces bad cholesterol and prevents heart diseases.

Coconut oil is cholesterol free and can be used in moderation. It is better than animal/dairy fats or hydrogenated transfats.  Prefer FILTERED coconut oil instead of REFINED coconut oil. Refining removes many of its micro nutrients. I often get it fresh from a local mill where it is not treated chemically.

Tender coconut water is rich in minerals and can be had twice or thrice a week during summer months. 

Sutra 44 - Open Sesame

Looking for natural ways of supplementing calcium through your diet? Consider Sesame.

Til (Seasame) is a rich source of calcium. Roast til seeds and make it into a powder. Sprinkle the powder into curries or any of your food preparations. This is a simple, natural and inexpensive way to get the required calcium. Being a natural product, this can be absorbed by the body without any rejections.

Til Oil is also excellent for massages and for easing joint pains. Apply warm oil on your joints. Leave for about 15 minutes and then take bath after a good workout. You will feel the difference.

Related : Oil Baths, Provision List

Sutra 36 - Soaked Nuts

Here is a way to give more proteins to your growing children. Soak nuts overnight and include them as part of the breakfast or give them as snacks at schools. The soaking ensures that they are easily digested. My guru calls nuts and sprouts as 'long-life batteries'. They digest slowly and supply the body with energy over a long period of time.

You can replace expensive health drinks with this and soon you will see that they work much better because they are direct sources of growth from nature and free from preservatives or additives.

Here is an easy recipe for nuts and sprout Puttu for breakfast. Share other recipes that you know of with the Vivafive community.

Related: Sprouts

Sutra 34 - Eat when hungry

"One-quarter of what you eat keeps you alive. The other three-quarters keeps your doctor alive" - Egyptian Proverb

Throughout this week, wait for your body to ask for food. When you feel hungry, your body is ready with the enzymes for digestion. You will notice a small warmth build up in your stomach in preparation for the digestion.

Over time we have 'trained' our body to eat at timely intervals without respecting its ability to complete the digestion process. When you eat when you are not hungry, it takes longer and the food that you eat does not get digested properly.

Do not stay hungry for a long time though. As you become more aware, you will notice a marked improvement in your digestion and even start losing weight as metabolism improves.

Sutra 43 - Millets

Include millets like Ragi, Bajra and Jowar as part of your staples at least thrice a week. Called miracle grains, they are packed with energy and are an excellent source of minerals, vitamins and fibre. Regularly alternating rice/wheat with millets is an excellent way to maintain health. Include these as part of multi grain atta as well for good results.

As millets are rain fed and don't require extensive irrigation, they are not only economical, but also help the environment by reducing the dependencies on only few staple food grains.

Here is a link to the millet cookbook

Sutra 25 - Start your day with more than a litre of water

Let the first thing that touch your tummy in the morning be water. Though widely known, many people find it difficult to follow this advice. If you are averse to drinking cold water, you can choose to drink warm water.

Your tummy is like the vessel in which you have cooked your previous night's meal. So before you do further cooking, it is essential to wash it. Dumping food continuously into the tummy without cleaning it often results in the fresh food mixing with half digested food inside the tummy.

Drink about 6 glasses of water to start your day. You can drink about 3 glasses and give a break before you have your next 3 glasses.

Many people start their day with a bed coffee or tea. They also give children milk as soon as they get up. This is not a healthy practice. I have seen several children's health improve including my own, after we started this practice of starting the day with a few glasses of water. This is a golden tip for parents who want to see their children's health improve. Make it a point to share this simple tip with as many parents and teachers, they are the architects of the world's future.

Sutra 21 - Reduce Dairy Products

Dairy products like milk, butter and cheese should be eaten in moderation. Man is the only animal on this planet that depends on milk for food after growing up. Dairy products make you sluggish and creates excess phlegm. It requires extra 'prana' or life force to process dairy.

Ayurveda recommends buttermilk (yogurt after removing the fats) and ghee (clarified butter) highly as digestive aids. These are rich in lactobacillus and can help in the absorption of food easily.

Sutra 19 - Silence during meals

Food is supposed to nourish the body, intellect and the soul. Distracting yourself during a meal by talking, watching television or while reading a newspaper can lead to poor digestion and acidity.

Saying a grace before food or respecting the food we eat as a culture had a health significance. Focusing on the food, its taste and chewing every bite helps the body to produce the right amount of enzymes to help break down and absorb food better.

Eating food with your family in silence is not an ‘uncool’ thing, but a great way to health for the entire family.


"Let food be thy medicine, and let thy medicine be food." - Hippocrates

Sutra 14 - Detox, made simple

Here is an inexpensive detox therapy. Every Saturday night, drink a glass of water or buttermilk mixed with a spoon of Triphala Churan. A mixture of three fruit extracts, the powder helps to balance the humors of the body and keep in top shape.

Triphala helps in cleaning the liver, relieve pains and retain vitality for several years. Regular use can keep your digestive, circulatory and nervous system in top shape even in old ages.

You can buy Triphala from Ayurveda shops in your neighbourhood. It is also available in many superstores nowadays as the awareness of its benefits is spreading online and through yoga programs on TV.

Sutra 11 - Vegetable Juice

As most of the nutrients are lost during cooking, a great way to replenish the necessary nutrition for the body is to drink the juices of a few seasonal vegetables. You can collect a few pieces of 3 to five vegetables, mix them with a little water, blend them, and filter it. Drink just a few teaspoonfuls to start with. Over a week, you can drink about half a glass. This would give you enough Sodium and you don't have to worry about adding salt in your meals.

The results can be amazing - Increased energy, glowing skin and sharper memory.

Sutra 10 - Sprouts

Make sprouts a part of your breakfast or lunch. Sprouts are a storehouse of energy. As the soaked seeds spring to life, they absorb a lot of positive energy. Each handful has incredible nutrition and can keep you going all day long. As sprouts are rich in proteins and require more time to digest, make sure you eat them during day time and not after dusk.

You can eat them raw or steam cook them and add them to your other preparations. Sprouts are also a great cure for hair fall.

Quick Recipe

Sutra 9 - Early Dinner

Want to look young, eat an early supper. Having your last meal by 7 PM ensures that there is enough time for your body to digest your meal and get busy with repairing your cells, as you sleep.

A late meal can keep your digestive system busy beyond midnight leaving it with very little time for the repair of your cells. As you sleep, your heart rate and the pace of breathing all are low and now is the chance for your body to recuperate. Straining your digestive system at night will leave you tired and unrefreshed the next day. Over time, you will look older than you need to.

Sutra 8 - Replace with natural sugars

Sugar converts to glucose easily and makes your digestive system lazy. Over a period of time, more than half of what you eat is thrown away, without being broken down.

I am not asking you to give up sweet taste though. Replace refined sugar with alternatives like honey or jaggery. Dates and raisins are good sources of sweetness. Also sugars that are available in fruits are healthy.

An estimate says that our kidney takes 3 days to flush out a spoon of refined sugar from the body and cleanse it.

Sutra 7 - Reduce Salt

Feeling a little under the weather, practice eating without salt. We consume much more salt than is required by the body. The extra salt we partake has to be cleaned by our system. The strain on our kidneys to do this takes away a lot of energy. It leaves you looking tired and haggard. Your body requires sodium ions and not salt. This is available in fresh vegetables and from other food sources.

Lessen the load on your kidneys by avoiding preparations that require extra salt. If you need to use salt for taste, make sure you have sea salt or ‘Saindhava Salt’. These are rich in minerals.

You can also use a few drops of fresh lemon juice to cheat your tongue.

Sutra 6 - No liquids after meals

Avoid drinking water for a couple of hours after your meals. Drinking soda or any juices after a meal can delay your digestion. It leaves you feeling heavy and tired after a meal.

By not diluting the digestive juices in your stomach with water, you assist in the faster breakdown of your meal and quicker absorption. If you need to take liquids during a meal, have a few sips, but ‘washing down’ your meal is a bad idea for your stomach and your overall health.

You can choose to drink a couple of glasses of water half an hour before your main meals. This cleans the stomach and makes it ready for the enzymes to line your belly.

Related: Getting into the habit of drinking more water.

Sutra 5 - More Whole Grains

Look for whole grains and beans as your staples for this week. Transform your kitchen to transform your health. Do a quick inventory and remove tempting snacks and junk food stored in your shelves and refrigerator. Replace them with nuts and dry fruits.

Avoid flour (maida) or any dishes with soft flour and cream. Replace them with more whole grains. This could be your bread or other snacks. Whole grains are rich in fibre and minerals that is lost when it is processed.

After learning about the white poisons, we stopped buying maida and I must confess, it has saved us tons of doctor's fee.

Related: Transform your kitchen

Sutra 2 - Chew Food

The next biggest trick to gain health and lose weight is chew food properly. Though this may sound easy it is one of the most difficult things to do and requires conscious practice.

Eat every morsel with care and roll it well in your mouth. Make sure you grind it well and mix it with your saliva. Enjoy every little taste as it rolls over your tongue.

Practice at least one solitary meal every day, where you love every mouthful without any distractions.

Avoid reading books, talking on the mobile or watching television while eating.