2 foods you must NOT eat and 2 you must eat DAILY!

More and more people are switching to an Ayurvedic lifestyle. Ayurvedic diet lays strong emphasis on following Sattvic principles and prescribes foods which keep our mind clear, body detoxed and well-nourished. The natural healing system believes in the concept of 'Prana', signifying life-force or energy which has the ability to work wonders on our body. Through nourishment, certain positive, negative or zero pranic foods can help you.

According to Ayurvedic principles, it is very important that the meal you eat contains food from groups which not just fulfill your cravings but also nourish your body from the inside and at the same time, avoid excessive intake of 'negative' prana foods in your diet.

Foods that are negative in nature do not contribute anything to the body's or the mind's growth. Anything that is prepared unconsciously, in a negative fashion, goes through excessive processing, which can impact you. When these products go through some kind of processing, the prana is taken out of them and makes them lifeless and of no use. According to Ayurvedic principles, garlic, and onions, specifically, are two foods to avoid.

While there are numerous claims to the number of benefits garlic and onions offer, Ayurveda strongly recommends you to avoid these two

While it is not possible to do away with onions in our diet, according to Ayurvedic principles, onion bulbs are a negative prana food, meaning that they do not supply any useful energy to the body, are fairly low on nutritional value and instead, generate excess heat in the body. Onions also contain certain enzymes which impact our ability to focus and pay attention. They can also cause repulsive breath, release a pungent odor and possibly lead to brain fog and cause headaches. Instead of simply eliminating onions from your diet, try lowering your usage and observe the changes.

Much like onions, garlic has been associated with a negative pranic value and their daily consumption is not a good habit. It is a pungent food, which increases the production of heat and bile in the body, creates an imbalance in the gut or can even affect brain health. Excessive garlic consumption also has the ability to induce negative emotions in our body.

Positive pranic foods uplift and enhance your energy levels, fulfill your health needs and actually help our body to retain positive energy, which can help heal so many problems and issues. They are also usually high on nutritional value and can also help cure ailments and fulfill goals. Here are three positive pranic foods which you must include in your plate:

Ash gourd, locally known as 'petha' is a delicacy which not just tastes good when cooked well but also comes with a bunch of health benefits. According to yogic and Ayurvedic principles, Ash gourd or white pumpkin is the highest of all pranic food. When had in the morning in the form of juice, it can work in engaging your senses and improves intellect and wake up a slow brain. In fact, it can also help fight a bad bout of cold. Ash gourd juice mixed with pepper and honey can generate heat in the body and exhale mucus.

Honey is not just vetted for in the western world for being an immune booster but according to Ayurveda, the molecular composition of honey is almost as pure as blood and extremely helpful in treating anemic problems. It also has disease-fighting properties which keep you protected. Ayurvedic healers suggest that honey should be consumed daily, preferably in the morning, mixed with water.

Spices are not just essential to add that flavour or zing to dishes but if used right, Indian spices can work wonders in energising your body and aligning your chakras. Some of the spices which are high on pranic energy include pepper, asafetida, chili, and turmeric.

While rich in prana, do remember to consume them in moderate levels. Excess of it can lead to problems and deteriorate digestion.

In order to switch from a draining, negative prana diet to a more positive, enriching one, you can try making a few simple changes in your diet. Replace empty calories with something more nutritious, processed foods with whole foods, lower the use of zero prana foods and adopt a more mindful approach to eating.

Apart from this, to follow a positive pranic diet, Ayurveda principles suggest eating rainbow food - which is basically done by including fruits and vegetables from varied food groups. Adopted in the right manner, it can lead you to a more holistic lifestyle.