Nutri-Jyoti News article archive
September 2008 - Cravings And Body Types
One question asked by one of the participants of my cooking class was "If I like certain foods, could that give me an indication of what body type I am?"
There are a couple of points to consider concerning this interesting question.
1. what and how strong are the likes and dislikes?
2. the difference between our present body type and our perfect one.
Likings or Cravings
Many feel that cravings can be their body telling them what it needs. If your body system is balanced so it can detect when it has excesses and deficiencies, these feelings can be valid. However, who among us can say they have cravings for green leafy vegetables, for example, to increase calcium levels and the bitter taste in our diet? Generally, the cravings are for our favourite cakes or biscuits and don't act in our favour.
A strong liking or craving can develop when we're out of balance, usually a mineral deficiency. We develop it to correct the imbalance. For example, a sweet craving in Ayurvedic nutrition could mean that there is a predominance of the Kapha force or in Traditional Chinese Medicine that the Earth element, in particular the spleen, needs some attention.
This type of craving nourishes imbalance. But there is good news. Once you deal with these types of cravings and achieve a certain level of harmony within your body system, this good state of health supports more health. This means you can indulge these "cravings" because they will be an indication of your body's inate knowledge.
How can you tell the difference between a "good" craving and a "bad" craving?
Beware of the cravings if they
- appear shortly after you've finished eating
- only apply to particular foods
- involve refined foods especially those containing refined sweetening agents
- occur when you've feeling anxious, stressed or unhappy, for example.
Body type - present or perfect?
Instead of being an indication of your ideal body type - the one you were born with - the cravings would be more an indication of your body type as it is now with its imbalances.
The person who asked the question, rarely cooks dessert, prefers savoury and salty dishes, and uses good organic olive and sesame oils. It all sounds good. A balance of flavours within the food we eat is one of the main principles of Ayurvedic Nutrition. So, her food choices would be part of the information used to determine the different forces of her body type.
However, when working out what body type we are it's also important to consider the physical body, the mind and the emotions at the present time and in general. We should be able to enjoy our food without a longing for it, especially in any of the situations mentioned. How can we achieve this balanced state of moving towards our individual perfect body type? I've found it's effective is to educate myself and my clients and to do regular cleansing work. And Spring and Autumn are the best seasons for cleansing work to move our body systems back towards perfect health.
Copyright © 2008 All rights reserved Janet Gomez
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