Choosing foods that suit you can be a better option than the usual one-size-fits-all diets, writes SYLVIA THOMPSON
THE BIGGEST flaw in most diets is their one-size-fits-all approach. Even those with the best wills in the world find it difficult to stick to the same mix of specified foods for weeks on end. It could be argued that many low-fat, low-carb or even high-protein diets fail because they don’t take into consideration individual likes and dislikes, and lifelong habits that are ingrained into the personalities of those who overeat.
Now, Anjum Anand, the presenter of the BBC 2 series, Indian Food Made Easy, is offering those who want to lose or maintain a healthy weight a new approach to dieting that takes personality differences into account. Her new book, Eat Right for Your Body Type, uses the Indian system of Ayurvedic medicine to select foods that suit different personality types.
The thirtysomething mother of one struggled with her weight in her 20s and after years of trying various diets turned to Ayurveda for the answers. “As a teenager and in my 20s I was always overweight and I tried every diet and always lost weight but the weight always came back on again,” she explains. “I realised that I needed to eat healthily to be healthy and that restrictive diets could never be a lifelong habit,” she says.
And so she consulted an Ayurvedic doctor who explained to her how her body had become out of balance after years of yo-yo dieting. To those brought up on Western orthodox medicine, the Ayurvedic system may seem difficult to follow. “It’s been around for 5,000 years and once you get into it, it makes sense,” she says.
Put very simply, Ayurvedic medicine uses five elements of the universe – ether, air, fire, water and earth – as a starting point to understanding our health and wellbeing. These elements are grouped together in pairs to define three basic doshas (personality types or natural constitutions) for which certain types and quantities of food will suit differently.
In her book, Anand provides a questionnaire to help readers work out their dosha and recommends that you answer the questions twice – once as you are now and once as you were when you were younger to get a more accurate picture (see panel).
According to Ayurvedic medicine, imbalances in your dosha lead to poor health. “When our dominant dosha increases, we become extreme versions of ourselves or imbalanced,” she writes. “For example, a vata person who is active can become restless, distracted and overactive. A kapha person who is slow and measured might become lazy, inactive or depressed. A pitta person who is critical and organised, might become controlling and dominating.”
She explains by giving herself as an example. “I discovered that I was a kapha dosha because I had the tendency to put on weight. I found it hard to get up early, I was a bit lazy and I ate foods that were heavy.
“When I began to get kapha balanced, I began to feel better and better, but I overdid it and swung into a vata imbalance. I changed from being a happy-go-lucky but lazy person to being someone who couldn’t sit still, was impatient and suffered from digestive disorders.” And so, she then had to learn how to redress this imbalance.
Anand gives readers certain broad rules on eating that will suit their particular dosha. “Ayurveda is clear that if you are not hungry, you shouldn’t eat. Wait until you are hungry, then have something light, so that you can still eat your lunch at the proper time,” she writes about people who skip breakfast.
But how can you manage to cook a family meal that will suit the different doshas of family members? “Yes, it can be hard to have meals right for everyone, but there are foods that are good for everyone and each person can add in what suits their dosha most,” she explains.
Anand gives lots of tasty recipes with specific guidelines for each dosha. For example, if everyone is eating a lentil soup, a Kapha person might add chilli to stimulate their circulation, a Pitta person might add butter, while a Vata person might add parmesan cheese to make it more nourishing for their particular constitution.
She also encourages people to eat calmly, without too much distraction. “Eating when stressed, depressed, upset or just on the go will hamper or strain digestion,” she says.
Vata: If you have a vata personality, you are creative, sensitive and friendly, naturally slim with a small frame. You like to sing, dance, are artistic and life is always busy and full. You are adaptable and flexible but indecisive. You are intuitive, a little shy and sleep lightly. When out of balance, you are continually stressed, anxious or overstimulated and you become overactive and/or don't sleep enough. You need to eat warm, freshly cooked foods at regular times each day. Eat when you are calm, avoid processed and fried foods. Warm comforting food is good for you, so have plenty of soups, stews, rice puddings and risottos.
Pitta: If you have a pitta personality, you are focused and organised with a good physique, lots of energy and a fantastic metabolism. You sleep well, have a hearty appetite, are often quite thirsty and enjoy cold foods. Intelligent and perceptive but when out of balance you can be critical, controlling, angry and impatient. When out of balance, you are prone to indigestion, heartburn and acidity, which can lead to stomach ulcers. You need to balance work life with play, family and fun. You need to eat in a calm environment and focus on complex carbohydrates, fruits, milk, coconut, root vegetables and salads.
Kapha: If you have a kapha personality, you are stable and enjoy giving emotional support and love to others without judgment. You have good stamina and strength and use moderate amounts of energy. You sleep well, but have difficulty waking up in the morning. You have a slow metabolism and are prone to mucus, sinus problems and respiratory disorders. When out of balance, you will gain weight. You will feel tired and lazy and a little depressed. According to Ayurvedic medicine, kapha people don't need animal protein, should eat small portions and shouldn't eat between meals. You should eat freshly cooked, light meals, avoid all refined sugar produced, yeasted breads, alcohol and deep-fried foods. And you should stop yourself turning to food when stressed.
* Adapted from Anjum’s Eat Right for Your Body Type – the Super Healthy Diet inspired by Ayurveda (Quadrille Publishing)
