According to Ayurveda, the food we eat is one of the key factors that determine one’s health. It is important to note that it affects a person’s physical, mental and emotional health. Thus, the food you eat could make you happier. Remember the last time you ate a really good meal and felt on top of the world?
Food and Happiness
Food and happiness have a significant relationship. When you eat right, your digestive system functions well. This strengthens the agni or digestive fire within and ensures that all the parts of the body receive adequate nutrition. This in turn strengthens the smriti agni that governs your consciousness, the medo agni that governs intellect and the prajanana agni that governs regeneration. When these three energies are balanced, a person feels happy. At the same time, if your smriti agni is not nourished, it will create a state of imbalance in the body and affect your digestion as well as the functioning of other organs. This can reduce your appetite and leave you feeling low.
What to Eat to be Happy
What you eat can play an important role in making you happier. Avoid eating processed food laden with preservatives. Also, try eating food when it is fresh. Though you can reheat food, food loses its nutritive qualities as it is stored and reheated. Try to eat food that has been organically grown and is free from pesticides and chemicals. When planning your meals, don’t cater to just one taste. Just as you balance different food groups, you should also plan meals that balance sweet, salty, sour, astringent, bitter and pungent tastes. The way this food is cooked is as important as choosing the right food. Be happy and content when you cook your food and this quality will be transferred to your food as well