Diet: the kinds of food a person, animal or community habitually eats. I appreciate this description because it suggests that the individual has selected the foods themselves, considering availability, their environment, and their way of life.
The second meaning for diet: a special course of food to which a person restricts themselves, either to lose weight or for medical reasons.
This is the interpretation of diet that many of us connect with, and it is the one that causes the greatest harm to people's health and well-being. The idea of "restrictive" and "special," presented in a costly glossy marketing package, raises red flags for me.
There isn't a single diet suitable for everyone, especially cleansing diets. During my Kundalini training program, I found that these diets can cause more problems than they solve. We were required to follow a cleansing diet and given several options. I chose fruits, nuts and vegetables, thinking it would be manageable.
Concerned about maintaining my weight and energy levels, I requested to include rice, which was thankfully allowed, but it still wasn't sufficient. This was the first time of restricting my diet, and my body and mind clearly indicated it wasn't a good idea! Forgetful and spacey, I left behind my passport on a trip to France (from someone who is usually so "on it" this was highly unusual). During the same trip I left my handbag hanging on the hotel restaurant chair all night. Thankfully it was still there the next morning. As feared I lost weight. Given that I was already pretty light and airy, a cleansing diet such as this simply sent me up even higher to the ethers, losing all grounding on this Earth. So I stopped, before the end date. I reintroduced dairy, some wheat based foods and fish. My body and mind reconnected immediately and I returned to my usual balanced self.
I am an advocate of Ayurvedic healing.
Ayurveda is the art of daily living in harmony with the laws of nature. It is an ancient natural wisdom of health and healing, a science of life. It is in fact the sister science to Yoga, a holistic system of healing in the truest sense. It teaches that we all have a constitution, which is our individual psychobiological makeup. From the moment of conception, this individual constitution is created by the universal energies of Space (ether), Air, Fire, Water and Earth. These five elements combine into three fundamental energies or doshas; Vata (ether & air), Pitta (fire & water), Kapha (earth & water).
Understanding your body-type, your constitution, your doshas, is the most important step you can take if you wish to remain healthy and well. Once you know who you are, how your mind works, how your body responds to certain foods, weather conditions, stresses, even different forms of exercise, then you can adjust not only what you eat, but also your lifestyle to ensure your doshas remain balanced and happy.
I invite you to discover more about yourself than you ever felt possible by joining me in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka is one of the founding islands of Ayurveda, with its lush vegetation, herbs and spices used in the herbal tinctures and remedies. The doctors and therapists advice, along with yoga, meditation and relaxation, will set you on the right track, with any imbalances you brought with you quickly restored.
You will leave not only feeling light and vital, but seriously empowered with a new way of thinking, feeling, eating and in general caring for yourself and your life.
25th May - 3rd June 2025
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