By: Danielle
MARCH 2, 2020
They say we are what we eat, but this statement goes beyond the context of our physical health and body. The food choices we make are intimately connected with the state of our mental-emotional health, and to create harmony in the mind, we must first find balance in our daily diet. Whether you are experiencing anxiety, anger, depression, mood disorders, or anything in between, eating foods that will calm the imbalance and avoiding foods that will cause further disruption can be a great start in your journey toward optimal health – mind, body, and consciousness.
When it comes to eating for emotional balance, one of the easiest ways to decipher the best food choices will be to breakdown the qualities of the imbalance along with the qualities of the food. According to Ayurveda, “like increases like” and “opposites bring balance”. To put this is a clearer context, we can take anxiety as an example. The qualities of anxiety include light, mobile, cold, and dry. Therefore to establish balance, you should avoid foods with similar qualities (e.g. caffeine, cold cereal, raw salad, green juice, cold-raw smoothies), while favoring foods that contain the opposing qualities of heavy, grounding, warm, and moist (e.g. golden milk, soups, kitchari, stews, porridges, oatmeal).
Another way to discover a healthy, balancing diet will be to understand which dosha is causing the emotional imbalance and adhere to a diet that will calm that particular dosha. To continue with our example of anxiety, this is considered a Vata emotion; therefore, in order to calm the anxiety and balance the mind, a Vata-pacifying diet will likely be a good place to begin.
Of course if you are experiencing multiple emotional imbalances simultaneously, or if you are of one body type, but your emotional imbalance stems from another, then the path toward a healthy diet may not be as clear. In these situations you may need to follow a diet that will cover all of the related doshas. For instance, a Kapha type suffering from anxiety (Vata) may need to follow Kapha-Vata dietary guidelines. If you are suffering from both depression (Kapha) and anger issues (Pitta), a Kapha-Pitta pacifying diet may be in order. As you can see, some areas may be more complex. If you are still confused on where to begin after reading this article, it will be best to seek the guidance of a knowledgeable Ayurvedic practitioner that can give you more individualized recommendations.
Before beginning with some specific dietary guidelines to follow for each emotional imbalance, it will be good to address a few areas that are universally recommended. One of the most effective ways to create balance in the body and mind is to find balance in your daily routine, and this includes your meal schedule. Eating healthy meals at proper times will help to stabilize your blood sugar, appetite, mood, and energy levels which will subsequently bring balance to your mind and emotions. Alternatively, skipping meals will lead to a reduced ability to control your emotions and will be the most detrimental with the emotions related to the “light” quality such as fear, anxiety, worry, hyperactivity, and restless mind.
Similarly foods that cause major blood sugar fluctuations such as refined grains, refined sugar, and excessive sugar intake (even naturally sourced) can create mood swings, blood sugar spikes (leading to hyperactivity, anxiety, etc), blood sugar crashes (provoking depression, dull foggy mind, etc), and unhealthy food cravings (furthering the cycle). With these factors in mind, following a healthy diet filled with fiber, lean protein, whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, unprocessed foods, home cooked meals, and a proper meal schedule will likely aid in just abut any mind, emotion, or mood disorder.
WRITER’S NOTE: Although I truly believe that a healthy, proper diet can create mental-emotional balance and alleviate many psychological disorders, I am not a medical doctor. These recommendations are not intended to cure any disorder, nor replace any medical advice or prescribed medications. If your goal is to eliminate or reduce medications, please do so only with the guidance of your medical doctor.
Dietary Guidelines for Mental & Emotional Balance
Anxiety – Fear – Worry
Anxiety is extremely prevalent in todays overworked, over-ambitious, and over-technological society. Although this is a Vata-type emotional imbalance, people of all body types are falling prey to this penetrating and all-encompassing disorder. If you find yourself overly anxious, fearful, or full of worry, it may be time to look at your diet to see if there are changes that can be made to ground the energy and calm the mind.
Anxiety, fear, and worry all relate to the mobile, light, dry, and cold qualities and therefore eating a diet mainly of cold, raw, and light foods; under-eating, and skipping meals will all increase these qualities and thus provoke the anxiety. On the contrary, eating healthy but heavier food choices that are warm, well-cooked, oily, and liquidy will help to calm the anxiety-fear-worry, nourish the nervous system, and create balance in the mind.
Another area to look at will be HOW you are eating. Since anxiety is related to the mobile quality, it will be essential to eat your meals sitting down, with a clear mind, and in a peaceful environment. Eating while on the go, while working, while on the computer or phone, or while in heavy conversation will undoubtably stimulate the anxiety, cause digestive issues, and lead to further imbalances.
Since anxiety, worry, and fear all stem from Vata dosha as well as Vishama Agni (irregular digestion accompanied by gas, bloating, and constipation), a Vata-reducing diet may be a beneficial place to begin. By regulating your diet and improving digestion, your mind will soon follow.
