The classic saying, “we are what we eat” is true. What we put into our bodies is what we represent on the outside. One of the most important ways to take care of ourselves is by paying attention to what we eat. The quality of food we eat makes up our individual constitutions. Therefore, it is important to eat organically grown food, which is free from pesticides and genetic modification. We should only eat that which is healthy and life-promoting, as well as that only which grows naturally and organically.

Today’s agriculture consists of the usage of chemicals that do more damage than good. Majority of farmers use chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and genetically modified seeds. They use non-biodegradable pesticides and herbicides that damage the crops. Quantity, rather than quality has become the primary focus of modern day farming. Production, sales, convenience, and preservation have become the primary center of attention rather than the nutritional, healthy quality of the food. Furthermore, GMO or Genetically Modified Organisms are endangering nature and our food supply. In a nutshell, GMO alters the natural genetic makeup of plants and animals. The natural intelligence is manipulated, so that no natural processes can take place anymore. In an unnatural way, more food is made and cows can produce more milk. This is due to gene manipulation and unnecessary hormone injections. GMOs place more toxins and allergens into our  bodies and environment, which risks not only individual health, but also the collective health.

The health hazards of genetically engineered foods are becoming a growing concern day by day. Both farmers and the consumers are becoming more aware of the chemicals that are added on to genetically modified foods. Therefore, organic agriculture is becoming more and more popular. In many grocery stores these days, you will see the organic section. When you buy organic, the vegetables and fruits don’t last as long, but that is because there are no preservatives or extra chemicals added into them. When you buy organic, you are getting fresh fruits and veggies and its worth the extra cost. With food costs so high as it is, might as well pay the extra couple dollars to get real fresh food, rather than pay to eat a bunch of chemicals.

Organic foods do taste much better. For example, the best milk I have ever had comes from Radiance Dairy, a farm located in southeast Iowa, which treats their cows better than any place I have ever heard of and the taste speaks for itself. While I went to Maharishi University of Management, I became accustomed to drinking Radiance Dairy. Their milk doesn’t look white, but rather it has a yellowish white color to it and the cream is still on the top when you buy a gallon of milk. This is real milk. Real milk has the layer of cream on top, so you always have to shake the gallon first. Organic milk is fresh, much tastier, and it has more nutritional value to it.

Take my advice, go as organic as possible. Yes, it is not always possible to eat organic, but do the best you can. Eat as fresh as possible, and avoid GMOs. GMO tomatoes may look more red and the broccoli may look more green, but that does not mean it is better for you. Just remember, you are what you eat, so get more value out of your food by eating organic.

I often get asked, what is my prakriti? And I often find myself explaining to others the difference in Ayurveda between prakriti, meaning nature, and vikriti, meaning imbalance. Prakriti isn’t simply which predominant dosha am I. Prakriti is about your essential nature. When a Vaidya, or Ayurvedic physician tells you that your illness is due to Vata-Pitta, for example, then that does not mean your prakriti is Vata-Pitta. This means that your vikriti is Vata-Pitta.

“Sharir indriya sattva atma. Samyogo dhari jivitam. Nityagascha anubandascha. Paryayair ayur uchyate.” This quote from Charak Samhita means, “the body, sense, mind (sattva), self. The togetherness of these sustains the quality of life. These are the ongoing, holding together qualities. These are said to be synonyms of life (ayu).” This is prakriti, the wholeness. In Prakriti Vigyan (Vigyan meaning theoretical knowledge), wholeness systematically expresses itself, from ego to intellect to mind and then to the five elements beginning with space, air, then fire, water, and then earth. Prakriti is the natural functioning of the human physiology. Thus, Prakriti Vigyan is “the science of understanding how wholeness expresses into the physiology, in proper sequence.” Vikriti Vigyan is “the science of understanding how expression could get out of sequence.” Vikriti is essentially being deviated from the wholeness and it is thus imbalance. In this state, the sequential unfoldment of wholeness will occur in a disorderly fashion because instead of being self-referral, it is disease referral. Vikriti Vigyan looks at how close or far one is from the state of perfect health or balance. Prakriti Vigyan takes a look at the source, the wholeness, which is closest to perfect health.

You will often hear many Ayurvedic practitioners speak about Ojas. Ojas is the final and most refined product of digestion and it is also the togetherness of Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Ojas is that which connects the body and mind, the physical expression and consciousness. Ojas also represents your inner strength, by representing the immune system. The stronger your immune system, the more Ojas is expressed. When you face an illness, it means that Ojas is not functioning to its full potential within your physiology.

Where do we see Ojas? Ojas is the glow we see on a pregnant woman’s face. Ojas is the innocence the children express. Ojas is the bliss and laughter we often see when we are around our loved ones and friends. Anytime you see true bliss, true love, true laughter, and/or a true glow or radiance, you are seeing Ojas. These are just a couple ways in which Ojas expresses itself.

When you can intake any sensory perception and be able to metabolize it into bliss, you are promoting and creating Ojas. No matter what you see, hear, taste, touch, smell, you should be able to metabolize all experiences into bliss and then only will you have a perfect digestion and therefore be able to create Ojas. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi says, “The ability to metabolize all sensory experience into the experience of bliss is the ability for prevention. All the five channels of perception – the five senses – must be so clear that all experiences through any of the five senses always inspire bliss.” Absolute bliss is directly correlated to Ojas.

If Ojas is the final and most refined product of digestion, then that means that diet is also correlated with the promotion of Ojas. Maharishi continues to say, “Diet is anything that is taken in from any field of perception, through any sense of perception, any mode of mind, and any mode of intellect.” Therefore, if you are happy with what you eat, when you eat, where you eat, and how you eat, then you should be able to metabolize your meal into bliss, which means the end result of your digestion is Ojas. But remember, diet is more than what you eat. Diet includes any experience you have, because your body must digest and metabolize all that you intake.

Diet is considered to be one of the essential pillars of health. Not only is it important to pay attention to what you eat, but it is also just as important to notice how and when you eat. You always want to make sure that whatever and whenever you eat, you will be able to digest it. To avoid any digestive complications, such as acid reflux, indigestion, upset stomach, and constipation, there are some general practices that Ayurveda has laid out to observe during meals.

1. Never overeat. Only eat to about three-fourths of your capacity. When you ‘stuff yourself,’ it is hard for your stomach to transform and metabolize your food. You must leave some room for air in your stomach so that your stomach muscles have some space to transform and metabolize your food.

2. Do not eat until the previous meal has digested. Typically, it takes about three hours for a meal to fully digest and go from the stomach to the intestines. If you consume food before your previous meal has digested, then your stomach begins to digest the new food, rather than finishing up what was in there first. This means that the older food just sits there and you will most likely end up with indigestion.

3. Milk should not be taken with meals because milk is only to be consumed with sweet tastes, such as with cereal or toast. Do not mix milk with meals because the milk will curdle in the stomach if you consume it with any of the other five tastes, which are salty, sour, pungent, bitter, and astringent.

4. Lunch should be the main meal of the day and breakfast and dinner should always be lighter. The reason is that the digestion works the strongest when the sun is highest in the environment. So your largest meal should be at noon, which is lunchtime. According to Ayurveda, the purpose of breakfast is to kindle your digestive fire and therefore, breakfast should be light. Only have enough to get you through the morning so that you are hungry for lunch. Dinner should also be light because it is getting closer to bedtime and digestion is not as strong in the evening. Having a lighter dinner will ensure that the meal is digested before bed and it will be easier to sleep at night.

5. Do not consume ice-cold beverages and food. Putting anything that is ice-cold into your body will dampen your digestive power. With our body temperature at 98.6° F, putting anything in that is very cold, will shock the physiology and will harm the digestion.

6. After every meal, take a few minutes to just sit quietly before you return to your activity. This will allow for the digestion to begin and work effectively and efficiently.

7. Always remember to take the time to chew, because the digestive process begins in the mouth with chewing and the mixing of saliva. If you do not chew properly, your stomach will have a tougher time digesting your food.

8. Do not eat right before going to bed. If you do, not only will a full stomach interfere with the quality of sleep, but also, you are less likely to be able to digest the food.

9. All dairy products, except for boiled milk, should be avoided at night. Dairy products, such as cheese and yogurt are heavy and hard to digest. It is best to consume these foods during the day. If you are hungry before bed, have a glass of boiled milk, which will be lighter and will help you sleep.

10. Lastly, which is also one of the most important principles is that avoid genetically modified foods. Organic is the best and is the healthiest approach to eating. Do not unnecessarily expose yourself to chemicals.