Traditional food and Ayurveda
Food is a whole made up of nutrition, health, culture, tradition, environment, preparation, folklore, literature, language and technology. The food habits we used in the past led to a good life. Today's oily and starchy food, food full of flavourings and faulty food habits have caused many problems, and have also raised the risk of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
Natural flavourings
- They are the most active parts of a food.
- They improve the colour, taste, smell and appeal of food.
- Many have antibacterial properties.
- They reduce the harm food can do to health.
- They have tastes and qualities artificial flavourings cannot give.
| Spice | Benefits |
|---|---|
| Cinnamon | Controls blood sugar; eases phlegm; anti-cancer |
| Cloves | Freshens the mouth; eases phlegm; relieves pain; kills germs |
| Pepper | Improves digestion; relieves wind |
Indigenous medicine
Sri Lanka's indigenous medicine, with a history of thousands of years, combines Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Sinhala wedakama. Ayurveda is a sub-subject of India's four Vedas and a complete system with two traditions: kaya chikitsa (medicine) and shalya vidya (surgery).
Three kinds of biochemical activity — vata, pitta and kapha — take place in a person; their imbalance is disease, and balancing them with plants is treatment. Treatment has three parts: medicine, food and exercise. Ayurveda treats the root of the disease and does not make the body's work happen artificially by giving substances from outside, so, the textbook says, its medicines do not cause side effects. Food is also very important: it should balance vata, pitta and kapha. Ayurveda's aim is not only to cure disease but to help people live free of it.
Why the kitchen is part of sustainability
Traditional meals were built from local rice, vegetables, pulses and spices, grown nearby and cooked fresh. They needed little packaging, few additives and short journeys, so they left a small footprint, and their fibre and spices protected health. Returning to such food, and to the preventive idea of Ayurveda — balance and a healthy way of life rather than waiting for illness — is both good for the body and gentle on the environment.
Food and medicine from tradition
Natural spices such as cinnamon, cloves and pepper add flavour and health; Ayurveda treats the root of disease through medicine, food and exercise.