My daily five little meals...

As I promised, here are my daily five meals...

As soon as I wake up, around 8 in the morning, I take a spoonful of Chyawanaprash, which is a defense booster and an Ayurvedic medicine. And to remove toxins, I drink a glass of hot water with grated ginger and the juice of half a lemon. As I am Vata with an ascendance in Pitta, I have a tendency to coldness, so this is why I must always drink hot water with my meals: I switch between ginger tea, fennel tea or green tea. I also take a combo of vitamins: C, Omega 3, Zinc, and every once in a while, B12. In this first breakfast, I also eat 10 skinless almonds, a kiwi (rich in vitamin C) and a bowl of strawberries, blueberries and Goji berries. Goji berries (great antioxidants) are usually sold dehydrated, so before eating them, you must water and strain them.

According to Ayurveda, fruits, because of their sugar component, are quick energizers but must be taken separately from other meals (specially bread and meat). Having fruits as desserts is not a habit recomended by Ayurveda. 

An hour later I usually have another cup of tea and two slices of wheat salt-free bread with ghee (clarified butter) and a vanilla-flavored soy jelly. It  must be said: Argentina, together with the US, is one of the few countries where it's very easy to find Ayurveda-approved products. I travel with my jelly everywhere and, fortunately, I've never had any trouble in airports.

As for ghee, Ayurveda recommends it for almost everything: cooking, seasoning, even for massages. Ayurvedic massages are great to strengthen the immune system and to prevent cell-agying. 

For lunch, I alternate between skinless and salt-free grilled chicken, grilled or boiled salmon, soy burgers and salmon or white fish sashimi. I eat these with various salads, containing sometimes algae, avocado, raw endives, cashew nuts and olive oil. I also love squash purée and grilled skinless tomatoes, which are rich in lycopene, and so act as great antioxidants. 

Ayurveda does not favors the intake of dairy products next to meals, so as dessert I usually take a soy-based cream, sweetened with steevia, which is a natural sweetener with less calories than sugar. When I'm in Europe I also buy sugar-free soy yoghurts. My Ayurvedic nutritionist recommended that I should try to have apple or  prune compote, but I always prefer my other desserts!

During the afternoon, I drink a cup of fennel tea and a slice of any of these two cakes that I have them cooked at home: sponge cake done with ghee, whole flour and steevia or a simple tart with soy or sweet potato marmalade. I also eat any sweet diet cookie because, around 5 pm, glucose in blood lowers and something sweet is a perfect energy booster. 

One of the basic Ayurvedic principles is EAT EARLY, if possible before sunset so we can go to bed after having digested our dinner. I eat around 8 pm and I usually take simple meals... No meat, of course, because they delay digestion and... I've been a vegetarian since childhood, remember?

So, for dinner, I prefer soy burgers or whole pasta or basmati rice with grilled vegetables or avocado salad with grilled squash seeds. 

Of course, by now you must be wondering how on earth I follow my diet plan with the many events and parties I attend to. Very simple: I eat at home before going out. Some might find it rude, but it works for me. I know very well what I can eat and what I can not, so, given the case, I separate from my dish the unwanted ingredients. My friends know I do this and don't judge me for it... in fact, they usually prepare meals they are certain I'd like.

It is very important to be disciplined and learn to chose and know the products we intake, what they are made of and what consequences they'll have on our organism. You must make a habit of reading labels and always choose natural, home-made meals, using seasonal fruits and vegetables. I know it is always easier to prepare something with the first things we find in our freezer or to order take-out, specially after a long day. But if you are methodic and only buy healthy products, preparing healthy meals takes almost no time. Memorize some quick recipes that could also be enjoyed by the rest of your family!

You won't regret it.