ayurvedic wisdom for summer from chef divya alter

It is always a pleasure to learn from my friend and mentor, chef Divya Alter of Divya’s Kitchen NYC – one of my all-time favorite restaurants featuring the most delicious and nourishing Ayurvedic meals.

You can expand on the information below – including amazing recipes to make for yourself alongside educational wisdom – in her cookbook What To Eat For How You Feel.

In our IG TV chat, we cover the following topics on how to make the most out of the summer season with your food and lifestyle choices – especially when it comes to relieving excess heat:

beverages

• room temp or warm vs cool water: Divya explains that it is natural to want to consume ice cold beverages when we our hot, however our body has to produce extra heat to digest ice cold temperatures, which weakens digestive fire (not unlike putting ice on fire) – she suggests putting it directly on your skin instead (ice bath, anyone?)
• smoothies: Divya suggests that we simply notice how we really feel after consuming a bit smoothie and think about what happens after we put a bunch of fruits and veggies together in a blender (i.e. we might be more bloated than we realize) – she says we can make it easier to digest by keeping it A. a bit smaller portion and B. really simple with minimal ingredients (i.e. fruit and almond milk), and by adding a little bit of fresh ginger to aid in digestion
• fresh coconut water: get it straight from the coconut if and when possible instead of from the can – it can be very cooling to drink first thing in the morning, and if you crack an actual coconut you can refrigerate the water to drink within one day

​​herbs + ​spices​

• avoid heating herbs and spices: a few examples are mustard seeds, fenugreek, oregano
• beneficial “heating” herbs and spices in moderation: chili and turmeric can be consumed minimally / in moderation to benefit the digestive fire – add cooling spices with them to help support absorption and balance
• ​embrace cooling spices: ​cardamom​,​ coriander​,​ cumin​, fresh ginger ​(which Divya says is ​pungent at first​, ​but post-digestion is sweet​)​
• add cooling herbs: basil, parsley, lemon thyme, dill and basil in moderation, dried herbs like italian seasoning

​eats

• avoid heating foods: anything deep fried, sour, fermented foods, salty, pungent (i.e. fermented foods like sour yogurt, although she said it can be ok if it is a sweeter yogurt and you have a strong digestion)
• embrace cooling foods: sweet strawberries and watermelon (see below for fruit insight), cucumber, zucchini, seasonal leafy greens
• fruit​: eat​ on its own ​/ ​before a meal – make it easier by peeling it if you’re sensitive
• cooling oils: extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, ghee
• raw foods: typically this is aggravating but Divya says that it is OK to have some raw meals if you have a good appetite, feel hot, and have good digestive fire – she also shares that it’s often easier to eat a raw salad before versus after a meal for more optimal digestion
• breakfast idea: barley flakes (barley is cooling / a great source of protein / a binder of toxins) or grains of choice with herbs or leafy greens – Divya says to just see what attracts you and go with your appetite (I personally sometimes like a bowl of stewed seasonal stone fruits)
• lunch / dinner idea: roast zucchini with ghee or evoo and herbs like basil and parsley / ​Divya’s Pitta Khichari packet or Soothing Mung Soup to support summer digestion / leafy greens ​sautéed ​i​​n ​evoo or ghee or coconut oil
• seasonal resource: summer grocery list: pitta pacifying diet and summer superfoods from Dr. John Douillard

​lifestyle​

• avoid overheating activities: this will only amplify the body’s heat – Divya recommends swimming if you can, and meditation is never a bad idea
• note that travel aggravates vata: Divya suggests especially avoiding ice cold beverages in this case
• keep tech at a minimum: EMFs (electromagnetic frequencies) are very overheating for the eyes, and overstimulating for the nervous system in general
• pay attention: consider your portions based on how you’re feeling, notice how you’re eating your food (i.e. standing and barley chewing vs sitting down and breathing calmly), and enjoy meals without distractions – this will help you to notice more taste, and to connect with food / people you’re with
• play around with adjusting meal times based on your hunger levels: this is very unique for each individual, but Divya suggest testing out having breakfast 10-10:30 brunch / early dinner 5-6pm / have a hydrating beverage during hottest part of day / enjoy fruit for snack between lunch and dinner

​To me personally, this is all an ongoing experiment of paying attention and really noticing how you feel on a day-to-day basis based on the weather, your mood, your sleep and energy levels, your daily activities and stress levels, etc.​ I love Ayurveda because it can always meet us where we’re at, so long as we are willing to invite our attention into the present moment and honor how we’re feeling in both mind and body.

You can always book a session with me directly for more personalized insight on what might best suit your individual needs, desires, and lifestyle.

A wide variety of ingredients and mindfulness tools can be found on my Amazon storefront, and you can take advantage of exclusive discounts from likeminded brands – especially Chandika – on my community page.

Which of these practices might you try this season?

Use my code SASHAN15 for 15% off Ayurvedic goodies on Divya’s Kitchen online store – my personal favorites are:

• Tridoshic Khichari packet | so easy and delicious
• Mom’s Super Spice Masala | great for traveling
• Kulthi Detox Protein Powder | a very clean and easily digestible protein source
• Elements Truffles Ayurvedic-inspired Chocolates | enough said
• Organic Cultured Ghee | quite literally the world’s best – she cultures the yogurt from scratch before it is churned into ghee at the restaurant

posts with more ayurvedic knowledge:

• Ayurvedic-inspired recipes
• Why I Stopped Fearing Gluten + Dairy
• Don’t Rushy, Be Happy
• Diet: A Personal + Ayurvedic Perspective
• Ayurvedic Dietary Recommendations for Spring and Early Summer by Divya Alter offers excellent insight, including foods to incorporate and take a break from, tips for improving slow digestion, a beneficial after-meal spice blend, a simple recipe, and more

Enjoy your summer and take good care!

Photo: Divya’s Kitchen NYC.