Ginger Pickle
A balanced digestive fire (agni) is central to good health in Ayurveda.
A healthy agni ensures we get what we need from the food we consume and that waste is eliminated in a regular and timely manner.
One important principle for maintaining a digestive fire is to only eat when you're hungry. However, this is not always easy to do when you have work commitments, lunch break at a set time, etc... and if you are a Vata dominant type, then it's also important to have regular mealtimes even if you have the freedom to only eat when hungry. Unfortunately, if you are a Vata dominant type, your appetite will probably have a tendency to fluctuate.
So, the upshot is that you need to feel hungry at regular times that fit into your daily schedule... so how do you manage that?
Well, here is a handy recipe to stimulate the digestive fire so you feel hungry at regular mealtimes.
Ingredients
- Fresh ginger
- Lime
- Pinch of salt
Directions
- Peel and cut up the ginger (you can grate it if you have the patience).
- Add a squeeze of lime juice
- Add a pinch of salt
You can make a batch and keep it in the fridge and then eat a small amount about half an hour before you are planning on eating a meal.
This is often made with lemon juice instead of lime but lemon can be heating and if you have excess heat in the body (Pitta), then the lime is better as it is more cooling especially as the salt will also add a bit of heat (which is why you only need a pinch).