Blog

What to Eat to Boost your Ojas

June 9,2017

Ojas is a Sanskrit term that means ‘vigour’ or ‘vitality’.

‘A person who has good Ojas rarely becomes sick.’ – Dr. Vasant Lad

Ojas is the good stuff we are all after. It’s the essence in our body that gives us a spring in our step and a sparkle in our eye. It’s our underlying energy reserve of the body, the foundation of our immunity and the base for our happiness and contentment in life. It’s all the beautiful things in our wellbeing we want in abundance.

When Ojas is deficient we have fatigue, low moods, poor sleep and frequent colds and flus. Our spirit is weak and we lack enjoyment in life.

In modern medicine, Ojas is described as a patchwork of secretions of different peptides, neurotransmitters, hormones, neuro-chemicals and other properties that exert their effect all over the body so we can remain in homeostasis – in harmony and balance to reach our full potential in life.

Here’s how you tell if you have high or low Ojas.

Signs of High Ojas

  • You feel rested upon wakening
  • A glowing complexion
  • Sparkling eyes
  • Your tongue is clear and pink
  • You get infrequent colds and flus
  • You are happy and cheerful often
  • Great energy and creativity
  • Clarity in mind, intellect and heart
  • You are happy and cheerful often

Signs of Deficient Ojas

  • Chronic disease states
  • Poor energy
  • Aches and pains
  • Low moods, anxiety, loneliness
  • Frequent colds and flus
  • Heaviness in body and mind
  • Poor complexion
  • Thick coating on your tongue
  • Lack of enjoyment in life

How to build Ojas through Your Diet

Ojas is the final by-product of good nutrition and digestion. So, the first step is to ensure you are eating good quality, fresh, in season wholefood. The second is to ensure digestion is strong with minimal indigestion.

Also, according to Ayurveda, there are certain foods that directly build this essence of Ojas.

The qualities of ojas are sweet, heavy, unctuous, cool, and smooth, so Ojas building foods embody these qualities.

Foods that are highest in Ojas building qualities include dates, almonds, ghee, saffron, raw cows milk, honey, wholegrains such as basmati rice. If feeling weak, debilitate, fatigue or recovering from disease these foods can be taken in abundance.

Other foods to each include Avocados, Bananas (very ripe lady fingers are best), figs, sweet potatoes, Leafy greens, Zucchini, Nuts (especially almonds), Mung beans, tofu and fresh, juicy, sweet in-season fruit.

Foods to avoid that deplete Ojas include excessive dry, raw, and undercooked foods; canned, frozen, fried, or old foods; Alcohol; Stimulants; Refined sugar; Refined flour and heavily processed foods.

In addition to dietary suggestions there are herbal tonics that support Ojas. Herbs like Ashwagandha, Shatavari and the classic formula Chyawanprash.

Here’s a great recipe for boosting Ojas is the ‘Ojas Drink’:

Ojas DrinkBoosting your Ojas drink

INGREDIENTS

  • 12 blanched almonds
  • 200ml of water
  • 5 medjool dates
  • ½ tsp each of cinnamon, cardamom, dry ginger powder

METHOD

  • Soak almonds and dates in water, overnight or for a few hours. Add spices then blend till smooth.
  • Heat on a stove and drink warm.
"Best healthy holiday ever - surrender & reset mind, body and soul." February 2, 2019 - A TripAdvisor Traveler Read 138 reviews of Sukhavati Ayurvedic Retreat and Spa
 
Make an Enquiry

(*)Required Fields