Newsletter Summer 2009

AYURVEDA

By Dr. Soman Nadhan, Ayurvedic Physician

Ayurveda literally means the Knowledge of Life.

Ayurveda gives more importance to prevention of dis-ease rather than a cure.

Ayurveda talks about the energy patterns of herbs and foods, as well as that of each individual. In Ayurveda the concept of food consumption is determined by an individual's original body constitution which is why some more modern concepts such as raw food diets, Micro diets, etc., may not be as beneficial for some as it would be for others. Ayurveda says that food influences the health of emotions as well as physical health.

According to Ayurveda there are three (3) Qualities of the mind, known as Gunas. The first Guna is Sattva. This Guna is known for clarity of the mind, spiritual harmony and physical balance. People with Sattva Guna eat foods such as fresh fruit, veggies, milk, honey and freshly cooked food.

The second Guna is known as Rajas. Rajas is associated with anger, short temper, irritability etc. The foods that increase the Rajas are spicy, such as cayenne pepper, garlic and alcohol.

The third Guna is known as Tomas. Tomas is the darkness of the mind; it creates depression, negativity and inertia of the mind. Foods like leftovers, pre-cooked food, meat and alcohol will increase these qualities. According to Ayurveda, one with these tendencies should eat more Sattva foods and avoid alcohol and leftovers. Also, starting each meal with something sweet will increase digestion.

Ayurveda says that a person should only eat 1/2 stomach full of food; the other half should be 1/4 fluid and 1/4 empty. One should not eat again until the meal has completely digested. The largest meal of the day should be lunch with a light breakfast and light dinner. Ayurveda says that the most important factor while eating a meal is to give complete concentration to the enjoyment of the food, which will help in the digestion and absorption of the nutrients from the food.

Dr. Soman can be reached at (727) 323-0139 DrSoman@vedictherapy.com.

AN IDEAL VACATION FOR VEGETARIANS

By Sharon and Steve Dante

Have you had trouble finding vegetarian meals when traveling? Have you had to eat time and time again at the same place due to a scarcity of vegetarian-friendly restaurants? Well, we have a perfect vacation destination for you - India!

From the time when we boarded our Air India flight for our recent month-long trip to India until our return to the United States, our dining experiences were magnificent! We encountered a plethora of vegetarian restaurants, but even those that were not vegetarian had lengthy vegetarian menus. Everyone in India understands the requirements of vegetarianism due to the huge number of vegetarians living there. You don't have to worry about the possibility of your vegetables being cooked in chicken broth, for example, as you do in our country. Although some Hindus are not vegetarians, the majority of them are, and all of the Jains are vegetarians.

Indian vegetarians do not eat eggs, but they do eat dairy products. Vegans, however, will have no problems. Most people that you will encounter speak English as their second language, and so it's easy to make your requirements understood.

Buffets are common in India. Many hotels serve large buffet breakfasts, in which both vegetarian and non-vegetarian items are included but kept separate. One surprise that we had concerned Masala Dosa, one of our favorite South Indian dishes. We eat it here for lunch or dinner, but it is considered to be a breakfast item there.

Food is very reasonable in India; for example, a delicious "thali" lunch, complete with refills, costs around a dollar per person at vegetarian restaurants. Even at high-end restaurants, prices are low. Cuisines of many countries can be found, particularly in the large cities. If you get homesick, you'll even find Pizza Hut and McDonald's (with veggie burgers).

Even if you eat nothing but Indian food, you won't be bored. We traveled by plane, train, bus, and car to Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Mumbai, Cochin, Trivandrum, Alleppey, Kanyakumari, Madurai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Varanasi, etc., and ate many delicious regional specialities. You will need to be careful, however, as to what you eat and drink in India. Drink only bottled water and bottled drinks, don't put ice in your drinks, and eat food that has been cooked. The fruit in India is delicious (mangoes, papayas, pineapples, bananas, etc.), but be sure to peel it before eating. We followed these guidelines and stayed in good health.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Board Meeting

The next Board meeting will be held at noon, Saturday, October 10th at Panera Bread, corner of Starkey and Bryan Dairy, in the Bardmoor Shopping Plaza. All TBV members are encouraged to attend. Join us for lunch.

August 25th Dinner

Mirage Persian Restaurant, 2284 Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard, Clearwater, FL. Speaker will be Dr. Kim Baptista and the topic will be "Green Healthcare." $15.00 per person, including tax and tip, plus $2.00 for non-members. The ALL VEGAN Buffet will include:

Greek Salad, Hummus, Baba Ganoush, Pickles & Olives, Shirazi (Cucumber, Onion and Tomato Salad), White Rice & Dill Rice, Potato Koresht, Loubia Koresht (Green Bean Stew), Eggplant & Green Bean Koresht, Honeymoon Stew (Mushrooms, Potatoes, Onions). Noodle Soup with Beans and Barley, Baklava, Iced Tea, Soda, or Coffee, Beer & Wine available for an additional charge

September 22nd Dinner

TRANG VIET, 1524 E. Fowler Avenue in Tampa, FL. $13.00 per person, including tax and tip, plus $2.00 for non-members. The ALL VEGAN Buffet will include:

Vegan Spring Rolls, Vegetable Gyoza Appetizer, Veggie Salad, Vegan Curry Stew, Central Vietnamese Noodles, Veggie Black Pepper Steak, Imitation Curry Chicken, Vegan Cheesecake, Iced Tea, and Cash Bar is available

Note: Anyone who is allergic to tofu should tell the server, and a special plate will be prepared.

Good News!

Leafy Greens Cafe, the raw foods restaurant, has reopened at 1431 Central Avenue, in St. Petersburg, FL. Closed on Monday. Phone: (727) 289-7087 - www.leafygreenscafe.com.

About Tampa Bay Vegetarians

Our social group meets monthly, 4th Tuesday, at 7:00 PM at vegetarian or vegetarian-friendly restaurants. Click here for more information.