Ayurveda and intuitive eating?

Absolutely!

The essence of Ayurveda is to strengthen your connection to "self". As Lao Tzu puts it " At the center of your being, you have all the answers" and Ayurveda strongly advocates this for healing body and mind.

BUT to be able to truly listen to your body's needs, you first need to understand how the doshas i.e. the bio-energies of Vata, Pitta and Kapha function in the body.

Because when the doshas are aggravated, they

1) weaken Agni - the digestive fire

So excess Vata causes irregular digestion and appetite, Pitta - excess hunger and quick digestion and Kapha - low appetite and sluggish digestion.

If you then eat only when you feel hungry i.e. have irregular meal timings or skip meals or eat every time you are hungry, this only weakens the digestive fire further which then pushes the doshas further out of balance and the cycle continues.

2) try to feed themselves

If a dosha has been aggravated for a while and the imbalance has crossed a certain point, you are probably listening to the excess dosha and not your body because it is literally trying to feed itself.

So for eg. the people suffering from Pitta imbalances like acidity, migraines, skin rashes, endometriosis, inflammation, anger/impatience are usually the ones attracted to hot and spicy food, salty and sour tastes, fermented foods, caffeine, alcohol, etc. - all foods that increase heat in your body and aggravate Pitta further.

And the folks suffering from Vata imbalances like bloating, constipation, insomnia, anxiety are the ones consuming salads, smoothies, quinoa, crackers, caffeine; engaging in excess mental and physical activity or skipping meals - all things that aggravate Vata even further.

3) affect your mind hampering your ability to take the right decisions

So for intuitive eating to work you first need to understand the doshas and their attributes - this way you can determine if you are really listening to your body or an imbalanced dosha, which when left unchecked, sets the stage for serious diseases down the line.

For more information on the doshas, click here.