Culinary Herbs & Your Brain

When you are thinking, the neurons in your brain fire away. In order to function properly, those neurons need minerals (a LOT of minerals). Look around at everyone. Because they are always on their phone or computer, they never get a chance to stop thinking. Their neurons are practically begging for mineral support. 

 Do you want to feel your best and achieve high level thinking?
Let’s get your mineral consumption in order!  

Consume fresh cut culinary herbs! 

 I grow culinary herbs in my kitchen.  When I am ready to eat them, I cut some off, wash them, and put them on top of my meal. They are filled with PRANA and MINERALS. If you are not growing any culinary herbs, then think about starting. You can buy them already potted at many grocery stores or grow them from seed.  If you are not sure which culinary herbs to grow, check out the chart below that explains the energetics of these amazing and delicious foods. This way you can pick the one that is right for you.

Culinary Herb	Rasa - Taste	Virya – Potency	Vipak - Post Digestive Effect
Basil	Sweet/Astrgnt/Pungt	Heating	Pungent
Chives	Pungent	Heating	Pungent
Cilantro	Sweet & Astringent	Cooling	Sweet
Dill	Bitter & Astringent	Heating	Pungent
Fennel	Sweet & Astringent	Cooling	Sweet
Marjoram	Pungent & Astringent	Heating	Pungent
Mint	Sweet	Cooling	Pungent
Le Neem aves	Bitter	Cooling	Pungent
Oregano	Astringent & Pungent	Heating	Pungent
Parsley	Astringent & Pungent	Heating	Pungent
Rosemary	Astringent & Pungent	Heating	Pungent
Savory	Sour & Pungent	Heating	Pungent
Tarragon	Sweet	Cooling	Sweet

The Energetics of Food

I have never seen a system of medicine that understands food better than Ayurveda!   Ayurveda’s system for understanding the energetic of food is briefly outlined below.

 Rasa = Taste (knowing what cascade of chemical reactions each of the Six Tastes has on your body and blood chemistry is key to understanding the Ayurvedic nutritional system).  The Six Tastes in Ayurveda are Sweet, Sour, Salty, Bitter, Astringent, Pungent.  We want to have all Six Tastes at every meal but we are favoring Sweet, Bitter and Astringent in summer.

 Virya = Potency or Power of the food (i.e. does it have a heating or cooling effect on your stomach and small intestines?). If you are overheated, angry, and broken out in a rash, you might decide to choose a culinary herb with a cooling Virya like Cilantro. If your digestion is cold and stagnant you might decide to choose a culinary herb with a heating Virya like Basil, Thyme or Oregano.

Vipak = Post Digestive Effect (the effect the food has on the colon, as well as the effect it has on the body after it leaves the colon). This one is fascinating!

 If you have Vitiated Vata (i.e. depletion pattern, meaning not enough of something – water, mineral, fat, grounding etc.) then you might choose a culinary herb that has a Sweet Vipak like Fennel or Tarragon. Why? Because foods with a Sweet or Salty taste break down into a Sweet Vipak. The Sweet Vipak has a nourishing, building (anabolic) effect on the body.   

 OR you might choose the Sour Vipak, especially if you need to increase your digestive fire and metabolic oomph. Foods with a Sour Vipak increase heat and glandular secretions (great for the dried out Vatas). Not many culinary herbs break down into a Sour Vipak, but some of the foods that break down into a Sour Vipak are tamarind and lemon.  

 If you have a Kapha imbalance (i.e. accumulation pattern, meaning too much of something – water, fat, emotions, mucus etc.) then choose a culinary herb with a Pungent Vipak. Foods with a Pungent Vipak have a drying, reducing (catabolic) effect on the body. This is great for the boggy Kaphas! Foods with the Astringent, Bitter or Pungent Taste break down into a Pungent Vipak.  Most culinary herbs have a Pungent Vipak, see chart below.

 Prabhav = Superpower of the food or the specific unexplained action (Prabhav is special and will get its own blog soon).

Be sure to contact your doctor before changing anything about your diet, lifestyle or exercise routine