“5 Ayurvedic Postpartum Recipes for Restoring Your Health” is written by Josie Brenan and reviewed/edited by Jamie Adams, MS RD LDN. Josie is a current Junior undergraduate student at San Diego State University studying Foods and Nutrition and exhibits a special interest in holistic nutrition focusing on the connection between the mind, body, and spirit.”
Have you been struggling with anxiety, hormonal imbalances, or just overall feeling down as a new mother? What if I told you that you could ease your symptoms and elevate your life with the ancient Indian ethnomedicine of Ayurveda? In this post, I’ll be sharing the basics of Ayurveda and some tips and tricks on how using the Ayurvedic principles can change your life postpartum. I also include 5 Ayurvedic postpartum recipes for restoring your health as a brand new mother that you can incorporate into your postpartum diet.
Before we get started, feel free to grab a FREE and easy-to-download version of these 5 Ayurvedic Postpartum Recipes so you can print and keep them close at hand!
What is Ayurveda?
Ayurvedic medicine is one of the world’s oldest holistic healing systems, originating from India. The literal translation means ‘Ayur’- Life, ‘Veda’- Science. It is based on the idea that health depends on a balance between the mind, body, and spirit. Your energy and balance are in harmony with the natural world. If an imbalance or stress in an individual’s consciousness disrupts this harmony, the belief is that sickness, disease, or mental stress occurs.
The Three Doshas of Ayurveda
Ayurveda is practiced with the understanding that the natural world is made up of the elements of earth, fire, water, space, and air. According to Ayurveda, each person has three doshas: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Each individual is born with a unique combination of elements.
Vata is space and air, Pitta is fire and water, and Kapha is earth and water.
Doshas indicate emotional strengths and weaknesses, the food your body thrives on, and what sort of physical exercise is best for your body type. When doshas are out of balance, sickness occurs. When you know how to work with your own elements and doshas, you then have the power to adjust them in times of change, such as childbirth. This gives you the ability to heal and support your health and wellness proactively.
Ayurvedic Postpartum Care
When a child is born, Vata in the body increases due to loss of fluids and blood, an empty abdomen, and reduced energy levels. After giving birth, mothers are filled with light, dry, and cold qualities after losing so much energy. This creates an imbalance in the body, which may cause illness or anxiety.
How to Balance Vata in the Postpartum Period with Ayurvedic Postpartum Recipes
To combat this, getting adequate rest, proper nutrition, integrating relaxation techniques, and even performing oil massages can aid in restoring balance. These practices aim to balance Vata, improve lactation and digestion, increase circulation, deepen rest, and ground the mind, creating a safe, quick, and healthy postnatal recovery.
Since increased Vata creates compromised digestive fire, it is very important to energize your body with the correct foods. Food that is easy to digest is best so that your healing body has maximum energy. Warm comfort foods such as soups, broths, and root vegetables are a fantastic way to do this. High-quality fats such as ghee aid hormone balance and lactation, as Vata requires fat to return to balance. Spices such as ginger, cumin, and black pepper also have healing properties and are easy to add to meals. Decrease your amount of raw foods, salads, and cold meals as they are difficult to process and aggravate Vata. Remember, keep it simple, keep it nourishing, and keep it warm!
5 Ayurvedic Postpartum Recipes for Restoring Your Health
1. Kitchari
Kitchari is a traditional Ayurvedic dish that consists of basmati rice, split mung beans, warming Indian spices, and a variety of vegetables. It is well-cooked to a mush, making it extremely easy to digest and highly nutritious, perfect for balancing your Vata! For the seasonal vegetables, I would recommend using sweet potatoes and beets, great for pacifying Vata due to their earthy and rooty nature. The warming qualities of the ginger, lemon, and spices help to improve agni, digestive fire, while decreasing Vata issues such as cramping, bloating, and constipation.
2. Hot Spiced Milk with Ghee
Vatas are known for rushing and multitasking. Building a nurturing night time routine can help to maintain balance and health, especially in such a transformative time. One way to start this routine is by incorporating this Vata pacifying warm milk. I recommend drinking this milk about 2-3 hours after dinner and 1-2 hours before bed! You don’t want your digestion working hard while you are attempting to sleep. Milk is considered cooling, nourishing, and sweet, balancing Vata. The warming spices and ghee also work to help your body back into balance.
3. Soupy Oatmeal
Try this recipe for breakfast this week! The oats and flax seeds are great for balancing high Air elements in the body, reducing anxiety and indigestion. Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cardamom also work to warm excess Air energy.
4. Rice Congee
This rice dish is used both in ancient Chinese medicine and Ayurveda. Its hot, soft, oily, sweet, and warm spiced qualities deeply nourish and comfort your recovering body.
5. Simple & Cozy Autumn Wild Rice Soup for Your Postpartum Diet
A nutrient dense and easily digestible soup is exactly what your agni needs when it’s weak and when your body is recovering. The bone broth allows your body to restock on much needed nutrient supplies and soothes your central nervous system. The root vegetables used in this soup are grown underground, therefore very grounding and stabilizing for your excess of Air energy. The chicken is oily and protein-rich, balancing dryness and debility.
Looking to keep these recipes close at hand? Feel free to grab a FREE and easy-to-download version of these 5 Ayurvedic Postpartum Recipes so you can print and keep them all in one place!
Ayurvedic Postpartum Care – Beyond Just Your Postpartum Diet
Caring for yourself postpartum goes beyond just your postpartum diet. Within the Ayurvedic principles we look to balance the mind, body, and spirit. That’s why in our Well Nourished Mamas Accountability Group Program we touch on more than just your postpartum diet. In our group program we incorporate nourishment, movement, mindfulness, connection and more.
If you are ready to go from feeling:
- depleted to nourished
- burnt out to energized
- overwhelmed to balanced
- isolated and alone to connected
Join us in our next Well Nourished Mamas Accountability Group Program.
PS. Here we share 52 Nourishing Postpartum Affirmations for the New Mom in order to continue building a positive mindset, beyond just diet to get you started!
