Ayurvedic Eating: Joyful, Simple, Seasonal & Stress-Free
A conversation with Anu Paavola
TL;DR:
Ayurvedic eating doesn’t need to be complicated. In this week’s conversation with Ayurvedic practitioner Anu Paavola, we explore seasonal food, digestion, modern nutrition, and how to enjoy eating again — without guilt or rules. A lovely, grounding episode if you’re curious about food through an Ayurvedic lens.
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This week on Rooted in the Seasons, I had the pleasure of speaking with Ayurvedic practitioner and educator Anu Paavola. If you are curious about Ayurvedic food and nutrition but find it a bit overwhelming, I think this episode will land with you.
When I first came across Ayurveda nearly 30 years ago, it was the food that drew me in. At the time, vegetarian options in Germany weren’t exactly inspiring. Discovering Ayurvedic cooking just blew my mind. Suddenly, there were grains, pulses, spices, and combinations that made eating feel amazing.
But not everyone feels that way. For many people, Ayurvedic nutrition seems full of long food lists, do’s and don’ts, and rules that feel impossible to follow. So that’s where I began our conversation with Anu:
Is Ayurvedic eating really as complicated as it’s made out to be?
Ayurveda Isn’t Supposed to Feel Complicated
One thing I appreciate about Anu is how grounded she is.
Her response was simple:
“There should be joy in eating.”
She explained that the complexity comes mostly from the way Ayurveda is taught, especially in the West. We often jump straight into doshas before understanding the basics. Without that foundation or cultural context, it can feel like a puzzle with missing pieces.
But Ayurvedic eating is far less about memorising rules and far more about observing nature. Once we understand that, everything starts to feel more intuitive.
A System That Grew Out of Nature
I loved Anu’s reminder that Ayurveda wasn’t invented; it was discovered.
Thousands of years ago, early agricultural communities faced many of the same health challenges we do today: less movement, stored food, eating out of season, and living in more crowded spaces. They began observing the animals and people still living closely with nature and noticed something important:
Nature never rushes.
Nature follows cycles.
Nature provides exactly what we need, when we need it.
Ayurveda grew from these observations. Not from restriction, but from rhythm.
What Seasonal Eating Really Means Today
A question I hear often — and one I asked Anu — is:
What does seasonal eating mean in a global world? Local? Same country? Same hemisphere?
Her answer was refreshingly flexible.
The closer the food is grown to you, the better it supports your microbiome.
But it doesn’t have to be ultra-local or from the same town.
Foods grown in places with the same seasonal pattern (like Sicily and the UK) still carry the qualities needed for that time of year.
So if lemons don’t grow locally, but Sicily is in the same season, their lemons still “match” our winter needs.
It’s about season, not perfection.
This alone makes seasonal eating feel much more doable.
Why Allergies and Sensitivities Seem So Common Now
When I was growing up, having a food allergy was unusual.
Now, it often feels unusual if you don’t have one.
I asked Anu what she thought created this shift.
A few key points stood out:
• Our Digestion is more Fragile
We snack constantly, eat late, rush meals, and eat while distracted. All of this weakens Agni. (Read more about our digestive capacity or Agni, and how it relates to toxins in the blog post)
• Food has changed
Many fruits and vegetables are picked too early, grown quickly, or engineered for appearance rather than nourishment.
• Sensitivities often come from poor Digestion
This is different from a true allergy, which is an immune reaction. Sensitivities, Anu explained, can often be improved.
And the hopeful part?
“When digestion becomes stronger, the body becomes more resilient again.”
Rebuilding Trust in Food
For many people, especially those with long-term discomfort around eating, trust in food can erode. So I asked Anu where someone could begin.
Her suggestion:
Start with four-hour gaps between meals.
Just this tiny shift can:
strengthen digestion
reduce bloating
reawaken appetite
stabilise energy
help you reconnect with natural hunger cues
It’s simple, and it works.
Letting Go of Food Guilt
This part of our conversation stayed with me.
I asked Anu whether enjoying something that isn’t “ideal” is still better than eating it with guilt. She didn’t hesitate:
“When you do the wrong thing, do it with gusto.”
In other words:
If you’re going to enjoy a meal out, enjoy it.
Guilt and stress slow digestion far more than the food itself. Occasional indulgence isn’t harmful when your overall rhythm is steady.
This is where Ayurveda really becomes a practice of awareness, not perfection.
Eating With Awareness
Eating with awareness begins long before the first bite.
It’s in the choosing, the chopping, the cooking, the mood, the pace.
Natural foods carry prana — life force — and how we interact with them affects how we digest and absorb them.
Whether you’re stirring a pot slowly or simply sitting down without your phone, these small steps change the experience entirely.
Anu’s Grounding Rituals
At the end, I asked Anu what she turns to when she needs grounding.
Her answer made me smile:
A spiced cacao drink in the morning
Golden milk in the evening
She described golden milk as:
“Nectar for the soul.”
I couldn’t agree more.
She also shared a simple focus technique from Dandapani — narrating your own actions internally to return to the present moment. It’s surprisingly powerful and can be done anywhere.
Connect With Anu Paavola
For treatments, consultations, online courses and retreats, visit:
👉 https://jivitaayurveda.com/
Anu’s book:
📘 Ayurveda Detox: How to cleanse, balance and revitalise your body
👉 https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ayurveda-Detox-cleanse-balance-revitalize/dp/1859064752/
Instagram:
👉 @jivitaayurveda
FAQs
What is Ayurvedic eating in simple terms?
It’s eating in rhythm with nature — choosing foods that are seasonal, digestible and grounding, and preparing them with awareness. It doesn’t need to be complicated or restrictive.
Do I need to know my dosha to eat Ayurvedically?
Not at all. In fact, starting with the doshas often creates more confusion. Anu explains why focusing on season, routine and digestion is a much easier place to begin.
What counts as seasonal food if everything is available year-round?
We explore this in the episode — including whether “seasonal” means local, same climate, or even same hemisphere.
Why are digestive issues and food sensitivities more common today?
We touch on modern farming, snacking culture, and why agni (digestive fire) is more fragile now than it used to be.
Is it okay to enjoy foods that aren’t ‘ideal’ in Ayurveda?
Absolutely. Guilt is harder on digestion than the food itself. Anu has a wonderful line about this that you’ll hear in the episode.
🌱 Feeling Scattered?
You can download my free guide:
My 5 Quick Ayurvedic Fixes to Move from Scattered to Steady.
If you wonder where to start, this is a good place.
