Dr. Leena Sripada’s Blog
FOOD AS MEDICINE & JOY: part 1 of 3
Part 1
A Winter Reflection: Beyond the Supplement
Part 2
Spring Fatigue, Allergies and Low Immunity
Part 3
One Food. Every Season. Every Age.
A Winter Reflection: Beyond the Supplements
By Dr. Leena Sripada, ND, AAWC
On mung beans, real nourishment, and the ancient wisdom that speaks to everyone — across every season and every age.
Winter is a beautiful season….if we are balanced enough to enjoy it.
It’s festive, grounding and rich with family time and shared meals. In many ways, winter is the season that most naturally invites us back to the table.
And yet every January, after the holidays, I notice the same thing — in my practice and on pharmacy shelves. Immune supplements, energy capsules, vitamin stacks. We reach for them with good intentions. I take supplements myself and they are part of my treatment plans. Part of why we need them is real — our soil is depleted, our food's nutrient profile is lower than it was for previous generations, and our lives are fast. They have their place.
But I want to offer a gentle reminder.
In the midst of optimising our nutrient intake, are we losing sight of something more fundamental — the profound, irreplaceable nourishment of real food? It might sound obvious…but let’s read on.
Rasa: The Juice of Life
In Ayurveda, there is a concept I return to again and again — in my practice and in my own life. It is called Rasa.
Rasa is a beautifully layered word. It means:
taste and flavour
the essence of sensory enjoyment
experience
the very juice of life itself
Rasa dhatu is the first tissue formed after digestion. It governs hydration, lymphatic flow, emotional nourishment, and the foundation of our vitality.
When we eat real food with presence and enjoyment — when flavours open on the tongue and warmth spreads through the chest — we build healthy Rasa dhatu.
When we eat without presence… rushing, distracted, stressed… Rasa becomes thin. This shows up as fatigue, anxiety, dryness, and that particular emotional hunger — a lack of satisfaction after meals that no supplement can touch. The body receives information, but not nourishment. There is a real difference between the two. And we feel it.
A capsule can deliver nutrients. It cannot spark delight, create warmth, evoke memory, or satisfy the deep human need for real nourishment.
The Power of Warm Broths in Winter
Winter makes a specific and often underestimated metabolic demand. Our bodies work continuously to maintain core temperature — drawing on iron stores, protein reserves, and digestive fire — Agni — to convert food into usable energy and warmth.
This is not depletion. It is the body doing exactly what it is designed to do. But it does mean that winter rewards deep, warming nourishment above all else.
If you look across cultures that lived in cold climates — almost every one of them developed a tradition of warm broths, slow-cooked legumes, and spiced soups in winter. Not by coincidence. By centuries of accumulated wisdom about what a body needs when the temperature drops.
"Food prepared with love and care, eaten in a calm and happy environment, nourishes us not just in the body — but in the nervous system and whole being."
The Power of Mung Bean Soup in Ayurveda
Among all the foods Ayurveda recommends for winter, mung beans hold a uniquely revered place. They are considered the most sattvic of legumes — bringing clarity and peace of mind alongside physical strength. Unlike heavier beans that can cause gas and sluggishness, mung beans are light enough to digest with ease, yet dense enough in nutrition to genuinely sustain.
In my own home, one of the first things I make when the cold settles in is a lentil soup — a simple soup with split mung beans, veggies, simmered with turmeric, cumin, and ginger. It is warm, satisfying, and grounding in a way that is hard to describe but easy to feel. In my practice, it is often the first food I recommend to patients who are depleted, stressed, or simply in need of something real.
A warm mung broth delivers on every level:
Plant protein: highly digestible, building immunity and strength without burdening digestion.
Iron: carrying oxygen to every cell, directly supporting warmth and sustained energy.
Prebiotic fibre: feeding beneficial gut bacteria, supporting immunity, and slow-release energy through cold, dark days.
B vitamins, magnesium and choline: supporting liver function, nerve health, and adrenal resilience.
When mung beans are sprouted before preparation — as Ayurveda has always recommended — this nourishment deepens further. Sprouting breaks down antinutrients, making protein, iron, and B vitamins substantially more bioavailable. More absorbed. More delivered. More felt.
This is not just a nutritious meal. It is Rasa dhatu being built in real time — hydration, vitality, and emotional ease replenishing with every warm sip.
I recently discovered Moong Pani, which makes mung bean broths and meals, right here in Toronto. For those who don't have time to sprout and slow-cook traditionally — and most of us don't — Moong Pani bridges that gap. Sprouted mung beans, spiced with intention, ready in minutes. Not a supplement. Food.
The Energetics of Eating
In Ayurveda, how we eat matters as much as what we eat. There is a whole science of lifestyle — of daily rhythm, of eating at the right times for our constitution — that shapes how deeply food nourishes us.
When we rush and eat without presence, even the most nutritious food does not fully nourish us. But healthy, fresh food prepared with love and care, eaten in a calm and happy environment, nourishes us not just in the body — but in the nervous system and whole being.
The ritual of sitting with a warm cup of mung broth — holding it, breathing in the steam, tasting the spices — is as nourishing as the broth itself.
A Final Thought
In a season as rich and connective as winter, this is the invitation: return to the table. Let food be your first medicine.
May we feel nourished, hydrated, and supported.
May our Rasa be full and flowing.
Next — Part 2: Spring Fatigue, Allergies and Low Immunity — Why That Happens and How to Change That
→ Discover Moong Pani — sprouted mung bean broth for real nourishment
Dr. Leena Sripada, ND, AAWC is a Naturopathic Doctor and Ayurvedic practitioner writing at the intersection of ancient wisdom and modern health.
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To work with Dr Leena, you can visit: www.doctorleena.ca
To learn more about Moong Pani, visit: https://moongpani.com
Struggling With Constant Noise?
By Dr. Leena Sripada, ND, AAWCN
Many people don’t know this … but I am a musician.
I was musician first before I became a doctor - and my experience of music and sound has also been a gateway to my nervous system. Trained through the conservatory since I was 6 years old, daily practice for years with commitment and dedication. Performed professionally around the globe. In areas as remote as the Himalayas, to the most popular venues in NY. The sound of the violin is something that can become so meditative for me, that I can forget about everything and just tune into the music.
This means that I am also sensitive to sounds - not just loud sounds, but sounds that have certain frequencies - which includes sounds on phones, on tv, from electronics etc.
So I want to bring this article to you to share something that most people don’t think about or know…but sound can be a gateway to healing as well.
Have you ever notice how you can be physically exhausted but still can't quiet your mind? Or how even in "silent" moments, your nervous system feels like it's still buzzing?
Here's something you might not have considered: your ears are absorbing more stress than you realize. And in a world of pinging notifications, traffic hum, and the endless drone of devices, your nervous system is paying the price.
The good news? Ayurveda has been working with sound as medicine for thousands of years: and it's not about adding more noise. It's about giving your system the right kind of sound to actually heal.
The Ayurvedic View: Your Ears Are Portals to Space
In Ayurveda, each of your five senses corresponds to an element. Your sense of hearing is governed by Akasha (Ether or Space): the most subtle element, the "container" from which everything else emerges.
Think of it this way: space is the emptiness that allows sound to travel. When your sound environment is cluttered: constant background noise, overlapping conversations, the hum of electronics: it's like cramming too much into a container. There's no room for anything else to land. Including rest.
The ear is also closely connected to Vayu (Air element), which governs movement, communication, and: you guessed it: your nervous system. When Vata is aggravated (which happens easily in our modern, overstimulated lives), you feel it as anxiety, racing thoughts, restlessness, and that "wired but tired" sensation so many of us know too well.
Here's the thing: Your nervous system doesn't distinguish between "important" and "unimportant" noise. It registers all of it as stimulation. And when you're constantly exposed to chaotic, unpredictable sound, your body stays locked in sympathetic mode: fight or flight: even when there's no actual danger.
Modern Noise Pollution Is Hijacking Your Healing
Let's be real: our ancestors didn't have leaf blowers at 7 AM or text notifications every three minutes. The constant auditory input we experience daily keeps your nervous system on high alert, blocking your body's natural ability to enter the parasympathetic state (rest, digest, and repair).
For women in perimenopause or dealing with burnout, this is even more critical. When your nervous system can't downshift, your hormones stay dysregulated, your sleep suffers, and inflammation runs rampant. You might be eating clean, taking your supplements, and moving your body: but if your ears are still processing stress signals all day, you're missing a major piece of the healing puzzle.
This is where Ayurvedic sound therapy: called Naada Chikitsa: comes in. Unlike the chaotic noise that keeps you activated, therapeutic sound uses intentional, rhythmic vibrations to do the opposite: slow your brainwaves, release muscle tension, and guide your nervous system back into safety.
How Sound Healing Actually Works
Sound baths and Ayurvedic sound therapy aren't just "relaxing background music." They work through a process called brainwave entrainment: your brain literally synchronizes its activity with the vibrations it's receiving.
When you're exposed to the deep, resonant tones of singing bowls, gongs, or chanting, your brain shifts from beta waves (alert, thinking mode) to alpha and theta waves (relaxed, meditative states). This isn't just a nice feeling: it's measurable nervous system regulation.
Studies on singing bowl meditation show significant reductions in tension, anger, fatigue, and depressed mood after just one session. And unlike popping a pill or forcing yourself through another breathwork session when you're already depleted, sound therapy requires almost nothing from you. You just receive.
In Ayurveda, we call this Sattvic sound: pure, balancing vibrations that restore harmony without adding more demands to your already-overloaded system.
Your Sound Diet: Simple Practices for Home
You don't need a crystal sound bath studio in your basement to benefit from this. Here are some ways to bring Ayurvedic sound healing into your daily routine:
1. Morning Humming (Bhramari Pranayama)
Before you even check your phone, sit quietly and hum with your lips closed. The vibration stimulates your vagus nerve: the main highway of your parasympathetic nervous system. Even 2-3 minutes makes a difference.
2. Intentional Silence
Create pockets of true quiet in your day. No podcast, no music, no TV in the background. Let your ears rest. If you're someone who fills every moment with sound, this might feel uncomfortable at first: and that's exactly the point.
3. Chanting or Toning
You don't need to be religious or know Sanskrit. Simply chanting "Om" or humming a single tone activates the same calming pathways. Research shows chanting decreases depression and anxiety by literally changing brain chemistry.
4. Sound Bath Recordings
There are beautiful recordings of singing bowls, gongs, and tanpura available online. Even 10 minutes before bed can shift your nervous system into deep rest mode and improve sleep quality.
5. Notice Your Sound Environment
Start paying attention to what your ears are taking in throughout the day. Can you turn off the TV when you're not actively watching? Silence your phone more often? Choose one room in your home to be a "quiet zone"?
Nervous System Healing Is the Foundation
In my practice, I see this pattern constantly: people doing all the right things: eating well, exercising, taking their herbs: but still feeling stuck because their nervous system never gets the signal that it's safe to heal.
Sound is one of the most direct pathways into nervous system regulation. It bypasses your thinking mind and speaks directly to the ancient parts of your brain that control stress response, hormone balance, and immune function.
When you give your ears: and by extension, your entire nervous system: the gift of healing sound, you're not just "relaxing." You're creating the conditions for deep cellular repair, better sleep, balanced hormones, and a mind that can finally quiet down.
So maybe this week, instead of adding another supplement or wellness hack to your routine, try subtracting some noise. Create space. Let your system rest in intentional sound: or intentional silence.
Your nervous system has been working overtime. It's time to give it what it's been asking for all along: permission to be still.
Dr. Leena Sripada is a naturopathic doctor specializing in Ayurvedic medicine, women's health, and nervous system healing. If you're struggling with burnout, hormonal imbalances, or chronic stress, book a consultation to explore how sound therapy and other Ayurvedic practices can support your healing journey.
What is Oil Pulling?
A recently popular ancient Ayurvedic practice - revisited.
By Dr. Leena Sripada, ND, AAWC
Recently there has been lots of hype about the health benefits of oil pulling – a process of swishing oil in the mouth for about 10 to 20 minutes and then spitting it out to pull out toxins from the mouth. This technique, which claims to originate from Ayurveda, is a modern adaptation of some of the traditional Ayurvedic methods of daily self care known as gandusa and kavala. These therapies are not only prescribed to detoxify the oral cavity, but are also used to strengthen muscle tone in the neck, throat, jaw, and face in addition to treating systemic conditions such as arthritis and migraines. Substances such as ghee, oil, milk or herbal decoctions are gargled, swished or retained in the mouth for a specific duration at a specific time of the day. The type of treatment, the duration and the oil used is always customized to your constitution for maximum benefit.
The technique has been around for centuries, but the term oil pulling is a modern term adapted by Western practitioners and this technique has spread in the last decade to the point where even dentists are starting to advocate the technique as part of a daily health routine.
How does Oil Pulling work?
There is no doubt that your mouth is a breeding ground for bacteria and toxins. The oral cavity is constantly exposed to food which feed bacteria that reside on the teeth, gums and tongue. While bacteria naturally reside in the oral cavity, when an overgrowth of non-beneficial bacteria flourish, they produce unwanted toxins. This leads to cavities, bad breath and other health concerns.While regular dental visits are important, as you know, daily self-care such as brushing and flossing are essential. Sometimes daily brushing and flossing are not enough, and further self-care is needed.
In Ayurveda, oils are used therapeutically topically and internally. Oil has a lubricating and grounding quality and is beneficial for imbalances related to vata (air and ether element). Externally, specific oils are used for massages and therapies, and internally, they are beneficial for lubricating the digestive tract and tissues. Oil Pulling involves retention of specific oils which help cleanse the oral cavity, fight unwanted bacteria and plaque while rejuvenating the gums.
If you have ever tried oil pulling, you will know that your cheeks and mouth muscles get tired. The technique involves active use of muscles in the oral cavity which helps strengthen muscle tone in addition to increasing blood flow which bring nutrients to the tissues and carries away waste products. From a TCM perspective, stimulation of the oral and facial muscles can activate acupuncture points and reduce stagnation in the area to increase flow of qi or energy.
Benefits Of Oil Pulling:
Strengthens teeth & gums
Maintains healthy oral pH
Promotes flora balance
Reduces inflammation
Prevents plaque build up
Increases circulation to oral tissues
Draws toxins out of mouth
Reduces frequency of colds and infections
How Is It Done?
Oil pulling can be done on a regular basis, however the specific duration and type of oil that is best for you is determined by your Ayurvedic practitioner based on your age, constitution, and state of health. For some individuals, it may be recommended to do daily for several weeks and for others, 1-2 times a week may be sufficient.
Here is a general example of oil pulling that you can try:
In the morning, after brushing your teeth and cleaning your tongue, take 1 Tbsp. of coconut oil or sesame oil and swish it in your mouth.
Continue swishing actively for about 10 to 15 minutes, involving all of your mouth muscles until you feel them getting tired. The oil will liquefying and the saliva will build up. (You can even do this as you shower.)
Once finished, do not swallow - discard the oil in the garbage (not down the sink so that you don't clog up the drain). Feel free to brush your teeth and clean your tongue again if there is a lot of residue.
While the common oil used for oil pulling is coconut oil, other oils such as sesame or herbal oils with antimicrobial herbs must be individually tailored to you. Coconut oil has excellent anti-viral and cooling properties, and can suit a person with a Pitta constitution and is better suited in the warmer season while sesame oil may suit individuals who have a Vata constitution or better suited in the fall and winter. Turmeric may be blended with the oil to increase anti-microbial effects. Oil pulling can be done preventatively for individuals who are prone to colds and respiratory infections at change of seasons.
Since oil pulling is a gentle detoxification therapy, it is always best to do it under guidance of your practitioner for long-term so that the duration of treatment can be customized, along with any additional natural therapies that will support detoxification and healing of the oral cavity.
Fasting: Is it Right for You?
By Dr. Leena Sripada
Does the thought of going off food for a few hours scare you? How about going off food for a day?
While skipping meals may not be good for you, therapeutic fasting under guidance can have many health benefits. In a world where we are inundated with information on what foods to eat, sometimes taking a short break from food can reset the digestive system and metabolism to process your nutrition more efficiently.
While intermittent fasting is a newer trend that you may have heard of, fasting is not a new concept. If you look at most of the major traditions in the world, fasting was observed in many of the religious and spiritual times of the year: Lent for Christians, Ramadan for Muslims, Passover for Jews, Ekadasi and Shivratri for Hindus. Fasting was often aligned to the natural cleansing periods of the solar and lunar calendars. Spring is one of those significant periods where food is naturally scarce and we can burn up the excess fat stores after winter.
Fasting essentially means abstaining from food for a period of time, but the actual practice of fasting may vary from completely avoiding food and water to taking lighter foods or juices such vegetable broths, coconut water or fruit juices.
What are the different types of fasting?
We will explore common types of fasting and their therapeutic benefits. Speak to your ND before you start any of these fasts for more than one day so they can guide you on the safest and most effective method for you.
Water fasting: this is the most stringent type of fasting where you avoid food and beverages completely other than water. This should only be done under guidance by a health professional and avoided in individuals with blood sugar imbalance. Individuals with a Kapha constitution often respond well to this type of fasting, but you should only do it for a short period of time.
Juice or broth fasting: this fasting involves avoidance of solid food and includes drinking only light beverages that are either fresh pressed fruit or vegetables, herbal teas or cooked broths. These liquids provide nutrition that can be absorbed by the body without taxing the digestive system. Kapha body types do better with vegetable juices with bitter, astringent and pungent tastes like leafy greens and ginger and Pitta types respond well to fresh, cooling juices such as cucumber, celery or watermelon. This type of fasting may be difficult for vatas, but may be done for a short period of time.
Mono diet or Kitchari fast: this fasting doesn't mean you avoid food altogether; you choose specific healthy foods that are simple and easy to digest. Choosing the same combination of food over a period of days allows the body basic nutrition without taxing the digestive system. A typical example is an Ayurvedic kitchari fast where you eat an Ayurvedic stew for each meal of the day and typically is vegetable based and free of common allergens such as wheat, dairy and eggs. Or you may eat only steamed vegetables in a mono diet. This type of 'fasting' is suitable for vata body types.
Intermittent fasting: this method has recently gained popularity and involves eating food during specific times of the day and avoiding food for 16 hours or more. For example, you would skip breakfast and eat lunch & dinner between 1pm - 8pm and avoid food after that. Another method may involve eating a brunch at 10pm, giving a break and eating dinner at 6pm.
What are the benefits of fasting?
Rest is an essential part of healing, and there's no exception for the digestive system. During evolution, humans would alternate between periods of abundant food to scarcity and it would be common to go through days with little food. Fasting activates a process called 'autophagy' where cells break down cell components and damaged structures and use them for energy. This is an essential process of renewal which increases longevity. This process is triggered by around 12-24 hours of fasting. There is a lot of growing research in this field of the benefits of autophagy. When you take a break from eating, initially you may feel weak, but once you pass a certain point, the body kicks start another process to generate fuel.
Some of the benefits you may experience with therapeutic fasting:
Weight loss
Improved energy
Enhanced clarity & focus
Improved digestion
Reduced insulin resistance
Reduced inflammation
Increased longevity
Who can benefit from fasting?
If you have never fasted before, it is important that you start slowly and work with your ND to make a plan based on your body type and health concerns. If you have blood sugar imbalances (diabetes, pre-diabetes or adrenal insufficiency due to stress) fasting may be less advisable for you, though fasting is recommended for some individuals to reduce insulin resistance. Those with a Vata constitution do not do as well avoiding food. Cleansing for this type may include doing a mono-diet (eating the same foods over a period of days or weeks) such as a kitchari cleanse in Ayurveda. Pitta types and Kapha types generally experience many benefits from fasting. For these types, doing a warm herbal tea in the morning and fasting until lunch can support the body in detoxification.
It is always recommended to work with your ND on ways that fasting can be incorporated safely for your body type and lifestyle. Always drink water or herbal teas while fasting (unless you are doing a ‘dry fast’). Incorporating therapeutic fasting into your daily routine will allow your digestive system to rest and your body to go into cleaning mode. When your body has a chance to clean up, you will burn your fuel better, feel lighter and absorb your nutrients more efficiently.
For those of you who would like to do a cleanse, but many be newer to fasting, we invite you to join our 21-day Spring Renewal reset which includes meditation, yoga & a guided kitchari cleanse as part of the program.
PROGRAM STARTS MID FEBRUARY, 2026.
Obstacles to Healing - Ayurvedic Do's & Don'ts
by Dr. Leena Sripada, ND, AAWC
Health is a natural state of balance of harmony - anything that gets in the way of this is an obstacle to healing. You may be doing many things "right" to be healthy, but have you looked at what might be "in the way"? For example, maybe you prepared a delicious, well-balanced meal and suddenly, you get a call from a friend that is upset with you...and you have a tummy ache the rest of the day. Or you have planned to go to the gym every morning in the new year, only to realize that you struggle to wake up in time to do so?
Obstacles to healing can be for example, emotions such as anger or jealousy or lifestyle habits such as eating inappropriate food for the time of day or season. Ayurveda has long recognized the importance of daily routines (dinacharya) and seasonal routines (ritucharya) to prevent disease. While some of these routines may have been considered as superstitious or old fashioned, there are many which have a scientific basis. You might be doing all the right things - eating organic, eating healthy, exercising, taking your supplements but, if certain lifestyle habits are out of alignment, it could be slowing you down. Let's look at a few of the lifestyle habits below and what to avoid:
Ayurvedic Don'ts
1. Cold Smoothies
Smoothies seem like a convenient way to pack in fruits, veggies and proteins in one meal, but when they are loaded with ice or frozen berries it will put out your digestive fire. Digestion requires heat, provided by your metabolic activity and blood circulation to the stomach. Ayurveda considers the digestive fire (jatharagni) to be a driving force in breaking down food in your stomach so when you eat anything cold, digestion quickly slows down. If you are a vata or kapha type, it's like you already struggle from gas or bloating and cold will worsen it. In the morning, your digestive fire is just beginning to wake up. When you eat anything cold, it will take around an hour for it to return to normal temperature depending on your body type. It is best to have smoothies that are room temperature (thaw out berries the previous night or keep the ingredients out of the fridge before blending). Other suggestions include avoiding cold fruits in the morning for breakfast, ice water with meals, or ice cream after meals.
2. Eating While Distracted
You digest best when you are relaxed. When you eating on the go, while walking, driving, or watching tv, your body is in sympathetic mode where the nervous system is activated. When you're distracted, you're less likely to pay attention to your chewing, notice signals from the body that you are full and enjoy the experience of the meal. Ayurveda suggests eating meals when relaxed, sitting down with minimal conversation to digest at your best. How often do you do this? The more you try this, the more likely you will feel satisfied from your meal.
3. Suppression of Natural Urges
How often to you stifle a sneeze, hold your bladder until it's bursting, hold back a yawn in public? Due to hectic schedules or social situations, you may find yourself holding back natural urges until a convenient time or until the urge is gone. Natural urges like going to the bathroom, sneezing, yawning, crying, coughing, feeling hungry, thirsty or tired are natural signs from your body. Ayurveda has actually identified how suppressing specific urges can lead to imbalance and specific illnesses over time by disturbing the flow of doshas in the body and allowing toxins to accumulate (read more). In some cultures, belching after meals is considered a sign that you have eaten well and in other cultures, passing gas goes unnoticed in public. While it may seem unpleasant or socially inappropriate, it is important that you pay attention to what your body is telling you and allow a natural release when possible. Next time you feel like sneezing, try allowing it to happen and see how you feel.
4. Improper Food Timing
You might be eating the "right" food for your body type or health concern, but are your timings off? Your body is tuned to the natural cycles of the day. As the sun rises and reaches peak, so does your digestive strength. As the sun sets and night rolls in, metabolic activity slows down. Tuning your mealtimes according to your digestive strength allows the body to work at its best. When you eat when you are not hungry, or eat large meals at times when digestion is weak, or ignore hunger when you are busy, you are working against the natural forces of nature.
The recommendation is to eat a wholesome breakfast before you start your day, followed by a well balanced lunch between 11-1pm (largest meal at the peak of the day when digestion is at peak) a light afternoon snack, and an early dinner before sunset. For many people, breakfast and lunch are light and quick and they are starving by the evening and either end up eating a very heavy dinner, or snacking before dinner. If you consistently skip breakfast because you don't have time or are not hungry, this creates havoc with your stress hormones. Heavy and late dinners are difficult to digest and lead to bloating, sluggishness and weight gain. By simply adjusting the timings of your meal to optimize your digestion, you will notice that you feel lighter and healthier. Speak with your ayurvedic practitioner who can help guide you on an eating regime customized to you while supporting your digestion
5. Overstimulation of the Sense Organs
Your 5 sense organs are constantly receiving information from your surroundings through vision, hearing, taste, smell and touch. While the senses are crucial for survival, your body's resources are constantly processing this information. When the senses are overstimulated, you may experience sensory overload, and divert energy needed for healing the body. How do you do this? It means reduce screen time, computer games, tv, bright lights and anything which stimulates vision and consequently the the nervous system.
We live in an era where we constantly need to respond to sounds - such as cell phone beeps and calls which easily puts you into sympathetic mode where the body is unable to relax. Impressions through our senses are processed by the brain and leave an impression on the mind. When there is imbalance, this can lead to anxiety, ADHD, hyperactivity and general disturbance. In yoga and Ayurveda, there are several techniques to help you gain control over the 5 senses and currently, "float tanks" (which minimize noise, light and other stimuli) are becoming very popular due to their relaxation benefits.
When you can identify and remove obstacles in your diet and lifestyle, you are allowing the vital healing force of nature doing it's work. Living in disharmony with the environment, the people around us and within ourselves, is the first step of dis-ease. Work with your Ayurvedic practitioner to help you identify obstacles to your health and find harmony in your daily routine.
Sometimes doing “less” is actually doing more. Start your New Year with SIMPLICITY.
Dr Leena Sripada is a naturopathic doctor & Ayurvedic practitioner She applies the Ayurvedic approach to help you realign to your state of healthy balance. If you are healthy and looking into preventing disease or learning more about your constitution, read more here.
Sweet Cravings: Why We Crave Sweet — and What To Do About It
Dr. Leena Sripada, ND, AAWC
For many people, sweet cravings intensify during the holiday season. Shorter days, colder weather, festive gatherings, emotional triggers, and an abundance of treats around can make it feel nearly impossible to say no to sugar — even when you tell yourself you are going to be careful this year. We all know its not good for us, and sometimes we don’t even feel good eating sweet….so why are we stuck in the craving loop?
From an Ayurvedic perspective, sweet cravings aren’t a failure of willpower. They’re a signal from the body asking for nourishment, grounding, comfort, or energy. Understanding why these cravings arise is the first step toward working with them in a supportive and sustainable way instead of against them.
The Sweet Taste in Ayurveda: One of the Six Tastes
Ayurveda recognizes six tastes that make up a balanced diet:
Sweet
Sour
Salty
Bitter
Pungent (spicy)
Astringent
The sweet taste is the first and most foundational of the six. In balance, it is nourishing, grounding, strengthening, and soothing. Sweet taste builds tissues, supports immunity (ojas), calms the nervous system, and promotes feelings of safety and satisfaction.
Naturally sweet foods include:
Whole grains
Root vegetables
Milk
Fruits
Honey, maple syrup, dates etc.
When sweet taste is consumed in its whole-food form, it is deeply supportive. Problems arise when sweet taste is overconsumed — especially as refined sugar — or used to compensate for deeper imbalances.
—> Before we move on….can you take a moment to look at how much on your daily plate is “sweet in taste”? This includes carbs, dairy, sweet veggies like carrots, peas, beets and the obvious sweets like cookies, cakes, chocolates, juice.
Why We Crave Sweet Foods
1. Blood Sugar Imbalances
One of the most common reasons for sweet cravings is unstable blood sugar. Skipping meals, under-eating protein, or relying heavily on refined carbohydrates can lead to blood sugar crashes. When glucose drops, the body urgently seeks quick energy, and sugar becomes the fastest solution.
This cycle can be especially pronounced during busy holiday schedules when meals are irregular. This is common in individuals who are pre-diabetic (and may not know it) but also when you have a vata constitution where stress triggers blood sugar to go up and down. If you are concerned about this, speak with your naturopathic doctor to have additional testing done including Ha1c, fasting blood glucose and fasting insulin (a test most GPs are not doing but should be checking).
2. Stress and Nervous System
It’s important to understand that wweet taste is calming to Vata and Pitta doshas. During times of stress, overwhelm, or burnout, the nervous system craves grounding and comfort — and sweet foods temporarily provide that sense of relief. This is why cravings often intensify when you’re tired, emotionally drained, or juggling too many responsibilities. Sweet taste also “cools” down Pitta dosha. Think of when you eat something too spicy, you want something sweet to cool down your tongue.
3. Candida and Gut Imbalances
An overgrowth of yeast such as candida can drive intense sugar cravings. Yeast feeds on sugar, creating a self-perpetuating cycle of craving and consumption. This is often accompanied by digestive symptoms, fatigue, brain fog, or recurrent infections. This may manifest as yeast infections — but not always. Candida can grow anywhere in the body especially in the digestive tract leading to significant gas & bloating. You naturopathic doctor can help you identify if you have a candida issue and treat it accordingly.
4. The Body Seeking Instant Energy
At a basic physiological level, sugar is a fast fuel source. When digestion (agni) is weak, stress hormones are elevated, or nutrient intake is inadequate, the body looks for the quickest energy available — refined sugar fits that role perfectly. When you are rushed and on the go, it is a quick source of fuel to get you by — but you will inevitably crash aftewards.
Why Refined Sugar Makes Cravings Worse
Refined sugar is stripped of fiber, minerals, and life force (prana). It causes rapid blood sugar spikes followed by crashes, increases inflammation, feeds harmful gut microbes, and strains the adrenal glands.
Over time, excess refined sugar can:
Worsen insulin resistance
Disrupt gut health
Increase anxiety and mood swings
Deplete minerals needed for energy and hormone balance
And it is no doubt “addictive”
Better Sweeteners from an Ayurvedic Perspective
Ayurveda doesn’t say you can’t enjoy sweet — it encourages better forms of sweet taste and understands which body types need what.
Healthier sweeteners include:
Raw honey (never cooked)
Pure maple syrup
Jaggery
Coconut sugar
These sweeteners still require moderation, but they provide nourishment rather than depletion when used mindfully. Then there is monk fruit extract and stevia which are used to mimic sweet taste naturally without spiking your blood sugar.
The Emotional Side of Sweet Cravings
On a deeper level, sweet taste is emotionally comforting, reassuring, and nurturing. It’s often our first association with love — breast milk, warm meals, family traditions, and celebrations.
During the holidays, sweet cravings may arise not just from physical hunger, but from:
Loneliness or grief
Emotional overwhelm
Feeling ungrounded or unsupported
A need for rest, pleasure, or reassurance
Recognizing the emotional layer of cravings allows us to respond with compassion rather than restriction. Pay attention to how you are feeling. Simply making space to feel what you are feeling and listen to what is going on is the first step to addressing cravings.
Simple Tips to Curb Holiday Sweet Cravings
If sugar is something you struggle with, take a look at the suggestions below. Can you commit to 1-2 changes this week?
Eat regular, grounding meals with protein, healthy fats, and warm cooked foods
Include naturally sweet foods like roasted root vegetables, oats, and stewed fruit
Balance your plate — ensure all six tastes are present
Pause before reaching for sweets and ask: “What do I actually need right now?”
Support your nervous system with warm teas, meditation, and adequate sleep
Choose better sweeteners and savour them slowly, without guilt
A Gentle Reminder
Sweet cravings are not something to “fight.” They are information. When we listen closely, they guide us back to nourishment, balance, and care — especially during the emotionally rich and demanding holiday season. Working with cravings rather than against them is the most sustainable path to lasting health.
And if this is something you have tried but find it hard to do on your own — its ok, this is a very common challenge. You can work with your practitioner
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In my practice, I have seen people struggle for years but I have also seen many people come out of cravings within weeks with the right customized approach with Ayurvedic understanding, balanced diet, cleansing herbs and the right mindset — to the point where they feel like their taste buds have changed and they no longer crave sweets. Then they feel truly free.
If this is something you would like to work on, speak with Dr. Leena Sripada, ND.
6 Flavours in the Ayurvedic Plate
www.doctorleena.ca