Spice up your fall diet with Ayurveda

With fall bursting onto the scene, you may be looking for a way to satisfy your cold weather cravings without packing on the pounds. The traditional Indian system of medicine known as Ayurveda offers some options.

Dilip Sarkar M.D. is a former surgeon and chairman of the School of Integrative Medicine at Taksha University in Hampton, Virginia. After having a heart attack and undergoing bypass surgery in 2001, he discovered Ayurvedic medicine. He credits his healing to this ancient system based on balancing the body with diet and physical practices.

No longer a practicing surgeon, Sarkar focuses his energy on presenting Ayurveda and yoga workshops around the country. He says real health equals strong digestion, healthy elimination, and a good night's sleep. And it's important to be in sync with the environment around us.

"We are a part of the universe. Whatever changes happen in the world also affect our bodies," Sarkar told CBS News. "Ayurveda is the science of opposites. As the seasons change, a person's diet should also adapt to the changes in climate."

With fall weather ushering in cool, blustery winds, Sarkar recommends balancing the drying effects of this season with warmer, oilier foods like sweet potatoes with ghee (clarified butter), pumpkins and squash. Use olive oil to dress your salads and toss some roasted vegetables on top.

In order to avoid weight gain in the fall, timing matters. Sarkar suggests eating light meals for breakfast and dinner and planning your heaviest meal of the day at lunchtime.

A sample Ayurvedic breakfast could include yogurt with berries and honey, or oatmeal with cinnamon and dates. Sarkar says it's better to avoid eating yogurt after breakfast; its cooling properties may dampen a person's digestive fire, he said.

In fall and winter, an Ayurvedic dinner involves cooked organic vegetables, rice, and mung beans or lentils. For a more filling lunch try a homemade curry with coconut milk and a variety of vegetables over brown rice.

Another tip: to spice up fall meals, use tumeric, cumin, cinnamon, cardamom, and clove. These spices are staples of the Ayurvedic diet and can help reduce inflammation and fire up digestion.