Aahar - Wholesome Diet

You are what you eat and what you digest

 Food is one of the third pillar of life along with Sleep and Bramhacharya (Celibacy). It holds the most important sustainer of life hence one should choose it carefully. By just following wholesome food regimen diseases can be cured without any medicine, whereas even hundreds of medicines cannot cure a disease in absence of wholesome food regimen. The wholesome food is that which is beneficial as it does not adversely affect the mind and the three dosha, body tissues-dhatu. Wholesome food enhances our strength, vitality, immunity, enthusiasm, memory, digestive power and lifespan.

The balance between what one likes to eat and what is wholesome for one’s health is the science of Aahar according to Āyurveda. There is a very scientific explanation on what are the parameters on which one should decide the selection of dietary items in a meal.  The general guidelines of the so called highly developed nutrition science today cannot answer the subjective requirement for individual and is lacking to simple logical methods which Āyurveda has postulated. The parameters on which this wholesome diet is designed are as follows-

1.     Prakriti is the inherent natural qualities of food like heaviness, cold, hot, dry sharp, penetrating, unctuousness etc.  The six tastes are the main parameter to understand the effects it will show on the body. Sweet, Sour and Salty taste will increase Kapha and reduce Vata dosha. The other three tastes Bitter, Pungent and Astringent will increase Vata and reduce kapha. Sweet, Bitter and astringent will reduce Pitta and the remaining three Katu, Salty and Sour will increase pitta dosha.

2.     Karan Sanskara is the method of processing intended for imparting additional qualities to the food. Cooking, heating, grilling, roasting, fermentation, frying, refrigeration, drying, pickling and many other procedures create different qualities in the recepies and delivery different actions accordingly. These are also affected by the length of preparation and the types of utensils (size, metal, etc.) that are used.

3.     Samyoga refers to the combination of two or more substances, which creates certain qualities which are otherwise not present individually. Such combinations go in synergy with each other ingredients creating a more digestible and healthy combination. There are certain combinations which are very contradictory in qualities with each other and it can be very unhealthy . Āyurveda has a very detail study of such combinations under the concept of ’Viruddha Aahar’ like fruit and milk, milk and salt, honey and ghee in equal quantities, milk and fish, etc.

4.    Desha – Place or habitat of the consumer and also the place where the food was grown, and its suitability.

5.     Raashi is the quantum in terms of total amount of food and that of individual components. This is very important to understand the proportion of individual qualities of the food in relationship to its individual quantity and in totality.

6.       Kala is the time in accordance with the season, age of the consumer, time of the day when it is consumed etc. Āyurveda has guidelines regarding the consumption and contradictions of certain food items in the night hours or after sunset to be precise.

7.     Upyoga Samsthaa refers to the rules of dieting which depends on how well it is suitable for an individual and how well the food is being digested and eliminated.

8.      Upbhokta refers to the user who may have exposed to certain food for long period even though it is non–compatible in general and hence can handle it well. Thus individuality is again given a special consideration in Āyurveda.

There are some general rules of eating like-

•    Food should be consumed in warm state as it tastes better and it stimulates digestive fire, digests well, and helps eliminates flatulence and mucus.

•    Food should be unctuous as it increases the strength of the body and provides strength and lubrication to the body tissues and helps in elimination of wastes smoothly.

•    Consuming food in proper quantity is very important as that does not create imbalance in the three doshas by digesting comfortably.

•    Food should be eaten only after the previous meal has been completely digested.

•    Food should not include incompatible combinations.

•    Food should be eaten in favorable places with proper utensils.

•    Food should not be consumed too fast because it can by mistake and in hurry get into wrong tracts and could not digest well as it is not well chewed.

•    Food should not be eaten too slowly either as it makes the food cold.

•    Food should be eaten with focused mind and not getting distracted by engaging in talking, watching television, reading and such activities.

·         Yogurt should not be consumed in night and should not be taken without ghee, sugar, honey, or green mung dal.

•    Following are the dietary items which one should not consume regularly- dried meats and vegetables, boiled buttermilk, paneer, pork, beef, buffalo meat, fish, yogurt and barley.

How does one know what is the proper quantity of food?

·        The proper quantity of food does not create pressure in the stomach and heaviness in the abdomen, it does not exert pressure on the Heart and in the sides of the chest, it provides proper nourishment of the senses and relief from hunger and thirst. The activities like standing, sitting, sleeping, walking, exhaling, inhaling laughing, and talking becomes comfortable even after eating meal.