Hitaahara: Balanced Diet in Ayurveda

Introduction

Application of the science and art of human nutrition in helping people to select and obtain food for the primary purpose of nourishing their bodies in health or in disease throughout the life cycle is called nutritional care.

Ayurveda is a science and art applicable to maintain the dynamic state of human living. The state of living is continuous reaction to the changing pattern of environmental stimuli. Food is an important eco-factor having direct influence on structural and functional aspects of human body.

Food

Food is defined as that which is voluntarily degluted and nourishes the tissues of the body. The human body undergoes continuous depletion in order to generate energy needed to perform life activities. The depleted body tissues are supplemented by food. Food has been equated to fuel of sacred fire. Being the source of energy for life food is said as life of living beings. Food attributes the factors needed for a positive way of living.

Food – Human Body and Disease

A man possessing the foregoing attributes of food can maintain positive health. In fact the human body is built by food. The balance among the constituents of human body is designated as health ; the imbalance among them is disease.

Attributes of food

1. VARNA (Colour and complex)
2. PRASADA (Pleasure)
3. SUKHAM (Comfort and Health )
4. THUSTI (Satisfaction)
5. SAUSVARYAM (Tone)
6. PUSTI (Nourishment)
7. PRATIBHA (Skill)
8. MEDHA (intellect)
9. BALA (strength and immunity)

Either balance or imbalances among body constituents are depended on the diet consumed. Therefore it is evident the health and disease are caused by food. CHARAKA SAMHITA

In brief says that human body and health or disease are sourced in food.

Balancing Diet:

The diet, which maintains the balance among body elements/ homeostasis, is called Balancing diet / Wholesome diet . Mere physically balanced diet may not achieve balance in all instances. Several factors are considered in ayurveda as the determinants of balancing diet.

Determinants of Balancing Diet

1. PRAKRUTI (quality)
2. KARANA (processing)
3. SAMYOGA (combinations)
4. RASI (quantity)
5. UPYOGA SAMSTHA (socio-emotional states)
6. DESA (source)
7. KALA (season)
8. UPAYOKTA (recipient depending upon age, sex, disease etc.)

The man who receives balancing diet determined by foregoing factors will be able to maintain health and prevent diseases. He can live throughout his full span of life without any disease.

Unbalancing Diet:

The diet , which disturbs the balance among the body elements , is called Unbalanced diet. Certain times a physically balanced diet can also disturb the homeostasis. Unbalancing diet causes diseases on continuos indulgence.

Factors Responsible for Unbalancing Diet

The following factors turn a diet into unbalancing and unwholesome diet.

1. 1. 1. Place of living (DESA)
      2. Season of intake (KALA)
      3. Quantity (MATRA)
      4. Natural quality (VIRYA)
      5. Recipient (UPAYOKTA)
         1. 1. Digestive ability (AGNI)
            2. Type of intestine (KOSTA)
            3. Habit (SATMYA)
            4. Likening (HRIDAYA)
            5. Physiological state (AVASTHA)
            6. Gross pathological type (DOSA)
      6. Processing (SAMSKARA AND PAKA)
      7. Method of intake (UPYOGA SAMSTHA)
         1. order of intake (KARMA)
         2. Procedure of intake (VIDHI )
      8. Combinations (SAMYOGA)

Due to foregoing factors a diet turns against to the body elements. They excite certain body elements and will not allow body to expel, thus produce a persistent disturbance in the homeostasis. A prolong imbalance leads to disease.

The diet is divided into two types.

1. 1. 1. 1. • Balancing diet maintains health
            • Unbalancing diet produces diseases.

Diet treatment:

Any effort to correct the imbalance among body elements are restore the equilibrium is called treatment. Drugs , Food and Regimen are tools of treatment and diagnosis. Food has been given an equal share in treatment along with drugs. The perspective of diet in the treatment is evident with the following aspects of food and nutrition linked with treatment in ayurveda.

Dietary Etiology (Roga Karaka Ahara):

The causative factors for all the disease explained in ayurveda essentially consist a list of unbalancing foods. They are specially mention for each and every disease, in turn with the basic relation of food and disease.

Dietary prescriptions (Pathyam):

The treatment of every disease ends with suitable dietary prescription. There will be an essential restriction on diets, Which are the cause of the disease. The digestive capacity of the patient and state of disease are considered to prescribe a Balancing diet. It has been mentioned that a patient who strictly adopts dietary prescriptions will be able to cure himself spontaneously. Medicines accelerate the process. They are called Pathyam. Pathyam is defined as the diet, which is not harmful to the system, involved in pathology and liked by patient.

Medicated Diets (Ousadi Krita Ahara):

In order to enhance the acceptability of drugs prescribed for a disease various forms of diets have been considered as a media in Ayurveda. They are called as medicated diets.

Examples:

• Medicated Milk
• Medicated Ghee
• Medicated Soup
• Medicated Gruel
• Medicated Wines
• Medicated Linctus
• Medicated Condiment
• Medicated Beverage

Remedial Diet or Food Recipes:

Treatment for certain ailments have been given in the form of simple manipulated foods without including the drugs. Such preparations are in fact an unexplored corner of Ayurvedic therapeutic nutrition.

For Example: Wheat (Godhuma)

1. Wheat flour dry-fried and added with sugar controls gastric acidity instantly.
2. Wheat flour fried in Ghee and cooked with milk and sugar promotes bone healing and provides nutrition to growing children.
3. A bread or chapati made with unshifted wheat flour helps fee evacuation.

All the dietary items have been classified elaborately. Besides, their nutritional values, they are attributed with therapeutic benefits in Ayurvedic texts.

Conclusion

The foregoing basics and areas of clinical nutrition in Ayurveda evidently show the wider scope of the subject. Any treatment is successful only when the nutritional care is given due importance. In the light of growing awareness of the hazardous effects of synthetic drugs, it is high time to explore and propagate the therapeutic nutritional aspects of Ayurveda for the betterment of human living.

For more information, you can contact Dr Manoj Virmani at:
www.holyayu.com

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