You Become What You Eat

TREAT OR TREATMENT

AYUVEDIC AAHAR AND PRATIHARA

Food is known by the term Aahar in Ayurveda. Aahar-Food is the only thing which we, all the sons of nature, allow to enter in our bodies very easily. What goes inside our bodies will show an impact sooner or later, is a truth. Right from the movement food is being

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served to us all our senses and body systems get activated to welcome the Packed Energy from the nature.

Ayurvedic scholars were well known about the deep impacts of food items on our body and mind, that is why Ayurvedic seers always recommended that one should be more cautious about the food items if one wants to remain healthy and happy.

‘Ayurvedic Priciples’ Of Food Intake:

The principles of Ayurveda are based on the concept of tridosha, or the system of three doshas. The three doshas, known as Vata, Pitta and Kapha, are dynamic forces with distinct characteristics that shape all things in the universe. Each person is born with a unique constitution, called prakriti, that is composed of varying amounts of influence from each of the three doshas.

In the Ayurvedic view, an imbalance between the doshas produces a condition called vikriti, a Sanskrit word that means “deviated from nature.” According to Ayurvedic principles, each individual’s diet should be suited to his or her prakriti.

During times of vikriti, or imbalance, the diet can be used to either decrease or increase the three doshas until balance is restored. The dosha balancing effect of a food is determined by its taste, either salty, sour, sweet, bitter, astringent, or pungent and its other qualities, either heavy, oily, cold, hot, light, or dry.

Healthy Colors Of Life

Classification Of Individuals On The Basis Of Thier Body Types(Prakriti)

• 1)Vata prikriti

Vata, translated as “wind”, has the elements of ether and air, and controls all movement in the body, including the flow of blood to and from the heart, the expansion and contraction of lungs that makes breathing possible, and the contractions that push food through the digestive tract.

The person with a Vata prikiti is typically of slight, thin build, and demonstrates great enthusiasm, imagination, and vivaciousness. Vata types grasp new concepts quickly, but forget things easily. They have bursts of mental and physical energy, love excitement and constant change, and display dramatic mood swings. Vatas tend to have irregular eating and sleeping patterns.

When out of balance, Vata types experience dry or rough skin, constipation, tension headaches, cold hands and feet, anxiety and worry, fatigue, poor and irregular appetite, insomnia, arthritis, and difficulty maintaining their ideal body weight. The Vata constitution is characterized by swift change, and, as a result, it goes out of balance more easily than the other doshas.

• 2)Pitta prikriti

Pitta, related to fire, controls metabolism and digestion and regulates appetite. Pitta types are often of medium build and medium strength and typically have blond, red, or light brown hair with freckled or ruddy skin. The basic theme of the pitta constitution is intensity.

Pitta types are ambitious, self-disciplined, enterprising, articulate, intelligent, and outspoken. When in balance, they are warm and loving; out of balance, they can be demanding, sarcastic, critical, argumentative, or jealous. Unlike Vata types, Pittas experience intense hunger and cannot skip meals.

When out of balance, Pitta types experience rashes, inflammatory skin diseases, heartburn, peptic ulcers, visual problems, irritability, premature graying or baldness, and tend towards compulsive behavior (e.g. alcoholism, eating disorders, etc.).

• 3)Kapha prikriti

Kapha, derives from water and earth, and controls the structures of the body, giving strength and physical form to cells and tissues. Kapha types are of solid, powerful build and display great physical strength and endurance. A primary characteristic of the kapha prikiti is contentment.

Kaphas are relaxed, affectionate, serene, slow to anger, forgiving, happy with the status quo, and respectful of the feelings of others. They tend to require lots of sleep, have slow digestion, and moderate hunger, though they find comfort in eating.

Kaphas typically enjoy good health, but tend to become obese more often than Vata or Pitta types. When out of balance, Kapha types may may experience colds and flu, allergies, sinus congestion, depression, lethargy, asthma, and joint problems.

• Balancing The Doshas With Appropriate Diet

By selecting foods appropriate for your prakriti, you can maintain or restore your proper dosha balance. Here are a few dietary and lifestyle suggestions for balancing the different doshas.

To balance Vata:

Because the Vata constitution is characterized by swift change and is easily thrown out of balance, Vata types benefit from sticking to a daily routine with consistent meal times and a regular sleeping pattern. Vatas should eat plenty of heavy, hearty foods, such as stews, breads and warm desserts, and should drink lots of warm fluids (e.g. herbal tea). On the other hand, raw fruits and vegetables and cold beverages should comprise only a small part of a Vata-balancing diet.

To balance Pitta:

When out of balance, Pitta types tend to work excessively. As a result, it is important for Pittas to avoid overscheduling and to balance work and other commitments with sufficient recreation and leisure. Pittas should avoid skipping meals, and should avoid overeating at meals.

Pitta types are well-suited to a vegetarian diet, and benefit tremendously from consumption of fruits, raw vegetables and cold beverages. Pittas may also eat starchy vegetables, grains and beans, but should eliminate spicy and overcooked foods.

To balance Kapha:

Because Kapha types tend to gain weight easily and have difficulty shedding unwanted pounds, regular exercise is crucial for weight management. In addition, Kapha types should eat only when hungry and should consider doing a 24-hour liquid fast as often as one time per week.

Kapha types should avoid ice cream, butter, milk, rich and sugary desserts, meat, and fried foods. Instead, Kaphas should consume large amounts of raw vegetables, fruits and beans, and may improv;e their digestion by drinking hot ginger tea.

Role Of Circadian Rythm Pn Development Of Particular Dosha Type:

Regardless of your dominant dosha, Ayurvedic nutrition principles encourage the consumption of fresh, unprocessed foods. Ayurvedic principles also govern the timing of meals. In the Ayurvedic view, one of the doshas is dominate at all times during the day, a theory called the Master Cycles of Vata, Pitta, and Kapha.

In the first cycle, Kapha predominates from 6 am to 10 am, Pitta predominates from 10 am to 2 pm, and Vata predominates from 2 pm to 6 pm. In the second cycle, Kapha predominates from 6 pm to 10 pm, Pitta predominates from 10 pm to 2 am, and Vata predominates from 2 am to 6 am.

Because the Pitta dosha is responsible for digestion and metabolism, the ideal time for a large meal is during the period from 10 am to 2 pm when Pitta is dominant. As a result, all people, regardless of their dominant dosha, should take their largest meal sometime around 12 noon.

Foods Emphasized-Recomended Diet In Ayurveda

The Ayurvedic diet recommends foods for each dosha based on the taste and quality of food.

Vatas should emphasize the consumption of foods with a salty, sour or sweet taste. Vatas should also eat plenty of foods that are heavy, oily, and hot in quality. More specifically, Vatas do well on a meat-based diet, and can handle lots of dairy products in the diet. In addition, Vatas should eat only well-cooked foods and consume warm beverages instead of cold beverages.

Pittas should emphasize the consumption of foods with a bitter, sweet, or astringent taste. Pittas are also encouraged to consume foods that are heavy, oily and cold in quality. Pittas are well-suited to a vegetarian diet.

Kaphas should emphasize the consumption of foods with a bitter, pungent, or astringent taste. Kaphas need lots of foods that are light, dry, and warm in quality. More specifically, all vegetables are suitable for Kaphas, and because Kaphas tend to have slow digestion, ginger should be eaten every day for its ability to stimulate digestion. Although Kaphas can handle some meat in the diet, it should be eaten on an occasional basis only.

Foods Avoided-Prathihara According To Dosha Type

Vatas should avoid foods with bitter, pungent or astringent tastes. Vatas should also avoid foods that are light, dry, or cold in quality.

Pittas should avoid foods with pungent, salty, or sour tastes. Pittas should also avoid foods that are light, dry, or hot in quality.

Kaphas should avoid foods with salty, sour, or sweet tastes. Kaphas should also avoid foods that are heavy, oily, or cold in quality.

Ayurveda and Rules for Food Intake

Ayurveda opines that the good food when not consumed in a proper way may lead to the diseases. It explains about 10 rules for proper intake of food as follows–

Warm food: Ayurveda says that the food should be always warm and fresh. The food should not be reheated or old food.

Quality food: Ayurveda recommends that the food should be slightly unctuous in nature. The unctuousness increases the gastric fire, strengthens the body, and promotes brightness and complexion.

Quantity food: Ayurveda cautions that the food should be of good quantity to avoid the indigestion as well as proper nourishment to the body.

After digestion: Ayurveda recommends that one should take the food only after the digestion of previously taken food. Otherwise it kills the gastric fire may results in obesity or diabetes.

No opposite combinations: Ayurveda has a special chapter called opposite combinations. This says that foods with opposite nature may become a wholesome for intake and may ends up in disease. For example, the equal quantities of ghee and honey become toxic and may end up in death.

Proper place: Ayurvedic system is the only system in the world, which is giving equal importance to psychological aspects of human body. It recommends that the intake of the food should be only in proper place where the complete concentration will be paid during the intake of the food.

Method of intake: Ayurveda strongly recommends that the food intake should be calm, and one should enjoy the taste of the food. When this happens it satisfy the sense organs and the appetite properly.

Not too fast or too slow: Ayurveda advises that the food should be taken with ample speed to avoid the indigestion.

Ayurveda advises that while taking food a due concentration should be paid and talking, laughing etc should be avoided.

Ayurveda says that one should eat only after due consideration to himself.

Some other Miscellaneous facts in Ayurveda about principles of diet:

Food with cold potency: Ayurveda recommends that these foods and drinks should be prescribed to persons who are suffering from thirst, heat, alcoholism, burning sensation, bleeding diseases, poison and fainting.

Food with hot potency: Ayurveda recommends that the foods and drinks which are hot in nature to persons who are suffering from vitiated conditions of Vata & Kapha, and people who have undergone the purification therapy.

Oily food: Ayurveda recommends the oily food for person of Vata nature, constipation, excessive sexual indulging persons and excessive exercised persons.

Rough food: Ayurveda advises the dry food for vitiated conditions of Kapha, diabetes and obesity.

Liquid food: This meant for persons suffering from thirst, dehydration and after purification therapies.

Dry food: This meant for anemia, wounds and people suffering from diabetes.

Single diet in a day: Person whose gastric fire is weak and in purificatory therapies.

Two times a day: Ayurveda says that the person who has good gastric fire can enjoy his food twice daily.

Diet in small quantity: Ayurveda recommends this for people who have less gastric fire and dyspepsia.

Palliative diet: This is advisable for every one after the end of each season and beginning of new season.

Normal diet: This is for person who is healthy and has strong digestive fire.

Food compatibility Ayurvedic concepts

Ayurveda has a special concept on food & drinks, which is unique only to this system. Ayurveda explains about 18 types of them.

They are as follows-

Compatible to land: If a person takes food in a land that by nature itself increases the particular humor. For example in dry land, naturally the vitiation of Vata and Pitta will be more. If a person consumes foods and drinks with dry and hot qualities it will increase the Vata, Pitta and ends up in diseases.

Compatible to time: Ayurveda recommends foods and drinks depending on the season. For example, in winter, the nature of gastric fire is high and Ayurveda recommends unctuous food in this season if dry foods consumed it will end up in vitiation of Vata and ends up disease.

Compatible to the gastric fire: One should take food depends on his digestive fire. For example, take heavy food when the gastric fire is less and intake of less when the gastric fire is good.

Compatible dose: Some food products are equal or become toxic in nature different doses when mixed . For example, Ayurveda says that equal quantities of ghee and honey is toxic and may produce ill health and death.

Compatible to nature: Consuming sweet and salty foods by a person who is accustomed by taking pungent and bitter tastes.

Compatible to humors: Consuming dry and cold foods by person of Vata type which, increases the Vata in the body ends up in diseases.

Compatible preparations: Ayurveda cautions that the combination of cooking makes the food unwholesome for example peacock meat when cooked with castor oil it becomes toxic and when consumed may leads to death.

Compatible potency: Ayurveda says the foods with opposite potencies when mixed together it may ends up in diseases. For example, fish with milk. Fish is hot in potency and milk is cold in nature when these two items are mixed it ends up in aggravation of Kapha and leads to leprosy and skin diseases.

Compatible to nature of intestine: Ayurveda advises that the nature of the intestine to be considered for example a person with habitual constipation if enjoys the dry and cold foods it will increases the condition.

Compatible practice: It is like after sleep taking foods and drinks, which will increase the Kapha, and after exertion taking food that increases the Vata.

Compatible action: Taking food before elimination of feces or urine or when there is no proper appetite.