Basic Principles of Aahara

Dr. Pradipkumar Suryawanshi, M.D (Ayurved), Reader & Head, Department  of Swasthavritta & Yoga, Government Ayurved College & Hospital Bilaspur (C.G)

Ayurveda, the Science of Life, has given much importance to the preservation of health and the prevention of diseases. Naturally it has dealt very deeply with the aspect of dietetics in view of the social and climate conditions. Ahara (diet) Nidra (sleep) and Brahmacarya (abstinence) are recognized as the three Upasthambhas (sub pillars) essential for the smooth running of life. Among the three Upasthambhas, Ahara is considered as the best sustainer of life (VrittikaranamSreshtham). Our Upnishadas and classical texts state that diet is essential for life – “Anna Ve prana” virtually, diet is a medicine in itself. Food replenishes and supports the doshas, dhatus, and malas, and stabilizes life. By the knowledge of this science, we can treat many diseases. The effect of food not only lies on the body but it equally affects the mind. There is a famous saying that “the food you eat reflects your state of mind”. Sushruta described that body as well as food are mainly constituted by five mahabhutas. Body is the product of Food and Food is the harbinger of Happiness and Suffering. All the dietary articles are composed of Panchamahabhutas and the Tridoshas (Vata, Pitta, Kapha) are the biological derivatives of these five Mahabhutas. A balanced diet in Ayurveda is planned in relation to the known Panchabhautic composition and Tridoshic impacts in the living body.Human body requires food to provide energy for all life processes, growth, repair and maintenance. A balanced diet contains different types of foods in such quantities and proportions that the need of the body is adequately met. Eating a well-balanced diet on a regular basis and staying at ideal weight are critical factors in maintaining emotional and physical well-being.

In Ayurveda, the body grows, develops strength, and gradually matures from the time of conception. Proper time (Kala Yoga), favorable disposition of nature (SwabhavaSamsiddhi), excellence of properties of food (AaharaSausthava) and absence of inhibiting factors (Avighata) are the factors responsible for the growth of the body. Excellence of the ingested food is one among the causative factors which are responsible for the growth. Health is also the supreme foundation for the achievements of life. Therefore, Ayurveda aims to maintain the condition of health. Health as well as diseases are dependent on various factors. Among these, food (Aahara) is the most important one.

Actually, diet can be beneficial for our health only when we eat for the sake of health rather than taste. Always remember that our life is not meant for food but food is essential for our life. AcharyaVagbhata, said that eat food according to your own constitution, in an appropriate quantity and earned by right means or sources, which makes the food beneficial for health, otherwise there is probability for several diseases to develop.  Acharya Charaka stated that – Food is vital for living beings that is why people rush to it. One’s complexion, cheerfulness, life span, voice, appearance, intelligence, contentment, desires, nourishment, corpulence, strength, power and intellect all depend upon food.

Basic Principles of Diet according to Ayurveda –

One should take food in proper quantity which is hot, unctuous and not contradictory in potency and that too, after the digestion of the previous meal. Food should be taken in proper place equipped with all the accessories, without talking and laughing, with concentration of mind and paying due regard to oneself .The quantity of food to be taken again depends upon the power of digestion including metabolism. The amount of food which without disturbing the equilibrium gets digested as well as metabolised in proper time is to be regarded as the proper quantity. If the food article is heavy, only three fourth or half of the stomach capacity is to be filled upShushrutaadvocates intake of food which is easily digestible, energetic, soft, and warm to be taken in proper quantity only when one is hungry.

• Food which has undergone proper and favorable processing (proper action cooking and spicing to make it digestible), endowed with beneficial and favorite taste etc., delicious, clean, warm, and fresh is wholesome.
• At the outset, one should take sweet, in the middle sour and salty, and afterwards the remaining tastes of pungent bitter and astringent in the food.
• In the beginning, one should eat pomegranate etc. fruits, then liquids, thereafter various soft and hard edibles. One should take solid items first.
• In the beginning, middle and end of the meal, amalaka fruit (Indian gooseberry) is commended which is free from complications and alleviates doshas.
• Stalks, stems, and roots of lotus, tubers, sugarcane etc. should be eaten at the beginning of the meal and never thereafter.
• In a hungry person (having appetite), sweet taste is taken to overcome vayu in the stomach. Sour and salty tastes taken in the middle of the meal stimulate digestive fire in the small intestines. In the end of a meal if pungent, bitter, and astringent is taken it subdues kapha. Similarly, sour fruits taken in the beginning overcome vata, while liquid brings softness and promotes vitality.
• Seated comfortably on a raised platform, evenly postured and concentrating on food the wise should eat, at a proper time (when one’s digestive fire is ready and one has real hunger), in proper quantity (as per the digestive capacity), and quickly.
• Food taken in time satiates
• Suitable food does not cause any distress
• Light food is digested soon
• Unctuous food promotes strength
• Warm food promotes digestive power
• Food taken quickly undergoes proper digestion
• Food predominately liquid is digested from any defect
• Food in proper quantity is easily digested and produces equilibrium of tissues and health.
• During a meal, one should gargle with water to cleanse the tongue as it gives new relish to the food because of the tongue being cleaned. The tongue that is satiated by palatable foods in the beginning of a meal does not taste so the mouth should be cleansed in between.
• Palatable food provides pleasant mood, strength, nourishment, energy, exhilaration, and health whereas the unpalatable food gives the opposite. Palatable food is that which is desired again and again after taking it. Water should be taken in proper quantity after and also while taking food now and again.
• Vataincreases, after food is digested, pitta during digestion, while kapha increases soon after eating.
• The healthy and wise one should eliminate kapha accumulation by food with smoking or favorable astringent, pungent, and bitter substances such as clove camphor, nutmeg or pungent /astringent fruits which produce non sliminess in mouth or aromatic substances along with betel nut (tambula).
• After a meal, one should sit comfortably like a king till the strain of food is over. Then one should walk a short walk and lie down on their left side in bed.
• After a meal one should attend to favorite sounds, sights, tastes, smells, and touches. By doing this the meal is positioned well. Despicable sounds, sights, tastes, smells, and touches as well as dirty food or excessive laughter produce vomiting.
• One should not indulge in sleep or sitting after a meal. Nor should one take liquids, expose oneself to the sun or fire nor should one swim, travel or ride.
• One should never indulge in taking only one taste nor should one eat food consisting mainly of vegetables and inferior grains or sours (fermented foods).
• Tastes singularly or collectively, should never be taken in excess.
• After the first meal of the day, if the digestive fire does not come up clearly, the second meal should be skipped as eating a meal when the last meal has not been digested thoroughly extinguishes the digestive fire.
• One should abstain from food that is heavy in terms of quantity and substance. Such as mung (green gram) , although light becomes heavy in excess quantity. Masha dal (black gram), buffalo, boar, etc. is too heavy in substance.
• If eating something drying like rice flour, one should drink double the quantity of water after eating a small quantity of the item. Heavy food is desirable up to 1/3 of the fullness and light food up to satiation. Liquids and predominantly liquids should not be taken in large quantities. Dry food supplemented with plenty of liquid is digested well. Dry food used frequently is not digested properly without moistening it.

Rules of eating

Do’s:

• The food should be tasty, warm, qualitative, unctuous, and easily digestible.
• It should be eaten neither too fast nor too slow.
• The food should be eaten only when hungry, after the last meal has been digested.
• Food should include all the tastes namely sweet, salt, sour, pungent, bitter and astringent in daily diet.
• Food should eat food which is nourishing and suitable to particular constitution, mental and emotional temperament.
• It is best to focus on food while eating.
• One should eat in a comfortably sitting posture.
• Food should be eaten in pleasant surroundings with utensils and preparation of the individual’s choice.

Don’ts:

• The food should not be contrary to each other in action. e.g. – fish and milk together, radish and milk together, honey and ghee in equal quantity.
• Eating should not be in a hurry.
• It should not be very slow either.
• Should not eat when emotionally upset
• Too much use of any of six tastes namely sweet, salt, sour, pungent, bitter and astringent is not conducive for health.

Ideal Time for taking food

One should know when to eat. Our body and mind should be prepared well to receive and digest the food we eat. There are some parameters to assess the exact time, when to eat.When, naturals urges like urination and defaecation are relieved, when clarity is felt in the chest, when doshas are on the correct path, when belching is very clear, when appetite is felt, when bowels are moving freely, when the digestive fire is active, when the sensory function are clear and normal and when body is felt tight, that is the exact time to the eat food.

How much to eat: –

Ayurveda is of the opinion that, human diet varies according to the country, season, surroundings and the individual constitution. Hence as a standard rule, Ayurveda advises that, one should imagine four equal parts of his stomach and eat about half of it. He should reserve a quarter almost empty. Modern dietetics also supports this Ayurvedic view in view of better digestion.

What to eat and when to eat- (Bhojana Krama)

Taking ginger and salt before food is always good,it enhances Agni, taste, clear toungue & throat.One should consume food with full concentration. First consume madhura (Sweet) rasa which pacifies aggrevated vata due to excess of hunger. Then consume sour and salt which increases Agni,so that digestion of food is easy, lastly consume bitter and Astringent for reduces pitta produced in excess.

After the intake of food, always consume milk but never consume curds. Because Doshas produced due to consumption of salt, sour, pungent and burning sense will be pacified by madhura rasa consumed at the end.

When to drink water ?

Drinking of water just before commencement of meals causes weakness of the digestion and emaciation of the body; taken at the end of the meals it makes for obesity and accumulation of kapha in the parts above the stomach; taken at the middle of the meals it maintains the normalcy of the tissues and helps easy digestion.One should not eat food while thirsty and one should not drink water while hungry otherwise he may suffer from Gulma or Jalodara in each case.

Post-prandial activities (Bhojannotar Karma) – Ashtanga Sangraha

After taking the meals, the persons should clean his hands well, to remove the remnants of food, clean the teeth by tooth picks to remove the residue of food, if any, sticking on there, gargle the mouth to remove the coating, smell and greasiness; touch the eyes with the moist finger lips, makes the mouth pleasant by chewing betel leaves, inhale smoke to remove upward accumulation of kapha, walk about hundred steps and recline comfortably on his left side. Those who have taken more liquid foods should not make the use of bed for long. Riding in chariot, swimming, basking in the sun should be avoided.

Suitable food type in different seasons –

Utensils for preparations of meals: –