Ayurved dietetics

In my last blog I wrote about the unique dietetics approach of Ayurved. Now as promised let me unfold

some more insights into diet planning that  help  maintain good health and assist in the healing process in the body.

This is called ‘Asthauaahar Vidhi Visheyatana’ that in Ayurved means ‘Eight rules of dietetics’, that should be followed by everyone, while consuming food. These are basically parameters in ensuring that one eats not only the right food but also correct methods and pointers to select or prepare that food.

These are…

1 Prakriti (nature of food)

2 Karana (food processing)

3 Samyoga (combination of food)

4 Rashi (quantity of food)

5 Desh (habitat)

6 kala (time)

7 Upyogsanstha (dietary rules)

8 Upabhokta (person consuming the food)

These 8 parameters are very vital while understanding Ayurvedic dietetics.

  1. Prakriti: (nature of food)

It is the nature or quality of food. Different foods have their own individual qualities and these qualities (or nature of food) are very important while selecting the right food.

While planning diet for a person, food that has properties opposite to the person, is selected.

  1. Karma: (processing of food)

It is the preparation or ‘Sanskara” of food. During cooking the food undergoes various processes like  frying, roasting, steaming, & churning that more often change the properties of food. That is why the process becomes an important consideration…Only the process that is beneficial to the person should be implemented while cooking. The way of cooking changes according to the person’s need.

  1. Samyoga: (Combination of food)

While preparing any food, right ingredients mixed rightly will always be beneficial.

 

  1. Rashi: (Quantity)

Ayurved highlights the advantages of Quantity. In dietetics one has to consider not only the total quantity of the food that is consumed but also the quantity of individual ingredients that go into the food. And this depends upon the ‘Prakriti’ (the physical constitution of the person), age, state of body, habitat, digestive fire of a person quality of food and so on

  1. Desh: (geographical Place)

It is the place where the food substance is grown and the also the place where the person is living. Ayruved has divided place into 3 types marshy, arid and normal.

  1. Kala: (Time phase/period)

As the weather changes, the body demands different kind of food to adjust to the changing season. One has to change the diet according to seasonal changes and also to suit state of physical constitution or state. ‘Kala’ also indicates that the next food consumption can be done only after the earlier food is completely digested.

  1. Upayogsanstha: (Rules of eating)

Ayurved has mentioned in detail a number of guidelines that help digestion effectively

  1. Upabhokta: (person consuming food)

Every person must take into consideration, his own constitution, capacity of his digestive fire , season, time of day and whether the previously taken food has been digested or not.

 

Now I am confident that you will realise that each one of you is unique and naturally your diet plan HAS to be equally unique! So by the time I come back next to you take a look at you with these 8 golden parameters in mind and see what your present diet plan looks like!

Bon appetite!

Dr. Manjiri Joshi

9403360452

www.ayurconcept.com