Ayurveda considers food as the main preventive medicine and in the same time prime culprit for causing diseases.
The
first step to good health is an appropriate diet. That means eating
the right food in correct combination and quantity. Once the
principle is understood, food can be chosen to maximize health and
prevent illness.
Most
of the diseases can be traced to inadequate diet or improper eating.
They also disrupt any treatment and therapies undertaken. Therefore
it is important for every healthy or sick to follow nutritional
guidelines.
While
discussing food and nutrition, terms like calories, carbohydrates,
protein value, vitamins and minerals are usually used. But in
Ayurveda the nutritional value of the food is simply determined by
the taste of the food and the qualities it display.
Guidelines for Ayurvedic nutrition:
1. Food should be taken in such amount so that two third part of the stomach
is left for air and water.
2. Food should be taken while considering the strength of digestive fire.
3. One should eat sattvic food (pure and light food which promotes positive energy flow: ripe fruits, fresh vegetables, milk, honey, ghee, lentils, whole grains) regularly which helps maintaining good physical, mental and spiritual health.
4. Food should be best eaten warm and freshly prepared.
5. Food should be tasty and easy to digest.
6. Foods should complement, not contradict each other.
7. Eating in a pleasant environment is preferable.
8. Eating should be paced properly.
9. While eating distraction should be minimum.
10. Foods should be eaten according to one's constitution.
11. Avoid eating too much of raw and cooked foods together and fresh foods with leftovers.
12. Eat foods appropriate climate and altitude you live in.
13. Do not eat cold foods in the winter and hot foods in the summer.
14. Do not consume very cold and very hot foods together (e.g. drinking a a glass of cold water after having hot coffee).
15. You may eat the healthiest food, but if you don't like it, it may turn toxic in your body.
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