Ayurvedic Concept of Allergy in Reference to Diet and Regimen

Abstract

Life of man depends on three main sub-pillars; these are Ahar, nidra and brahmacharya. Ahar plays very important role to provide strength, complexion and lifespan. Nowadays, human life is too busy to fulfill his lawful diet. Some diets are incompatible, unwholesome while some are wholesome. Unwholesome and incompatible produce untoward skin diseases. Foods that are not suited to body produce allergy. Udard, koth, raktapradoshaja vikara and shitapitta are allergic disorders. Incompatibility may be due to weight, rasa, veerya and vipaka. Other factors are fish, meat, vegetables, honey, fruit, diet, place and pulses. They are divided into Satmya and Asatmya. Jati asatmya – Gomamsa to Manushya, Ritu asatmya – Rituviparita, Roga asatmya – curds in Shotha. Vyayama asatmya – excessive exercise by weak person – (Stress test in CCF). Udaka asatmya – water of different places is unpalatable. Divaswapna asatmya – Shvasa, Timira, C. C. F. Rasa asatmya. Honey and ghee should not be taken together because they are viruddha. Such viruddhas are of many types and produce allergy.

Keywords: allergy, unwholesome, incompatible, viruddha