Diet and Dietetics: Ayurvedic View

Abstract

Lot of emphasis is being given on diet in Ayurvedic system of medicine. It is given importance as one of the three ‘Upasthambhas’ or supporting pillars of life, i.e., Ahara(Diet), Nidra (Sleep) and Bramhacharya (Control of sexual sense). In ancient Indian scriptures, food is compared to God (Anna purna Brahma) as it is the most essential factor which sustains life, nourishes the body tissue, maintains physical strength, improves complexion of skin and gives vigor and vitality to life. When the diet is consumed in accordance with body constitution, Agni (Digestive fire) status, wholesomeness and considering the quality & quantity of food then sound health is maintained and when faulty diet is consumed responsible for disease development. Inherent qualities (Rasa, guna, virya, vipaka and prabhava) are possessed by the dietary items which either pacify the vitiated doshas and restore health, or aggravate the doshas causing imbalance in their equilibrium resulting disease. The diet you eat affects physical & mental health as well. Hence one should be very conscious about dietary intake according to the dietetic rules for maintenance of good physical and mental health, better immunity, beauty and long life. The various aspects about the importance of diet and the dietetics mentioned in Ayurved are discussed in this paper.

Keywords: diet, Ayurveda, food, physical and mental health