1. Health through Diet, an Ayurvedic Perspective
Dr. Pratibha Shah
MD (Ayu.)
Dr. Pratibha Shah
AAPNA – National Ayurveda Convention 2009

2. AAPNA - National Ayurveda Convention 2009
The Spectrum
Diet Rat Race
Lifestyle Fast Pace
Meditation STRESS
HEALTH
DISEASE
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3. AAPNA - National Ayurveda Convention 2009
Introduction
Three pillars of Health:
Aahaar (Diet)
Nidra (Sleep)
Brahmacharya (Controlled celibacy)
(Ch. Soo. 11/35)
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4. AAPNA - National Ayurveda Convention 2009
Importance of Aahaar
Of the three pillars of health, aahaar or diet is the most important, and that is why it is mentioned first
Of all the factors that are responsible for the growth and development of the human body, diet is the most important.
(Ch. Sh. 6/12)
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5. AAPNA - National Ayurveda Convention 2009
Definition of Aahaar
That which is swallowed through the throat
That which is swallowed and nourishes various body tissues
That which is swallowed and has a conducive effect on the body
Praninaam punarmoolaaharo balvarnojasaam ch
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6. AAPNA - National Ayurveda Convention 2009
Types of Aahaar
Based on source:
Sthaavar (plant based)
Jaangam (animal based)
Based on effect on body:
Beneficial/conducive
Harmful/non-conducive
(Ch. Soo. 25/36)
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7. AAPNA - National Ayurveda Convention 2009
Types of Aahaar cont’d
Based on usage:
Ashit (food that is put into the mouth, e.g. Rice)
Peet (food that is drunk, e.g. fruit juice)
Leedh (food that is licked, e.g. pickle)
Khadit (food that is bitten to eat, e.g. meat, corn, bread)
(Ch. Soo. 25/36)
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8. AAPNA - National Ayurveda Convention 2009
Types of Aahaar cont’d
Based on rasa (taste):
Madhur (sweet)
Amla (sour)
Lavan (salty)
Katu (spicy)
Tikta (bitter)
Kashaya (astringent)
(Ch. Soo. 25/36)
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9. AAPNA - National Ayurveda Convention 2009
Types of Aahaar cont’d
Based on properties:
Guru-laghu (heavy, light), Mridu-kathin (soft, hard)
Sheet-ushn (cold, hot), Vishad-picchil (clear, unctuous)
Snigdh-Rooksh (oily, dry), Sthir-sar (firm, moving)
Shlakshan-khar (smooth, rough),
Mand-teekshn (slow, piercing),
Sookshm-sthool (micro, macro)
Sandra-Drav (Viscous, liquid)
(Ch. Soo. 25/36)
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10. Hitaahaar (Beneficial or conducive diet)
Is panchbhautik, because every individual is panchbhautik (made up of 5 components – Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Space)
Has shadras, or has all or most of the 6 rasas or has rasas according to prakruti (body type)
Is liked by the one eating
Is clean and pure
Not very hot
Has been freshly prepared (Ch. Soo. 25/33)(Su. Soo. 46/465)
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11. Importance of hitaahaar (conducive diet)
It is only hitaahaar that is solely responsible for shareer vriddhi (growth and development of the body) and maintenance of health. On the contrary, ahitaahaar (inconducive diet)is responsible for disease development.
Although there are other factors in the development of the body, aahaar is the most important
(Ch. Soo. 25/33)
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12. Fundamentals and rules of Aahaar
Food should be prepared and served by well wishing people or aids.
The kitchen/cooking area should be clean and not congested
For kings, testing for poisoning should be done before food is served.
(Su. Soo. 46/ )
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13. Fundamentals and rules of Aahaar (cont’d)
Rules for vessels or containers:
Ghee should be served in cast iron bowls
Drinks like water to be served in silver containers, clay glasses, glasses made up of alum or glass; or boiled and cooled water can be stored and served in brass containers.
Drinks like alcohol or cold drinks should be served in containers made up of clay, glass or alum.
(Su. Soo. 46/ )
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14. Fundamentals and rules of Aahaar (cont’d)
Fruit juices, soups and liquid food should be served in silver containers.
Dry accompaniments to the food, and food processed with yogurt should be served in containers made of gold.
Food and fruits to be served on clean leaves of banana, palash (Butea monosperma), etc.
(Su. Soo. 46/456)
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15. Fundamentals and rules of Aahaar (cont’d)
Rules for serving:
The one being served should be seated on even, clean ground.
The serving area should be pleasant, not a thorough fare, and should be fragrance, flowers and other things that are pleasant to the senses, around him.
(Su. Soo. 46/457)
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16. Fundamentals and rules of Aahaar (cont’d)
Fruits, solids and other dry edibles like paapad (cracker), etc. should be placed on the right side of the plate.
All liquids like water, fruit juice, soup, alcohol, etc. should be placed on the left side of the plate.
(Su. Soo. 46/458)
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17. Fundamentals and rules of Aahaar (cont’d)
Sweets and jaggery preparations should be placed towards the front portion of the plate.
After having placed all these accompaniments, the server should carefully and respectfully serve the main dishes in the center of the plate.
Dishes should be served in order of liking, starting with the least favorite dish and ending with the most favorite.
(Su. Soo. 46/459)
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18. Fundamentals and rules of Aahaar cont’d
Rules for the one eating:
Should be hungry
Should sit straight on a slightly elevated seat
Should eat in silence focusing on the food
Should eat not too fast, nor too slow, chewing many times before swallowing
Should rinse mouth when changing rasa
Should drink sips of water in between meals
Should floss with herb twig or silver/brass wire, after meals
(Su. Soo. 46/471, 489)
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19. AAPNA - National Ayurveda Convention 2009
Fundamentals and rules of Aahaar cont’d
Rules for the one eating: Do not eat –
Before or after meal time
Less or more
Contaminated, uncovered, spoilt, burnt food.
Left over food
Food that you do not like, or that which tastes and smells bad
Food that has not been cooked properly
Food that has been reheated, was cooked long time back or is very cold.
(Su. Soo. 46/ )
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20. AAPNA - National Ayurveda Convention 2009
Fundamentals and rules of Aahaar cont’d
Rule for order of rasas while eating:
Madhur rasa should be consumed first
Amla and lavan rasas should be consumed in the middle
Katu, Tikta and Kashaya rasas should be taken at the end.
(Su. Soo. 46/466)
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21. AAPNA - National Ayurveda Convention 2009
Fundamentals and rules of Aahaar cont’d
Rule for optimum serving:
According to one’s agni (digestive fire)
Conducive to one’s doshic prakruti (body type according to dosha)
That which gets digested in time
(Ch. Soo. 5/1-4)
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22. AAPNA - National Ayurveda Convention 2009
Fundamentals and rules of Aahaar cont’d
Qualitative assessment:
Assessing the gurutva/laghutva of the diet:
- One must evaluate whether the food is guru (heavy) (milk products like curd, cream, etc., red meat, meat of animals of marshy or wetlands, sesame seeds, etc.) in terms of digestion,
- Or laghu (light) – moong daal (green gram), red rice, bird meat, deer meat, etc.
Assessing the rasas of the diet:
- A shadras diet is highly advocated.
(Ch. Soo. 5/5-6)
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23. AAPNA - National Ayurveda Convention 2009
Fundamentals and rules of Aahaar cont’d
Quantitative assessment:
Fill the first 1/2 of stomach with solid diet, guru diet taken first, followed by laghu diet; but if diet is very heavy, fill only 1/3rd of the stomach with solids
Fill the next quarter or third with anupaan (adjuvant).
Leave the rest quarter or one third space for action of different doshas
(Ch. Soo. 5/7)(Ch. Vi. 2/4)(As. Hr. Soo. 8/46)
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24. AAPNA - National Ayurveda Convention 2009
Fundamentals and rules of Aahaar cont’d
Other Rules:
Eat solids first
Eat the highly beneficial amalaki (gooseberries) in the beginning, middle and end of meal
Eat salad in the beginning of the meal
Meals should be taken in a timely manner or when hungry.
Meals should be taken in the right amount, neither too much nor too less.
(Su. Soo. 46/ )
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25. AAPNA - National Ayurveda Convention 2009
Fundamentals and rules of Aahaar cont’d
One should take into account the characteristics of the season, one’s body type, time of the day and other factors, before selecting their diet.
(Su. Soo. 46/ )
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26. AAPNA - National Ayurveda Convention 2009
Fundamentals and rules of Aahaar cont’d
After Meals Regimen:
Sit straight for 5-10 minutes, waiting for food to settle down
At this time, smoke herbal cigars or hookah and/or chew beetle leaf or other mouth fresheners
After that, take a stroll (about 100 steps)
After dinner, do the above and then lie down on your left side.
Surround oneself with pleasantness
(Su. Soo. 46/ )
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27. AAPNA - National Ayurveda Convention 2009
Fundamentals and rules of Aahaar cont’d
Avoid after meals:
Sleep or sit for a long time
Laugh or talk excessively
Avoid unpleasant sensory exposure
Consume large amount of fluids
Excessive physical activity like swimming, horse riding, etc.
(Su. Soo. 46/ )
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28. AAPNA - National Ayurveda Convention 2009
Anupaan (Adjutant)
Anu means that which follows.
Paan means a drink
Therefore Anupaan means a drink that follows or in the
context of, a drink that follows meals or is taken along
with it.
Anupaan that is opposite in properties to the meal that
has been taken, but is not contrary to it, is the best.
(Ch. Soo. 27/ )(As. Hr. Soo. 8/47-51)(Su. Soo. 46/ )
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29. AAPNA - National Ayurveda Convention 2009
Benefits of Anupaan
A well selected Anupaan confers the following benefits:
Softening of food
Good digestion and absorption
Satiation
Energy
Nourishment
(Ch. Soo. 27/ )(As. Hr. Soo. 8/47-51)(Su. Soo. 46/ )
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30. AAPNA - National Ayurveda Convention 2009
A few common Anupaan
Water – This is a universal Anupaan; can be taken
with any type of food.
Milk – This is considered the best Anupaan, especially
for the weak, tired, infants and aged, people
who have fasted, traveled or done excess
physical labor, or have undergone excess of
any kind.
Honey + Water – For the obese
(Ch. Soo. 27/ )(As. Hr. Soo. 8/47-51)(Su. Soo. 46/ )
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31. AAPNA - National Ayurveda Convention 2009
A few common Anupaan
Herbal alcohols – for the lean, insomnia, fear, etc.
Meat soups – for the emaciated
Warm water – after any oily preparation
Kanji (a type of vinegar) after a particularly
or buttermilk heavy meal
For the diseased, the Anupaan should be opposite to
properties of the dosha involved.
(Ch. Soo. 27/ )(As. Hr. Soo. 8/47-51)(Su. Soo. 46/ )
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32. Benefits of disciplined eating
Strength
Stamina
Good complexion
Good health
Happiness
Long life
Vitality
It is rightly said that the jathraagni or the digestive fire,
needs fuel in the form of diet, to sustain itself.
(Ch. Soo. 5/8)(Ch. Soo. 27/342)
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33. Benefits of Individual factors of a good diet
Hot food – increases taste perception
- kindles digestive fire
- easily digested
- is carminative
- dissolves excess kapha
Well oliated food
- all the above except dissolving kapha
- acts as a building block of the body
- increases strength and is good for
complexion (Ch. Vi. 1/24)
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34. AAPNA - National Ayurveda Convention 2009
Benefits of Individual factors of a good diet
Optimum quantity - easily digested and absorbed
- does not cause dosha imbalance
- conducive to long life
Proper time
Proper combination Increase longevity of life
Proper place
Eating not too fast
Eating silently
(Ch. Vi. 1/25)
- Choking does not occur
Stays for designated time in
the food pipe
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35. AAPNA - National Ayurveda Convention 2009
Benefits of Individual factors of a good diet
Eating not too slow - results in satisfaction
- does not become cold
- does not become uninteresting
- does not cause indigestion
Eating according to Atma Shakti
(means eating with knowledge of what is good and beneficial to one self)
- health and longevity
(Ch. Vi. 1/25)
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36. Diet recommended for frequent use
Shashtik rice(ripens in 60 days), shali rice
Moong daal (Green Gram)
Saindhav lavan (rock salt)
Amalaki (Gooseberry)
Millet flour
Cow milk
Lean meat
Honey
Aakaash jal (rain water collected at strategic high points) (Ch. Soo. 5/12)
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37. Diet recommended for infrequent use
Dried flesh
Dried plants
Lotus stem
Pippali (long pepper), Kshaar (alkalies), Lavan (salt)
Meat of pig, cow, buffalo; fish
Curd
Bengal gram
(Ch. Soo. 5/10-11)
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38. Diet to be always avoided
Vairodhik aahaar (diet which is harmful due to
processing, combination or other factors):
- Heated honey
- Milk with sour things
- Milk with fish
- Curd taken at night
- Ghee and honey mixed in equal amounts
(Ch. Soo. 26/80-111)
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39. AAPNA - National Ayurveda Convention 2009
Facts to remember
Properties of diet are dependant on 8 factors (ashtvidh aahaar ayatan) namely:
- Prakruti (Natural Qualities)
- Karan (Preparation)
- Sanyog (Combination)
- Raashi (Quantity)
- Desh (Habitat)
- Kaal (Time)
- Upyog sanstha (Rules of use)
- Upyokta (User) (Ch. Vi. 1/21-22)
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40. AAPNA - National Ayurveda Convention 2009
Thank You
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