“Diet” plays a pivotal role both in healthy and diseased conditions. Healthy Life starts with healthy food. The strength and complexion of a person will enhance if he practices suitable diet and regimen as per the season.
A quotation of Mahabharatha “Aharat Sarva Bhutani Sambhavanti Mahipatae, Aharena Vivardhantetena Jivanti Jantavaha”emphasizes the importance of diet/proper food for the existence of individual. Ayurveda specifically expresses the importance of food in maintaining and promoting good health as well as curing diseases.
The modern dieticians have described that carbohydrates, proteins, fats, minerals, vitamins etc., are the basic components of food and the balanced diet is said to be composed of all these. The imbalance in the quantity of these constituents leads to loss of immunity and health. But practically we observe many individuals suffering from deficiency diseases and metabolic diseases like Hypothyroidism, Diabetes, Osteoarthritis, Vit B12 deficiency, Vit D deficiency etc., even after the consumption of so called balanced diet.
So, this clearly indicates that an ideal diet means just not only the consumption of carbohydrates, fats, proteins etc. The diet should have the qualities like congeniality, compatibility, not causing any untoward effects and having all the six rasas (Sweet, Sour, Salt, Pungent, Bitter, Astringent) etc.
Unlike many other diets, the Ayurvedic diet provides personalized recommendations about which foods to eat and avoid based on your body type. An Ayurvedic diet provides guidelines that encourage mindful eating and consuming foods that are appropriate for your dosha, or constitutional type. The diet pattern changes according to each dosha. The energy of each dosha helps determine what to eat to boost health, prevent or manage diseases, and maintain overall health and wellness. Ayurvedic medicine seeks to create a healthy strong body through a series of diet, exercise, and lifestyle practices, including sleep, intuitive eating, and mindful living.
In Ayurveda, it is believed that each and every disease is caused due to the imbalance in the doshas and the normal healthy state is achieved by the balanced state of doshas. So according to each disease, individual diet pattern and suitable diet are advised to the patient for quick recovery.
A famous Ayurvedic saying is, “When diet is wrong, medicine is of no use; when diet is correct, medicine is of no need”. So Ayurveda gives importance of food equivalent to the medicine.
In Maitri Ayurveda Diet management is provided only after considering all these factors:-
Factor 1
Dosha Type (Based on individual Constitution)
Constitution of the person is assessed as whether is Vata / Pitta / Kapha and the diet is prescribed accordingly
Factor 2
Digestive power
Digestion plays an important role in the metabolism of the body. Digestive condition of the person is assessed based on the level of appetite and time taken for the digestion of each meal. Considering this factor, diet and the quantity for each individual is decided
Factor 3
Quantity of food for good digestion
In Ayurveda it is considered that stomach is divided into 4 parts. 2 parts for solid food, 2 parts for liquid and one part for the digestion. Quantity of food for each individual is customised as per the diet plan.
Factor 4
Sleeping pattern
Sleep of the individual plays a major role in the health. Day sleep is
considered as one of the prominent causative factors for metabolic diseases like diabetes, obesity etc. diseases. Hence the exact sleep schedule suitable for the individual body is assessed in accordance with their occupation.
Factor 5
Physical activity
Ayurveda gives much importance to exercise and considers it to be one of important activity in daily life. Based on the constitution, different types of yoga asana, pranayama, walking, cardio etc., are suggested depending upon the health status along with the specified duration and number of days per week.
Factor 6
Stress factors
Now-a-days stress has become one of the important part in everyone’s life, because of which we are witnessing various kinds of health problems from children to old age people. Ayurveda believes that mental health play a very important role in the overall wellbeing of the person. Hence psychological counselling of the patients are done, lifestyle and diet are suggested considering the mental status of the person.