Food is a very fundamental aspect of human existence and a key precept that ensures the body’s survival. The primary goal of ayurveda is preventive care, and if an illness occurs, it must be treated. Even though there are some rules that, if followed, can improve health and lengthen life, these rules are not the main focus of the system. Get to know a series of 8 right ways to eat food to improve health and maintain a decent level of fitness. If we adhered to ayurveda regularly and improved food consumption techniques, it could minimize the chances of having diseases.
8 Right Ways to Eat Food
1)Prakriti
Simply stated, Prakriti refers to the nature of food that is obtained in its original form. Every food item has a peak consumption period during which its nutritional value is at its highest. In that environment, the macronutrient intake brings out the best in the body, provides the optimum nutritional value, and aids in carrying out various processes.
Along with it, the ayurvedic conception of right ways to eat food as per nature is based on the laghu guru, Snigdha Raksha, and a pair of the ten gunas, which are of distinctively significant and should be included in the diet with consideration for a person’s digestive capabilities and taking agni into account. For instance, the moong daal is the easiest to digest among lentils, whereas the urad dal is heavy on the stomach.
2) Karana
Recognizing that the food we obtained wasn’t always able to be soaked up in its raw state. To improve its quality and make it appropriate for eating, some changes must be made. In its most basic sense for the right ways to eat food, sanskar is the term for the act of cooking raw food. But just to clarify further, only cooking couldn’t be included. Numerous other techniques still exist, such as washing, storing food under special conditions to extend the ripening period, adding specific spices or ingredients to increase flavor, and bhavana, which suggests storing food in utensils made of particular metals like copper, which have medicinal properties.
3) Samyoga
What’s referred to as the “samyoga” of Ahaar is the combination of foods. It’s possible that a single food item won’t satisfy all of the body’s nutritional needs, but combinations of food items often double the value and provide the body with extreme growth. Even though there may be several occasions that serve that purpose as well, it is important to keep in mind that to fully grasp the concept of Prakriti according to right ways to eat food in Ayurveda, one must also comprehend the relationship between food and medicine to prevent voids and abnormalities.
For instance, consuming the same amount of ghee and honey over time could disrupt the body’s systems. Afew types of fish and meat should not be consumed with dairy products. On the other hand, shatavari acts as an incredibly potent medicine when combined with milk.
4) Rashi
Food intake is based on both quantity and quality, in addition to the right ways to eat food and the food’s composition does matter. The quantity of food we eat at different mealtimes is a crucial factor in determining our overall health. The heaviest meal should be breakfast, followed by a moderate lunch, and the lightest meal should be dinner, as we all recall hearing from our elders on numerous occasions. In addition, since each person has a unique set of digestive abilities, it is essential to comprehend how the agni functions.
This is separated into two sections: the sarvagrahi, which has an equal amount of content on the plate, and the other, the parigrah, which has different sections for the various food components, each with a varying concentration.
For the sake of simplicity, let’s draw parallel lines for carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, and minerals. Some people choose a protein-rich diet to gain weight, while others choose power packs. The idea of a diet is entirely based on these rashi concepts.
5) Desha
Ayurveda contains more than a thousand years’ worth of ancient medical knowledge, and as our understanding of the subject has grown, we’ve learned that it takes an entirely logical and practical approach to medical treatment. As it is well known, India has a diverse geographic region with unique environmental characteristics that are suitable for growing a variety of foods and herbs.
Considering our diversity, the Himalayan mountain range, for instance, is home to some of our nation’s most valuable medicinal plants and is even a significant trade partner. Similarly, taking into account that the southern range of India has a hot and humid climate, it has favorable conditions for the growth of spices that are incredibly rich in essential oils and have an explicit aroma. Understanding the quality of food item that we eat and right ways to eat is equally crucial.
6) Kala
To maintain a healthy, disease-free body, the timing of food consumption is the right way to eat food. To make sure that food is consumed in the proper quantities and according to a schedule or routine, is crucial. Some of them do have an intended schedule. Awasthik and nityag are the two types of kala.
Nityag is the basic meal that we consume to fuel the body and is part of our routine of eating according to the ritucharya. There are typically two or three meals each day.
Awasthik, is the diet that is put into play based on the circumstances, such as when we are ill or follow a particular diet, and based on the cases, such as when we are older and have a health condition.
7) Upyog Samstha
Upyog Samstha is a collection of significant happenings that point to or demonstrate that food is properly digested, including these notable actions.
lightness, desire to eat or drink, and cleanliness of the belching, urges to urinate or defecate. To have the next meal after the signs are present is the right way to eat food.
3) Upayokta
The person who consumes the food is referred to as upyokta and is a crucial component of this system’s hierarchy. It is essential to comprehend an individual’s Prakriti and consume food that is referred to as oaksatmaya (favorable to eat) to maintain a healthy diet that is full of all the nutrients and keeps the body hydrated. The quantity of food ingested must be taken into account following Prakriti.