Aahar (Diet) - Through the eyes of Ayurveda

The robustness or wholesomeness, of our body and mind is depend upon what and how we eat, that means for healthy and fit body, food (aahar) is one of the most important thing along with other factors.
Food despite being basic to life is also harmful in certain situations and can cause long lasting consequences to body, if not taken appropriately.

The significance of aahar is described by ayurveda before 5000 years. Ayurveda described the concept called Trayostambha (3 pillars of life) in which it has included Aahar(food/diet) along with Nidra (sleep) and Bramhacharya (Celibacy).These three are pillars for healthy living as per ayurveda.
Now we discuss aahar in detail in this and my coming articles.

Aahar is defined –“Whatever we eat, drink is our diet (aahar).”



Universe is made up of 5 elements (air,water,earth,fire,ether) so is human body. Hence deriving from this ayurveda states that our diet should also be panchabhautik so that it can easily absorb by our body as the nature is same.


Ayurveda describes that aahar be Shadrasa i.e diet should consists of 6 tastes namely -

The order in which one should take the food of these tastes is also mention by ayurveda which is as follows

 

Time  of  taking  food -

According to our sages, one should take their food after proper excretion of urine and stool, when all the 3 doshas go to their respective sites, when senses are sharp and attentive, when one feels lightness of body, belching with proper smell and when one feels like eating and drinking.

Matrahara -

Matrahara is a unique concept given by Ayurveda. Which says  food intake done at one time if  digested completely and properly without doing any harm , then that quantity consumed is correct for the said human being. This is decided according to ones jatharagni (fire of stomach/digestive system).One should always consume quantity which he can digest.
•    Considering 4 parts of stomach,( one should take food such that 2 parts of stomach get filled by solid

      foods for e.g.Chapati, rice, sabji.

•    One part to be filled by liquid matter like water soup,daal etc.
•    One part should be kept for vaayu(gases) to move.

If food is taken  according to ones matrahara, it helps for proper digestion, without creating problems like acidity, gases, bloating, flatulence etc).

Ashta- aahar-vidhivisheshaytana

Ayurveda has described these 8 phenomenal notions which should be considered particularly about food. They are as follows -

1) Prakruti (Nature) - 

Nature of food items consumed is important for digestion. For e.g. Black lentils (urad daal) are heavy to digest, so they create heaviness in body. Also one should follow discipline of taking food according to seasons (Rutu) depending upon the nature of food and ones jathragni (digestive system).For e.g. in winters our digestive system is strong, so we can digest heavy food.

2) Karan (Process/Sanskar) -

The original qualities of food are improved by doing some processes or sanskars like boiling, grinding, frying, stirring etc. For e.g. curd is heavy to digest but the buttermilk which we get after churning of curd is very light and easy to digest.

3) Sanyog (Combination/mixture) -

•    While consuming food this one is most important.
•    When this combination is right it becomes healthy, and when its wrong it becomes harmful and we call it

      Virudhanna (incompatible food

4) Raashi (Quantity) -

It includes the quantity of food that one should take at a time. This we have seen above.

5)Desh(Habitat)-

Here we have to consider the origin (birth place) of the food. Because habitat chnages the qualities of  food. For e.g. green capsicum grown in shimla is much lesser spicy than the capsicum grown in rajasthan.
Also here we have think about the person who is living in a particular habitat as his digestion will be according to that habitat.

6)Kaal (Time)-

-One should take care of following things while taking food as they  influence our heath-
•    Timings
•    Seasons
•    Age
7) Upyoga-Sanstha (Ambience) -

Mind that is Happy, without worries and anxiety, place that is clean, calm and peaceful is ideal to consume food. As in good ambiance our mind and heart are relaxed which helps to proper secretion of gastric juices which inturn helps in proper digestion.

8) Upyokta (Human being/ Us ) -

Wholesomess to an individual who takes it. So, Aahara (food) if taken in appropriate quantity it certainly helps an individual in bringing about strength, happiness, complexion, longevity without disturbing the equilibrium of body physiology.

Diet (Aahara) is very deep and extensive subject. Hence it is called as one of the pillars of human life.We will see other aspects related to Aahara in our coming articles.