How Can You Eat the Ayurvedic Way?

What is Diet and Dieting?

Your DIET is the sum of food and drink that you habitually consume. DIETING is the practice of attempting to achieve or maintain a certain weight through your diet.

Everyone's dietary choices are usually affected by many factors like ethical and religious beliefs, medical requirements, or desire to get through some goal like weight loss and muscle building.

If you must know, not all diets are considered healthy. Many 'crash diets' and 'fad diets' are considered unhealthy choices of diet, and healthcare professionals have claimed that these pose significant health risks and minimal long-term benefits.

These types of diets also include some short-term plans advertised to bring drastic changes in you, such as weight loss and diabetes reversal.

Some of the diets you must have heard of are;

Calorie and Weight Control Diets 

• Low-Calorie Diets
• Very-low Calorie Diets
• Low-carbohydrate Diets
• Low-fat Diets

Crash Diets

• Beverly Hills Diet
• Cabbage Soup Diet
• Grapefruit Diet
• Monotropic Diet
• Subway Diet

Detox Diets

• Juice Fasting
• Master Cleanse

Diets Followed for Medical Reasons

• DASH Diet
• Diabetic Diet
• Gluten-free Diet
• Casein-free Diet
• Ketogenic Diet
• Liquid Diet
• Low-FODMAP Diet
• Soft Diet

Fad Diets

• Food Specific Diet like carnivore diet, alkaline diet and clean eating
• Low carb/High fat Diets like Atkins diet, ketogenic diet and Zone diet.
• High-carb/low-fat diets include the Ornish diet, rice diet, and pritikin diet.
• Liquid Diets like the Cambridge diet.
• Fasting like a 5:2 diet, intermittent fasting and sleeping beauty diet.
• Detoxifying diets like fat flush diet, lemon detox diet and wheatgrass diet.
• Other fad diets include the cotton ball diet, blood type diet, and immune power diet.

Vegetarian Diets

• Fruitarian Diet
• Lacto Vegetarianism
• Ovo Vegetarianism
• Ovo-lacto Vegetarianism
• Vegan Diet
• Semi Vegetarian Diets

Other Diets

• Clean Eating
• The Graham Diet
• High-protein Diet

Now, where does an Ayurvedic diet fall under these categories? The surprising answer is NOWHERE!

That is why an Ayurvedic dietetic principle is different and not a one-size-fits-all approach.

Did You Know?

An Ayurvedic diet is not a complete vegetarian diet. Even different types of meat consumption is explained in ayurvedic nutrition.

The Core Principles of an Ayurvedic Diet

Everything in Ayurveda depends on the core of life - the formation of the being from 5 elements of the universe - the earth, water, ether, air and fire.

These five elements in various combinations form the three doshas - Vata, Pitta and Kapha. These tridoshas control the physiological functions of the whole body.

Now, this may sound like an outdated philosophical thought, but once you understand the core principles of Ayurveda, you will be able to choose the best ways to steer yourself towards the best of your health.

You can learn more about the Principles of Ayurveda and Why You Must Learn Ayurveda from our experts! They are all ears to your doubts and concerns.

Now let's see how you must really eat according to Ayurveda.

1. Tailor to Your Prakriti (Body Type or Body Constitution)

Prakriti (Vata prakriti, Pitta prakriti, Kapaha Prakriti, Combination types) is the base which makes you yourself, you! So, this individuality is true to even how you react to a particular type of food. When we say type of food, it's not the amount of carbs, proteins, fat or even gluten in them. 

The type of food in Ayurveda solely depends on what taste they are and how those tastes act on your body upon digestion. For example, a spicy diet increases pitta in the body. So, if a pitta prakriti person eats even a little bit of a spicy diet, then he/she is susceptible to pitta-related issues such as skin irritation, allergy, acne and even ulcers.

So, how do you eat as per Ayurveda here? A pitta body type person will be asked to choose cooling, calming and hydrating types of foods like cucumbers, chia seed infused water and cantaloupes. These will soothe the fire ignited by pitta in the body.

2. Must Ignite the Digestive Fire (Agni)

At the centre of Ayurvedic nutrition is the concept of agni. Agni means fire in Sanskrit. In Ayurveda, agni is considered to be the fire that processes everything in your body, from food metabolism and cellular metabolism to the formation of electrical and chemical signals. It's the fuel that keeps the body running. And many things can go wrong with agni.

When you concentrate on an ayurvedic diet, maintaining your agni, particularly the digestive fire, is essential.

How do you know that your agni is balanced and in a working condition?

No, you do not feel the fire in the body, but you feel like you have the fire in you -to thrive, to be active, to move forward without any doubt - both mentally and physically.

You know that your metabolic fire is working well if you feel hungry at the right time every day. 

So, how do you eat as per Ayurveda here? Consuming warm, easily digestible, well-cooked food in moderation is the key to maintaining your agni.

If your digestive fire is on the right path, everything else in your body falls in place.

3. Recognise Your Koshta (Gut Type)

The gut type, called Koshta in Ayurveda, is something every Ayurvedic expert has emphasised for a long time. However, recently modern health scientists have found evidence that indeed there are types of gut, which different in different individuals. These differences depend on the particular gut microbiome. And, that is why an ayurvedic diet does not have a strict rule of what to eat and what not to - every single food is personalise.

Curious about finding your gut type? then try not to skip this interesting piece of article on ‘Different Types of Gut.’

So, how do you eat as per Ayurveda here?

If you are a person with Mrudu koshta (soft or sensitive gut type), then you must rely on easily digestible and lighter food items. You will mostly face loose stools when your regular food habits change all of a sudden. So you must always take it slow to keep your agni working well.

4. Understand the Dynamic Nature of Dosha

As you read above, Dosha is the fundamental unit of physiological function in the body, which you use to understand how different your body is from others. 

So, now, these doshas are not stable. Their level in your body keeps changing according to the;

• The time of the day
• The time of the year
• Environmental changes
• Health status
• Age
• Diet

So, understanding the dynamic nature of Dosha is essential when you choose what to eat. 

So, how do you eat as per Ayurveda here?

Let's see with an example. As per the cycle of doshas, Kapha dosha is dominant in the morning. Therefore, you must not choose heavy, sugary and large meals in the morning. This will only stagnate the functions in your body in the long run. Similarly, in the summer season, due to the external heat, pitta increases and metabolism reduces. So you must choose cooling foods like cucumbers and mint for the summer.

5. Know How Much to Eat

The answer to this question is never-ending. Because the amount you may eat depends on your gut type (Koshta), your body type(prakriti), your metabolic rate (Agni), the level of Dosha and your health status.

However, in general, as per Ayurveda, your plate must contain;

• Foods of all tastes (sweet, sour, salty, astringent, bitter and spicy )
• Food in moderation (out of 4 parts of your stomach - 2 parts are for solids, 1 part is for liquids, and the last 1 part must be left vacant)

"Overeating and undereating disrupts the balance of Agni and leads to health issues", says Dr Aswathi Krishnan, Senior Ayurveda Consultant at Nirva, who specialises in the pharmacology of foods and herbs.

6. Recognise Food-Combinations (Viruddha Ahara)

Ayurvedic diet experts have always focused on food compatibility. Yes, you cannot eat everything with everything. 

Trying new innovative tik tok recipes is well and good until you know that your food combinations are on the right track.

So, what are they?

Eating incompatible combinations of food with opposite temperament or potency(Hot and Cold: Fish and Milk) or opposite tastes (Sweet and Salty: Mango and Cheese) can cause health issues due to the buildup of metabolic toxins.

What happens if you try incompatible foods?

If you keep consuming these types of food continuously, you may face health issues like;

• Digestive issues ( bloating, gas, IBS)
• Skin problems (Acne, rashes)
• Respiratory issues (Coughing, Congestion)
• Chronic fatigue
• Hormonal imbalances (PCOS, Thyroid problems)

Modern trophology, the science of food combinations, supports this Ayurvedic wisdom, showing how improper food pairings can interfere with digestion and metabolism.

7. Practise Mindful Eating

An ayurvedic diet or ayurvedic eating goes beyond physical. nourishment. Ayurveda concentrates on the deep connection between food, mind and body.

The concept of "Ashta Vidhi Visesha Ayatana (8 factors of diet) predominantly highlights this connection along with eating for your body type, amount, quality preparation and combination.

Also, some of the mindful rules in Ayurveda for healthy eating are;

• Do not eat too fast or slow.
• Eat in a proper place with enough accessories.
• Eat with concentration.
• Do not talk or laugh in between eating.

II Pathye sati gadartasya, kim aushadhanisevanaih

Pathye-asati gadartasya kimaushadhanisevanaih II 

Quoted in Charaka Samhitha, Ayurvedic classical Scripture, this means that, with a wholesome diet, there is no need for any other treatment, and with an unwholesome diet, no treatment works.

Hey, wait! Ayurvedic diet principles don't end with these 7 points; there's much more to learn and add to your health goals! 

That is why Nirva experts are buckled up to help you, and they are all ready to guide you through natural ways to healing.

How Can Nirva Help You Start Your Ayurvedic Diet Journey?

At Nirva, we focus on personalisation in every aspect of healthcare.  We understand that no two individuals are the same. That is why we design and curate your Ayurvedic meal-planning services and courses that will help you create your unique meal needs according to your mind-body constitution or prakriti.

With our expert-guided programme, you will learn to analyse your Dosha and deduce the needs that can help your body gain natural balance. You will also learn to identify particular foods that will blend with your constitution, adjusted for the season and time of day.

Make the most of this course that will benefit you by;

• Improved digestive health and overall energy
• Balanced body and mind
• Natural weight management
• Holistic health and vitality

Are You Ready to Eat the Ayurvedic Way?

The very understanding that an Ayurvedic and Standard Western Diet differ drastically is a huge step towards understanding your food. Western diets often rely on calorie counting, general nutritional guidelines and quick fixes; an ayurvedic diet ditches the generic framework and takes a more personalised holistic approach. Rather than relying on external metrics of your body like weight gain, when you eat the ayurvedic way, you will promote long-term balance, well-being and vitality from within.

If you have come to the end of this article, then it is really time to look inward at your nutritional choices. 

Does it really meet your body's needs, or are you still following what your friend recommended? 

It's time for us to help you make the change. Let your diet show the impact!!!