WORLD JOURNAL OF PHARMACY AND PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES

Garima et al. World Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science

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Volume 7, Issue 11, 352-358 Review Article ISSN 2278 – 4357

AYURVEDIC PRINCIPLES OF EATING

Dr. Garima1* and Anoop kumar singh2

M. D. Scholar1*, Associate Professor2

P.G. Department of Agadtantra, Rishikul Campus Haridwar, U.A.U.

Article Received on
ABSTRACT
25 August 2018, Ayurveda, the science of healthful living, is the most rational and
Revised on 15 Sept. 2018,
Accepted on 06 Oct. 2018 scientific among the ancient systems of medicine. Ayurveda has
DOI: 10.20959/wjpps201811-12462 immense potential to tackle many medical problems. Agadtantra is the
branch of Astangaayurveda, it described when we take food opposite

*Corresponding Author to rasa and virya it become toxic in nature and cause many health
Dr. Garima hazards. The term virrudhaahar is deal with the critical review in
M. D. Scholar, P.G. terms of different food-food interaction, food time consumption
Department of Agadtantra,
interaction, food environment interaction which inhibits the proper
Rishikul Campus Haridwar,
metabolism at the level of tissues. It may cause harmful effects or
U.A.U.
sometimes toxic to the body. Healthy individuals as well as some of
the patients should observe the food are not properly digested. We should eat not in proper
quantity which is hot, unctuous, differing in potency and after the digestion of the previous
meal. Food should be taken in proper place equipped with all the accessories, without talking
and laughing, with concentration of mind and paying due regard to oneself. Intake of food
before the digestion of the previous meal is harmful. Habitual intake of harmful things in
improper way is harmful and when adopted properly it is useful. Acharya sushruta also
described the twelve kinds (qualities) of foods such as sita(cold), ushna(hot), snighdha
(unctous fatty), ruksha (dry or fatless), drava(liquid), suksham (dry, moisturless), ekakala
(once a day), dvikala (twice a day), aushadhayukta (mixed with medicine), matrahina (less in
quantity), dosaprashama mana (mitigating the dosas), vrtyartha(protecting health).

KEYWARDS- Ayurveda, food, quantity, Equipment, Potency, Digestion, Drava, Warm.

INTRODUCTION
Ayurveda, the science of healthful living, is the most rational and scientific among the
ancient systems of medicine. Ayurveda has immense potential to tackle many medical

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Garima et al. World Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science

problems. It should be described the amount and quantity how to take food in proper way.
We are not eaten food in proper quantity which is hot, unctuous and not contradictory in
potency and after the digestion of the previous meal. Excess hot food also leads to purging,
vomiting, and are said to destroys semen and other body fluids it promoted pitta. If it
consumed in excess can provoke overheating maladies like gastritis, ulcer, rashes etc.

According to Charak Samhita they described the food article depending upon heaviness or
lightness of the food articles. In fact the light food are mostly preferred due to it contains
predominance of vayu and agni which helps in proper digestion. While in case of heavy food
when we take those having prithvi and soma properties they interrupt the proper digestion.
The heavy food articles are not stimulated the digestion while in this condition when we do
physical exercise and it increases the strength of agni. Hence, the quantity is increases the
agnibala(power of digestion) and it helps food digestion.[1]

INTAKE OF HOT FOOD

When we eat warm food it tastes delicious, eaten food increases the digestive fire, gets
digested quickly, carminates flatus, reduced mucus that’s the region we eat warm food.[2]
Some people those suffering from diseases which is produced by kapha and vata, who have
had purgation, who taken fatty substance or (as oleation therapy) and who are moisture free
in their body should be treated with hot foods. food which is ushna produces good taste
(appetite) and dries up the kapha.

A food which is by nature wholesome may not be useful for some individuals. Person
suffering from thirst, heat, intoxication, burning sensation, bleeding disease, poison, fainting
and emaciation from more of copulation should be treated by cold foods because all these
condition increases the pitta and, in this condition, when we take warm food elevate all these
symptoms.[2] Cold food can restrict digestion and make the immune system less active. when
we take hot food mixed with cold food it may causes decreased appetite and digestive fire.

FOOD SHOULD BE UNCTUOUS

We should eat unctuous food because it tastes delicious, food increases the unstimulated
digestive fire, gets digested quickly, carminates flatus, development of body enzymes
properly, provides firmness to sense organs, increase strength, produced clarity of
complexion strengthens the sense faculties, promotes strength and brings out the brightness
of complexion. Food which contains fat and which is easily digestible, help to increase the

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digestive fire in the abdomen (digestive power), cleansed the alimentary tract, does not vitiate
the tissues and causes the downwards movements of vata, postpones old age, increase
strength and improves color and complexion.[4]

Person who are of vata prakriti (nervine constitution), dry in the body, exhausted by
copulation, who do physical exercises (activities)more should be treated with unctuous (fatty)
food. Those who have more of overweight and fats accumulate in their body, who are
unctuous, those suffering from diabetes, who have more of kapha in the body should be
treated with dry foods.

Persons who are having dryness of the body, suffering from thirst and debility should be
treated with liquid foods. Those who have more moisture in their body, who are wounded and
suffering from diabetes should be treated with dry foods.

FOOD IN PROPER QUANTITY

Food which is laghu (easily digestible or light food) does not harm the doshas(body
constitutions) and undergoes digestion without causing any difficulty even though it may
become unsuitable slightly.[5]

When we take food in proper quantity without disturbing body constitutions (Doshas) i.e.
Vata, Pitta and Kapha only promotes life span, easily passes down to anus, do not disturb the
digestive fire and gets easily digestated food without any discomfort.

When food is taken in proper quantity, it promotes longevity in its entirety without troubling
the three Doshas i.e. Vata, Pitta and Kapha. It easily passes down to the rectum, it does not
impair the power of digestion and it gets digested without any difficulty. For those who have
weak digestive fire and who are sick, giving them less quantity of food is ideal.

INTAKE AFTER DIGESTION OF PERVIOUS MEAL

When we eat food without digested the previous meal it affects the digestive fire because if
we eat during indigestion, the eaten food mixed with the product of the earlier meal, vitiates
all the doshas quickly. When food eats after the previous meal is digested well, doshas are
situated in their own locations. When we eaten meal after digested previous meal it helps to
stimulate the appetite due to this entrance of the channels are open, eructation is pure, heart is
normal, flatus passes down and urges of flatus, urine and feces are attended to, the eaten food
promotes only the life span without afflicting any body constitution such as dhatu. Hence, we

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eat after the previous meal is digested.[6] If we eat food before the digestion of the previous
meal, the digestive product of the previous food, i. e. immature rasa gets mixed up with the
product of food taken afterwards, resulting in the aggravation of all the doshas
instantaneously. If food is taken after the digestion of the previous food while the doshas are
in their proper places and agni (digestive enzymes) is activated which helps to increases the
appetite, the entrances of the channels of circulation are open, eructation is purified, there is
unimpaired cardiac function, downward passage of the wind and proper manifestation of the
urges for voiding flatus urine and stool.

INTAKE OF FOOD, HAVING CONTRADICTORY POTENCIES

By taking food, does not get distressed with such diseases as may arise from the intake of
food having mutually contradictory potencies. Therefore, we should take food having no
contradictory potencies. Diseases caused by the intake of food having mutually contradictory
potencies are kustha (obstinate skin diseases including leprosy), blindness and visarpa (a skin
disease characterized by an acute spread).

INTAKE IN PROPER PLACE AND WITH ALL ACCESSORIES

While eating in favorable places not fall person to psychic disturbances. Similarly, while
having good accessories. By done so not get distressed with such of the factors as would
result in emotional strain which (normally) occurs when we take food in improper places
without the required accessories. Therefore, taken food in proper place equipped with all
accessories. Factors which inflict strain on the mind.

INTAKE NOT IN HURRY

We not eat fast because by eaten fast the food may enter into a wrong passage. There is
depression and the food are not established in its place, detection of the defects of food and
achievements of the merits of the same are not certain. hence, we should not eat too fast.[7]

We should not take food too hurriedly. If food is taken too quickly it enters into a wrong
passage; it gets depressed and it does not enter into the stomach properly. In this situation, we
can never determine the taste of food articles and detect foreign bodies like hair etc., mixed
with them. the individual will take them all together with food which might lead to bad
consequences and it may cause the blockage of the alimentary canal after this sometimes
death occurs.

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INTAKE NOT TOO SLOW

We should not eat too slow because by eating too slow we do not get satisfaction to the
individual, eats much as in amount, food becomes cold and is digested not in proper ways.

In this situation, he would take more time than what is required, the food would become cold
and there will be not proper digestion. Therefore, we should not take food very slowly. By
taking food very slowly, enzymes responsible for digestion will come in contact with food in
an irregular manner and this will result in irregular digestion and it later on it will cause
indigestion, acidity and sour belching etc.

INTAKE WITH CONCENTRATION

We should have eaten food while not talking or laughing and with concentration. By taking
food while talking or laughing or with mind elsewhere, he is exacted with the same defects as
by eating too fast. Hence, we should eat while not talking or laughing and with concentration.
Person who eats food leisurely does not feel contented, eats large quantity, the food becomes
cold and so acts like poison and does not get digested well. Person who eats very quickly,
accompanied with too much of talk and laughter and whose mind is engaged with other
things, will have his food going in through wrong passage, gets delayed in digestion, food
does not stay in the alimentary tract to the required time and the person will not be able to
experience the good or bad of the food.

We should not talk or laugh or be unmindful while taking food. One, taking food while
talking, laughing or with detracted mind subjects himself to the same trouble as the one
eating too hurriedly. So, one should not talk, laugh or be unmindful while taking food.

INTAKE WITH SELF-CONFIDENCE

When we should eat after due consideration to himself. This is suitable or unsuitable for us if
known in this way then only it becomes suited to his self. Hence, we should eat after
considering his self well. We should take food in a prescribed manner, with due regard to his
own self. The knowledge of the usefulness or otherwise of food article is the since quantity
not for self-preservation. Thus, it is said He alone is a good physician who knows specific
nature of rasas (tastes), drugs, doshas and diseases as well as habitat time and physical
constitution.

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Food should be given once a day in order to supplement digestive fire which is weak, for
those who have normal digestive fire food may be given twice a day. For those who hates
medicines, food should be given mixed with medicine. Foods consumed appropriate suitable
to season is dosha prashana (mitigate the aggravated doshas). All foods consumed by the
healthy person is meant to maintain health and life. Considering these twelve aspects
ingestion of food should be planned.

CONCLUSION
Ayurveda is science of life which deals with different procedure to taken food which helps
proper and easy digestion of food and cures many diseases. Food taken in proper amount and
proper way acts as medicine while when we take food via improper way it acts as poison and
cause different problems regarding health. In this time, every person hurried when taking
food, it is not so good due to this condition food gone to the wrong passage and not digested
properly. When we take cold food, it is not so good habit it reduces the good nutrition which
present in food and also it is not digested in proper way it causes indigestion, acidity, gas
formation and sour belching etc. When we take food in proper quantity and in happy mind it
will helps to food digested in proper ways, feels lightness in body. The food taken in proper
quantity provides certainly strength, complexion and happy life to the person without
disturbing normal routine.

REFERANCES
1. Sharma P.V, Charak Samhita Chaukhamba orientalia Varanasi- 221001, Ninth edition, 1:
32.
2. Sharma P.V, Charak Samhita Chaukhamba orientalia Varanasi- 221001, Ninth edition, 1:
307.
3. Vagabhatta, Astanga samgraha (commentery shashilekha of indu), Shivprashad Sharma,
editor Varanasi- 221001 chaukhmba Sanskrita Samsthana, 1999; 103.
4. Murthy. K.r, Asthanga samgraha of vagbhatta, chaukhamba orientalia Varanasi- 221001,
ninth edition, 230.
5. Murthy. K.r, Asthanga samgraha of vagbhatta, chaukhamba orientalia Varanasi- 221001,
ninth edition, 231.
6. Sharma P.V, Charak Samhita Chaukhamba orientalia Varanasi- 221001, Ninth edition, 1:
306.

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7. Sharma P.V, Charak Samhita Chaukhamba orientalia Varanasi- 221001, Ninth edition, 1:
308.

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