A Full Guide on Ayurvedic Food: Pros, Cons And How It Works

80% of people in our country use some form of traditional medicine, a category which includes “Ayurveda”. Ayurveda places greater emphasis on the selection of food, its processing and cooking and rules for healthy eating. Its approach is very different from the Western approach. It is based on the idea of the three doshas known as Vata, Pitta and Kapha. A great ayurvedic saying is “when the diet is wrong, medicine is of no use; when the diet is correct, medicine is of no need. Ayurvedic food helps in boosting health and preventing the attacks of diseases. One should consume such food which is conducive to the maintenance of good health.

The person should consume conductive food in the right quantity and at the right time. So here the ayurvedic diet gives us an eating plan that gives direction for what to eat when to eat and how to eat. Dals, lentils and beans play an important role in ayurvedic nutrition and they are delicious too. In general, Ayurveda focuses on healing and curing of their roots in order to help people in maintaining their overall health both physically and mentally. In fact, taking ayurvedic practices in your day to day life is not all difficult. Some of them are so simple and common. Maybe some of these you are likely to be practising already.

Advantages of Ayurvedic Food

• Maintain overall health: Ayurvedic medicine and food help us to maintain health and stave off diseases. It makes our diet more effective. As the best way to combat disease is to stay well in the first place
• Safe and chemical-free: Ayurvedic food is not only safe but is chemical-free too. It is a natural remedy and hence it is healthy for use.
• Attractive skin: Healthy and attractive skin is beautiful. It is important to care for our skin by first understanding our skin. We sometimes use harsh beauty products on our skin and make damage to it. So, by following a healthy diet with ayurvedic practices, our skin will respond and will naturally balance itself.
• Lesser stress: We sometimes lose our focus and thus we stress. This imbalance affects us. Ayurveda, hence, through its diet and lifestyle lesser stress.
• Calmness: When you are calm and relax you will very comfortable and this is an important indicator of physical and mental balance.
• Weight loss: Ayurveda is effective in weight loss practice. You can lose weight with some herbs along with a healthy diet and exercise and can cut your stubborn belly fat. It suggests some natural and herbal remedies that may help you in losing weight.
• A balanced life: Ayurvedic diet actually helps keep your life in balance and this is gained by maintaining the three doshas. No person is entirely one dosha type. You can restore your balance by eating the right food which leads you towards an overall balanced life.

Disadvantages of Ayurvedic Food

• Toxic: Ayurvedic may sometimes be toxic to people who are reactive to the herbs which are used in making the medicine or food.
• Not easily accessible to everyone: It may not be accessible to everyone mainly to those people who are lived in urban areas.
• Slow treatment: It is said that the treatment of Ayurveda is slow. It is not a mere treatment. But it is a science which teaches one to live a long healthy life.

How it works

Ayurveda places special emphasis on Ahar (diet) and Anna(food) and believes that healthy nutrition nourished the mind and body as well as soul. You should always talk to your doctor before you try Ayurveda. It treats the whole person and providing a unique assessment of each individual.

According to it, each person is born of the three doshas- vitta, pitta and Kapha. They determine our physical and psychological makeup. It Determines what and which type of exercise and treatment we need to prevent illness. Those who fall under the category of Vata tends to be thin, prone to constant change and have quick thinking. But in case they become unbalanced. Here Ayurveda helps them to regain their balance. Another category is pitta and the people who fall in this category tend to be muscular and ambitious. If get unbalanced they can be critical and hence there is a need for Ayurveda. Kaphas tend to have heavy frames and have a calm nature. When they are in balance, they are sweet and loyal. But once they are out of balance, they are prone to weight gain and congestion.

So again, through Ayurveda practices, these symptoms or problems can be solved by the use of Ayurveda. Its practices help you to benefit from the different qualities of food. Once you are determined your dominant dosha you can create your meals that will help in nourishing your body and balance your energy. You can eat according to your dominant dosha. Best ayurvedic floods include spices, soaked beans, fermented foods, nuts and seeds, seasonal vegetables, raw honey etc.

Conclusion

As we know Ayurveda is one of the oldest healthcare systems that has been evolved in our country. Its various aspects are related to health and wellbeing such as happy life and sustainable life. The concepts of Ayurveda and theories are quite simple in their description. It has been practised for thousands of years. However, some of its herbs and products are toxic to a few people and may cause harmful side effects. It is a natural system of healing wisdom and its practised extends worldwide.

It is said that it addresses the whole person’s mind, body and spirit, It can be used along with conventional Western medicine practices. Various benefits as we have already discussed. Some of them include improve the digestive process, improved the health of the gut, weight management, less anxiety, improve efficiency, improve functionality and many more. The main goal of ayurvedic practices is to prevent imbalances in the doshas. It can be due to the unhealthy lifestyle, nutrients deficiencies, too much physical activity and so on.