Diet

For thousands of years, ayurveda has thought us that what we eat plays a big role in determining our health. All matter consists of all five elements which are manifestations of consciousness. As we eat we take into ourselves the subtle influence attached to the food, prana as well as the physical form of the food. Shshru says - Food builds and supports the body, improves complexion and general appearance. Harmful combination of food may cause diseases, create heaviness in body, and at times may even cause death. Therefore taittareya upanishad says:- Food only is the cause of creation, preservation and destruction. Hence food is all in all it is life itself. It is god.

Wholesome Diet

• A wholesome diet can be described as one that nourishes Dhatus of the body, helps restore balance between them when it is disrupted, does not clog the body channels and leads to satisfaction.
• Wholesome and unwholesome diet varies from person to person and is governed by age, body constitution, nature of work and season.
• Food builds the body, hence it must be consumed sensibility. Greed and ignorance must be set aside and choose what is good. The wholesome diet consists of :-

1. Cereals, grains with hard seed coat like red, shali rice, old wheat.
2. Pulses - like green gram.
3. Water - boiled or purified, strained, filtered.
4. Salt - rock salt.
5. Leafy vegetables - all except mustard leaf.
6. Ghee - out of cow milk.
7. Milk - cow milk.
8. Tubers - ginger.
9. Fruits - Seasonal fruits are good.
10. Oil - Seasame oil
11. Dryfruits - dates,almonds etc

• The food that pleases our taste is good for us, but it has to be simple and clean. One should always eat moderately according to season. Seasons and environment affect our health as much as food. The state of doshas in the body changes with seasons. India experiences three seasonal changes during the year. They are summer,rainy and winter.
• Summer diet - the intense heat during this season absorbs all moisture and oil. Temperature shoots up increasing dryness and dullness in the body.
• The diet should contain light,oily,easily digestible,cold and liquid foods. Milk, butter milk,coconut water, vegetables like cucumber, tomatos,onions, drum stick, banana (unripe) curry,white pumpkin,mint,lemon,pulses like masoor, dreen gram, fruit like mango, orange,grapes,watermelon,muskmelon with the warm food - is an ideal diet.
• Prolonged refrigeration and reheating is to be avoided.
• Rainy season diet - There is rain and so is increased humidity. This aggravates vata. Diet during the rains must be light, fresh,hot,easily absorbed and one that strengthens digestion. Diet, should include old grains like wheat,shaali rice, corn,cucumber, greengram,vegetables like ladies finger, green gourd and fruits like apple, banana,promogranate,mangoes etc. Mangoes and milk are particularly beneficial.
• Winter diet - this is the best period as far as health is concerned. Hunger is increased in this season and body gets good nourishment.
• A diet that is greasy, sweet,salty,sour and nutritious is the best during the winter. The food items good for this season are ghee,butter,oil,milk,pudding,black gram,honey,sugar cane juice, sweet made of flour,gooseberry amla,dry fruits,sprouted pulses,bread of wheat,organs,califlower,peas,cabbage,tomatoes,carrot,spinach and fenugreek leave etc.
• Dry ginger, warm water and hot foods are good for this season.
• Special notes on diet - it is important to know what to eat. It is also important to know when to eat and the qualities of what is consumed. Only then one can enjoy all the benefits that food has to offer.
• Smooth and oily food - Diet must contain adequate amounts of ghee and oil. Fearing heart disease, blood pressure

References

The above mentioned information is added from the book called "MUDRAS & HEALTH PERSPECTIVES" by "SUMAN.K.CHIPLUNKAR".