To maintain a healthy body an individual should follow a pattern of balanced diet. The food taken should comprise of all the six tastes or rasas in adequate amounts. The food should not only have a nourishing effect but also maintain equilibrium.
Ayurvedic Conception of Ideal Health
According to Ayurveda, a healthy person is one in whom there is a balance and harmony of doshas, agni and dhatus.
Doshas – Vata, Pitta and Kapha arethe three doshas .
Dhatus or biological tissue types are seven in number namely – Rasa, Rakta, Mamsa, Asthi, Majja, Medhas and Shukra. Each of these dhatus is for specific function (eg) Rasa dhatu required for the formation of blood,breast milk etc. Asthi is required for the proper functioning of bones. All the dhatus derive their nourishment from the food have the quality of nourishing specific dhatus. For example, Rasa dhatu is enriched by Shatavari (Asparagus) roots so this is recommended for lactating mothers. Specific Prakruthi types may be prone to problems related to particular dhatus. This has to be borne in mind while discussing the suitability of a diet for particular Prakruthi types. For example Kapha Prakruthi individuals tend to get flabby and put on excess weight – they should be careful to avoid/limit foods that would increase Mamsa dhatu – like meat foods.
Agni represents the digestive capacity and power. A proper agni is one of the most important indications of good health. Foods that have a greater amount of Teja dhatu increase the agni and those that have a greater amount of Jala or Prithvi tend to decrease the agni. Vata Prakruthi individuals tend to have an agni that is “unsteady” – sometimes weak and sometimes strong. This is in keeping with the nature of Vata, which by its very nature is unsteady. Kapha Prakruthi individuals have a weak agni and Pitta Prakruthi individuals have a strong agni. These should be borne in mind prescribing foods.
Prakruthi and Diet
Dietary requirement should be modified according to the Prakruti (constitution) of the individual.
In general an individual with Vata Prakruti should take unctuous, warm, and sweet substances.
An individual with Pitta Prakruthi should take cool, heavy, sweet, bitter and stringent food articles.
An individual with Kapha Prakruthi should consume dry, warm, light, pungent, bitter and astringent taste predominant food articles.
| FACTOR | VATA | PITTA | KAPHA |
| Quantity of food | Sometimes excess,Sometimes low | Excessive intake of food and water | Less intake of Food and water |
| Pace of intake | Sometimes very quick/Sometimes slow | Very quick | Slow |
| Pace of digestion | At times very quick/At times very slow | Very quick | Slow |
| Quality of food desired | Unctuous, hot | Cold, heavy | Hot, dry, light |
| Tastes desired | Sweet, Sour Salty | Sweet,Bitter Astringent | Pungent, Bitter Astringent |
| Digestive power | Varies -Sometimes high, Sometimes low | Very high | Moderate |
