"Ayurveda" a great science of life is in common practice in Asian subcontinent and is globally acceptable due to its holistic approach of well being for human kind. In present day, there is a diverse situation where on one hand, the average life expectancy has increased and on the other hand, the state of health is facing new challenges in the form of new type of diseases endangering human life. According to a report of WHO on primary health care -“there is an inability of medical health services …..” means the health system is not meeting stated demands and changing needs. Though the standard and reach of leading health services have changed a lot from 2008 onwards but still there is enough scope for all the health systems in this world to work in increasing the overall state of health and to fight against the new upcoming challenges. So whatsoever aspect of health is to be considered, it may be looked upon from every direction including  type of diet and ways of taking it. Millions of people across the world die due to unhealthy food consumption and faulty dietary habits. Even with the advent of excellent techniques and advancement in medical science and technology, the humanity is left with innumerable health problems and hazards due to these factors.

"Ayurveda" a great science of life is in common practice in Asian subcontinent and is globally acceptable due to its holistic approach of well being for human kind. In present day, there is a diverse situation where on one hand, the average life expectancy has increased and on the other hand, the state of health is facing new challenges in the form of new type of diseases endangering human life. According to a report of WHO on primary health care -“there is an inability of medical health services …..” means the health system is not meeting stated demands and changing needs. Though the standard and reach of leading health services have changed a lot from 2008 onwards but still there is enough scope for all the health systems in this world to work in increasing the overall state of health and to fight against the new upcoming challenges. So whatsoever aspect of health is to be considered, it may be looked upon from every direction including  type of diet and ways of taking it. Millions of people across the world die due to unhealthy food consumption and faulty dietary habits. Even with the advent of excellent techniques and advancement in medical science and technology, the humanity is left with innumerable health problems and hazards due to these factors.

Factors for poor nutritive values of food

a.            Storage of food for long time, frozen food, processed food etc.

b.            Increased use of insecticides and pesticides in fruits and vegetables. Due to lack of proper knowledge among the workers who are using these type of chemicals to increase their productivity and to save their crops from getting destroyed by small insects, the amount of these chemicals is increasing day by day in our diet.

c.             Food grown with the use of hormones. Hormones are used nowadays for quick growth and increased productivity of the crops. These hormones are also present in the food when we consume them and thus alter hormonal balance of the body.

d.            Genetic modification of the crops.

e.            Crops grown in a land with heavy metal poisoning or irrigated with water contaminated by industrial waste also contain the same heavy metals. These heavy metals are not good for human consumption as they tend to accumulate in the body and produces long term effects like bone degeneration, neurological illness including hemiplegia  and paraplegia.

Solutions in Ayurveda

As far as the problems related with the food and dietary habits are concerned, Ayurveda has a very clear solution in the form of ashtvidh aahar visheshayetn, aahar vidhi ,  dincharya  and ritucharya.

Poor dietary habits

a.            Untimely food consumption.

b.            Unhealthy food consumption (contamination either at the time of cooking or at the time of serving).

c.             Standing food culture due to lack of time.

d.            Not having any knowledge about the combination of food.

e.            Either too hot or too cold food consumption due to lack of time.

f.             Consuming food too quickly or too slowly.

g.            Drinking water or any other liquid just after food.

h.            Consuming food heated with the use of microwaves again and again.

i.              Intake of junk food as a diet either due to lack of time or due to ignorance. The frequency of taking junk food is more among the working class.

Asht vidh aahar visheshaytan

1.            Natural form of food. Always try to eat natural food items as far as possible and try to avoid processed and stored food.

2.            Preparation of food. Use the age old traditional methods to cook food and try to avoid new experiments as preparation of food with different methods changes its nutritive value and its properties also.

3.            Combination of food items. Try to use the simple and age old combinations of food.

4.            Quantum of food. The quantity of food that does not cause any kind of discomfort in your stomach while walking or doing your normal routine work after a meal and gives a satisfactory feeling of having a diet is the right quantity of food for everyone.

5.            Habitat of person or the place where food is grown. According to ancient texts of Ayurveda that food is best for a person which is grown in an area in which the individual is born and stayed. For example the south Indians use coconut milk and oil in their food and north Indians use mustard oil/ghee. Both these things are good for the people living in their own environment. One need not change it.

6.            Time of food. It can be of two types. On one side we can relate this with the time of taking a diet and another is the time of a particular food in which it is grown and consumed. We should try to take our meals on some fixed time so that our biological clock may not get disturbed. One should try to avoid the food which is out of season as new varieties of vegetables and fruits are being grown by the farmers by genetic modification and are easily available in the market without following the specific season.

7.            Rules of having food. There should be rules while taking food. One should try to get food only after the previous meal is digested.

8.            Consumer. Depending upon the buildup of consumer, the type of food is to be taken providing  maximum benefit to his body.

Aahar vidhi vidhan

•             Sufficiently warm food

•             Lubricated food

•             Food in sufficient quantity

•             After proper digestion of the previously taken food

•             Proper combination of food

•             Proper place and utensils for food

•             Not too quickly intake of food

•             Not too slow intake of food

•             Intake of food without talking and laughing.

These are certain guidelines in our ancient texts that how we should have our food without causing any disturbance in our doshas. If we follow these factors, they directly/indirectly keep our agni ignited and prevent the vitiation of doshas, the change in, which is considered to be the basic cause of the diseases in Ayurveda. Along with the above mentioned guidelines we should keep in mind, the following principles mentioned in Ayurvedic texts.

1.            Try to wake up early in the morning and go early to bed in night for sufficient sleep and relieving stress.

2.            Try to drink at least 1liter of warm water after waking up. It will help the person to clear his bowel. It will help in restoring the water loss of previous day, if any. It will relieve the problem of indigestion and constipation. It will help the body to get rid of the toxins by increasing urination. It will help the patients of renal stones. It will relieve the symptoms of bleeding piles also. The total amount of daily water requirement of an average adult is 2.5 L It may increase or decrease according to the situation. The person doing hard labour in summers requires more water/fluid than a person sitting in an AC environment in the same season.

3.            Try to avoid untimely meals, heavy meals, snacks in between regular meals, and tea/coffee/cold aerated drinks. It not only increases the unwanted calories but also causes GIT problems.

4.            Always try to take meals on particular time. It will help in the setting of biological clock of the body which again leads to improved digestion.

5.            Reserve some time in a week for exercise or some other physical activity to increase stamina. It increases blood circulation and allow the waste products of metabolism to release from the body. It helps the body to burn extra calories and prevents the body from various metabolic diseases like diabetes.

6.            Try anjana occasionally to relieve stress symptoms occurring due to continuous monitoring jobs.

7.            Try massage to relieve stress occurring due to continuous physical exertion or sitting.

8.            Try meditation/yoga for 15 minutes daily to get rid of mental stress.

9.            Try to follow the diet regime mentioned in Ayurveda text as it will help in preventing seasonal problems occurring due to vitiation of doshas. Please consult an Ayurvedic physician for the same.

10.          One can try Panchkarma procedures as a routine for seasonal change. Different procedures are mentioned in Ayurveda for different seasons which help the doshas to remain in a balanced state.

If we adapt these methods as a "Routine" in our daily life, then almost all the above said day to day problems can be resolved without any medication and will help in strengthening the body as a whole by boosting our immunity, thus help in living a healthy life. So Ayurveda as a whole is not only a medical science that gives us another treatment option but a “science of life” that teaches us how we can live a healthy and stress free life.