Dietary Lifestyles – Ayurvedic

This article is one of a six-part series about dietary lifestyles and the philosophical reasons behind them. We will explore vegetarian and vegan, ayurvedic, macrobiotic, natural hygiene, slow food and organic, fad diets, and eco-friendly and ethical.

In today's body-conscious society we are constantly being bombarded with images of the "perfect" physique, and the "tools" for how to achieve it in the form of an overwhelming number of diet options. High protein, low protein, high carb, low carb, no carb, low fat, no fat, Atkins, Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, South Beach … and the list goes on.

In the midst of this confusing array there are the diets that aren't really diets at all. They're not offering quick fixes, and they don't have lists and lists of restricted foods. Instead they seek to change your relationship with food and help you achieve a healthier lifestyle. With these diets, weight-loss, if it happens, is a byproduct. The ayurvedic diet is one of them.

Ayurveda is an ancient Indian life philosophy (which is partly documented in the Rig Veda, the oldest known book), which assigns foods their own properties. The focus of ayurveda is to create balance and harmony within the body through the types of foods you eat and how you prepare them: food must be cooked slowly and the person cooking must be in a positive state of mind. Too much of any one type of food – such as sweet – throws off the body's balance. Indeed, the perfect meal will balance the six foods – sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent, and astringent – and, at the same time, provide the required nutrition for optimal health. Often, it recommends that 20% of the food consumed should be acidic and 80% alkaline.

The ayurvedic diet is primarily vegetarian and includes some dairy products such as yogurt (but not eggs and cheese). Fresh food is also recommended – frozen, canned, processed, and leftover foods should be avoided, as should sugars, sweeteners, excess oils, coffee, and alcohol. Far from being a one-size-fits-all diet, ayurvedic diets are based on the theory that individual body types require different foods. And body type is determined by analyzing the skin, hair, bone structure, and other physical factors.

What are the Ayurvedic body types?

According to ayurveda, there are three distinct elements, or tridoshas (three life forces or three biological humors), in the body that help dictate how an individual should eat: vata, pitta, and kapha. While every person has all three doshas, and, while it is ideal for the three to be equal, in most people one or two will be dominant. Depending on which dosha is dominant, individuals can adjust their diets to attain equality between the three doshas.

Vata: is motivating energy and governs movement. Generally, vata-dominant people are slight in frame, have cold hands and feet, and a tendency to having dry hair and being constipated. A vata person should eat more foods that are warm, sweet, sour, and salty. Cold foods should be avoided, as should foods like cauliflower and brussels sprouts, which cause gas.

Pitta: is transforming energy and governs the process of metabolism. People who are pitta dominant are usually hot and tend to have a stronger appetite and body odor. A pitta person should ingest more cool, heavy, sweet, bitter, and astringent foods, such as cool basmati rice and whole grains like barley. Excess oils, fried foods, and hot spices should be avoided, and only light dairy products should be consumed.

Kapha: is stabilizing energy and governs growth and the physical aspects that protect the body. When Kapha is dominant, a person tends to have heavy bones and muscles and, because he/she also has lower metabolism and digestion, he/she is inclined to gain weight. Kapha people should eat more foods that are dry, warm, light, pungent, bitter, or astringent, such as light, warming and dry barley. Low-fat proteins are most suitable for this body type and fat consumption should be kept to a minimum. Iced foods and drinks, and dairy products should be avoided.

Ayurveda and Healthcare

The ideal, according to Ayurveda is to remain healthy. If illness occurs, balance must be sought. In Ayurveda, medicine is only believed to be effective if it has no side effect. Rather than looking at a specific health problem, Ayurveda recommends looking at the whole person and their lifestyle, in order to make changes that will bring everything back into balance.

According to Ayurvedic philosophy, treatment with medication that brings mere quick relief to a symptom, while allowing other whole-body causes to go unchecked, is thought to be a doctor's disservice to a patient. For instance, if a patient has a stomach problem, stomach treatment alone will not solve the ailment for the long term – the dietary, emotional, or lifestyle problems that caused the stomach problem in the first place will continue to manifest themselves, unless they are addressed.

Not surprisingly, practitioners of the Ayurvedic lifestyle generally prefer to seek alternative treatments to medical problems – such as lifestyle alterations, herbal and spice medications, or dietary reforms – rather than seek out Western medical assistance.

If you're considering following the Ayurvedic lifestyle, remember, the underlying philosophy is that of balance. Rather than swinging entirely in one direction, try to find harmony between this alternate way of living and conventional medicine. Although the Ayurvedic philosophy has merit – achieving health through a balanced lifestyle and diet – it is unlikely that all illnesses can be effectively treated with herbal remedies and food combinations.

Dietary Lifestyles – Ayurvedic

What are the Ayurvedic body types?

Ayurveda and Healthcare

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Laura Crane

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