By Dr Partap Chauhan
 Food, eaten according to Ayurvedic dietary
guidelines, provides energy and good health. The same food
eaten in contradiction to these principles can cause
discomfort and ill health. The most significant of these
guidelines are:
Appropriate quantities
The amount of food eaten at any one meal is crucial for
proper nutrition and complete digestion. Eating too much or
too little is equally hazardous to health. The proper amount
of food is essential to maintaining good health and
attaining longevity. According to Caraka Samhita, the
stomach is divided into three equal parts. When eating, one
part of the stomach should be filled with solid foods
(vegetables, rice, grains, breads), the second part should
be filled with liquids (juices, soups, water) and the third
part of the stomach should be left empty for the movement of
air and the tridosha.
If you are unsure, a simple rule is that it is better to
stop when you feel you still have some capacity, as eating
less than your maximum ability is always preferable to
eating more. Consistently under-eating can produce a gradual
disturbance to the vata dosha, but over-eating
produces an immediate disturbance to all dohsas.
Overeating causes obesity and related disorders such as
diabetes, heart disease and hypertension, strain on internal
systems and organs and ama production. A person
eating much less food than required eventually loses
strength and has less energy and vitality. Functions of the
mind, such as concentration, memory and intelligence, become
impaired and ojas and sensory power are diminished.
People often complain that after meals they feel discomfort,
lethargy and heaviness. This is due to either eating an
improper quantity of food, or improper types and
combinations of foods. Caraka Samhita lists the
symptoms of eating improperly as:
-
Feeling of heaviness in the stomach;
-
Disturbance or change in the heart-beat;
-
Pain in the back or stomach;
-
Discomfort in walking, breathing, talking
and/or laughing;
-
Laziness or drowsiness;
-
Dissatisfaction of any of the senses.
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