Mediterranean Diet Rules by Ayurveda

Hello, this is Dr. Amaresh Kar. While communicating with patients, I've noticed how conscious people have become about nutrition, yet many still struggle with weight gain, indigestion, and bloating. The "Mediterranean diet" is a popular search term, but Ayurveda provides a more individualistic approach to healthy eating.

Maharshi Charaka, the great physician, advised eight golden rules for "How to choose your food." These rules ensure that even the most nutritious food actually benefits your unique body.

How to select your food: The Eight Golden Rules

1. Nature of food (Prakruti): Is it heavy (Guru) or light (Laghu)? Heavy foods like meat or fish take more time to digest than fruits or salads. If your digestion is slow, even nutritious "heavy" food can harm you.
2. Method of Preparation (Karana): Properties change with preparation. For example, raw curd is heavy, but diluted into buttermilk, it becomes light. Frying in oil makes food heavy, while ghee can have the opposite effect.
3. Combination (Samyoga): Some foods are healthy alone but toxic together. For instance, fish and milk products (like Paneer) should not be consumed together. Salt in milk or non-veg prepared with curd are common mistakes.
4. Quantity (Rashi): Proper quantity is essential. Both excess and deficiency fail to produce results. This depends on your individual intake capacity, age, and season.
5. Climate (Desha): Traditional foods are often beneficial only in their native regions. A diet suitable for a desert may not suit someone in a coastal region or eastern culture.
6. Time (Kala): Timing matters (AM vs. PM). For example, heavy, water-rich foods like fruits or milk at night can cause indigestion. Seasonal variations also dictate dietary changes.
7. Health Status (Upayoga Samstha): Listen to your body first. Ask yourself: How is my appetite? Is my bowel regular? Do I feel fresh in the morning? If your digestion is weak (coated tongue, constant throat issues), improve it with sip-by-sip hot water or ginger before meals.
8. Personal Liking (Upayokta): Nutritious food not liked by the person often fails to show good results because it cannot be sustained long-term.

Conclusion

Healthy and nutritious food ranges across many categories. By applying these enquiry criteria, you can tailor your "Mediterranean" or any other diet to be truly restorative. Both health and disease are directly proportional to what you put on your plate.

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Article by: Dr. Amaresh Kar, MD (Ayu), India. Reference: Charaka Samhita, Vimana Sthana, Chapter 1.