Eat adequately:
• Barley, old rice, wheat
• Green gram, pigeon peas
Eat liberally:
• Vegetables: Bitter gourd, pumpkin, snake gourd, drumstick, radish, brinjal, round gourd, ash gourd, ridge gourd, dodi (Leptadenia reticulata), elephant’s foot yam, Indian sorrel, cabbage, cauliflower, potato, onion
• Fruits: Indian gooseberry (Amla), pomegranate, grapes, banana, pineapple, apple, mosambi, orange
Eat moderately:
• Dry beans, nuts
• Milk and yogurt
Eat sparingly:
• Cow’s ghee
• Oils, fats
• Sugar and sweets
Healthy Food Platter – Ayurvedic Guidelines
Eat with a Pleasant Mind
• Psychological state plays a vital role during food intake.
• Avoid eating when you are depressed, anxious, or tense; wait until the mind becomes calm.
• Even wholesome food taken in proper quantity is not digested well if consumed in states of anger, fear, worry, or sadness.
Do Not Eat Without Hunger
• Food consumed without appetite leads to indigestion, anorexia, vomiting, and colic.
Enjoy the Taste of Food
• Tasty food promotes mental satisfaction, strength, nourishment, enthusiasm, exhilaration, and happiness.
• Food that lacks taste produces opposite effects on body and mind.
Eat Fresh and Warm Food
• Food should ideally be consumed within one hour of preparation.
• Fresh, warm food enhances taste, stimulates digestive fire (Agni), promotes quick digestion, proper absorption, and supports healthy peristaltic movement.
Avoid Reheating Food
• Repeated reheating destroys essential nutrients.
• Such food only fills the stomach without providing nourishment and should be avoided for good health.
Do Not Eat Continuously or Repeatedly
• Continuous or frequent eating leads to indigestion, excessive thirst, body aches, fever, and diarrhea.
Avoid Eating Too Slowly
• Eating too leisurely may lead to dissatisfaction and overeating.
• Food becomes cold, resulting in delayed digestion.
Avoid Eating Too Fast
• Eating hurriedly may cause choking, improper placement of food, or injury.
• It also prevents proper appreciation of the food’s qualities.
Do Not Talk or Laugh While Eating
• One should eat mindfully, without talking, laughing, or distraction.
Post-Prandial Practices (After Eating)
• Food particles stuck between the teeth should be gently removed using a toothpick to prevent bad odor.
• After meals, sit comfortably until the fatigue of eating subsides.
• Walk about 100 feet slowly, then lie down on a bed preferably on the left side.
• Classical guidance suggests resting:
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8 breaths in supine position
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16 breaths on the right side
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32 breaths on the left side• Listening to soothing music, viewing pleasant scenes, or inhaling pleasing fragrances helps digestion and keeps the food settled in the stomach.
Contraindications After Eating
• Exposure to unpleasant sounds, sights, smells, tastes, or excessive laughter after meals may induce vomiting.
• Avoid immediately sitting or sleeping after eating.
• Avoid excessive intake of liquids post-meal.
• Avoid exposure to fire or direct sunlight.
• Avoid strenuous activities such as exercise, swimming, riding vehicles, or animals immediately after meals.
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