MAHABAISHAJYA - The Superior Medicine
Ayurveda is a unique science that helps in improving the quality of your life. It believes not only in treating a disease but also “prevent” it. And this can be achieved by following simple dietary & lifestyle patterns as per your Dosha, Age, Seasons, and Environment. Ayurveda gives utmost importance to diet and is called “MAHABAISHAJYA” i.e food when taken correctly acts like a “superior medicine”. And it is rightly said that you are what you eat.
Ayurveda says each of you has a unique bodily constitution called Prakruti i.e nature of your own body. They are three, Vata, Pitta, and Kapha Prakruti as per the dominancy of Doshas. It is the ultimate factor that runs your mind and body. A person is healthy only when Doshas are in a balanced state otherwise it leads to multiple illnesses.
To have stable health, lustrous skin, strong immunity, and a disease-free body Ayurveda has a special dietary & lifestyle recommendation as per your Dosha or Prakruti. It gives you don’ts and dos for each Dosha type. So let’s see what it has to say about your Dosha type.
Vata Prakruti Regimen
Diet
- Eating Hot, sweet, salty, soft, oily & lubricating, heavy & slow-digesting foods are beneficial.
- Using herbs & spices like asafoetida, Carom seeds, dry ginger, turmeric, cumin in your food is the most suitable vata type.
- Vegetables and fruits recommended – spinach, fenugreek, amaranth, green beans, carrots, sweet potatoes, beetroot, okra, and sweets fruits like banana, mangoes, avocados, melons.
- Eat only when hungry, small portions at regular intervals, chew your food well, and always eat warm foods.
- Using olive oil or ghee in every food is highly recommended.
Avoid
- Refined sugars and cold drinks.
- Do not eat raw & dry foods.
- Decrease caffeine and other stimulants.
Lifestyle
- Go early to bed (ideal for all types) and get have a proper sleep.
- Regular oiling your body with medicated oils like MAHANARAYANA THAILAM or sesame oil before bath enhances the strength of your joints and helps balancing vata.
- Meditation & Yoga are best practices to control moving vata and improving focus.
- Light exercise, stretching, or simply walking can also be beneficial.
- Avoid late nights (strictly), heavy exercises, overthinking, and starving as it can lead to aggravated vata.
Ayurvedic Herbs Recommended For Vata Types
- Ashwagandha
- Guduchi
- Castor oil daily night 1 tsp
Seasonal Advice
- Special care should be taken during the winter and rainy seasons, as vata increases predominantly in this season leading to weakening of digestive and immune system, increased joint pain & stiffness.
- Ayurvedic therapies of Oiling, detoxification(virechana), and bastis are best for this season.
Pitta Prakruti Regimen
Diet
- Foods that are sweet, bitter, soothing, cooling are advised in the diet.
- Use spices like fennel, cinnamon, cardamom are Pitta balancing.
- All kinds of green leafy Vegetables zucchini, cabbage, squash, bitter guard, bottle guard, mint, coriander are beneficial. Sweets fruits like bananas, pears, melons can be taken in the morning.
- Milk, ghee, and buttermilk are your best friends.
Avoid
- Eating spicy food will increase heat and Pitta hence should be avoided
- Reduce chillies, garlic, onion in the food
- Avoid alcohol strictly.
- Salty, sour, citrus foods and fried items are not recommended
- Avoid eating late at night.
Lifestyle
- Go to bed before 10 pm.
- Taking shower with lukewarm water is advisable and not hot water. Can use coconut oil or sandalwood oil for body massage
- Meditation to control anger and keep the mind cool.
- Do not skip meals.
- Avoid Exposure to sunlight as the pitta type get tanned easily.
Ayurvedic Herbs Recommended For Pitta Type
- Manjistha
- Ushira
- Shatavari
Seasonal Care And Advice
- Special care during the summer season pitta also aggravates due to increased heat in the environment.
- Mild Detoxification or cleansing in the summer season is best for the pitta type.
Kapha Prakruti Regimen
Diet
- Prefer eating light, dry, warm, and easily digestible foods.
- Using herbs like black pepper, cayenne pepper, turmeric, ginger are best for Kapha types.
- Consuming whole grains like barley, jowar, bajra, and sprouts, vegetables like greens, artichokes, lettuce, asparagus, broccoli, radishes, peas, garlic, cabbage, peppers, onions, mushrooms, beetroot, celery are recommended.
- Eat only when hungry and light & large meals (duration not proportion). No snacking between the meals.
Avoid
- Red Meat, Cheese, butter and dairy, and anything that is fattening.
- Sugars, Cold food, and drinks.
Lifestyle
- Exercise makes the body active.
- Go for a morning and evening brisk walk.
- Fasting weekly is helpful.
- Consume daily food before 6 pm.
- Get up early by 6 am and avoid day sleeping as it hampers metabolism.
Ayurvedic Herbs Recommended For Kapha Types
- Guggul
- Yashtimadhu churna
- Vasa churna
- Tripala churna
Seasonal Care And Advice
- Kapha individuals suffer from health issues during the spring season causing low metabolism and low immunity.