AAHAARA VIDHI VIDHANA PROPER CODE AND CONDUCT OF FOOD INTAKE

proper code and conduct of food intake.

1. AAHARA VIDHI VIDHANA

2. TITLE AND CONTENT LAYOUT WITH LIST INTRODUCTION & CONCEPT OF AAHARA AAHAARA VIDHI VIDHANA DWADASHA ANNA VICHARA IMPACTS ON CURRENT SCENARIO CONCLUSION 7

3. INTRODUCTION आहार शुद्धौ सत्व शुद्धि: सत्व शुद्धौ ध्रुव: स्मृति: स्मृतिलम्भे सर्वग्रन्थिनां विप्रमोक्ष:॥ ( Chandogya Upanishad) In present era, diet and lifestyle are major factors thought to influence susceptibility to many diseases. Ayurveda places special emphasis on Ahara and believes that healthy nutrition nourishes the mind, body, and soul. According to Ayurveda the living human body and diseases that afflict it are both the product of Ahara . 8

4. AAHAARA आहार सम्भवम् वस्तु रोगश्च आहार सम्भव: हिताहित विशेषाश्च विशेषा: सुख दुखयो:॥ ( Cha.Su ) Ahara is said to be Mahabhaisajya by Acharya Kashyap. In other words, one is capable to make man disease free only with the food (congenial diet).One is not able to sustain life without diet even when endowed with medicine that is why the diet is said to be the great medicament by physician. 9

5. Ahara Vidhi plays vital for acquiring maximum beneficial effects of Ahara that describes method of preparation & consumption of food in most appropriate way; The concept of food processing specified on the basis of Ahara Varga . The consumption and digestive utilization of raw food stuff is very difficult therefore food processing is very important to acquire nutritious value of food. Ahara Vidhi also converts food into digestible form therefore it is very essential to process food appropriately before its consumption. The processing of food in specific forms (Ahara Vidhi) boost inherent qualities of Aharadravya , enhance palatability, offer favorable transformations of food, Aharadravya becomes free from toxins, improve 10

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7. Ahar vidhi vidhan described in our classics which are the foundation of dietetics. Which indicates the method of ahara , these are Ushna , Snigdha , Matravat , is consumed after the digestion of previously ingested food, Virya avirudha ahara , Is to be taken into Iste Deshe where it is provided with Ista sarvopakarana , Not to be taken speedily, Not to be takentoo slowly, Taken without taking with others, taken without laughing, Taken with the concentration of the mind. 12

8. USHNAM ASHNEEYAAT If ones taking hot food feel of proper taste, stimulate the Agni(Digestive power), Vatanulomana and Reduction of Kapha are achieved. The specific sequence of Ahara Vidhi Vidhan is practically very important. Besides the whole meal being Ushna , it must begin with Ushna anna , so that profuse flow of saliva and gastric juices are achieved for the next food items. Ayurveda also recommends that you drink your water warm, as cold water can weaken your Agni. If cooked food left for long time and taken causes Aruchi (loss of taste), Agnimandhya (weak digestive power), vistamba , Romaharsha (Horripilation), Stambana (stiffness) etc. The virus that causes COVID-19 can be killed at temperatures similar to that of other known viruses and bacteria found in food. Foods such as meat, poultry and eggs should always be thoroughly cooked to at least 70°C. Before cooking, raw animal products should be handled with care to avoid cross-contamination with cooked foods. 13

9. SNIGDHAM ASHNEEYAAT Over the last 30 years, the literature has described a definitive role of fat in immunity. Saturated fatty acids act on Toll-like receptor 4, a sensor that binds bacterial lipopolysaccharide and thus acts in the innate immune response. As a result, a high intake of saturated fatty acids favors low-grade inflammation. On the other hand, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids are known for their favorable immune-modulatory action. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids present in seafood, algal oil, marine fish, and flaxseed support the immune system by activating cells from both the innate and the adaptive immune systems, while omega-9 monounsaturated fatty acids found in olive, sunflower, and safflower oils and nuts have antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antiviral effects. 14

10. MAATRAAVAT ASHNEEYAAT It means one should eat adequate amount. For proper maintenance of positive health one should eat in proper quantity. The quantity of food to be taken again depends upon the power of digestion. The amount of food which, without disturbing the equilibrium of doshas and dhatus of the body, gets digested as well as metabolized in proper time, is to be regarded as the proper time. It should not be eaten in excess or in less amounts. Such food maintains physiological level of dosha vata , pitta, and kapha . It passes excreta smoothly, and digestion will be perfect. 15

11. JEERNE ASHNEEYAAT One should eat when the previous meal is digested because, during indigestion, the eaten food mixing the product of the earlier meal with that of the later one vitiates all the doshas quickly. On the contrary, when one eats after the previous meal is situated in their own location, agni is stimulated, appetite arose, the entrance of the channels are opened, the heart is normal, flatus passes down and urges of flatus, urine and faeces are attended to. The eaten food promotes the life span, without affecting any dhatu . By taking food during incomplete indigestion i.e. Adhyasan , it vitiates the agni (Sharma, 2014), due to vitiation of agni , the digestion gets hampered and production of Aamarasa , which acts as a poison for our body and creates lots of problems. 16

12. VEERYA AVIRUDHAM Virya (Potency) is the power of substance by which action takes place. The opposite strong qualities should be avoided to eat together. Eat those food which are not antagonist in virya .Such opposite quality of food generate various diseases. 17

13. ISHTA DESHA BHOJANA One should eat in a favourable place with favourable accessories. While eating in a favourable place, one does not fall victim to psychic disturbances. The meal should be taken in proper places with a proper utensil, the absence of both can create stress, which activates the ‘Flight or Fight’ response in the central nervous system and shuts down the blood flow, affects the digestive muscle and decreases the secretion needed for digestion. It can also cause spasm, and stress that can finally cause diarrhoea or constipation. 18

14. NA ATIDRUTAM ASHNEEYAAT One should not eat fast because by eating fast, the food may enter into the wrong passage. The meal should be taken at a proper speed so that all the enzymatic secretion should mix with the food for their proper digestion. Taking too speedy food can cause respiratory tract infection by choking it. It can also cause other diseases such as GERD (gastro- oesophagal reflux disease). If food is taken in proper speed, enzymatic juices mix properly so food gets easily digested. The brain takes about 20 minutes to recognize that the stomach is full. So, eating with optimum speed prevents overeating and slowly taking of food improves appetite regulation, prevents overeating, decreases the food consumption, and well-absorbs essential nutrients. 19

15. NA ATHI VILAMBITHAM One should not eat very slowly. If one eats very slowly, does not get satiety hence eats more and food gets cold. All these factors hamper Agni and the food is not digested propely . So one should not eat very slowly. Kalpan et al produced that over eating can cause obesity whichis developed by over eating. 20

16. AJALPANA, AHASANA One should not talk or laugh while eating. This vitiates the doshas . If one talks or laughs while eating is liable to suffer from the same disorders as the one who eats too fast. In this most important is that food is eaten with full of concentration .This is the reason one should not talk or laugh while eating. 21

17. AATMANAM ABHI SAMEEKSHYA Diet should be taken according to satmya, prakriti, and agnibala . It should be taken according to self-energy and nutrient requirement as in case of pregnancy, child labour, intellectual, old or sick people. Older people have a small appetite but needs nutritious food. 22

18. DWADASHA ANNA VICHARA (SUSRUTHA) 23

19. CONTINUED….. 24

20. EATING HABITS OF PRESENT AGE The eating habits and lifestyle of the present time, particularly of the young generation, are not good in view of health. A man eats many times even he is not hungry enough. Many times imbalanced diet and overeating are very common issues. Although there should be a meal when a previous meal is digested but, in the present time, a man also eats soon after a meal. There are also issues of too heavy or too light foods which are consumed without concentration. Use of cold drinks, chilled water, spicy, preserved and junk foods is also a matter of serious concern. Many health issues also arise due to speedy and emotional eating mostly in teenagers whereas not avoiding eating food in constipation. Modern food taking rules, regulation like taking a high amount of sodium, hydrogenated fats, and refined sugar causes a lot of lifestyle disorder like hypertension, diabetes mellitus and kidney related diseases 25

21. 1)Eating when not hungry 2)Eating soon after meal 3)Eating at the wrong time of the day 4)Eating incomplete food combinations 5)Overeating 6)Eating too much heavy too little light food 7)Eating hurriedly 8)Emotional eating 9)Eating food one cannot digest 10)Eating when constipated 11)Drinking cold or chilled water, especially during meal 12)Too much water or no water at all during a meal 13)Preserved and stale food 14)Frozen food 15)Too spicy, sour, salty food 26

22. FOOD FOR IMMUNITY Adequate and appropriate nutrition is required for all cells to function optimally and this includes the cells in the immune system. An “activated” immune system further increases the demand for energy during periods of infection, with greater basal energy expenditure during fever for example. Thus, optimal nutrition for the best immunological outcomes would be nutrition, which supports the functions of immune cells allowing them to initiate effective responses against pathogens but also to resolve the response rapidly when necessary and to avoid any underlying chronic inflammation. Hence the type of food we consume influences qualities of life. It may impact directly or indirectly upon immune cells causing changes in their function or may exert effects via changes in the gut microbiome. A better understanding of the role of nutrients in immune function will facilitate the use of bespoke nutrition to improve human health. 27

23. CONCLUSION DEHO HI AAHAARA SAMBHAVAH: Human body is said to be the by-product of food. Diet and method of food intake has an important role in maintaining of health and prevention of diseases. In today’s fast life we are more interested in eating tasty food materials and we are not following proper dietary habits and following wrong food habits which all are the primary causes for health disorders. Ahara vidhi vidhanas are method of eating which is equally important as food. Health is mainly depending upon food and right way of taking food. Proper food will maintain health and treat the various health disorders and that’s why food is called as Mahabhaishajya . An ideal food not only nourishes the body, but also nourishes the mind. Hence the type of food we consume influences qualities of life. 28