Dr.T.Thirunarayanan

'The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet and in the cause and prevention of disease.' -Thomas Edison.

AAHARA Food, Nutrient According to Charaka ‘ Food sustains the life of living beings and due to this all creatures are inclined towards it. Complexion, Clarity, Good voice, Longevity Genius, Happiness, Satisfaction, Nourishment, Strength and intellect are all conditioned by Food. Man of wholesome diet and control habits survived for nights, in a disease free state blessed by noble mind Chapter -27 Verse

Parampariya Aahara “A traditional food product is a product frequently consumed or associated with specific celebrations and/or seasons; normally transmitted from one generation to another; made accurately (made with care) in a specific way according to the gastronomic heritage; with little or no processing/manipulation; distinguished and known because of its sensory properties and associated with a certain local area, region or country.” Guerrero et al. (2009) Appetite

Perceptions about Traditional Food Old fashioned People with lot of time Housewives Diseased person Rural Residents Native Food lovers Cannot adjust to cross country cultures Cheaper food users

In reality People who are health conscious Better understanding of Nature – regional seasonal variations Care for family and society Users of Local resources – self- dependant Brisk and active- Better time plan

Care for Traditional values

Current understanding of Nutrition Modern society understand food in terms of Carb, Protein, Fat, Vitamins, Minerals and water Food evaluated with Lab/material values. Unit of measure is energy- calorie Only recently time taken to provide the calorie is being evaluated – Rate of absorption Bio-availability. Food which contain same amount of Carb may provide energy differently.(Smart Carbs)

Traditional Understanding of Food Gives importance to Intelligence value of food. Measure Primary taste, secondary taste, Hot-cold potency, Heavy-light, aroma, Unique character Food according to geography and season, age, work, prakruti. Status of digestive fire- Jatarakni, determines food.

Nature and Taste The Property of food is determined by the Six tastes These tastes are determined by the combination of five elements in turn determines the Life constituents – Vaatha, Pita and Kapha.

Properties of Food Rasa -Taste -Sweet,Sour, Astringent, Pungent, Salt, Bitter Guna-Property -Light, Heavy, Sharp, Bulk Virya-Potency -Hot. Cold Vibhaka -After taste, Sweet, Sour, Pungent Prabhava -Specific action

Formation of Tastes Sweet - Earth + Water Sour - Earth + Fire Astringent - Earth + Air Pungent- Fire + Air Salt -Water + Fire Bitter-Air + Space

Understanding the elements Earth represents the solid state of matter. It manifests stability, permanence, and rigidity. In our body, the parts such as bones, teeth, cells, and tissues are manifestations of the earth. Grains, Cereals, Tubers and Vegetables, Fruits Water represents the liquid state. A large part of the human body is made up of water. Our blood, lymph, and other fluids move between our cells and through our vessels, bringing energy, carrying away wastes, regulating temperature, bringing disease fighters – Water, Milk, Juices, Honey, Wine, buttermilk, curd, tender coconut water

Fire bind the atoms together. Fire transforms food into energy. It creates the impulses of nervous reactions, our feelings, and even our thought processes. – Spices like pepper, red pepper, tamarind, salt Air is the gaseous form of matter which is mobile and dynamic. Within the body, air is the basis for all energy transfer reactions.- legumes astringent veges like unripe plantain, banana flower, guava and tea – Bitter gourd and other gourds Ether is the space in which everything happens. It is the field that is simultaneously the source of all matter and the space in which it exists. – Bitter gourd and other gourds

Potency- Veerya Pungent, Salt, Sour - Hot Sweet,Astringent,Bitter -Cold

After Taste Sweet & Salt - Sweet Sour - Sour Astringent, Bitter, Pungent - Pungent

Trinity of Life VATA- AIR + ETHER- Governs breathing, blinking of the eyelids, movements in the muscles and tissues, pulsation in the heart, all expansion and contraction, PITA - FIRE- Governs digestion, absorption, assimilation, nutrition, metabolism, body temperature, skin coloration, the luster of the eyes, intelligence, and understanding. Psychologically, pitta arouses anger, hate and jealousy KAPHA – EARTH+WATER- cements the elements in the body, providing the material for physical structure. Kapha maintains body resistance.

How to identify food according to Trinity of Life If it loses water, dries out, crack opens, porous, hard and rough it is vatha. If it is brightly colored, shiny, light weight, spicy, salty and sour it is pita If food retains its moisture and resist disintegration it is likely to increase kapha

Taste & Trinity TasteIncreasesDecreases SweetKaphaPitha, Vatha SourKapha, PithaVatha SaltyKapha, PithaVatha PungentPitha, VathaKapha BitterVathaPitha, Kapha AstringentVathaPitha, Kapha

How to identify food according to Trinity of Life Vaatha food – Dry, light, rough Astringent and bitter – Tubers, beans, legumes, unripe plantain Pita food- Hot Spicy, pungent, oily, light, Sour and salty, Red pepper, Ginger, Tamarind Kapha food- Cold, heavy, liquid, sweet – Milk, Banana fruit, curd, Grains If food retains its moisture and resist disintegration it is likely to increase kapha.

Understanding the main course – Grains and cereals Flours – Tend to increase body weight, Kapha nature, Nourishes Flattening of Grains- Corn flakes, rice flakes, Puffed rice – Lightens the body- vatha in nature

Art of eating Activity of our body depends on the position of the sun movement Breakfast should be light like porridge, gruel,and fruits. Kapha types of person can have a light breakfast Our digestion power is strong in the afternoon and a proper diet with vegetables combined with six taste is advisable. Dinner should be easily digestible boiled,steamed food, Unfortunately we eat heavy- partying or even during normal days due to changing work culture.

Season, Age and Trinity dominance Mid July to Mid Sept, Mid Sept- Nov – Vatha Nov to March – Kapha March to- Mid July- Pitha Childhood to Young adult – Vatha Middle age – Pitha Elderly – Kapha First four hours from sun rise vatha Am to 2.00 P.M – Pitha 2.00 PM to 6.00 PMEvening – Kapha

Art of eating Each food item is eaten in a particular order to bring down increased dosha and balance the three humors. When one is very hungry, the vaatha is upset and causes hunger pangs. Eating paruppu saadaham (rice and dal) or pongal with ghee increases kapha and soothes vaatham. Ghee and a course of vegetable and curry will increase pitha. This helps in digestion. The final round usually contains some soothing buttermilk which reduces pita but increases vaatha.

Art of eating Sweet first Sour and Mild salt, Pungent Bitter and astringent Usually we take fruits and sweets after food which causes putrefaction of food.

Quantity and time of eating One should eat only after the food taken early is properly digested. One should not eat based on the time of the clock, but by the biological clock when it indicates hunger. Stale food should not be eaten and only freshly prepared food should be taken. Quantity should depend on the digestive fire which is determined by the individual’s age, physical and mental activity, season of the year etc.

Classification of food The foods are also classified according to the gunas – Satwa, Rajas, Thamasic The non-vegetarian food destroys the Satwa guna and promotes Rajas character. Vegetarian food promotes the Satwa character. The food which is not easily digestible like Erumai thayir (buffalo curd) causes Thamas guna to individual. Certain foods and activities increase or decrease the strength of the body immediately. For example milk, tender coconut water and meat soup gives instant strength.

Food Classification

Food for different season Summer - Pita neutralizing food- More of water, Juices, melons, sweet, cold potency food to be taken, Salty, Pungent, Sour food to be avoided Rainy season- Spicy food and snacks could be consumed during monsoon, Warm food and Herbal teas which have gentle pungency is preferred. Winter- Rice with Dhal and Ghee, Pongal. Heavy food with tubers. Moist food to be avoided

Thank you Centre for Traditional Medicine & Research 4A, 4 th Cross Street Mahalakshmi Nagar Adambakkam Chennai Ph : Mobile :