Everyone should observe the following rules of food intake. Ayurved has explained ten rules for food intake and it is described in Charak Samhita.

1. Intake of food should be warm – Warm food is delicious after intake and it helps digestive fire to digest the food properly.
2. Intake of food should be unctuous – Slightly oily food gets disintegrated quickly and hence gets digested. This also helps in the downwards movement of It increases the smoothness in skin, strengthens the sense faculties, promotes strength and brings out the brighter of complexion.
3. Intake of food in proper quantity – Proper quantity of food promotes longevity without affecting vata, pitta and kapha. Food with a proper quantity easily passes downwards and gets digested without any difficulty.
4. Intake after digestion of previous meal – If the food is taken after the digestion of the previous food at a time when doshas are at their proper places and agni (digestive fire) is provoked, there is a good appetite, the entrances of the channels of circulation are open, there is unimpaired cardiac function, downward passage of vata and proper manifestation of the urges for voiding flatus, urine and stool, then such food promotes longevity. SO one should take food only when the previous meal is digested.

5. Intake of food having no contradictory potencies – Diseases caused by the intake of food having mutually contradictory potencies are kustha (skin disorders & diseases), weak eye sights etc. To avoid this one should take food giving no contradictory potencies.
6. Intake of food in proper place – If the food is taken at improper places and without the required accessories emotional stain will occur which may cause passion, anger, confusion, anxiety etc. This will naturally disturb the digestion. Hence it should be consumed at proper place.
7. Intake of food without hurry and worry – If food is taken too hurriedly, it does not get digested properly. This is very common reason for gastric disorders and obesity.
8. Intake of food, not too slow – One should not take food very slowly because this will not give satisfaction to the individual and he would take more than what is required. The food will become cold and there will be irregularity in the digestion.
9. Food should not be consumed while talking, laughing and watching TV. It should be taken with concentration.
10. One should eat after due consideration to himself.

Ayurved advise to consume balance diet according to your prakriti (body constitution).

Contribute by : Dr Kushagra Bendale

B.A.M.S., D.Y.A., G.D.M., M.B.A.

Certified & Registered Ayurvedic Practitioner in Australia

contact@ayurved-health.com.au

www.ayurved-health.com.au