Diet means following a regimen to maintain health. But “Eating Less” is what people think, when the word diet strikes their mind. Ayurveda always suggest to eat in limit & not to eat less. We need to understand the difference between Less & Limit.

Ayurveda suggests following rules of diet to lead a healthy life:

1. Eating food after the previous food is digested.

2. Eating according to our appetite.

3. Consuming conducive & non-conducive food together must be avoided.

In Ayurveda Samhitas it is explained through Adhyashana, Vishamashana & Samashana, which must be avoided always. Knowing just the names is not enough, so here is the description about them:

1) Adhyashana: Eating before the previous food gets digested is called as Adhyashana. Lightness of abdomen & hunger indicates the digestion of previous food, we all are aware of this, but now a days we won’t observe those signs & consume food due to work stress. The person who does Adhyashana regularly, won’t get nourished either by previous food or by the latter.

Benefits- By avoiding Adhyashana one can prevent indigestion, gastritis (acidity), constipation, piles, irritable bowel syndrome etc.

2) Vishamashana: Eating less when we are too hungry, eating more when we have low appetite & when our appetite is normal eating excess food or very less is called as Vishamashana. The person who does Vishamashana regularly, will have low disease resisting power (low immunity).

Benefits- By avoiding Vishamashana, the flow of nourishment in the body is not disturbed & the person need not depend on vitamin supplements, calcium supplements, iron supplements etc.

3) Samashana: Eating conducive (pathya) & non-conducive (apathya) together is called as Samashana. “EVERY TIME, EVERYTHING IS NOT GOOD FOR EVERYONE”. Research says that Dark chocolate is good for heart. If a diabetic patient consumes dark chocolate everyday with meals then his D.M. symptoms never relieves due to sugar present in dark chocolate. Every food item is not conducive for everyone, so think before you eat/drink something regularly.

Benefits- One rotten mango kept with good mangoes rotten the good ones. Similarly non-conducive food converts conducive into non-conducive & increases its quantity. Avoiding Samashana helps to detoxify the body gradually & prevents skin diseases & other veneral disorders.

40% of our body depends on what we eat, how we eat & when we eat. Other factors will be explained in further Health articles.