I
am the food, I am the eater of food, I eat the eater of the food,
I consume the entire universe. My light is like the Sun.
----Taittiriya Upanishad II.69
Dietary Therapy
HHerbal therapy requires the additional support of a proper diet to
be effective. Diet can enhance, or counter, the effect of herbs. Generally,
an unhealthy diet will either neutralize or greatly limit the effect
of the right herbs.
Herbs
and foods both involve taste, energy, elements and humors. Herbs provide
subtle nutrition; foods provide more gross or substantial nourishment.
Diet
can prove to be an effective treatment in itself. Though dietary results
are slower to manifest, over a period of time they are as important
as those of herbs. Dietary treatment is usually the safest therapy
and can be used by it when herbal knowledge may not be adequate for
proper prescription. Diet is essential for effective self-care.
Unhealthy
dietary habits are the main cause of diseases. Hence, in correcting
the diet, we not only add to the power of healing herbs, but also
eliminate one of the fundamental causes of the condition. In its constitutional
approach, Ayurveda emphasizes on a correct diet.
Ayurveda
is concerned primarily with the energy of food as a means of balancing
the biological humors. It is not as concerned with the specific nutritional
requirements, the actual mineral, vitamin and chemical content of
food. From its view there is no standard diet for everyone, or any
minimum daily requirements. Its concern is that the food we take in,
and the manner in which we take it, is in harmony with our nature.
As such, the primary classification of food is according to the humors,
the different food types work on. This affords us a simple yet comprehensive
understanding of what is good for us and why.
