Foods that should not go together

Ayurvedic view of understanding every object and subject is holistic. I had a senior friend of mine in Bangalore who did his PhD in Dravyaguna  (Study of medicinal herbs). When I aproach him with any queries on a unidentified medicinal plant he would start in this manner: This world is Panchbhoutik (made up of five basic elements). This plant, because it is born in this material world is also Panchbhoutik!

Whenever I approach him for any queries, he would speak in the same manner. I used to feel awkward! I am asking a direct question. Why this professor is messing up the topic with basic principles?  But I used to keep quite myself and pretend to listen to what he says.

Then he continues. This pant is derived from this family and so and so. This plant is more sweet in (Rasa)taste, heavy in (Guna) quality, Cold in  (Veerya) potency and its after digestion effect (Vipaka) is sweet.

Then he come back to the panchabhoutik theory (five elements theory) and explain why this plant cures these diseases etc with the elements of panchabhoutic composition.

Every part and particle in the world has some or other medicinal value! - Acharya Charak. That may be of botanical origin or mineral. Animal origin or something else.

We can understand a whole picture of the verse of acharya and adopt the principle in every steps we take in the preparation of our food and combining food articles during the preparation and consuming.  As per ayurveda, action of any edible matter is depending on these five general properties. They are Rasa- Taste, Guna- quality, Veerya- Energy, Vipaka- Post digestive effect and the last one is Prabhava - Unexplained effect, whereas the last one is subjective.

When the various foods which possess opposite qualities combine together and go through the digestive process, Agni - the digestive factor gets diminished or suppressed. This phenomenon leads to development of toxins in the form of Aama. Though different incompatible food can also be digested easily in people with strong digestive factor, the strength of Agni in them is not constant and there are various factors around which may hamper anyone's Agni and leading to the production of toxins at different stages. This improper combination will undergo abnormal digestion producing fermented juices in the stomach leading slowly to purification and production of gas. When this imroper combination is continued, back to back production of Ama-Digestive toxins will take place and finally the man will be sick.

In this modern era, we find the digestive biscuits and indigestion pills are available on same shelves of a supermarket. But, if one dont understand the properties of food article that we combine in our daily food and continues to consume improper combinations everyday with taking digestive pills, what is the use? It is like keeping a tender plant under bright summer sunlight and watering its leaves throughout the day!

For example, Let us order a strawberry milkshake. Put the ingredients as simple, cold milk, sugar and refrigerated berries. Consider the properties of each. Milk is heavy in quality. Sugar and berries are light. Milk and sugar are sweet but berries have sweet and sour taste. After effect, the vipaka of milk is sweet but of berries would be Sour. Because of Amla vipaka, sour - post digestive effect, berries possess heat but milk will be cold! This combination may produce toxins in the form of Ama, leading to allergic rteactions.  Now how do you feel this combination would be good? World's most famous and lovely milkshake is found to be an incompatible production now!

Similarly papaya milkshakes are more worst! Eating liquid Jaggery with drinking sugar cane juice is again an another big story. Liquid jaggery is laxative and sugarcane juice is a diuretic!

Let us follow some simple guides and rules that will simplify the concept of improper combination. It may look quite difficult to understand the subject with the background of basic principles. But nothing is difficult when you understand the concepts on some basic rules. These following rules will slowly enlighten your knowledge on the subject as you feel the food articles that you eat and taste, give time to think what you eat and what the food tastes.

Facts to consider when combining food:

Agni: Good digestive fire can combat the possible bad effect of improper food combination. Agni must be protected well in order to face the probable complications of bad food combination.

Time and season: Seasons and different time of a day has effect on digestive system via increasing or decreasing agni.

Spices and herbs: Ayurveda cooking promotes in the perfect balanc of spices and herbs in food. The properties of herbs and spices helps in alleviating the toxins of incompatible combinations of food. For example, Cumin and ginger in heav food.

Oka Satmya: Nothing is universal. Bad habbits of eating, like everyday potato or meat may be accustomed to few people's digestive system. It may be not advised to continue such practices, but as per the general rule: this is bad, the bad effect of a particular bad combination or habit may not be so bad in the people with such practice. Its all about training the system. We see people can be very easily migrate from non-vegetarianism to vegetarianism. But it is difficult for a vegetarian to become non-vegetarian in middle age.

Not everyday: Again bad combination is subjective. here and there in forced  party sharties, bad combinations of food will happen. No choice. But the same practice everyday is not advisable.

Certian examples for - Not good combination:

1 Fruits: Generally fruit salad would be a bad idea. banana has different post digestive effect than Mango's. Berries are different in in properties than Cherries. It is generally adviced to have fruits individually. In casse of mixing different fruits making salads, adding cinnamon powder may alleviate the post digestive toxins.
2.Honey: Must not be heated. And must not be mixed in equal quantity with butter ghee.
3.Milk: with banana and citric fruits. with meat, fish.
4. Yogurt: with other diary products.


There are hundreds of example can be made on the qualities of different foods considered. But it will be very wise if one understand the basic principles of the practically advised concept of -Viruddhaahaara - Improper combination of food, as discussed in the beginning of this article.

Healthy eating: Simple eating habits as per Ayurveda will help you live longer

Anyone who believes that anything can be suited to anyone is a great fool,  because medicine is practiced not on mankind in general, but on every individual in particular.
-Henri De Mondeville (Father of French surgery, 1260-1316)

Good eating habits may take a while to adopt and cultivate once you decide to. But the amazing response that the body shows after the adoption of good eating habit will make you free from the regular discomfort and there is no chance of giving up it unless you are so careless about your health. Also there will be an urge towards continuous curiosity about health conscious diet. 

It is clear with all developed research studies that the food that we eat has its effect almost on every part of our body including nails, skin and even hairs. Healthy eating habit prolongs our life by providing the systems and organs of our body the fuel they need to sustain capability to attain longevity. 

On a fine note, when what we eat is healthy, do we need medicine? If you go and see the root, nature knows what its children needs to live. Ask your nature, see what she is producing on what season and cultivate the habit of eating seasonal vegetables and fruits to eat. It may not good to lunfollow the nature's rules. Remember, we are part of nature. 

Ayurvedic dietary habit:

An Ayurvedic dietary habit that has been around from last 5000 years and more will be useful to those trying to make dietary changes without doing extensive research on types of food that provide important minerals and vitamins.

Ayurveda plans a diet in different way. Persons having same height, weight, BMI will have different body types accoriding to ayurevda. No individual is alike completely with another. So called Hi tech life of modern era cant has no answers for plenty of newly coming up diseases. Too many idiopaths! 
1) Prakriti, which is the body type and which decides what all about an individual journey of life with health or illness.
2) Intensity of digestive power, which is called as Agni in Ayurveda.
3) Time factor, which can be considered in different perspectives like, time taken for digestion, time of the day, time in season, etc.
 The above said three factors play major role in the digestive process according to Ayurvedic view.

Simple rules to adopt:

1. Hot and fresh : Warm and fresh food are easily digestible and has natural taste. Avoid eating cooked food that has been stored in refrigerators.
2. Quantity: One should consume proper quantity as per digestive power. Always consider, stomach must be filled in three major inputs, food, water and air. Which means, eat one third of your stomach capacity. Drink one third and leave one third. which clearly says, the digestion and mix up of food with digestive juices inside stomach will produce a litle gas as well which must not burp up. Over eating increases burden on body organs to function normally. Over pressure in the stomach, discomfort in stomach, flanks and chest suggests you are over eating.
3. Right Time: Ayurveda says the meal must be taken after the previous meal is digested. Frequent meal will interrupt normal complete digestion which may cause to stuck some undigested material on process of digestion. Having meals in proper time will help tyo prevent imbalance of doshas especially of digestive tract.
4. Right place: Your eating place must be clean and calm. Proper position is important. Should not eat in awkward positions like sitting in deep cushioned couch, lying down on bed, walking and eating, driving and eating, involving in some serious activities like talking loudly on the table in group, talking on phone, watching television or computer. 
5. Incompatible foods:  Certian foods must not be taken or consumed together which increases toxins in the body when taken together.  Some of the foods listed are,  Diary products and meat, Salty food with milk, Fish with yogurt or milk, Milk and yogurt in excess, Ice cream and yogurt in night, Non-season food. This topic will be discussed in detail soon as it needs a big attention.
6. Take your time: Dont rush to eat. system has its own rule in doing everything. One can not   download a one gig file in just ten seconds on any modern device. It is rule. Human digestive   system has also certain time that it takes to undergo a complete digestion. Dont be too lazy         while eating too. 
7. Eat only when you are hungry: One should understand the body needs. It is unfortunate that we listen to our motor car sounds than our own body system's. We rush to our mechanic                  immediately if any wrong sounds break the harmony of our driving. But what about our body.  Listening to our body is an art. One who get the art can achieve long life. Nothing is gifted for  nothing.
8.  Drinking water during the meals: Should not drink water immediately after the meals. The         food is mixing up with the digestive juice which must be little acidic. Pouring water on top of   the food may neutralize the pH which delays the digestion or may interrupt the digestion.

Dont Live To Eat.

Time to get up from the bed: Ambrosial hours, As per Ayurveda

Early morning has gold in its mouth!

-Benjamin Franklin.

The most wonderful gift that ever given by ayurveda to this world is Dinacharya, which means healthy daily regimen. It is all bout the best possible way of leading life with minimal changes, which focus on balancing daily activities. Controlling bad habits, adopting the good ones, maintaing the good ones and uplifting quality of life completely is the main focus of Dinacharya. Of course the daily activity starts with waking up in the morning, let us discuss about waking up in the ambrosial hours: Brahmi muhurta.

Famous Indian kannada poet Bendre says,

"Morning is not just the sunrise."

One can only understand the predawn period and feel the divine activities of the surrounding by nothing but getting up in the period, wash eyes and stand in the terrace facing east. Now one understands why the feeling of sunrise is always stands immortal. what exactly lies behind the sunrise. is that which happens before the sunrise is just simple routine of planetary movements? No. The curiosity of thousands of poets, painters, artists and musicians towards the sunrise is an everlasting thirst. Sunrise is itself an amazing activity in this universe to witness and is evergreen, different everyday.

Discovering the early light of the day is something which makes to discover self. Acharya Vagbhata, Ayurvedic saint says in the treatise Ashtanga Hrudaya: "A healthy person should get up from bed in Brahmi muhurta, to protect his life!"

 

The great sage mentions that a healthy person should wake up on time, which means people who are not supposed to wake up are those who are suffering from the diseases of Vata and Kapha or people who are sick, who needs some more stretched sleeping hours.

Brahmi Muhurta or Ambrosial hours for self realisation

That which is related to brahma (knowledge) is called Brahmi.Muhurta is the time.  As the commentator of Ashtanga sangraha, Arunadatta in his commentary Sarvanga sundara disusses about the exact time of brahmi muhurta, it is more precisely ninety six mins or one and a half hours before the dawn.  

One may picturise the brahmi muhurta as the period before one and a half hours of sunrise when the sky has a rosy red hue, a few stars may also be visible.  

Why early morning or why Brahmi muhurta?

Health in ayurveda mainly revolves around the principle of tridosha. Three biological forces, Vata, pitta and Kapha are the responsible pillars to sustain and maintain the body when they are functioning in normalcy and destroy the body when they are abnormal. Among these three forces, Vata being principle component of Air and space, maintains the body as the thousands of galaxies in Space. In this universe, every small movement has a law of special force of Brahma. here brahma can be translated as the supreme knowledge.

In the universe, early morning is dominated by vata. As Acharya Charaka says, " "Vaayustantrayantradharah", which means vata or vayu is the principle force which controls the living being and the mechanism of living being. 

When the theory is applied to the universe. air and space are the main forces with which, of which the known and unknown galaxies are existed. 

All the material and immaterial things in the body is in the universe and vice versa- Acharya Charaka.

The universe is dominated by all the tree doshas one after the other on specific periods as the time and space is concerned.

In a day, Kapha is dominated in the morning, Pitta in the mid day and vata is the evening. In a night, Kapha en the early night, Pitta in midnight and Vata in late night or in the pre dawn period. Activities like, evacuation of bowel, physical exercises, studying, practicing any special thing which require everyday practice, like practicing a musical instrument etc can be performed very well during the Vata period, that is before sunrise in Brahmi Muhurta. 

Undisturbed state of vata which is found during this period is the best period of a twenty four hours day and night cycle for all the practices which require everyday attention. To learn and realise subtler aspect of  philosophies and spiritual growth of life, this is the period considered as the best.

Getting after sunrise imbalances Kapha dosha in the body. As the period after sunrise is dominated by kapha in the universe, starting the biological activity during which is not at all good and increases mucus activity in the body. This can be observed physically as an increased tendency to get respiratory infections and congestions,indigestion and incomplete bowel evacuation leading to the deposition of toxins deep in the body. The whole day will be lethargic, dull and stressful with fatigue.

Because this ambrosial period is of vata dominated, a high level of Prana (vital life energy) which is none other than the Vata itself in another form which is necessary for the body to perform in its best is adequately present in the atmosphere. The activity of the entire world, especialy of the living beings are yet to be started, the pollution is at its minimum. The cheerful atmosphere has a considerable effect on body and mind.

Ayurveda gives a deep thought on the daily routine, which when followed properly aligns the chakras which makes one to express the best of the best. The daily routine starts in the morning. When one starts the day in Brahmi muhurta, can achive the best not only in the day, but in the life on a regular practice.

 Tuning our biological clock into the daily sunset and sunrise schedule is the best way to reverse aging process. Opening the eyes and staring the life of a day in Brahmi Muhurta puts us in perfect synchronized manner with the natural clock. 

This microcosm, that the individual when responds properly to the law of macrocosm, will unfold the secret story of successful healthy life.

Famous Sanskrit poet, Kalidasa says :Shareeramaadyam khalu dharmasaadhanam? which means the body is the tool to achieve whatever we set in our life as dharma.

To keep the body updated with the newer versions of goals, one really need a healthy mechanism that runs inside and directs the correct path. The activity of the universe which is real but unreal is because of the exhibition of Rajas and Tamas, which are two doshas of Manas, the universal mind. This universal mind is none other than Satva itself. If one looking forward to understand the real activity of this massive microcosm, Brahmi muhurta is the perfect period to begin with, where the peace never ends in the form of Satva.

So, one should start the day with this auspicious feeling of supreme lightness, to achieve the best possibilities of individuality. Wake up and see once! It is really difficult to say no to the rising east when you witness once the glorious golden sky.

 

Naada Yoga; A new dimension for the Raaga based music therapy

Music therapy with Sitar

Looking in a different angle, taking the advantage of being Ayurveda doctor and Indian classical musician, I designed music therapy to free one’s mind from the daily stress of the modern world.

The musical instrument used is Sitar, and its strings will unbind one's mind to relieve stress and related issues. A the history of music therapy and Indian raga therapies proved its benefits in many psychosomatic disorders, meditations with sitar help in such conditions where medicine needs to depend on the shoulder of an alternative practice.

Music therapy promotes general inner wellbeing and helps in increasing spiritual awareness for most of the people.

How unique is music therapy

With the everyday stress and worries of the modern day life, we are all victims of its side effects. I am trying to present this innovative form of Yoga. It involves Deep Meditation with the focus on Live rendition of different "Raagas - moods" on Sitar, a well known Indian Classical Instrument. 

It is proved with all the researches done by modern scientific societies that different Raagas have their effect on treating different psychological and psychosomatic conditions. It is also proved scientifically that every Raaga has its own subtle effect on the conscious of the living beings in the universe around. Thus music therapy is getting its academic importance day by day from the past century. 

But apart from its academic plot, Indian classical music has a structure-less divine form, where countless musicians worked like saints, worshiped and liberated from this material world. Soofism, various bhakti panths, are all philosophies of a beautiful musical journey of life.

But in instrumental classical music, there are no verbal communication between the performer and the listener. There is only purest form of music which are the combination of 7 swaras-notes. They have their direct effect on sapta chakras of the body.

There is no single piece knowledge in this world which is not gifted by the ancient sages of Indian civilization.  Seven basic notes of Indian classic musichave their origin in Veda mantras and Yoga is the the conjunction of human spirit with the supreme soul. So the supreme Nadayoga!

Raagas and chakras

Ragas of Indian classical music are though designed basically to express different emotions, ultimately the action that takes place inside is by helping to activate specific chakras, which allows the Kundalini energy to rise easily and energize and nourish the chakra. The raga also influences the chakra to maintain its optimum spin and balance, ensuring a balanced energy supply to different organs that are connected to the specific chakra.

If we consider some of the examples that we find from the works of research scholars around;

The raga Gurjari Todi, has a capacity to cool down the Liver. This raga and the raga Yaman help activate the Swadishthan chakra that governs our attention. Both ragas help focus wandering or wavering attention, which is crucial for effective meditation. These ragas also develop the quality of the Fire Element and make our personality creative, balanced, closely attentive and spiritual.

The ragas Bhairav and Durga have a power of Divine bliss and protection. Both help activate the Anahat chakra. When the Kundalini touches the heart chakra,  Raga Bhairav activates spirituality in the person. Raga Durga boosts self-confidence and helps develop the quality of the air element. These ragas also enhance the Divinity and Immunity in children. 

The Raga Jaijaiwanti helps activate the Vishuddhi chakra, the controller of the sensory organs. This raga also develops the quality of the ether element and the expression of voice, and helps make one's personality loving and sweet.

The Raga Bhup (Mohanam in Carnatic) helps purify and open the Agnya chakra. It helps relieve tensions, anger and mental fatigue. The mood created by this Raga helps the Kundalini pass through the Agnya chakra and enter the Sahasrara in the limbic area of the brain. This causes the person to reach a state of thoughtless awareness and has a tremendous impact on our ability to forgive.

Ragas Darbari (Darbari Kaanada in Carnatic) and Bhairavi (Sindhu Bhairavi in Carnatic) are helpful in prolonging the state of meditation and thoughtless awareness. The notes of these ragas help relax and calm the emotionally-related limbic area. The Kundalini energy then soothes and nourishes the Sahasrara chakra and the brain. The result is that one feels, joyous, energetic, peaceful and relieved of tension and depression. Aspirants of yoga also enjoy the sensation of a cool breeze on the finger tips and achieves the state of Self-Realization or enlightenment."

Indian system of music makes such a great connection between the microcosm and macrocosm where the great secrecy of ultimate nature unbinds on its own on a regular deep saadhana or riyaz or practice. If one listens properly, the whole world has a lay and swar. Different swaras signifies different nature of activities around. Midnight’s mood has a different laya, mid-day has another and a morning may differ in its laya.

Being one with the universe and enjoying the Devine association of inner being is the ultimate goal of any form of Yoga, and thus Naada Yoga.

Importance of proper bowel evacuation in day to day life.

Every little movement has a meaning all its own.

-Otto Harbach

Dinacharya in Ayurveda emphasizes on evacuation of bowels every morning. Thats all. But whys do we consider evacuating bowels in the morning? What happens if we don’t evacuate in the morning, if we skip it or if we neglect about.

You may thing it is not an important thing as you keep your time to reach your office or attend to your meating.

It is your day that begins with the waste management. It is your day which begins with the order of nature and the day begin like that has a huge lightness, physically and psychologically.

Why waste management?

Ayurveda strongly proposes its theories with the relation between microcosm and macrocosm. During night, the active principle in nature is moon and the body metabolism during the night concentrates much on nurturing, lubricating and cooling the organs. This process will also end up with some little wastes in the form of urine and stool which must be eliminated in the morning. If someone don’t pass stool in the morning carries the waste of last night night throughout the day. Day where solar energy is predominant, because of the nature of solar energy; waste deposited in the rectum gets dried up resulting in constipation or improperly formed stool.  The toxins that the body wanted to get rid of will be released again into the system. Seat of Apana vata( a type of vata seated in lower abdomen which helps to eliminate wastes) will be spoiled and the functions like menstration, sexual activity will also get affected. If the waste management does not work out according to the body intelligence, another fatigued drowsy and irritable day opens its black carpet for you.

Ayurveda focuses much on digestive system when we consider an optimum health. Agni, the basic digestive principle which must be nourished properly throughout the life can only be achieved with proper intake and perfect output.

So according to Ayurveda, one should be aware of natural waste management, evacuation of colon every day in the morning is very important. Passing stool twice a day is normal, but at least once a day, especially in the morning is essential to have an active day.

Improper evacuation syndrome ?

As discussed in last paragraph, improper elimination can cause so many successive problems of different systems.  

Improper digestive system is because of several dietary and lifestyle causes. And these causes will affect whole digestive system, not only colon.

Following are some of the simple line of advice as per Ayurveda texts to maintain a proper evacuation:

The entire digestive system must be worked out. Maintain proper agni, the basic digestive principle with following methods.

Don’t over eat.

Relax and eat. Don’t be overactive during eating. Don’t rush during eating.

Don’t reduce the quantity of eating unnecessarily.

Don’t fast unnecessarily.

Balance what you eat. Proper dietary fiber, hot soups, adequate water per day, fruits, ghee in food makes the food easily digestible causing proper evacuation.

Diluted sour milk with salt and hing taken along food helps bowel movement.

Don’t read or don’t peep in your ipad or in cellphone sitting on a commode. Let  Apaana vaata to carry its function normally.

On a overview, one should give double importance to evacuation of bowel every morning than giving importance towards calculating the calories of in our daily food.

-Dr Kanada Narahari.