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.
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.
