The Practical Approach of Diet & Dietetics

The Practical Approach of Diet & Dietetics from Ayurveda to Contemporary Science.The Ayurvedic approach to diet and dietetics is very different from the contemporary approach. In Ayurvedic treatises Aahara, Nidra and Brahmacharya are the three sub-pillars which sustain life. Among them, Aahara has been considered as Param Aushadham. Appropriate diet and dietetics is one of the foremost factor for maintenance of good health and also capable of preventing the attacks of diseases, including lifestyle disorders, risk factors etc. It is also well known that most of the incurable diseases are produced due to improper food. Ayurveda has its exclusivity on not focusing on the constituent or the type of food article only but has also revealed the guidelines for consumption of conducive food in right quantity and at appropriate time. Aahara has been sorted as Hitahara (wholesome) and Ahitahara (unwholesome). In a similar framework, the terms Pathya and Apathya are also used to stand for the suitability and acceptability of a particular food in a given context. Moreover, it also gives great emphasis on the compatibility and incompatibility of certain foods and elaborated 18 types of Viruddhahara, i.e., dietary incompatibility in particular. Not only this but Ayurvedic scholars speak about those conducive. Aahara Dravya which can still become incompatible due to their mutually contradictory qualities, by combinations (samyoga), by way of preparation (samskara), by effect of place (desha), time (kala), dose (matra) and some
others by their intrinsic quality (swabhava). Further, a vast description is present regarding Aahara vidhi-vidhan i.e Ashtha Aaharvidhivisheshayatna, dwadashaashanapravicharana etc. These entire concepts are needed to be practised by the people pursuing good health. This book is written with the aim of enlightening those concepts of diet and dietetics mentioned in ancient science and also to focus the new advancement taking place in the contemporary world like neutrogenomics,
epigenetics etc.