According
to Ayurveda, there are positive and negative attributes of diet. Since
Ayurveda deals with a holistic approach to healing, it covers the diet
factor in depth. In Ayurveda food is not only a mixture of all the basic
ingredients like proteins, vitamins, fats and carbohydrates, but it is
something, which serves as a source of energy for mind and soul. Food is
considered to be one of the most important aspects of Ayurveda as it
provides the basic nutrients, which are necessary to carry out the basic
activities of digestion and metabolism. Ayurveda has categorized
personality traits into three different kinds, based on the food habits
the Satvic or spiritual quality, Rajasic or active quality, and Tamasic
or material quality of the mind is all affected by the food we eat. The
activating Rajasic quality may dominate or combine with the other two
qualities to form different mental tendencies in man; spiritually
active, intellectually active, or materially active. Satvic food is
elevating while Rjasic foods lead man to a materialistic, selfish way of
living. Tamasic food is one, which leads to a devilish streak in a
person. Since diet, along with daily habits, is crucial to the health of an individual, it must be made clear at the outset that there is no standard ideal diet for all people in general as everybody has a different body structure and digestive system. The various factors that need to be kept in mind while working out the ideal diet for every individual, which will be distinctly different based on the person's specific constitutional characteristics, are as listed below:
