Time to look upon the Ayurvedic Dietary Habits in the Present Scenario : A Critical Reappraisal

Abstract

Background: Ayurveda places special emphasis on "Ahara" (diet) and "Anna" (food) as a means to good life, health and wellness. According to the Ayurveda ones who consume Viruddha Ahara are prone to many disorders. According to Acharya Charak those food substances and combinations, which induce deteriorating action on the body tissues, that is, Dhatus can be called as Viruddha Ahara. Acharya Charaka also pointed out the eighteen dietetic incompatibilities that generate the toxins responsible for generating the pathogenesis systematically or less commonly localized. Objective: To conclude the association of Virudhha Ahar with disease in the individual who consume these incompatible foods with short and long duration. Materials and Methods: A through search of modern medicine and Ayurvedic literature through free searching engine like PubMed and Google Scholar are used. Relevant results analysed and draw the conclusion. Results: Many studies held in Ayurvedic Institutions in India regarding the Viruddh Ahar mostly arrived on the conclusion that combinations of certain food items cause certain disease. Even for taking chronically this may cause cancer also. Conclusion: There is great need of checking and proving facts enumerated in the old text regarding the Viruddha Ahar based on the evidence based Modern medicine. So that it can be applied in modern medicine also. However, In Ayurvedic discipline the Viruddha Ahar certainly cause the disease depending on the nature, amount, frequency, duration and immunity status of the individual approved in many Ayurvedic studies.