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Timothy McCall. Vegetarian Times. Oak Park: Oct 2007. , Iss. 353; pg. 27, 2 pgs

[Headnote]
What can Ayurveda teach us about diet and health?

Ayurveda is the traditional system of medicine in India. It developed alongside yoga thousands of years ago, and both systems offer us an interesting perspective on how to eat well to maximize health and well-being.

A personalized diet is the centerpiece of the Ayurvedic approach to disease. Dietary changes are thought to be so beneficial and safe that Ayurvedic physicians typically start there and only add other treatments, like herbs and massages with medicated oils, if dietary measures aren't likely to be sufficient.

KNOW YOUR DOSHA
Ayurveda teaches that each of us is made up of a balance of three basic constitutional types, called doshas. The three doshas are vata, pitta, and kapha, and each person is said to have all three in different measure. In many people, one dosha dominates, and such people are described by the dominant dosha. In other people, two or more doshas may be fairly evenly balanced, as in vata-pittas.

Each dosha is associated with certain body types, personality styles, predilections to specific diseases, and dietary needs. Vata, the dosha associated with "air," is linked to people who are thin, energetic, creative, and often a bit scattered. According to Ayurveda, vatas are at risk for insomnia, anxiety, constipation, and diseases of the nervous system. Ayurvedic doctors recommend that vata types choose warm, well-cooked foods, and eat them at regular intervals,

Left to their own devices, however, many vatas will choose granola and salads, which while nutritious, could put their vata even more out of balance. This is not to say vatas should never eat these foods, but moderation is recommended.

The 6 Tastes of ayurveda
Pitta is the "fire" dosha, and people of this type tend to be passionate, intelligent, and hardworking, though they often have a problem with anger. Pittas are usually medium in build, strong, and predisposed to heartburn, headaches, and inflammatory conditions such as heart disease. Overly spicy or oily rood may not be best for them. Instead pitta types are encouraged to emphasize "cooling" foods, including watery fruits and vegetables such as zucchini, pears, and pomegranates.

The kapha dosha is associated with "inertia" and "water." Kaphas tend to be strong and sturdy, and are the most likely to live a long life, but they also have a tendency to be lazy. They are at risk of overweight and obesity, respiratory infections, and type 2 diabetes. While they may enjoy rich desserts and fatty or starchy main courses, Ayurveda suggests they try to eat lightly, favoring greens and spicy dishes.

ENERGY, TASTE, BALANCE
Ayurvcdic philosophy favors food that is fresh, and whenever possible, organic and locally grown. Food that has been overly processed, canned, or even refrigerated and then reheated is said to lose prana, or life force. Even fresh vegetables that sit around for days lose life force. This may sound superstitious, but it's something you can see and taste, and studies have shown that vitamin levels also decline over time.

Rather than evaluating foods based on their levels of various nutrients the way Western science does, Ayrirveda categorizes foods according to six basic tastes. Sweet tastes, for example, are said to be beneficial for vatas and pittas, but too many sweet foods may be less good for those with a predominance of kapha. (Note that when Ayurvedic doctors speak of sweet they mean naturally sweet foods like fruit, not roods high in refined sugars.) Choosing the proper diet according to Ayurveda can be a bit involved and it's not always simple to determine your constitutional type, so if you're interested in learning more, you're best off consulting a qualified practitioner. (To take a quick online dosha quiz, visit store.chopra.com/dosha-survey.asp.)

If you are naturally introspective or have developed a strong awareness of your body through the practice of yoga or another discipline, the rules of thumb outlined above may be trumped by your actual experience. If you eat a particular food that's generally considered healthful, hut find yourself feeling sluggish, congested or agitated afterward, the food in question may not be for you. If you have any doubts about a particular food, try eliminating it from your diet for a couple of weeks, then see how you feel when you reintroduce U. Such an experiment can be a valuable complement to what scientists learn from their studies, and help you make better choices.


[Author Affiliation]
Timothy McCall, MD, is a board-certified specialist in internal medicine, the medical editor of Yoga Journal, and the author of Yoga as Medicine: The Yogic Prescription for Health and Healing. He can be found on the Web at drmccall.com.