Following the diet fads of the western culture one tends to forget the huge resource of knowledge regarding a healthy lifestyle that is present back home. Yes, I am talking about Ayurveda. Ayurveda literally translates to "science of life" - healthy practices for living. Ayurveda is about every part of your life. Over thousands of years, people in India have been discovering the wonders of medicinal herbs and the unique characteristics of every type of food. Ayurvedic medicine, which was developed by Indian scientists and yogis, is now a highly refined science.

What is Ayurvedic Diet?

The Ayurvedic diet takes into account a person's age, gender, constitution (called "dosha"), and the season. It centers on a person's constitution, their "dosha", which is split into three types: Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Each of the dosha has its own qualities. The foods has the power to increase/decrease these elements. For example, ginger is considered a herb which can increase the pitta power so a person with weak pitta (a weak digestion) is advised to take ginger. Similarly, dairy increases kapha (the elements which enhance the viscosity and phlegm in the body), so a person having problems like cholesterol, asthma (disorders of viscosity) is asked to avoid dairy products or at least minimize it.

How does it work?

The first step towards eating for your Ayurvedic constitution is to find out what your constitutional type or dosha is. Once you know what your Ayurvedic dosha is, you can balance it by learning what foods support you. Here are some food stuff that can pacify your dosha:

• Vata dosha
  The qualities of vata are cold, dry, light, hard, and rough.
  Recommended foods: A person with vata constitution should enhance warm foods, warm herbs (like ginger, garlic and cinnamon), cooked food (instead of raw food) and little sweet. You should avoid big bulky meals.

• Pitta dosha
  The qualities of Pitta are hot, sharp, oily and light.
  Recommended foods: A person with pitta constitution should enhance cooling foods specially in summers like cucumber, chaach (but not other dairy products). This helps in good digestion and digests most foods which is very helpful as pitta people tend to overeat when angry or stressed. You should avoid acidic and citric foods (like vinegar, citrus fruits, too much of lemon), wines  and alcohol.

• Kapha dosha
  The qualities of kapha dosha are cold, heavy, liquid and unctuous.
  Recommended foods: A person with kapha constitution should enhance warm and light foods with well spiced vegetables. You can also have ginger, tulsi and cinnamon tea. You should avoid dairy, bananas and all foods with a cooling  effect, including sweets and fatty food.

Advantages of Ayurvedic diet

• It provides personalized attention to each individual.
• It is an age old and a proven science.
• It is very beneficial in the long run.
• There aren't many dieting restrictions.
• It has no side effects.

Disadvantages of Ayurvedic diet

• It cannot provide results in the short run.
• Identifying your dosha correctly is a hassle.

Ayurveda isn't just a recipe for weight loss. It's an entire worldview that is strikingly different from that of the Western one, although it makes a lot of sense to someone who contemplates it in depth. It is a complete philosophy and an age-old science which will certainly benefit you in the long run.