In Ayurveda, a basic understanding of the interrelationship between human beings and the environment preface every observation. The body includes the mind and the spirit. Ideally human beings and nature should be in perfect harmony.  Disease in the body is the result of getting things out of balance. 

Imbalances between mind and spirit can be affected by what we eat.

Anna (food) not only means a food that is eaten, but also a food that inspires us.  This is something to think about … inspiring food.

The science of nutrition has developed very rapidly over the past few years.  People in this branch of science are working diligently to give people lists of food they can consume that take into account, their age, sex, health, status, country of origin, food habits and calories.  In a diseased person, whether physical or mental, they tell us what and how much of something we should eat.

Yet Ayurveda has more to offer, right from worshipping the food to the principle of relating the ‘life force’ (prana) of living beings to the attitude towards eating. It has been emphasized that one should worship food and food should be considered as the very ambrosia of the Gods and then eaten. Food is the life force of all living beings.  It nourishes the body, mind and spirit. Food or diet is never considered in isolation. It is always linked to the person who consumes it.  Like every physical matter in the universe food is also composed of the five basic and elemental principles and there may be a predominance of one of the five basic and elemental principles in a particular food.  After assimilation, food manifests its five respective qualities in the body and becomes homologous with the basic tissues of the body.  Thus wholesome food gives us strength and vitality, and sees that the three somatic doshas are in a state of balance.  It is by virtue of this that food has a close relation to health.

Attitude towards eating

Purity of food ensures purity in mind.  Purity of mind ensures steady recollection.  When recollection is secured there will be liberation of all our problems, both physical and mental.

Food as a whole serves three main functions.

• It regulates the body functions and processes and thereby protects the body from disease.
• It provides the body fuel and energy.
• It provides the material needed for growth.  The body continues to change throughout life and constantly wearing tissues need to be recharged and repaired which is what food does.

Tags: Ayurveda, disease, food, mind and spirit