Ayurvedic diet: 5 benefits of Ayurveda diet

Ayurveda is the science of life. It is a holistic form of health practice that really honours the mind, body and spirit. It encompasses diet, lifestyle, herbs, and even yoga. Ayurveda's origin is in ancient India and in fact, the classical texts are actually written in the ancient language of Sanskrit. According to Ayurveda, the human body is made up of 5 elements air, fire, earth, water and space. These elements form three different doshas, which are Pitta, Vata and Kapha, each dosha is responsible for specific physiological functions.

The Ayurvedic diet is a component of Ayurveda and has been practiced for thousands of years. It’s based on determining your dominant dosha and eating specific foods to promote balance between all three doshas. The Pitta dosha controls hunger, thirst, and body temperature. Lastly, the Vata dosha maintains electrolyte balance and movement, while the Kapha dosha promotes joint function.

According to Ayurveda, one should lead a life close to nature and should avoid an unhealthy lifestyle. Ayurvedic encourages cooking methods like steamed and raw foods as a natural and healthy way of living. Non-vegetarian foods may cause diseases like diabetes, high BP, and heart disease then opting vegetarian diet is more beneficial.

Here are the top 5 potential health benefits of sticking to an Ayurvedic diet.

Lower cholesterol levels- Cholesterol is a form of fat that is naturally formed in the body. There is cholesterol in everyone’s body. Cholesterol helps in digestion, creating hormones that are necessary for growth and regulating emotions, cholesterol is very important and is naturally formed in the body. Non- vegetarian food items contain cholesterol. When such items are eaten, it increases the cholesterol in the body. The body fails to maintain a balance and you put on weight. As you all know, this causes heat ailments. Vegetarian people do not have this problem as vegetarian food is not that high in cholesterol. Hence you stay healthy and fit.

Reduce the risk of cancer- When meat items such as chicken, beef, etc are sold they are injected with growth hormones. And, recent studies state that if food with such growth hormones is eaten it can lead to cancer.  Because many have turned vegetarian.

Protection against diabetes- The cause of diabetes has been on the rise, in recent years. This is because people are more into eating poor quality food and a lot of junk food. Excessive intake of meat items is also a cause of Diabetes. A better alternative is to turn vegetarian. A vegetarian diet which includes vegetables, fruits, dry fruits, whole grains, etc. will keep you fit and healthy. It will also lower your chance of getting diabetes. You can try to reduce your meat intake and switch to vegetarianism.

Protection from food-borne illness- Non-vegetarian food items can lead to various types of infections. According to a study, chicken can be contaminated with bacteria that can cause stomach infections, loose motions, etc. while sometimes these infections and illnesses are diagnosed easily, most of the time they remain hidden. Hence a vegetarian diet is better. This way you can prevent bacteria-based infection.

Spiritual well-being- Many follow the spiritual beliefs of peace and patience. A non-vegetarian diet will cause distraction and stop you from focusing on work. Being a vegetarian will make you feel better. It will also keep your mind fresh and keep you honest, non-violent and respectful to all.