Here is a summary of the Ayurveda diet concept.
In Ayurveda, the body and its diseases are products of food. Food is categorized as wholesome or unwholesome. Foods should be compatible with the body. Ayurveda places great emphasis on the selection, preparation, and consumption of food, establishing guidelines for healthy eating.
They also believe that the processes of nutrition are accomplished only when the inner biological fire system (Agni) and the inner transport system (srotasmi) are in order. I would interpret this to mean an emphasis on balance between the desire for food consumption and the associated digestive processes.
Ayurveda emphasizes that dietary planning should be in harmony with natural and environmental conditions. A diet should be in tune with the individual's personality (Prakriti), adverse personality traits (Vikriti), dosha, and body type.
Ayurveda also uses dietary supplements to restore the body from disease. Supplement treatment is called Rasayana therapy. Rasayanas are essential nutraceuticals. They help build the immune system, maintain mineral bio balance, provide essential nutrients, and possess anti-aging properties.
Ayurvedic nutraceuticals or rasayanas could be tissue—and organ-specific. Thus, there are specific nutraceuticals for the heart, skin, brain, etc. They are also specific to the individual's age and disease. These are to be aligned with the individual's digestive system and metabolism.
Ayurveda diet for cancer patients
Cancer is a debilitating disease. Nutritional management is an essential component of cancer treatment. A diet that helps restore the body to a healthy shape as soon as possible is recommended. Therefore, they recommend a low-fat but nutrition-rich diet. The focus is on fruits and vegetables that are rich in antioxidants. Cancer patients are advised to avoid refined sugars and foods containing additives. Organic food should be consumed, and patients should avoid overeating.
Ayurveda specialists advise abstinence from foods that cause an imbalance between the three doshas—Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. They recommend nutraceuticals that help improve the body's digestive functions. Typically, Triphala, a combination of fruits from the following three trees: Terminalia bellirica, Terminalia chebula, and Emblica officinalis, is recommended. The use of Triphala helps tone the digestive functions.
The Ayurveda diet is associated with the dosha type. Vata-type individuals should consume cooked, warm foods, incorporate spices like cinnamon, cloves, and ginger into their meals, and refrain from consuming icy drinks. They should also eat sweet berries, fruits, small beans, rice, nuts, and dairy products. Moderate exercise and meditative yoga are good for such people.
Pitta people should avoid alcohol and tobacco. They should eat fresh vegetables, juicy fruits (such as cherries, mango, cucumber, and watermelon), salads, and greens. Kapha individuals should eat light, warm foods, as well as spices like ginger and chili.
Ayurveda diet in cancer patients after chemotherapy
After chemotherapy or radiotherapy, a protein-rich diet becomes critical. Proteins are essential for repairing body tissue and maintaining a healthy immune system. Cancer patients require more protein than normal people to offset the damage caused by the disease and the effects of the cancer treatment medication.
Ayurveda practitioners and nutritionists in oncology hospitals recommend a diet rich in nuts, nut butters, beans, peas, lentils, fish, poultry, eggs, and low-fat dairy products. When recommending a diet to a cancer patient, modifications are made based on an individual’s dosha type.
Given oncologists' hesitation in accepting Ayurveda interventions in patient management, diet recommendations based on Ayurveda principles are largely limited to patients seeking care at Ayurveda hospitals. However, these systems provide interesting concepts that modern cancer nutritionists may find relevant.
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