Food and Three Humors

There is nothing like Ayurvedic food/Herb. Yet everything can be used in Ayurvedic way. Ayurveda is a
vision of how to live in harmony with ourselves and our environment, encompassing the full body,
mind, spirit relationship with the cosmos. An herbal can’t be Ayurvedic food/medicine, however, it can
be used as per Ayurvedic philosophy to achieve therapeutic result.

The wrong diet is responsible for 90% of physical disease. The wrong diet can also reduce or nullify the
effects of herbal treatment. Therefore, Ayurveda places considerable importance on the correct food
and the optimum ways to prepare and eat that food.

The balanced diet from Ayurvedic point of view is w.r.t. three humors and agni (digestive ability). Six
tastes are used to determine individual constitution. Ex: Sour, Salty & Pungent tastes increase pitta, so
avoid such tastes in the meals if a person is of type P. Due to variations in three humours, a medicine
for one person may become poison for another person. The food varies from person based on type V, P
or K type and seasons. The metabolism is the sum of the three humors, balanced and controlled by pitta
and agni.

Automobile vehicle with best quality of fuel performs better. What we drink and eat will become prana
and ojas. Similarly if the body is given the best food and drinks, it performs much more better. If the
food is very close to its natural state, then the quality and quantity of prana,vitality will be more.
Whereas inferior/less quality food and drink produces little or inferior quality of ojas(basis for immune
system and reproductive fluid).

Ayurveda says the food is easier to digest if it’s lightly cooked. With less spicy means it’s easy to cook.

EATING :

The stomach needs to have liquid in order to help soften and lubricate the food inside. The liquid should
not be too cold or too hot. Especially for type K people, it suppresses ad dilutes the digestive fluids
secreted by stomach, pancreas, GB. Liquid should be sipped with the meal. If large amount of liquid is
drunk before or after meals, it also slows down/stops digestion.

It’s wrong to fixed amount of litres of water per day. When you become thirsty drink water. If excessive
thirsty, indicating too much of pungent or astringent taste is present. High amount of P or aggravated V
is indicated. Pure water is the best one. Even pure water may not satisfy type V people, then herbal tea
is advisable. All soft drinks are acidic. Coffee, tea and alcohol are damaging prana to some extent and
vata related organs and depletes vitality and immune response.

The sages say that eat less quantity of food to live longer. Eat until your first burp, that’s the signal
shown by your body to stop the food. Still if you continue to eat beyond that point, then you will reduce
the longetivity of life. Food:Water:Space ratio inside the stomach is 1:1:1. (or Max 1/2: 1/4: 1/4).
Stomach needs some space to perform its job of mixing food with digestive secretions. If it’s full, it will
be difficult for the stomach to expand and contract its wall.
Correct Eating Time :

Each humor type has correct time to eat the food. 24 hours time is divided into 6 four hours cycle.

HUMOR DAY NIGHT SEASON

VATA 3 AM to 7 AM 3 PM to 7 PM Aug to Nov
PITTA 11 AM to 3 PM 11 PM TO 3 AM Apr to Aug
KAPHA 7 AM TO 11 AM 7 PM TO 11 PM Dec to Apr

In ancient time, sages actually followed sun for the movement.

Vata is highest during sunrise and sunset(see above table). Say at 5 AM & 6 PM. Kapha is highest in
the mid-morning (7 AM TO 11 AM) and early evening. Pitta is highest at noon and mid night.

K should not eat much or any breakfast during high K time. They will gain weight due to slow digestion.
K can eat a big lunch between 11 am and 1 pm. This time is good for digestion for K people. K can eat
lighter dinner from 5 pm to 7 pm near the end of Vata time.

P can eat a good breakfast between 7 am to 8 am. P should eat lighter lunch between 12 noon to 2 pm.
P can eat good dinner between 5 pm to 8 pm.

V should eat regularly. Breakfast at 6 am to 9 am. Warm moist food be eaten but not dry,cold food(V-
food). A good lunch between 12 noon to 2 pm. Cool food tolerable at this time. And warm/moderate
dinner between 5 pm to 7 pm without cold food.

Body requires hours time to digest food before sleeping and one before sexual activity.