FOOD combinations-match or catch? Viruddha Ahara(Dietetic Incompatibility)

We are in a heap of combinations, combinations of something or the other surrounds us from every possible direction be it in food, clothing, interiors, accessories or whatsoever. 




It seems like we love to pair things up. Isn't it true?

But are all these combinations really a match made in heaven? Ask your self and think again. 

We combine things on a daily basis, sometimes for experimenting, sometimes just for the sake of our curiosity, and some other times just to see what happens. Yes!! You heard it right! But our match making can lead us to land somewhere being diseased. 

In this article, we'll look upon some DIETETIC INCOMPATIBILITIES and there effects on our health. Food - food interactions, food - processing interactions are other aspects, that we'll look upon. 


DEFINING IT

According to one of the encyclopedia of AYURVEDA- THE CHARAKA SAMHITA "the substances or matter(द्रव्य) that have qualities which are opposite to the qualities of our body(शरीर) and bodily tissues(शरीर  धातु) are called VIRUDDHA AHARA.

               'देहधातुप्रत्यनीकभूतानि द्रव्याणि देहधातुभिर्विरोधमोपद्यन्ते।' (च. सु. २६/८१ )






The food which is combined inappropriately, which has gone through wrong processing, which is consumed in inaccurate dose, which is consumed at wrong time of the day and in wrong season can become viruddha ahara. 

The dictionary meaning of viruddha is opposite and ahara is food. So, they together mean that the food or food combinations which have properties opposite to the bodily constitution.





PHYSIOLOGY BEHIND DISEASE CAUSATION

The food substances (आहार द्रव्य) and drugs (औषध द्रव्य) that aggravate any of the dosha or a pair or a group of doshas but they do not expel them out of the body.

'यत्  किञ्चिद् दोषमास्रावय न निर्हरति कायत:। आहारजातं तत् सर्वमहितायोपपद्यते।'(च. सु. २६/८५)


                                                
            विरुद्ध आहार सेवन
    (consumption of dietetic incompatibilities)
                                ↓ 
                  दोष प्रकोप 
                    (vitiation of dosha)
                      ↓
    प्रकोपित दोषो का शरीर में विचरण
        (vitiated dosha remain in the body)                
                      ↓ 
                रोग उत्पति 
              (origin of diseases)

CATEGORIZING IT

1. DESHA VIRUDHHA (place incompatibility) 
In coastal areas, having food that is snigdha(smooth), sheeta(cool).

In dry regions, having food that is ruksha(dry), teekshna(incisive).


2. KALA VIRUDHHA (climatic incompatibility) 
In winters, having food with qualities like sheetal(cool), ruksha(dry).

Ice-creams in winter season.

In summers, having food with qualities like katu rasa(pungent taste),ushana veerya(warm potency).


3. AGNI VIRUDDHA (digestive fire incompatibility) 
If the agni (digestive fire) is manda(decreased) then too the person is having guru(heavy) food.

Large heavy meals at night. 


4. MATRA VIRUDDHA (dose incompatibility) 
Having madhu(honey)and ghee in equal quantity. 


5. SATMYA VIRUDDHA (habit incompatibility)
If the person is not used to having kshaya rasa(astringent) food and then he/she suddenly starts having it. 


6. DOSHA VIRUDDHA (humor incompatibility)
Having food which has qualities similiar to any of the dosha vata, pitta and kapha.

Kapha prakriti person eating ice-creams.

Also read:


7. SAMSKAR VIRUDDHA(processing incompatibility) 
Heating the madhu(honey).

Potato chips, pickles, fish dahi bhata.


8. VEERYA VIRUDDHA (potency incompatibility) 
Milk and fish taken together. 

Eating ice-cream with hot chocolate fudge.


9. KOSHTHA VIRUDDHA (bowel incompatibility)
People who have mridu koshtha(soft bowel) giving them food which is highly purgative.


10. AWASTHA VIRUDDHA (condition incompatibility)
Giving food items which are guru(difficult to digest) to obese person. 

People who are highly active, having food items which are laghu(easily digestible). 


11. KRAMA VIRUDDHA (order incompatibility) 
Having food without attending the urges. 

Consuming food before the earlier food is digested.


12. PARIHAR VIRUDHHA (regimen incompatibility) 
Having ushana veerya (warm potency) items after eating pork. 

Cold water after hot tea.


13. UPCHARA VIRUDDHA (exemption incompatibility)
Drinking cold water after having ghrit(ghee).


14. PAKA VIRUDDHA (cooking incompatibility)
Eating overcooked or undercooked food.


15. SAMYOG VIRUDDHA (combination incompatibility) 
Having milk and amla (sour) food together. 

Fruit salad, cheese fruit, milk with banana.

16. HRIDYA VIRUDDHA (mental incompatibility)
Eating food not liked by the person.


17. SAMAPADA VIRUDDHA
Eating over ripen and under ripen fruit. 


18. VIDDHI VIRUDDHA (procedure incompatibility) 
Not following the viddhi(procedure) of having food.


DISEASES CAUSED BY CONSUMING VIRUDDHA AHARA

  • BLINDNESS                                               
  • ASCITIS
  • INFLAMMATION     
  • OEDEMA
  • HYPERACIDITY  
  • ANAEMIA
  • FEVER       
  • ERYSIPELAS
  • IMPOTENCY        
  • BULLUS
  • PSYCHOSIS
  • FAINTING
  • FLATULENCE     
  • CHOLERA


EXCEPTIONS

Viruddha ahara consumption is a root cause of a number of diseases but there are some exceptions and conditions on which it does not have any effect or it does not cause any diseases in the following conditions :

'सात्म्यतोअल्पतया वाअपि दीप्ताग्नेस्तरुणस्य च। स्निग्धव्यायामबालिनां विरूद्धं वितथं भवेत।'(च. सु. २६/१०६)


- people who are used to consume it.
- consume it in small quantity. 
- have good digestive fire. 
- people who consume ghee and oil everyday. 
- people who exercise daily. 
- people who are strong. 





WRONG EATING HABITS IN PRESENT ERA

  • eating when not hungry.
  • eating soon after having meal.
  • eating at the wrong time of the day.
  • eating hurriedly.
  • emotional eating.
  • over eating.
  • eating too much, too little.
  • eating food one can't digest.
  • eating when constipated.
  • eating too spicy, sour, salty food.
  • having frozen food.
  • eating preserved and stale food.
  • drinking cold or chilled water (especially during a meal).
  • too much water or no water at all during a meal.

CONCLUSION

Anything that affects the physiology of the body can lead to pathology i.e. abnormal state of body. Ahara plays an important role in nourishment of body as well as mind. Various methods are given in AYURVEDIC TEXTS to maintain health and diseased person to be cured.

Therefore, for a good health person should always eat wholesome food and avoid viruddha ahara (incompatible diet) because food itself is a termed as mahabhaishajya and play an important role to treat illness and maintain health.

'Your diet is your bank account and your food choices are investments.'                    


                   SO CHOOSE WISELY!! 

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