The Ayurvedic concept of Viruddha ahara plays a crucial role in our daily lives.
Viruddha ahara refers to foods that aggravate vata, pitta, and kapha in the body but fail to expel them, leaving the doshas in an agitated condition where they can cause a wide variety of chronic health problems.
On frequent and long-term intake of this type of meal, it may release hazardous biochemicals as it is heavy to digest and can also boost the histamine levels in the body.
According to Sushruta Samhita there are basically four types of viruddha.
- Samyoga viruddha
- Karma viruddha
- Maana viruddha
- Rasa viruddha
Sometimes we eat things that, when combined together, can have a devastating effect on our health. It's true that we consume them frequently for the purpose of flavour or to satisfy a minor yearning.
Here is a list of some things which comes under viruddha and which we all should follow for maximum times in our daily routine to avoid complications in our future.
- Fruit custards or milk shakes on a regular basis
- Warm water with lemon and honey which is usually taken for weight loss should be avoided as direct heat given to honey causes the bonds in honey to break making it impossible to digest and also toxic to the body.
- According to ayurveda consuming salty and pungent food together may let to profuse sweating followed by dehydration; so, eating pasta or Chinese food on a regular basis is also not good for our body as it contains a compound called Ajinomoto which is harmful for our systems.
- Hot food materials should not be stored in plastic containers.
- Ghee should not be stored in bronze utensils for more than 10 days as its quality may be impaired because of harmful compounds formed in it.
Hyperacidity, skin diseases, and infertility are only a few of the side effects of viruddha ahara. Its effects may also stay latent in the bodies of the parents-to-be and contribute to the development of certain congenital illnesses.
But, of course, there are always outliers. Those who are young, physically fit, and have a strong digestive system will not experience these side effects.
Finally, how to tackle the health issues caused by this?
The harmful consequences of viruddha ahara can be mitigated with regular detox therapies, the use of internal medicines designed to treat these conditions, and the consumption of healthy, nourishing foods on a daily basis.
Edited by - Dr. Neelesh Patil