AYURVEDIC DIET AND NUTRITION IN CANCER

Cancer cells lacking oxygen (Prana) represents a growth in the body outside the rule of the life- force. In Ayurveda, cancer is a disease that often involves all three bodily humor’s (i.e. Vata, Pitta, and Kapha) though it typically starts with a predominance of one. Ayurveda is a system of medicine that utilizes various therapies like diet, yoga, and herbal preparations to restore balance within the body. According to Ayurveda, our body is governed by three doshas, which determine our physiology, behavior and risk to diseases. It mainly emphasizes on an individual diet plan chosen according to the three primary body types. This relates to the philosophy that food can be the source of either healing or illness. Ayurveda asserts that every root is a medicine so there is no good or bad food and provides a logical approach to designing balanced foods for optimal nutrition by formulating food groups that work in harmony, induce proper digestion and promote maximum absorption of essential nutrients. Ayurveda believes that the plants and plant products that constitute our diet have a strong influence on the physical and mental states of the individual. In order to have proper digestion Ayurveda recommends not to consume too many raw foods and to avoid leftovers. Fresh homemade food is recommended for proper nutritional assimilation. Spices are used to make the food compatible and the balance its adverse actions. Eating warm food stimulates Agni and digestive enzymes therefore warm food is recommended. A relaxed and calm mind is recommended to have optimal digestion. It is recommended not to eat with overpowering emotions such as stress, anger and grief etc. as these factors produce irregular and anomalous digestive process and have negative impact on the mind, the center for all sensory control and perceptions. A preventive approach to cancer can be put quite simply, the more we live in harmony with the natural laws of life, the more we are taking in the life, enhancing gifts of nature.