Besides , a person should not take food,
- Without taking bath
- Without putting on any clothes
- Without offering oblations to fire
- Without offering food to God
- Food that is used by others
- Heated only once
- Not very hot
- Overcooked
In general, the person should eat food with relish for good results.
Order of taking the food:
- In the beginning - foods that are either watery or hard to digest; sweet and fatty.
- Next, you should have those, which are sour, salty and pungent.
- Lastly you should consume foodstuff that are dry, non-fatty, and liquid in nature and astringent.
Those who have poor digestive capacity should consume liquid and warm foods in the beginning and continue with the rest. It becomes easier to digest foods, which are eaten later as the digestive activity gets stimulated by the heat.
Arrangement of food on the table
- ‘Bhakhsya’ (eatables) are to be arranged on the right side of the table.
- 'Peya' (drinks) and ‘lehya’ (lick able items) and foodstuff that require hard chewing are to be placed on the left side.
- ‘Bhojya’ (staple or the chief food) should be placed in the center.
These measures for daily living was discovered by sages through intensive meditation and passed on by word- of -mouth. This knowledge was compiled in the Vedic times more than 5,000 years ago and are followed till date in India and worldwide. If you are considering following the Ayurvedic lifestyle, remember, the underlying philosophy is that of balance.
Glossary
Vedas: Ancient Indian scriptural injunctions
Reference:
Author: Dr. Gayatri ganesh. B.A.M.S
Editor: Aparna.
