What is RituCharya or Naturopathy Diet Schedule?

Ritucharya or Naturopathy Diet Schedule is a type of seasonal dietary and lifestyle regimen that aims at achieving eating habits in accordance with changing climatic conditions for the purpose of being healthy and preventing illnesses. In Ayurveda, Ritucharya suggests certain foods for balancing body doshas depending on the season one is in.

Naturopathy uses similar concepts by recommending the consumption of fresh, seasonal, and locally grown fruits and vegetables, whole grains and sprouted seeds, with enough water to drink but very little of the refined food. The diet changes depending on seasonal requirements, cooling foods in summer and warming and nourishing foods in winter. Eating a seasonal diet helps with better digestion, higher immunity, better energy levels and generally improved physical and mental health.

What is the role of Food at the cellular level?

Food at the cellular level is directly proportional to the metabolic functions in the body. Cells in the body assimilate food and maintain different essential functions in the body. The primary essential functions in the body are:

So, food is responsible for all types of functions in the body, and alongwith the gaseous exchange, it is the systematic essence in the body. The two types of functions are primary and secondary. Primary is known as nourishing, repair, and protective functions of the body. On the other hand, secondary functions are energy production, regulation of body functions, and building the body (systematic functions, i.e., circulation, hormonal release, psychological functions).

Ayurveda Diet Benefits: Why Eat Healthy?

Ayurveda believes that food should be according to the nature of the body; there are three natures of the body: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. These natures are according to the traditional books in India. Naturopathy says the foundation of health is eating according to the mechanism of the gut, not according to the taste of the tongue. The Traditional Chinese Medicine principle says: Body craves for the food which are deficient in the body according to the five elements.

So is the body telling itself what to eat or what not to eat? High-calorie food leads to inflammation in the body, and more dietary fibre behaves as an antioxidant (absorbs quickly). We should eat food that can be assimilated quickly. Eating healthy is a choice, not a compulsion, but when health is at stake, then it is a necessity. Here are some strong reasons to explain the need for food.

With sufficient physical activity, proper sleeping schedules, and appropriate stress management procedures, an Ayurvedic diet can be considered an effective and sustainable approach for improving health.

Feedback Loop in our Gut or Digestive System

The feedback loop involved in the digestive system constitutes a synchronized communication network involving all the processes of the brain, digestive organs, hormones, the nerves, and the gut microorganisms. This process is often referred to as the gut-brain axis, in which the brain and the gastrointestinal system are in constant communication, allowing the digestive process to become balanced. Here are some Points to understand the mechanism:

What Impacts Can a Bad Gut Make?

Both Naturopathy and Ayurveda focus on the clearing pathway for the metabolic end products of the body. There are many sayings in Ayurveda which calls gut a doorway either to detox or to toxins in the blood circulation. A bad gut can clog channels of the body, which are very necessary for detoxification.

The second part is gut bacteria, which help in making serotonin and melatonin. So it can disturb the sleep-wake cycle, moods of a person, and can pour toxins into the epidermal cells. The skin will look dull, body with stiffness and persistent fatigue feeling will be there.

Reduction of the Digestive Fire

During seasonal change, because of some pathological changes and immune deficiency in the body, the digestive fire (Agni) of the body gets reduced. This combination sometimes happens together and results in the accumulation of toxins (Ama). This toxin is known in turn clog the channels (Srotas) of the body.

When this cycle accelerates at different levels, external symptoms are: sluggishness or fatigue, bloating, coating on the tongue, poor appetite, and bad breath. This is breeding of the diseases, which makes the tissues dull and toxins accumulate cyclically.

Doshas Imbalance & Toxins Spreading Cycle

The Vata, Pitta, and Kapha imbalance cycle starts because of the clogging in the immune system. According to Ayurveda, if Ama is settling into joints, then there would be pain and stiffness; sometimes they both occur together. When these toxins (Ama) try to get out through the skin, they cause eczema and acne, which is a reason for a dull face.

Mental cloudiness and heaviness in the mind and low motivation are signs of the toxins in the brain region. Next is low immunity or dissolution of the Ojas (Vital essence of the body). Frequent illness takes place because of the low immune system.

The Gut Brain Axis: Psychological Impact

It can be clearly stated with the above cycle that bad digestion has an adverse effect on the psychology of a person. The nervous system is deeply tied to the vata system of the body, and Pitta governs the emotions in a person. If any of these doshas is not in balance, then there would be a definite psychological impact on the body.

Bad gut is seen as clogging in both naturopathy and Ayurveda systems. Because of this, emotional, psychological, and physical aspects get disturbed cyclically. After the discussion of the cycle and how it affects immunity, the next step is moving towards the solution.

Healing Your Gut Naturally: Principles of Diet Therapy

In many Ayurveda Diet plan, there is mention of eating fresh food or newly cooked food, because it rejuvenates the digestive fire of the body. Eating some ginger or lemon in starting of the meal and drinking two sips of water is considered good for the gut. There are some small practices which can make you different, in terms of digestion. Here we are mentioning all those practices:

Starting a Meal with Ginger or Lemon

Ginger, lemon with rock salt is one of the traditional appetizers for the whole system; it gives your fire back. You can take it in the form of detox water or simply mixed with the rock salt. There is no need to take in a large amount; only ¾ teaspoon is a good quantity. When we make a personalized Ayurveda diet chart, then we make it according to the body weight of that person.

Detox Drink for resetting Your Digestive System

This is another example of resetting the system. Cumin and fennel seeds with a pinch of rock salt in the boiled form can be a good detox drink for increasing digestive fire or Agni in the body. It helps in the secretion of various enzymes from the liver and stimulates the pancreas too.

Mono-Meal or Simple Food Combinations

The principle of the therapy diet is to keep the immune system active and accelerate the metabolic process in the body. A mono-diet is taking the same type of food combination. For example: if you want to take protein, carbohydrates, and minerals, then you will choose only one type of food at a time so that your enzymes release according to that.

You can choose protein from plants and not mix it with heavy curry or fatty food. Second is eating the same types of carbs, either wheat or rice, during a meal. It gives you a powerful hack for both the digestive system and the immune system of the body.

Eat Seasonal or Whole Foods

It is easy for the digestive system to recognize seasonal food; nature has gifted us a ready-made menu. During every season, particular foods and vegetables are likely to be more in the market. We have to use them more, because they are a storehouse of nature for minerals and vitamins.

Adding Fermented Foods to Your Diet

Fermented foods have a different role; they accelerate digestion in a very natural way. In Japanese culture, many traditions allow the addition of wine or other fermented drinks to the food. You can also simply add vinegar to the salad or onions to give them a particular flavour; they are good for the liver.

Role of Digestive Spices

The best way to accelerate a metabolic therapy diet is to add spices to food, but in an average amount; otherwise, they can increase Pitta dosha in the body. A proper amount of ginger, cumin, coriander, fennel, black pepper, turmeric, and ajwain (carom seeds) speeds up digestion. They are also a vitamin-rich source for many people.

Habits to Reset Your Digestive System

Eating your largest meal at midday and avoiding uncooked foods or juices in the morning is a simple tip for every person. There are small tips, but the question is: what is the science behind them? If you are taking dry fruits in the morning, what will change? The simple answer is the absorption and assimilation power of the digestive system; it is higher in the morning. There are high chances that if you are drinking more water, juices, and taking seeds in the morning, you will never be a nutrient-deficient person.

There are several small changes in your diet that you can make to reset your system; it can be a naturopathy kickstart for your digestive system. Here are some small habits that you can change in your daily schedule to be in a healthy state.

Dinacharya or Daily Rhythm

Dinacharya is an Ayurvedic term used for the daily rhythm of the digestive system. There are many small changes that you can make in your daily life, and they will keep your digestion strong. These specific habits are:

All these points are quick solutions for gut repair. There are many scientific facts which says that psychology of human being is directly connected to the gut. If this proper rhythm is kept in mind than it can also help in curing IBS.

Opening Channels of the Body or Clearing Toxins: Ayurveda Solution

There are some natural gut clearing herbs like Amla powder, which can be taken in the form of Triphala. Fasting in a week, tongue scraping everyday in morning, avoiding lying flat after eating, sipping warm water multiple times a day and self-oil massage are some solutions for the detoxification of the vital organs.

Ayurveda Diet Plan: What to Avoid, to Keep Gut Healthy?

This is a common question for every person; from minor acidity to IBS, everything can be solved by proper knowledge of food. Processed food, red chillies, deep fried, crunch, processed food, pickles from outside, cold drinks, ice creams, overeating should be avoided completely. We can make it personlized diet chart for you when we have more information about food habits.