body nature

Individual Natures and Diets: Navigating Body Type for Optimal Health

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Table of Contents

    Individual Natures and Body Types

    Based on Ayurveda, all of mankind can be divided into the three basic categories of individual nature corresponding to the three major body systems (Nerve, Mucous, and Blood Circulatory System).

    1. A nerve-natured person is a person with the most sensitive and active Nerve system.
    2. A mucous-natured person is a person with the most sensitive and active Mucous system.
    3. A blood circulatory-natured person is a person with the most sensitive and active Blood circulatory system.

    This is the general classification of individual nature; however, various mixed combinations also exist. Each of these three main natures exhibits a distinct characteristic, structure, and personality encompassing both mental and physical aspects.

    Physical and Mental Attributes of a Nerve Natured Person

    1. Skinny
    2. Unproportionate features
    3. Intelligent
    4. Talkative
    5. Thin skin with clear veins often showing in the face.
    6. Quick reactions, both mental and physical.
    7. Nervous, restless, and timid
    8. Clever or tricky (not necessarily in a good or bad sense )
    9. Shy or weak personality, but compassionate.

    A person having this nature who does not maintain a balanced diet will have gas problems, joint pain, headache, weakness of the ears and teeth, mental depression, insomnia, diarrhea neurasthenia, and other nerve defects.

    Physical and Mental Attributes of a Mucous Natured Person

    1. Proportionate features
    2. Cheerful and peaceful
    3. Content mind
    4. Slow reaction and slow activities
    5. Robust and strong
    6. Compassionate
    7. Thick skin
    8. Persevering and attractive personality

    A person with this nature who does not have a proper diet often will complain of respiratory defects, obesity, asthma, cold, artery defects, abnormal growth, voice defects, impotence, and other defects.

    Physical and Mental Attributes of Blood Circulatory Natured Person

    1. Forceful or angry face
    2. Brave
    3. Powerful, active
    4. Aggressive
    5. Restless, anxious
    6. Voracious appetite
    7. Quick reaction
    8. Emotional
    9. Careless
    10. Strong body
    11. Attractive but uncompassionate personality.

    The lack of a balanced diet in a person of this nature can result in hemorrhage, hot flashes, boils, pimples, quick infections, hepatitis, sweating, fever, mental depression, and other blood defects.

    Individual Natures from Body Elements

    The natures of individuals can also be understood through the lens of bodily elements (Water, Earth, Fire, Wind, and Sky). Someone with a higher proportion of the air element in their body tends to have a nerve-natured. Similarly, a greater presence of the fire element results in a blood circulatory nature, while an abundance of the water element leads to a mucous nature.

    Mixed Natures

    When two or more natures are combined in greater than normal proportionate, the person is said to be of mixed nature. For example, when the nerve nature and the mucous nature are combined, a person may exhibit proportionate features of high intellect; good health; and a compassionate, persevering, and attractive personality. A combination of nerve and blood circulatory natures could result in a thin face and an angry, aggressive, restless, clever but unconvincing personality. Finally, the blood circulatory and mucous natures when mixed, give rise to characteristics such as well-proportioned features, a robust and sizable physique, courage, heightened intelligence, good health, and an appealingly dominant personality.

    Individual Natures Based on Age

    In Ayurvedic science, it is observed that up to the age of 16, regardless of individual nature, the water element is very active, displaying some characteristics of the mucous nature. This can be seen very clearly in babies and young children. From the age of 16 to about the age of 30, the individual natures become clearer. From 30 to about 60 years of age, the fire elements become more active, and some characteristics of the blood circulatory nature make their appearance. From 60 to the end of life, the air elements become the most active, and nerve nature attributes appear.

    Tailored Diets for Individual Nature

    Due to differences in individual natures, the same diet for everyone does not always make sense for health and nourishment. In order to balance the personal nature properly, there must be different proportions of the six tastes combination in the diet. The individual diets are classified into three categories: 

    1. The heavy diet for a nerve-natured person. 
    2. The dry diet for a mucous-natured person. 
    3. The mixed diet for a blood circulatory-natured person. 

    Normally a general diet effectively nourishes individuals to good health, regardless of their inherent natures. However, when health declines, adherence to one of the three specially categorized individualized diets becomes essential. It is therefore vital to recognize that the general diet sustains basic nourishment, whereas the tailored diets serve to enhance overall health and well-being.

    The Heavy Diet for Nerve-Natured Person 

    In the heavy diet, sweet, sour, and salty foods should be provided in a greater proportion than in the general diet. The proportions in the heavy diet are: 

    • 93% Sweet foods 
    • 5% Sour foods 
    • 0.25% Salt 
    • 0.25% Bitter foods 
    • 0.25% Pungent spices 
    • 1% Astringent foods

    Due to their proportionate combination according to the needs of the nerve nature, the following foods are considered to be wholesome foods for daily needs.

    • Milk product: milk, butter, ghee, yogurt (curd), cream. 
    • Vegetables: onion, garlic, scallion, cauliflower, cabbage, tomato, spinach, lettuce, carrot, turnip, parsley, asparagus. 
    • Fruits: lemon, orange, mango, pomegranate, citron lime, grape.
    • Spices: ginger, black pepper, cardamom, coriander, cinnamon, cumin seed, bay leaf. 
    • Drink: water, alcohol, tea, coffee, fruit juice, etc.

    The Dry Diet for Mucous-Natured Person 

    In the dry diet, bitter, pungent, and astringent food stuffs should be provided in higher proportion than in general diet. These proportions are: 

    • 80% sweet foods 
    • 15% astringent foods 
    • 2.5% bitter vegetables and spices 
    • 0.5% pungent spices 
    • 0.75% sour foods 
    • 0.25% salt 

    For the dry diet, the following foods are considered to be the most wholesome: Grain: wheat, barley, corn, millet, and oats. 

    • Beans: moong beans, orange lentils, chickpeas, sweet peas, soybeans, kidney beans, etc. 
    • Milk products: cheese, goat milk. 
    • Meat: goat, rabbit, deer, pheasant, eggs. 
    • Vegetables: all leafy green vegetables, flower vegetables, radish, eggplant, potato, garlic, asparagus. 
    • Fruits: apple, banana, guava, date, persimmon, rose berry. 
    • Spices: chili, ginger, black pepper, coriander, bay leaf, fenugreek, cumin seed, and turmeric. 
    • Drink: tea, coffee, and other hot drinks including water after meals.
    • Honey: should be taken regularly with all foods (except foods contradictory with honey)

    The Mixed Diet for Blood Circulatory-Natured Person

    A higher proportion of sweet, sour, and astringent foods than in the general diet is necessary in the mixed diet, the proportions are:

    • 90% Sweet foods
    • 7% Astringent foods
    • 2% Bitter foods and spices
    • 0.25% Salt
    • 0.25% Pungent spices
    • 0.25% Sour foods

    In regard to these proportions, the following foods should be included in the diet:

    • Beans: all beans
    • Milk products: except for curd (yogurt), all milk products, including ice cream. Meat: goat, sheep, rabbit, pigeon, pheasant, eggs.
    • Vegetables: mushroom, squash, bitter cucumber, cucumber, spinach, potato, lettuce, yam, turnip, carrot, bamboo shoot, asparagus, pumpkin, beet, cauliflower, cabbage, fenugreek.
    • Fruits: papaya, watermelon, muskmelon, pomegranate, banana, guava, pear, figs, grapes, coconut, apple, sweet lemon.
    • Spices: bay leaf, coriander, cumin seed, black pepper, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom.
    • Drinks: cold drinks, water, fruit juice.

    Conclusion

    In conclusion, the classification of diets tailored to individual natures underscores their importance in promoting health and well-being. By recognizing and addressing the unique characteristics associated with each temperament, these individualized diets offer a targeted approach to maintaining health. Not only do they provide essential nourishment, but they also help to mitigate the negative traits inherent in specific constitutions, such as the aggressiveness of the blood circulatory nature, the restlessness of the nerve temperament, and the sluggishness of the mucous constitution. Through the implementation of these personalized dietary regimens, individuals can achieve a harmonious balance between their physical and mental well-being, ensuring a healthier and more fulfilling life.

    Author

    Dr. Mana Bajra Bajracharya
    PIYUSHABARSHI AUSHADHALAYA
    Mahabouddha, Kathmandu, Nepal

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