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Why Two Healthy Foods Don’t Always Belong Together?

Sometimes I believe we look at food in a very simple way, in the sense that we don’t question it. We look at two foods that are healthy, like for example, a fruit is healthy, milk is healthy, and yogurt is healthy. Then we think, okay, if we mix these two healthy foods, the result will also be healthy. But that is not always true. More than 2,000 years ago, the Charaka Samhita introduced a concept called Viruddha Ahara, which means incompatible food combinations. The idea behind this is that a food is not only judged by what it is, but also by how it is eaten, how it is prepared, what it is eaten with, and who is eating it. Taking all these factors into account is important because two foods can be good on their own, but when combined, may not result in a good combination when eaten together. This is a very different way of thinking about food and nutrition. Normally, the questions that pop into our mind when we think about food are: Is it high in protein? Does it contain any vitamins? Is it low in sugar? Or is it natural or processed? But we should ask different questions. What is this food being combined with? How is it being prepared? Is the right amount being consumed? Is it the right season to eat it? Can my digestion handle it? Now, instead of looking at foods one by one, Ayurveda looks at the relationship between foods. According to the Charaka Samhita, there’s not just one kind of food incompatibility. There are 18 different ways in which food can become unsuitable when combined. Keep in mind that food is affected by where, when, how, how much, and with what it is eaten. Let us look into some of the most important types of Viruddha Ahara. First is Desha Viruddha, which means some foods are better suited to certain climates than others. A food that might work well in a cold region might not be the best choice to be eaten in a hot or humid place. Kala Viruddha refers to, as the name signifies, the season and time of the day. Eating heavy and oily foods during summer, or eating meals that are difficult to digest at night, might not suit the body and is not suggested. Agni Viruddha means digestive strength. Not everyone can digest food in the same way. A meal that might feel light for one person may feel heavy and uncomfortable for someone with weaker digestion. Matra Viruddha means quantity. Even healthy food becomes unhealthy when taken in excess amount. It is important to keep in mind that the right amount of food is as important as the right food. Then there is Samskara Viruddha. The way food is cooked, stored, and processed also changes how it affects the body. The same ingredients may have different effects depending on how they are prepared. Virya Viruddha refers to the inherent qualities of food. Some foods have warming qualities, while others have cooling qualities. Combining foods with opposite properties might not always be a good choice. Samyoga Viruddha refers to foods that do not work well together, even when each of them is healthy on its own. One of the best-known examples of Samyoga Viruddha is milk with sour fruits. According to Ayurveda, milk has a cooling nature, while sour fruits are heating and acidic. The classical texts explain that this combination can disturb digestion, increase heaviness, and create discomfort. Many people may have experienced this without realizing, like after consuming certain fruit-and-milk combinations, such as a smoothie or milkshake, they may feel bloated, heavy, or simply feel that the meal “didn’t sit well.” Now, Viruddha Ahara is not just a small idea presented in Ayurveda. It is an important concept because it is considered one of the major causes of disease. In the Charaka Samhita, incompatible food combinations are described as a major reason for several health problems, especially those related to the skin. They are also linked with inflammation, poor digestion, and, in some cases, even disturbances of the mind. Vagbhata has also described incompatible food combinations as being poison-like. This doesn’t mean they act like a poison after every single meal. It means that when these combinations are consumed repeatedly over months, they might gradually affect your health. The effects may show up as bloating, discomfort, inflammation, and other digestive issues. So, the next time you are trying to consume something healthy, ask yourself if that combination of foods or ingredients is actually healthy for your body. Did this article change the way you think about food? Share it with someone who might find it interesting, and let us know in the comments if you’ve ever noticed certain food combinations affecting your digestion or how you feel. As next, we’ll explore some of the most well-known incompatible food combinations described in Ayurveda.

Protein vs Digestion: What Ayurveda Teaches About Building Muscle

If you are hitting the gym today, or even just opening a health app on your phone, there’s probably one thing you’ll notice immediately: protein intake. Thirty grams for breakfast, twenty-five grams for lunch and even a protein shake after your workout to hit your daily target. Protein has become so ingrained in modern nutrition that we rarely stop to question it. But here’s something interesting. Ayurveda, one of the world’s oldest continuously practised systems of medicine, never counted protein at all. Why? Let’s understand protein in a simple way. Protein helps build muscle and supports strength. Many people assume that the more protein we eat, the stronger we become. But the amount of protein you eat isn’t necessarily the amount your body digests, absorbs, and uses. This single difference changes everything. The World Has Become Obsessed With Protein Protein is everywhere today. The global protein supplement industry is now worth over $30 billion, and millions of people are actively trying to increase their daily protein intake. Protein powders, protein cereals, protein bars, protein water, almost every food category now has a protein version. The question is not whether we need protein. It has become how can we eat even more of it? Research suggests that most Americans already meet or exceed the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein. Consuming protein far beyond these requirements doesn’t automatically lead to additional muscle gain or health benefits, particularly for sedentary individuals. At the same time, many people are actually falling short on nutrients like fiber, calcium, potassium, and several B vitamins. India has a similar story. You may have heard the claim that 73% of Indians are protein deficient. But that number comes from a relatively small market survey rather than a nationwide nutritional assessment. Protein intake varies considerably across India. While many people meet their basic physiological requirements, others, particularly older adults, women, and lower-income populations, may still consume inadequate amounts. The bigger question isn’t simply how much protein we’re eating, it is whether our body is actually able to absorb and use it properly. Ayurveda Never Looked at Food This Way One of the basic principles of Ayurveda is that food is understood by how it behaves inside your body, not by how many grams of protein, carbohydrates, or fat it contains. In other words, Ayurveda is less interested in the food itself and more interested in what that food does to your body. Every food is understood through its taste, qualities, energy, and what happens after digestion. The Chandogya Upanishad describes what happens when food is eaten, it explains that the heaviest part becomes waste, the finer part nourishes the body, while the subtlest portion supports the mind. The remaining part contributes to building the body’s tissues, including muscle. So Ayurveda never denied that food builds muscle. It simply believed that something else comes first. You might have heard of the saying, you are what you eat. But I believe it extends to you are what you digest. Every meal you eat has the potential to nourish you but only if your body can properly absorb it. Food doesn’t become muscle the moment you swallow it. It first has to be digested, the nutrients must then be absorbed and gradually transformed into the body’s tissues. Ayurveda describes this as a sequential process of tissue nourishment that eventually supports blood, muscle, fat, bone, marrow, reproductive tissue, and finally Ojas, the body’s deepest reserve of vitality and resilience. For all of this to happen efficiently, your digestion has to be working well. Why Ayurveda Focuses on Agni This is why Ayurveda places so much importance on Agni, the digestive fire. When your Agni is strong, food is digested efficiently, nutrients are absorbed properly, and the body receives nourishment. But when Agni becomes weak, the body struggles to digest and process food effectively. Instead of being completely transformed into nourishment, part of the food remains partially digested. Ayurveda calls this Ama. Ama is described as incompletely processed metabolic waste. According to Ayurveda, its accumulation is considered the starting point for many diseases. This is why simply adding more food or more protein is not always the answer if your digestion is weak. Eating more protein does not automatically mean your body will build more muscle. The first step is improving digestion. Modern Science Is Beginning to Ask Similar Questions Interestingly, modern nutrition is beginning to explore many of these same ideas. One 2024 study published in Nature Metabolism reported that consuming more than approximately 25 grams of protein in a meal reduced markers associated with autophagy, the body’s natural process for clearing damaged cells. Researchers are increasingly recognising that digestion, gut health, and nutrient absorption are just as important as nutrient intake itself. High-protein diets can also unintentionally reduce fiber intake if they replace plant-based foods. This matters because dietary fiber feeds beneficial gut bacteria and plays an important role in long-term digestive and metabolic health. In some respects, modern nutrition is beginning to explore concepts that echo principles long emphasised in Ayurveda, particularly the importance of digestion, gut health, and nutrient utilisation. The body is not just a container for nutrients. It is a living system that must digest, absorb, and transform food before it can become nourishment. So Should You Stop Eating Protein? Absolutely not. Protein is an essential nutrient, it helps build muscle, repair tissues, produce enzymes, hormones, and support numerous physiological functions throughout the body. I am not asking you to stop eating protein. I am asking you to stop thinking that more protein automatically means better health. Instead of asking,… Continue reading Protein vs Digestion: What Ayurveda Teaches About Building Muscle

5 Natural Supplements You Should Add To Your Diet Every Single Day

1. Turmeric The number one supplement that you need in your life is nothing but turmeric. You may have heard people saying, especially people in the west, talking about having turmeric in the form of teas, in the form of turmeric lattes, or sometimes even in the form of supplements. You don’t need all of these pills and supplements to get your adequate amount of turmeric to help with all the benefits that it is going to give us. Our traditional Indian way of cooking where we add the good fats and the spices, along with that we add turmeric, that is the most bioavailable form of turmeric and that helps with better digestion, better absorption, and better assimilation of all the good things that turmeric has to give us. Now let us understand what turmeric does in our body. For this we have to understand what the properties of turmeric are as per Ayurveda. Ayurveda says every food has certain properties, like there is a specific taste to a particular food item, a particular post-digestive taste. Ayurveda also talks about a property called Prabhava or special characteristic. One special characteristic or Prabhava of turmeric is that it is antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory. For example, somebody is having a viral condition like chickenpox, we ask our patients to take shower with water boiled with turmeric because it is antimicrobial. When it comes to food poisoning, if you consume more of turmeric paste throughout the day, you are helping your body to reduce inflammation. Even if you have acne, you can use turmeric boiled water to wash your face because of its antimicrobial properties, you don’t need any antibacterial face washes. All bitter tasting herbs are good for your liver. So, if you want to detoxify your liver, don’t go for supplements and medicines that detoxify your liver. Instead, just add a little bit more turmeric to your diet. Adding turmeric to your dishes can help you improve your digestive fire, reduce gas, and bloating. If you have children at home who constantly get bronchitis, cough, cold, fever, etc., turmeric helps you to improve their immunity. Make sure that you add turmeric to your cooking every day. Even in traditional Indian cooking, we have so many dishes like haldi chawal, haldi doodh, haldi ka achar, turmeric lettuce soup. All of these are very good for improving your digestive system. 2. Dry Ginger Number two is dry ginger. I am talking about dry ginger and not wet ginger. Wet ginger is extremely heating, extremely pitta increasing. Dry ginger is also warm; it is much less heating compared to wet ginger. When you buy ginger, make sure that you leave it outside and don’t keep it in the fridge so that it gets a little dry and then you can use it for cooking. Just like how we said turmeric was anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory because of its prabhava, ginger also has a prabhava. And what is that? Dry ginger is anti-emetic. That means if somebody feels like vomiting, dry ginger is what we give. It’s also good for improving digestion, absorption, and assimilation of food. It helps in reducing gas and bloating. It helps in subsiding Vata gently. Just like how I told you about turmeric, don’t take dry ginger as a pill or a supplement. Instead, make sure that you have dry ginger in a cooked form along with other spices and good fats. I personally add dry ginger every day to my cooking. However, one special indulgence that I really love doing is to have dry ginger wali masala chai. After heavy meals, if for example, you had a biryani and you’re now feeling very heavy, very bloated, or you have this guilt feeling that you shouldn’t have had it because you can’t even think of the digestive problems that may come, then have dry ginger powder mixed with a little bit of rock salt, add a little bit of water and consume it. That will help you subside the gas and bloating. It will also help you improve the digestion. And if you’re somebody who feels constipation, you can have a glass of dry ginger water in the morning. Make sure that you add two glasses of water, add one piece of dry ginger and reduce to one glass to get the maximum essence of dry ginger. And drink this water. This can ease your bowel movements. 3. Amla This one is my favorite. If you don’t want to have any supplement at all in this world, then one supplement that you need in your life is amla or amla powder. This is something that you must include in your life. Whether it is in the form of amla powder, amla juice, as amla murabba, amla candy, whatever it is, amla has to go into your system every single day. Every house should have some form of amla ready to be served every day because amla helps in a lot of ways beyond what you can imagine. There is a particular practice in Ayurveda. We call it as Kuti Pravishika. It is for people who want to reverse aging. It is a complete process. And the one thing that is given to people who wants to reverse their aging is Amla. Amla has rejuvenating or anti-aging properties which can actually reverse your aging. It is amazing for your skin, amazing for your heart, amazing for your hair, amazing for your digestive system, your liver, your intestine, and it’s good for your eyes. So, if you want to take that one supplement every day, take Amla. How can you consume Amla? You can have Amla juice. Again, Amla juice, don’t have it as a… Continue reading 5 Natural Supplements You Should Add To Your Diet Every Single Day

From My Clinic to Your Kitchen

Why I am writing this to you… I have spent decades sitting with people who are unwell. Not just inconvenienced. Genuinely unwell. People with conditions that have names, diagnoses, years of medical history behind them. Thyroid disorders, PCOS, IBS, chronic fatigue, autoimmune conditions, type 2 diabetes. People who have seen good doctors, taken their medications, followed the advice, and still wake up every morning not feeling like themselves. They come to me after all of that. And the first thing I notice, almost every single time, is not their blood reports or their prescription history. It’s how they eat. When they eat. What they believe food is supposed to do for them. Most of them have been told what not to eat. Very few have been taught how to eat. That distinction has taken me a long time to understand, and even longer to be able to explain. I trained in Ayurveda. I have practiced it across countries, across cultures, across very different kinds of suffering. What I keep coming back to, no matter where I am or who I am sitting with, is that the gut is where almost everything begins. Not just digestion. Immunity. Hormones. Mood. Energy. Inflammation. It starts there. Ayurveda has known this for over five thousand years. What we are only now beginning to confirm through modern research, Ayurvedic physicians observed through careful, sustained clinical practice across generations. The gut is not just a digestive organ. It is the foundation of health. When I write a dietary protocol for my patients, I am not pulling from a wellness trend or a nutrition blog. I am drawing from classical texts, from thousands of hours of clinical observation, and from the humbling experience of watching very sick people get measurably better when they change the way they eat and live. This document is a version of what I give my patients. It is not a diet. It is a way of approaching food with knowledge rather than anxiety. Every instruction here has a reason behind it, grounded in how the body actually works, not how we wish it did. If you are dealing with a chronic condition, if you have been struggling for a long time and feel like you have already tried everything, I want you to read this carefully. Not because it will fix everything overnight. But because in my clinical experience, this is where real recovery begins. Not in a hospital, not in a supplement, but in the kitchen, three times a day, consistently, over time. That is the medicine I am offering you here. Ayurvedic Healthy Eating — A Personal Guide Let’s start with something simple. Food is your daily medicine. Not a punishment, not a restriction, just a way to come back to balance. And I’m going to walk you through exactly how to do that, one step at a time. First, let’s fix your meal times. I want you to eat at the same time every day. Your body has a clock, and your digestion follows it. When you eat irregularly, your gut gets confused. You get bloating, acidity, that heavy sluggish feeling. Sound familiar? So here’s what I need you to do: don’t skip meals. Not breakfast, not lunch. Every skipped meal weakens your digestion a little more, and then you end up overeating later and wondering why you feel terrible. Let’s break that cycle. Now, let’s talk about water. I’m not asking you to force down three litres. Drink when you’re thirsty, that’s it. But please, switch to warm water. Cold water is one of the quiet things slowing your digestion down without you realising it. And during meals, just sip. Don’t flood your stomach. You’re trying to digest food, not dilute it. Here’s what to cook with. For fats, use ghee, coconut oil, or black sesame oil. These nourish you. For sweetness, reach for jaggery or mishri instead of refined sugar. Small swaps, but they make a real difference over time. Please cook your food. I know raw salads feel healthy. They’re not, not for a gut that’s already struggling. Raw food is cold, hard to digest, and creates gas. Cook your vegetables with a lid on, add cumin and a pinch of asafoetida, and your body will thank you. For pulses, dry roast them first, soak overnight, throw away that water, then boil fresh with ginger, turmeric, and cumin. This removes the gas-causing compounds. It’s a few extra steps, but it makes pulses so much easier on your system. For now, let’s remove a few things. Just temporarily. Maida, soy products, cow’s milk, curd are putting stress on your digestion right now. Cheese and paneer, once a week at most. No deep-fried food, no packaged food with more than five ingredients on the label. This isn’t forever. It’s just long enough to let your gut heal. When you eat out, keep it simple. Go for grilled or baked over fried. Avoid anything heavy, creamy, or processed. Warm and freshly cooked is always the right call. And walk. Every day. Ten thousand steps. It sounds like a lot, but it’s really just being consistently on your feet. Walking supports your digestion, moves toxins out, and clears your head in ways no supplement can. The last thing I’ll say is this. None of this works if you do it three days and then stop. Healing isn’t dramatic. It’s quiet and cumulative. Every meal you eat on time, every warm glass of water, every freshly cooked dish, it adds up. That’s where the change lives. You don’t need an extreme diet. You need consistent, aware, daily habits. That’s Ayurveda. And that’s what I’m asking you to try. Love & Light, @DoctorRekha

Why You Get Acidity, Gas and Bloating After Meals?

What Is Really Going On? If you feel burning, gas, heaviness or bloating after most meals, it is not “just your usual stomach problem.” Ayurveda says this means your digestion is disturbed and your food is not processing properly. In simple words, three things are happening inside: Your digestive “fire” (Agni) is weak or irregular. Your inner heat (Pitta) may be too high – causing burning and acidity. Your air element (Vata) may be disturbed – causing gas and bloating. When this continues for weeks or months, half-digested food turns into sticky waste called Ama. This Ama creates more gas, heaviness and discomfort after almost every meal. Agni is like the flame in your stomach. When it is balanced, you feel hungry at the right time, your food digests well, and you feel light and comfortable after a meal. Similarly, when Agni is weak, food stays longer in the stomach and intestines, making you feel full, dull and sleepy even after a small meal. When it is too strong, you may feel sharp hunger but also burning, acidity and loose stools. When it is irregular, your appetite and digestion keep changing sometimes very hungry, sometimes no hunger at all, sometimes constipated, sometimes loose motions. All these patterns can lead to discomfort after meals if not corrected. When food does not digest properly because of disturbed Agni, it turns into something that Ayurveda calls Ama. You can imagine Ama as half-cooked, sticky, stale food sitting in your gut. It is heavy, blocks the natural flow in the intestines and starts to ferment. This shows up as constant bloating, excessive gas, bad breath, a coated tongue and that feeling of being full and tired even after a small quantity of food. Over time, if Ama keeps building up, it can spread further and contribute to problems like joint pains, low energy and skin issues. That is why just neutralizing acid is not enough, the real work is to improve Agni and clear Ama. Role of Pitta – Heat and Acidity Pitta is the fire and heat energy in the body. In the stomach and chest area, high Pitta shows up as burning, sour burps, acid taste in the mouth, nausea and discomfort in the upper abdomen or chest. Everyday habits easily push Pitta up, such as eating very spicy, oily and fried food, taking a lot of pickles, vinegar and sour items, drinking too much tea, coffee, cola or alcohol, and smoking. Skipping meals, having long gaps and then overeating also irritate Pitta. Emotionally, anger, frustration, working under pressure and eating while tense or upset add more “heat” to the digestive system. If this continues for weeks and months, it can lead to repeated acidity, heartburn and conditions like gastritis and reflux. Role of Vata – Gas and Bloating Vata is the principle of movement and air in the body. In the digestive system, excess or disturbed Vata shows up as gas, bloating, gurgling sounds, shifting cramps and irregular bowel habits. Common triggers are eating in a hurry, talking while eating, swallowing a lot of air, taking very cold, dry or raw foods, or living on biscuits, chips and other dry snacks. Fizzy drinks and chilled water add more air and cold to the system. Irregular meal timings, frequent travel, late nights and worry or anxiety disturb Vata even more. Even if acidity and burning seem to be the main issue, Vata usually adds extra gas and bloating on top of it, which makes you feel stretched and uncomfortable after meals. Everyday Causes That Make It Worse Most people with repeat acidity and gas have a few habits in common. When you correct these, you often feel better even before taking any herbs. Common food-related causes: Eating at odd times every day. Eating again before the last meal is digested. Heavy, late-night dinners. Very spicy, oily, fried and junk food. Too much tea, coffee, cola or alcohol. Mixing foods that don’t go well together (like milk with sour fruits, or fruits with heavy meals). Lifestyle and mind-related causes: Eating while working, scrolling, or in front of a screen. Eating too fast, not chewing properly. Lying down soon after meals. High stress, anger or worry, especially around mealtimes. Not sleeping on time and lack of any movement or exercise. Simple Food Rules To Keep in Mind You don’t need a very complicated diet to start healing. A few clear, simple rules help a lot. Eat at regular times Try to eat your main meals at similar times each day. Your body likes rhythm. When you eat at random times, your digestive fire becomes confused and weak. Wait for real hunger Eat when you feel light hunger, not just boredom or habit. If the last meal is still sitting heavy, give it time to digest. For most people, a gap of about 4 hours between main meals works well. Eat warm, fresh, cooked food Warm, freshly cooked meals are easier to digest than cold or stale food. Prefer: Light khichdi, dal-rice, simple vegetable sabzis. Chapatis with ghee and cooked vegetables. Soups, stews and lightly spiced one-pot meals. Avoid having large bowls of raw salad, cold smoothies or fridge-cold leftovers when digestion is weak. Go easy on spice, sour and oil If you get burning and acid: Cut down on heavy chilli, pickles, vinegar, tomato-heavy gravies and fried food. Reduce deep-fried snacks, pakodas, chips, samosas, puris and heavy biryanis. Keep mustard oil, very spicy chutneys and heavy masalas to a minimum. Avoid wrong food combinations Some common combinations can disturb digestion: Milk with sour fruits like orange, pineapple or berries. Milk or curd with salty, fish or meat dishes. Fruits eaten together with a full cooked meal. It is better to have fruits alone, with some gap before or… Continue reading Why You Get Acidity, Gas and Bloating After Meals?