Dr. Pankaj Naram says that the following recommendations will help you to balance the three doshas and create strong digestion and a healthy immune system.

1. SIDDHA-VEDIC
GUIDELINES FOR A
HEALTHY DIET (PART I)
Dr. Pankaj Naram says that the following
recommendations will help you to balance the three
doshas and create strong digestion and a healthy
immune system.

2. • Even if you are able to follow only one or two of the recommendations at first, you
will find that gradually over time you can incorporate more changes. Please do not
allow yourself to become stressed or fanatical about eating or avoiding certain
foods, the most important thing is to enjoy your food and the process of eating!

3. • Such as pumpkin,
squashes, spinach,
asparagus, fennel,
sweet corn, onions,
carrots, parsnips,
beetroot, celery, sweet
potatoes, green beans,
chicory, kale, chard,
alfalfa, avocados,
artichokes, and leeks.

4. • Like green and split mung beans, tur
dal and red lentils are easy to digest,
balancing and nourishing to the body.
Sprouted mung can also be used, but
needs to be cooked. Chickpeas, chana
dal, black-eyed and kidney beans can
be taken very occasionally since they
are heavier; they must be thoroughly
soaked and well cooked. To get the full
value from pulses they should be
eaten together with grains (especially
rice). Tofu made from soy beans may
also be enjoyed.

5. • Including rice (red, brown or white,
especially basmati rice), oat, rye,
buckwheat, corn, millet, amaranth,
quinoa, kamut, spelt, polenta; basically
everything other than wheat. Flours
made from the above grains and also
from potato and buckwheat are
excellent substitutes for ‘normal’ flour.
Bread (wheat free!) is better eaten
when toasted as the dry heat stops
further yeast fermentation. Porridge
made without milk, but with cinnamon
and cardamom, coconut flakes, soaked
raisins or stewed fruit is an ideal
breakfast: easy to digest, highly
nutritious, warming and energizing.

6. • Such as pumpkin, sesame,
poppy and sunflower seeds,
pine nuts, almonds (without
skin), walnuts, hazelnuts,
pistachios and brazil nuts are
best consumed in small
amounts as they are heavy to
digest and can be vata
increasing.They are more easily
digested if cooked, ground,
soaked overnight or made into
a paste or milk.The flesh, milk,
cream and flakes of coconuts
can be used liberally.

7. • Such as apples, pears, apricots,
grapes, cherries, plums, sweet
berries, fresh figs, dates and
pomegranate. Lime juice can be
used in moderation. Bananas are
very cold in energy and therefore
best eaten when cooked.They
should be avoided while having a
cough, cold, flu or mucus
accumulation in the respiratory tract.
Unsulphured dried fruits are okay,
but should preferably be soaked or
made into a stew.

8. • Ghee (clarified butter) is the best – it is like a
medicine (highly pitta reducing) and can be
cooked with and added to practically
everything. Butter is also good and definitely
better than margarines and other such
processed spreads. Milk should only be taken
warm and, preferably, spiced with fresh ginger
and ground or whole cardamom. Cinnamon
and/or turmeric may also be added to milk.
Good alternatives to cow’s milk are goat and
sheep milk or soy, almond and rice milk.
Fresher, soft cheeses such as cottage cheese,
manicotti, feta and ricotta are easier to digest
then hard, old ones and also less mucus
producing. They are best enjoyed with some
black pepper to stimulate agni (digestive fire).

9. • It is better to consume small, digestible
quantities of white meat, i.e. chicken
and turkey, since red meat is much
heavier and harder to digest. Fish is hot
and pitta increasing in nature and
therefore best consumed in small
quantities or avoided. Fresh water fish
is less heating than seafood. Eggs,
tofu, tempeh and miso are okay in
moderation, but seitan (pure wheat
gluten) and quorn (highly processed
fungus protein isolate) should definitely
be avoided.

10. • Refined sugar and artificial sweeteners
(aspartame, NutraSweet etc.) are heavy and
produce toxins. Unrefined sweeteners may
be taken in moderation, such as jaggery
(solidified sugar cane juice found in Indian
food stores), sucanat and rapadura (raw cane
sugars), date syrup, maple syrup, rice syrup
or honey. Honey should not be heated, as it is
not heat stable and becomes indigestible
when cooked, baked or heated over 100ºF.
Heated honey becomes sticky and forms
obstructions in the channels in the body
when consumed. Most commercial honey is
heated as part of the production process so it
is important to read labels and find honey
that has not been heated. Honey may be
added as a sweetener to tea after the tea has
cooled to a warm temperature.

11. • Tea and coffee (preferably
decaffeinated) should only be consumed
in very small quantities (no more than 8
oz. per day). Herbal or green teas are
better. Good alternatives to real coffee
are Caro or Barley Cup. Ginger tea made
from fresh roots is warming, agni
increasing, removes mucus and toxins
and is an excellent remedy for coughs
and colds. However, if ginger tea is
consumed regularly it will increase pitta
too much. Plain hot water is also good
for clearing the digestive tract. Fresh
vegetable and fruit juices are very
nourishing, but should be avoided in cold
weather or while suffering from colds.

12. • Cumin, coriander, fennel and saffron are the
best for balancing all doshas and increasing agni,
and should be used liberally. Black pepper, fresh
ginger root and ginger powder, turmeric,
cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, mustard seeds,
fenugreek and nutmeg will aggravate pitta if
used in excess so they should be used with
caution if pitta complaints are present (burning
pain, bleeding disorders, migraine headaches,
irritability, anger). Dill, anise, basil, oregano,
poppy seeds, marjoram, oregano, sage, mineral
salt (unrefined sea salt), thyme, and bayleaf may
also be used. Garlic and cooked onions can also
be used in small quantities. Asafoetida (hing)
reduces vata and should be added when cooking
pulses, beans and cabbage to reduce their gas
producing properties.