Holistic Nutrition For

Children and Elderly

In View Of Ayurveda
By Dr. Rakesh Kumar Jain
Ayurvedacharya
 Holistic nutrition uses food as healing for a person's emotional,
physical, and spiritual health. It involves consuming healthy, whole
Holistic foods that are unrefined, unprocessed, organic, and locally-grown.
Instead of focusing on just one aspect of the person, or taking a one
nutrition size fits all methodology, holistic nutrition evaluates the complete
health history, emotional state, lifestyle habits and current diet
habits of an individual to determine the root cause of his or her
health issues.
 “Diet” plays the dominant or important role in our life. It is said that
'as you eat, so you become’. This is because the kind and quality of
food affects the physical as well as mental condition of the
individual.
Diet There are three categories of food
 Rajsik/Rajasi
 Tamsik/Tamasi
 Satvik/Sattvik
 Rajsik food includes dishes of various kinds - some fried, some
roasted, and some curried and highly seasoned -together with
various sweets and drinks. Foods of this type are regarded
Rajsik/Rajasi undesirable in Ayurveda as they create extra weight and fat,
Food generate feeling of heaviness for a longer period of time after
dinner.
 Tamsik food includes any dish-vegetarian or non-vegetarian
prepared with too many spices and with excessive uses of salts,
pepper, chili and similar other seasonings. This type of food is not
Tamsik/Tamas recommended in Ayurveda as the person inclined to be noisy,
i quarrelsome and intolerant after eating Tamsik Food. Non-
Vegetarian food is mainly considered tamsik food.
 Satvik food is cooked with the least amount of spices and without
much seasoning. The food is fresh, attractive and nutritive, and is
Satvik/Sattvik cooked in a simple way. This type of food is desirable and highly
recommended in Ayurveda.
 Ayurveda identifies three basic types of energy or functional principles that are
present in everyone: Vata, Pitta and Kapha (Dosha). These principles can be related
to the basic biology of the body.

Vata is the energy of air and ether, movement and impulse, creativity and
connection; it governs breathing, the pulsation of the heart, muscle movement in
Functional general, nerve impulses, sensory perception, communication, and our capacity to
experience flexibility, joy, and expansive consciousness.
Principles Of
Our Body Pitta is the energy of fire and water, digestion and transformation; it governs
appetite, digestion, absorption, assimilation, intelligence, charisma, courage, and
ambition.

Kapha is the energy of water and earth, structure and cohesiveness, grounding and
stability; it governs nourishment, growth, lubrication, regeneration, fluid balance,
fat regulation, strength, stamina, memory, and our ability to feel compassion and
contentment.
 Stimulate all 6 senses with every meal by always introducing all
6 tastes/ras (sweet, sour, salty, spicy, bitter, astringent). They all
have different effects on a person’s body and mind

Always prepare your meals as fresh as possible. Not only is it

Ayurvedic healthier, it also simply tastes better.
Cuisine For
Children Have your child regularly drink warm water between meals. It
makes the digestive tract stronger while a cold drink weakens it.

Ghee is especially important for teenagers and children. It

doesn’t matter whether you stir it into milk or cook with it
often. Specially Cow Ghee.
  Breakfast : Ayurveda suggests warm porridge with some
ground ginger, turmeric, cinnamon and a bit of cardamom.
Children can have some spiced milk with that. Add some ghee and
ground ginger into a glass of milk. For children over 2 years of age,
Tips For All you can also refine the drink with some almond paste.
Meals For  Lunch : We suggest having a lassi, the ayurvedic yoghurt drink,
with a well-balanced lunch. Prepared with probiotic yoghurt, the
Children lassi also supports your offspring’s gut flora.
 Dinner : To relieve the bowel and allow your children to get a good
night’s sleep, Ayurveda prefers light, easily digestible evening
meals.
  Energy rich foods (Carbohydrates and fats)-whole grain cereals,
millets, vegetable oils, ghee, nuts and oilseeds and sugars.
Food To  Body building foods (Proteins)- Pulses, nuts and oilseeds, milk and
Include In Diet milk products.
 Protective foods (Vitamins and minerals) - Green leafy vegetables,
For Children other vegetables, fruits, milk and milk products.
 Drink 2-2.5 liters of water to hydrate the body.
  Avoid sugary drinks.
 Nothing out of a packet for breakfast
Things To  No plastic dabbas or bottles in schools
Avoid For  No gadgets while eating

Children  No chocolates or ice creams post dinner

 Avoid overeating during a single meal. Eat at frequent intervals.
 Alph poshion and Ati poshion is not good for health.
 Inner cleansing

Abhyanga
Ayurvedic
Morning Stretching
Routine For Body cleansing
Children
Cleaning the tongue and teeth

Take proper care of hygiene

  Go local, go seasonal!
 Consume foods with a high-water content. Hydration is the key!
 paneer made from low-fat milk is a good source of protein important
for repair of worn out cells and tissues.
 Use of mustard oil is a good cooking medium as both prevent high
cholesterol and improve good cholesterol in the blood.
Diet Tips For  Six to seven small meals in a day aid digestion, absorption and prevent
fatigue.
Elderly  Vegetables soups without cream and thickening agents are a healthy
meal to be taken as a supper.
 Potassium-rich foods like cumin seeds (jeera), sweet limes, fenugreek
seeds (methi) and coconut water are good for muscular flexibility,
prevent water retention and swellings. They also contribute to
maintain blood pressure.
 Daily practice of Yogasana, Pranayama and meditation for at least 30
minutes
  According to ayurveda, each meal should contain all six flavors:
sweet, sour, salty, bitter, astringent, and pungent. The dominance
of the flavors will be based on our predominant dosha makeup.
For example, a Vata-predominant person will favor heavier meals
with sour and salty tastes. A Kapha-predominant person may
favor more pungent meals, and a Pitta-predominant person more
sweet flavors. Remember, having all six tastes in our meals means
that the spice is present, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that we
Diet Tips For may overtly taste each flavor.
 During cleansing, we can eat light, yet nourishing foods such
Elderly as mung bean soup or kichari, and drink lots of warm water
through the day. Sip detox tea or ama pachana water. Fresh,
sweet juicy fruits are excellent cleansers.
 When possible avoid caffeine, alcohol and carbonated soft drinks,
and switch to life-giving, vitality-boosting beverages.
 Add plenty of natural colour to your diet. Two to three meals of
seasonal fruits will work as antioxidants and prevent constipation.
  Do Not Stand And Drink Water
 Avoid processed foods with artificial colours and preservatives
 Avoid eating out. Always leave your home with a small healthy
What To Avoid snack in your bag.

For Elderly  Do Not Overeat, Or Eat Right After A Full Meal

 No Distracted Eating
 Do not Eat without considering your Dosha(Vata/Pita/Kapha) and
Prakrati (Satvik/Tamsik/Rajsik)
Thank You