It is a consistent topic to talk about the many diets that are offered on the market these days. People have anywhere from ketogenic, paleo, breatharian, vegetarian, vegan, fruitarian, intermittent fasting, diets for athletes, diets for bodybuilders, diets for anti-inflammation, gut health diets, and the list goes on. Within all these facets repeatedly professionals are trying to prove why one is better than the other. Being in this industry now for over a decade it has become noticeably clear that all diets do indeed have something good to offer but not all are sustainable for extended periods of time nor are they not good for all people. After researching many of these throughout the years, it was in the understanding of the why factor to how each diet only helps specific groups of people as opposed to benefits of each diet. Studying deeper into India’s medical system of Ayurveda these inquiries start to deepen even further.
When you think about food, people try to categorize it as either healthy or unhealthy. If you really dig deep though every single species of food has specific qualities that can affect how the person is receiving it. All people have specific qualities about them that are acceptable to some and repulsive to the others. This is also how food is in the body. It really depends on the person eating it. Take for instance a person who leans towards extremely dry skin, does not easily put on weight, and tends to do exercise such as running, HIIT, etc. If I have them eating foods that are extremely drying, light, cold, quickly move through the body (such as juicing/fasting). These qualities in that person will continue to rise. This is the rule of like increases like in the system. You counteract certain traits, mental faculties and diseases that arise by balancing out that which is thrown out of balance. In the instance of disease pathology this needs to be expanded upon in more detail as it is not as simple as just diet but for the purposes of the seeker to health this concept is extremely important. A lot of mistakes are made in starting diets because people tend to follow them blindly without ever really paying attention to what is happening to their body whether the diet is working in their favor physically and mentally. Many contraindications can arise when one does not pay attention. One should not just follow a diet because it worked for a friend or a group of people, one should follow a diet that is in complete alignment with them physically and intuitively. It has to feel good within the body and a person knows when something feels good and when it is off. Food and lifestyle are not a one stop shop. Because our genetic makeup is so unique to us, we must make it relevant in the choices we make both in our lifestyle choices and what we are consuming. If something is not sitting well in the system or a channel of the body is in increase or decrease i.e. obesity or anorexia which are related to the fat channel known as meda dhatu in Ayurveda, then the diet needs to change. We truly eat to live so sustaining the life should be the most important topic of discussion when it comes to your food. Though all of these diets are out there, it is good to look at them with a grain of salt or as a guide to help you find what works best for you.
When it comes to athletes and putting on muscle here is yet again another example of like increases like. To really engage in the increase of muscle you must consume foods that are related to that channel. When it is really thought about the food most like muscle is muscle or animal proteins. Now this type of thinking really goes in alignment with bodybuilders. The issue is that if a person is not lifting correctly or exerting the amount of energy it takes to sustain that muscle without a ton of fat then that is what you end up with, a ton of fat. Too much protein also leads to insulin increase which in turn, turns to fat. This is where the science of food really matters. If you are indeed very professional at lifting and can truly find that balance of protein specific to your body, then you have mastered the like increases like rule. It is a fine line of overconsumption and not enough consumption. People will also see this in athletes or bodybuilders that consume to many carbohydrates or to many fats. The combination of all three makes it even more exciting in the system especially when all can ultimately turn to fat. One must understand that protein is for muscle growth, muscle repair, the building block of bones, skin, blood and cartilage and can also regulate hormones. Carbohydrates are good for energy sufficiency and expenditure and fat is good for vitamin absorbency, energy storage, brain function, protection of our vital organs and temperature control within the body. Any of these three macro nutrients can be overconsumed. If you are not building enough muscle or it is not relevant for you to, then protein consumption should be reduced. It is far too often people do not know how much protein to consume nor do they know how much they consume personally. This is where the battle of the vegans and paleo dieters really go at it. In truth the amount of protein needed is up to the person’s expenditure, usage, and storage of those proteins. If you are one to be somewhat normal in the exercise arena, then the amount of protein you need is that of a normal person. Nothing more. If you are in a gym and a trainer tells you to start consuming more protein really understand why they are saying that to you and how much you are actually consuming and how much you actually need. Don’t base your intake on what someone else tells you to intake unless they have a complete background in your overall health and daily lifestyle and dietary choices. In the instance of both vegans, vegetarians, keto, and paleo all can be correct on protein consumption depending on the person. When you break it down to the like increases like principle you are not being guided my morals and values, you are truly referring to the science behind expenditure and usage. The arguments of a lot of these diets are based on what's right for the environment, how we use to eat several thousand years ago, the ethical treatment of animals, what is considered most sustainable to the human body etc. But if you really look at all these claims each does not directly hit the individual themselves. You are unique; therefore, your body is unique, and it deserves to be studied by you. In a lot of instances, you see people’s health fail because they are following and not leading in their own development of dietary habits. It is completely understandable to be ethically and morally behind the food you eat but if it is having an undesirable effect on your body and your health one should probably start thinking of their livelihood first.
Every food that was made from this earth and man-made has very specific qualities that can affect every channel of the human body. For some even an apple isn’t the best choice of fruit for them as an apple is astringent, dry, and rough. If these qualities sit within you then they will increase over time. So, an apple a day isn’t always the best medicine for all people. The like increase like is truly the law of opposites. These qualities broken down are heavy/light, slow/fast, dull/sharp, cold/hot, unctuous/dry, smooth/rough, solid/liquid, soft/hard, stable/mobile, subtle/gross, and clear/slimy. With knowing all of these you can counteract things that are being elevated in the body. If you are constantly to cold then majority of your food should be warm or hot and vice versa, if you are having issues with weight then remove foods that are heavy, dense, thick, slow as this will increase in the bodily channels. This all seems like common sense, but we get so lost in the matrix of diets that we tend to lose grasp on what seems so basic that it becomes profound. So, in other words set out what it is you want to accomplish then understand the quality of the foods you are eating so that you may amplify that goal. If it is muscle that you are trying to increase then the foods you eat should be relevant of the qualities of muscle, if you are trying to reduce weight then the qualities of food should be exactly the opposite of the quality of fat. If you are trying to strengthen bones, reduce heat in the body, become more flexible, etc. All your food choices truly make a difference in these efforts. Everything can be expanded on from something else. The next article will articulate the many ways of cooking the food and how that can also lead to very different outcomes in the body. Be more specific with your food and your food will pay you back in good health.
