Ayurveda for longevity: Items that should be included in your daily diet

New Delhi: Ayurveda, which literally means the 'science of life and longevity', is one of the world's oldest holistic healing systems.

The origin of Ayurveda dates back nearly 5000 years to the Vedic culture of India. The main goal of Ayurveda is to promote good health, and not fight disease.

Ayurvedic medicine has a very holistic approach to diet and food as whatever we eat is extremely important for keeping the mind and body healthy.

While stressing on the benefits of Ayurveda, Gita Ramesh, Jt Managing Director, Kairali Ayurvedic Group, said that knowingly or unknowingly, people have been using ayurvedic techniques in cooking.

"There are so many things that have been passed on from our elders, which we include in our diet but don't realise their actual worth. These are the things that have been mentioned in the books as well. So, if we really look into the text of Ayurveda, we just need to follow those things," she told ANI.

Gita Ramesh said the following items should be included in our daily diet for a healthy living. They include:

Green chillies

People outside India feel green chillies are hot but a certain amount is required in our diet. It can heal you and prevent you from diseases. These are two main properties of green chillies.

Turmeric

It is a very old ingredient of India. Even the western world knows that it has the best properties and that's the reason it wants to patent it. In Ayurvedic medication, turmeric is used as a healing ingredient.

Papaya

The enzyme present in the fruit's seed is very good for cancer treatment.

Garlic

Ayurveda says one should eat at least one pod of garlic in a day. It's very good for skin, cholesterol, blood purification, detoxing yourself.

Ginger

Ginger helps in treating various human ailments like rheumatic disorders, gastrointestinal problems and inflammatory conditions.

Spices

Be it cumin seeds, coriander seeds, the spices form an important part of Ayurveda food and even medicines.

Hailing from a family of acclaimed vaids (Doctors), Gita Ramesh, accompanied by her husband K V Ramesh, carried forward the legacy through Kairali, a brand synonymous with 5000-year-old medical science called 'Ayurveda'.

' Kairali - The Ayurvedic Healing Village', recently hosted India's first Ayurveda-based Chef's Retreat, 'Healing Recipes-Back to Roots'.

"The first chapter of 'Healing Recipes-Back to Roots' was a conscious effort at food sustainability. It is an attempt at showcasing how age-old philosophy and culinary practices still hold relevance in modern times," she said.

Further to this, Gita Ramesh expressed her delight on organising the retreat. "I am glad we thought about doing this. The 'healing' recipes that we have should be propagated around the world. Now I feel we should be replicating this, internationally as well," she concluded.

For ages, people in India have relied on Ayurvedic practices to heal everything - from infertility to digestive issues. Now, this ancient healing system that originated in India has gained popularity worldwide.

In the Western world, Ayurveda therapies and practices have been integrated in general wellness applications and as well in some cases in medical use.

(With ANI inputs)