Ayurveda Science: 6 Incompatible Diet & Lifestyle Considerations

Honey in Clear Jar

The science behind eating an Ayurveda diet includes creating proper eating combinations to optimally support the body and its relationship to diet.

Some foods work well together, whereas other combinations are best not eaten together.

There are several elements of Ayurveda science to consider when preparing your meals and paying attention to your eating habits. There are also lifestyle incompatibilities along with other indicators to consider.

Kinds of Incompatible Diet

Certain food items may be incompatible when they fall into one or more of these Ayurveda categories:

Guna Virudha—In this type of dietary incompatibility, the diet constituents oppose in their basic properties. For example, Taking milk and fish at the same time would be considered incompatible.

Honey in Clear JarSanyog Virudha—This incompatibility opposes combination of some particular foods, such as taking jiggery or honey along with radish.

Sanskara Virudha—This refers to procedural disparity in cooking some food items. For example, cooking pigeon’s meat in mustard oil can be toxic.

Desha Virudha—This means that diet combinations sometimes become detrimental when they are taken by people staying in particular environmental conditions. For instance, people living in colder climates and who feast on more cold and slimy foods would aggravate kapha, or the phlegm humor, and cause related ailments.

Kaala Virudha—This means to be going against the right time and seasonal indications. This type of dietary incompatibility may be ascertained by the illustration of taking in more hot and spicy foods in peak summers or cold and dry foods during winters.

Matra Vidudha—This is incompatibility due to specific combinations. For instance, it has been narrated in Ayurveda text that taking in of honey and ghee in equal quantities could be toxic.

Hot & Cold: Incompatible Lifestyle Activities

Some everyday activities have been specified in basic Ayurveda science to be kept in mind in order for individuals to stay clear of many avoidable maladies.

Precise precautions are emphasized after exercises, playing, coming in from the sun, or exposure to external heat. It is believed that immediately after any of these, indulging in activities like drinking cold water or milk, bathing, swimming or undertaking some other forms of water activities can be hazardous for health.

Woman with Water BottleGuidance tells us this may result in ailments of increased thirst, impairment of eyesight, and even skin afflictions. Similarly, taking of food immediately after physical exertion may result into nausea, vomiting, and indigestion.

According to the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda, precaution and care needs to be followed both in diet patterns as well as lifestyle manners when hot and cold are combined together. This may be both in case of touch as well as potency.


Dr. Sonica Krishan is an Ayurveda and Natural Lifestyle Consultant, freelance health writer, and book author based in Chandigarh, India. She has authored the natural home cure books Herbal Healers and Home Remedies, and is presently writing for national and international publications. She may be contacted at drsonica@herboveda.co.in or visit www.herboveda.co.in