DIET CHART FOR JAUNDICE

INTRODUCTION

In Ayurveda, jaundice is known as Kamala. It is a common condition caused by the increase in Bilirubin level in the body. It can occur due to inflammation of liver or an obstructed bile duct. Symptoms may include fever, fatigue, and a yellow tinge on your skin and eyes or vomiting and body weakness. A balanced diet consisting of the food groups, low-fat, low-protein, high-fluid, and high-carbohydrate will help liver to recover and reduce jaundice quickly. It is strictly advised to avoid high-calorie, processed foods, bakery foods, meat, junk foods, fried foods, alcohol, and high salt intake as they are difficult to digest and may cause liver damage.

DAILY DIET SCHEDULE

EARLY MORNING

Indian gooseberry (Amla) (Tridosha shamak)

How to Take - 1 only and that should be cooked / Amla juice- 10-15 ml.

BREAKFAST

Broken wheat porridge (Dalia) / Veg Semolina (Upma) / Vermicelli (Sewian) / Poha (Rice flakes) / Chapatti + vegetable or daal / Pomegranate juice

These all food items helps in pacifying pitta due to their light and easily digestible nature.

MID-MORNING

Fruit /Coconut water / Sprouts / Wheatgrass juice / Sugarcane juice/ green juice / Red juice

These will help in getting the essential nutrients like minerals and vitamins to the body in natural form.

LUNCH

Plain chapatti / Boiled Rice / Khichri / Veg pulao / Buttermilk* / Vegetable + Dal

Buttermilk* - This drink is to be prepared fresh every time from the curd of cow's milk. During butterification make sure that you remove all the cream (makkhan) from the liquid and use the fat free buttermilk.

These are light, easily digestible. Helps in making the digestive fire good for the better digestion of the toxins to eliminate the excess toxins form the body & blood stream which ultimately reduces the overload of toxins from the liver and protecting its further damage.

EVENING

Herbal Tea / Soup (Home-made) / Sweet rice

• Help in rehydrating the body.
• These items act as a healthy appetizer and help in reducing the nausea and anorexia related symptoms in the jaundice.

DINNER

Salad / Plain chapatti / Boiled Rice / Vegetable + Daal

These are light, easily digestible. Helps in making the digestive fire good for the better digestion of the toxins to eliminate the excess toxins form the body & blood stream which ultimately reduces the overload of toxins from the liver and protecting its further damage.

DIET INSTRUCTIONS

CEREALS

CEREALS TO BE CONSUMED

Whole grains cereals, Whole wheat flour, Oatmeal, Whole brown bread, Porridge, brown rice, Rice flakes, Puffed rice, Millets

Millets are the best, Barnyard millets and Brown top millets are particularly beneficial for the liver and digestive tract related diseases. These are the rich source of fiber and are having blood purifying abilities on long-term use.

CEREAL BASED FOODS TO BE AVOIDED

Sweet biscuit, cream-filled biscuit, cream crackers, cheese biscuits, noodles, pasta, macaroni, refined flour

These all are heavy in nature and are responsible for decreasing digestive fire hence causes elevation of ama and hence tridosha, predominantly pitta.

FRUITS

FRUITS TO BE CONSUMED

Banana (limited), pomegranate, apple, pear, bael fruit (Agele), raw papaya, raw banana, resins, fig, ripe papaya, ripe mango, coconut.

Fruits are the rich source of essential nutrients required for the body. The fruits contain vitamins and minerals. They are rich in the magic molecule i.e. chlorophyll, which is almost having the similar composition to the hemoglobin in our blood. These fruits will make the metabolism better and cleansing the toxins out of the system helps in blood purification.

FRUITS TO BE AVOIDED

Canned fruits and juices, avocado, unseasonal fruits

The canned fruit juices contain preservatives, which are derived from harmful artificial chemicals. These must be avoided further the unseasonal fruits are rared using the ethylene or other synthetic growth hormones, which can create multiple negative effects on the body and health.

VEGETABLES

VEGETABLES TO BE CONSUMED

Asparagus, spinach, green beans, potatoes, leafy greens, pumpkins, ridge gourd, round gourd, bottle gourd, carrots, radish, pumpkin

These help in maintain the balancing of pitta and help in body to provide the essential micro and macronutrients.

VEGETABLES TO BE AVOIDED

Canned vegetables, Peas, frozen vegetables, tomatoes, onions, ginger and garlic, egg plants, raai (Brassica nigra), Til (Sesame Seeds) etc.

These are responsible for increasing kapha and pitta,causing diminishing digestion hence increase in pitta dominantly.

FLESH FOODS

FLESH FOODS TO BE CONSUMED

Egg white portion only

To be consumed once or twice in a week.

FLESH FOODS TO BE AVOIDED

Fish fried in suitable oil, prawns, lobster, crab, lean beef, pork, lamb, ham, turkey, veal, rabbit, Egg yolk, sausages, mutton, salami, bacon, duck, goose, organ meat like liver, kidney, and chest

These all are the heavy foods and aggravates the kapaha and pitta dosha which in turn aggravates the Kamla (Jaundice).

SPICES

SPICES TO BE CONSUMED

Cumin, coriander, Fennel, Salt (limited), Cardamom

These spices can be consumed in a limited amount. And the decoction made from these help in relieving the flatulence and bloating related issues.

SPICES TO BE AVOIDED

Red chilli, Green chilli, Turmeric, Black pepper. Ginger

These should be highly avoided as it causes direct aggaravation of pitta dosha.

PULSES

PULSES TO BE CONSUMED

All Washed Daal, Green Moong Dal, Arhar daal, Masoor daal.

These pulses are easily disgestible and are nourishment providers and can be consumed on daily basis.

PULSES TO BE AVOIDED

Black-eyed peas, Kidney beans, Pinto beans, Garbanzo beans, Chickpeas

These are all heavy pulses which are difficult to digest and lead to the more vitiation of pitta by diminishing the digestive fire.

DAIRY PRODUCTS

DAIRY PRODUCTS TO BE CONSUMED

Curd, Buttermilk*

These are to be consumed once in a day. Buttermilk is easily digestible and act as a appetizer where as the curd acts as probiotic helps in maintaing the healthy gut flora.

DAIRY PRODUCTS TO BE AVOIDED

Whole milk and cream, full-fat yogurt, cheese, cream cheese, condensed milk, cheese

Fat is not easily digestible as the liver functions are hampered as a result of jaundice. It is best to avoid all the dairy items.

DRY FRUITS AND SEED

DRY FRUITS TO BE CONSUMED

4-5 Almond (soak in water overnight), Walnuts, Pumpkin seeds. Resins

These are essential to provide adequate strength to the body, due to water loss there is requirement of nutrients to the body.

DRY PRODUCTS TO BE AVOIDED

Cashew nuts, Peanuts

These dry fruits will aggravates pitta.

OTHER PRODUCTS

OTHER PRODUCTS TO BE CONSUMED

Home-made only, Jaggery, Sago, Honey, and Fruit juices, Vegetable juices

These are wholesome food items which helps in pacifying the aggravated doshas.

OTHER PRODUCTS TO BE AVOIDED

Fried and Fatty foods, Spicy and Junk foods, Cakes, Chocolate, Pastries and Packaged products, bakery items

All are tridosha aggravator predominantly pitta dosha aggravators.

DRINKS

DRINKS TO BE CONSUMED

Coconut water, clear soups, sugarcane juice, Herbal tea, Beetroot juice, Wheatgrass, Aloe Vera juice, bitter gourd juice, gooseberry juice, pumpkin juice, pomegranate juice, radish juice

These drinks helps to replenish the water loss due to vomiting associated with jaundice.

DRINKS TO BE AVOIDED

Whole milk drinks, cream-based liqueurs, canned soup, and packaged soup, diet soda, caffeine, Soft drinks, Tea, Coffee, and Alcohol

These drinks are pungent in nature and thus aggravates the pitta.

Adoptable Lifestyle

• Whole fruit should be preferred to fruit juices.
• Skipping of meals should be avoided, especially the breakfast.
• 6 -Soaked Almond per day.
• Water intake should be increased at least 8-10 glass regularly.
• Cleanliness and hygiene should be maintained.
• Outdoor activity should be increased like jogging, cycling, and running.
• Rest as much as you can.

Adopting these lifestyles will fasten up the healing process in the hepatocytes and help in pacifying the pitta naturally.

Lifestyles To Be Avioded

• Avoid excess exercise, sleeping during day hours, anger, stress conditions, long travelling, smoking, alcohol intake etc.
• Avoid suppression of natural urges such as urination, defecation, sleep, hunger etc.

These lifestyles will lead to the vitiation of tridosha which ultimately result in the progression of the disease.

HOME REMEDIES

HERBAL TEA

Cumin, fennel, coriander seeds, (Boil ½ tsp. each of  coriander, cumin, fennel in 3 cups of water till it’s reduced to 1 cup)

GREEN JUICE

Coriander leaves (10-12), Mint leaves (4-5), Spinach leaves (2), Basil leaves (2-3), Wheatgrass (5-6), and Sheesham leaves (2-3) in 2 cups of water till it’s reduced to 1 cup.

RED JUICE

Beetroot, Amla, Apple, Pomegranate, Mari gold flower petals (9-10), Rose petals (5-6) in 2 cups of water till it’s reduced to 1 cup.

BARLEY POWDER

Mix 1 teaspoon of roasted barley powder with a glass of water, add 1 teaspoon of honey to it and have this twice a day.

BASIL LEAVES

Add 1 teaspoon paste of basil leaves to a glassful of radish juice. Have this juice twice a day for 15-20 days.

ALOE VERA

Take one teaspoon pulp of Aloe Vera with black salt and dry ginger powder every morning for a period of 10 days.

BITTER GOURD

Mash bitter gourd and extract its juice. Take one-fourth cup of the juice in the early morning daily.

HERBAL TEA

Boil ½ tsp each of fennels, coriander, cumin in cups of water till it’s reduced to 2 cups.

These juices will help in meeting the required water and electrolyte balance in the body. And help in flushing out the excess heat from the body, and thus helps in reducing the aggravated pitta.