BRIDGING AYURVEDA AND MODERN NUTRITION: PRACTICAL DIETARY STRATEGIES FOR CLINICIANS

Nutrition science has rapidly evolved over the last century, yet diet-related chronic diseases continue to rise. Ayurveda, a 3000-year-old medical system, offers a personalized and preventive dietary philosophy based on digestion (Agni), constitution (Prakriti), food qualities (Guna), and taste-based therapeutic effects (Rasa, Virya, Vipaka). Modern nutrition provides biochemical explanations, evidence-based guidelines, and precise nutrient quantification. Bridging these two complementary systems allows clinicians to implement dietary strategies that are individualized, physiologically sound, and culturally adaptable. This paper presents an integrative framework that synthesizes classical Ayurvedic dietary principles with modern nutritional science and offers practical guidance for clinical practice.