AN AYURVEDIC FRAMEWORK OF AHARA, VIHARA AND ACHARA WITH SPECIAL REFERANCE TO VYADHIKSHAMATVA AND HOST RESILIENCE: A REVIEW

Background and Objectives: Vyadhikshamatva—the Ayurvedic construct of disease resistance and recovery capacity, systematised by Acharya Charaka—has long anchored Ayurveda’s preventive and promotive approach to health. Contemporary immunology, through research on disease tolerance and host resilience, recognizes that host survival during infection depends not only on pathogen clearance but also on limiting tissue damage and restoring function. This paper aims to examine this conceptual convergence and explore Ahara, Vihara and Achara as an Ayurvedic framework for cultivating host resilience. Materials & Methods: A conceptual narrative review was undertaken using Brihatrayi source texts, contemporary Ayurvedic scholarship, and literature concerning resistance, tolerance and resilience in immunology. Observations/Results: The analysis identified conceptual interfaces between Bala and Ojas with physiological reserve; Dinacharya and Rutucharya with behavioural, circadian and seasonal regulation; and Sadvritta and Achara Rasayana with psychoneuroimmunological pathways linking conduct, stress and immune function. Ahara, Vihara and Achara emerge as interconnected determinants that may influence host resilience through nourishment, physiological regulation and behavioural adaptation. These relationships provide a basis for developing testable translational models without assuming one-to-one equivalence between Ayurvedic constructs and modern immune components. Conclusion: The Ahara–Vihara–Achara framework offers a coherent Ayurvedic perspective for studying host resilience beyond pathogen clearance alone. Its integration with contemporary resistance–tolerance–resilience research may support personalized preventive strategies and public-health applications, while requiring systematic validation through clinical, epidemiological and mechanistic research.