What is Gluten? Why is it bad for you?
Gluten is a group of proteins – the prolamins and glutelins and can be found in cereal grains like wheat. It is a common ingredient in foods like bread, pasta, pizza, and cereal. These group of proteins is responsible for the elastic texture of the dough and can result in various gastrointestinal problems for people with celiac diseases. It can cause inflammation and damage to intestinal tracts.
How to indulge in a gluten-free diet?
Foods to include -
Fruits & Vegetables
Beans, seeds, and nuts in their natural, unprocessed forms
Eggs, Lean, non- processed meats, fish and poultry
low-fat dairy products
Grains like Amaranth, Arrowroot, Buckwheat, Corn and cornmeal
Flax, Gluten-free flours (rice, soy, corn, potato, bean), Hominy (corn), Millet, Quinoa, Rice, Sorghum, Soy, Tapioca (cassava root)
Foods to avoid -
Beer, ale, porter, stout (usually barley)
Cakes & Pies, Candies, Pastries, Cookies and crackers
Wheat, Barley, Rye, Triticale (a cross between wheat and rye), Oats (in some cases)
Processed foods like burgers, French fries, Hot dogs, luncheon meats
Salad dressing, sauces, bouillon or soup mixes, Seasoned rice mixes, Seasoned snack foods, such as potato and tortilla chip
In Ayurveda, ‘Rasayana drugs’ are considered very important for the management of dermatological disorders including Psoriasis. Skin health is restored and maintained by directly targeting the different layers and cells of the skin involved in the process of skin aging & dysfunction and in the pathogenesis of a disease. Diet modification or dietary supplementation is also very much emphasized in the Ayurvedic system of medicine for the prevention, as well as management, of disorders including skin conditions which is popularly called as Pathya & Apathya.
The recommended diet includes old wheat, old barley, pulses like Moong beans or green gram, Masoor beans or red lentils, split pigeon peas, honey, Luffa cylindrical – vegetable from the gourd family also called as snake gourd, Neem (leaf), garlic, Purana Ghrita (Old ghee) and Tikta Rasa (herbs and food with bitter taste). Also, Triphala (made up of these three fruits, dried and powdered - Amalaki (Emblica officials or Phyllanthus Emblica), Haritaki (Terminalia chebula) and Bibhitaki (Terminalia bellirica)) is important.
In Ayurveda, the therapy in the form of ‘Rasayana drugs’ and diets cannot be effective unless the body channels are properly cleansed, and toxic materials are eliminated. That is why before the internal and external administration of medicines a proper shodhana or cleansing is often recommended. Samshodhana (detoxification) is believed to purify or cleanse all the body tissues and bring about the harmony of Doshas to obtain long-lasting beneficial effects.
