Title: Personalized nutrition in Ayurveda: From Prakriti and Agni to precision nutrition and healthy aging
Abstract:
Contemporary nutritional science increasingly recognizes that the same food or dietary pattern may produce different physiological responses in different individuals, leading to growing interest in personalized and precision nutrition. Ayurveda, however, has traditionally approached food and nutrition through an individualized framework, taking into consideration factors such as Prakriti, Agni, age, season, lifestyle, digestive capacity and the individual's current state of health.
Modern nutritional assessment commonly characterizes food in terms of measurable components such as proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, fibre and other bioactive constituents. Ayurveda evaluates food through an additional functional framework, considering its influence on Dosha, Agni, Dhatu and Ojas, together with its properties described through Rasa, Guna, Virya and Vipaka. Thus, the nutritional relevance of a food in Ayurveda is not determined solely by its chemical composition, but also by how it is processed, digested, metabolized and experienced by a particular individual.
This presentation will explore how these classical Ayurvedic concepts may contribute to the contemporary discussion on personalized nutrition, gut health, metabolic health and healthy aging. Particular attention will be given to the role of Agni in digestion and assimilation, Dhatu nourishment in maintaining physiological tissues, Ojas as a classical concept associated with vitality and resilience, and the management of Ama within the Ayurvedic framework.
The presentation will further examine how individualized dietary principles may potentially complement modern approaches to nutrition by considering individual variability rather than relying exclusively on generalized dietary recommendations. The relevance of Ayurvedic dietary wisdom to preventive healthcare and healthspan will also be discussed.
Importantly, the presentation will distinguish classical Ayurvedic concepts from established biomedical evidence, presenting potential intersections as areas for scientific investigation rather than claiming equivalence between the two systems.
The keynote will conclude by proposing a research-oriented framework in which Prakriti, dietary patterns, Agni, metabolic and functional parameters, gut health and measurable health outcomes can be studied together to explore whether personalized Ayurvedic nutrition may contribute to the emerging field of precision nutrition and healthy aging.
