Part 4 - Diet incongenial by combination

There are certain articles of food-stuff, each of which, though harmless in itself, produces bad effects when combined, or eaten on the same day with some special articles. Such an incongenial combination of different kinds of diet gives rise to diseases, loss of strength, and vitality. Such an antagonism of combination of diet should always be avoided. A few examples of such antagonism:—Milk is antagonistic to fish, meat, and acid. Fish is antagonistic to butter, clarified butter, milk, meat, and sweets. Meat is antagonistic to oil, milk, and fish. Butter and clarified butter are antagonistic to fish and oil. Butter, clarified butter, and cocoanut-water should not be kept in bell-metal pots. Decoction of medicinal herbs and food, once prepared, should not be heated again. Meat of more than one animal should not be taken on the same day. Different kinds of each of the following articles, taken at the same time, are also injurious to health—honey, clarified butter, milk, oil, and water. For examples of other antagonistic combination of food, one should look into charaka and the other medical authorities.