- Written by Dr. Sreelekha RS , Consultant at UWAY Health
When I read about the recent collaboration between the @Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and @Tufts University to establish the Interdisciplinary Centre for Nutrition Science and Medicine (ICNSM), one thought stood out clearly.
The world is finally beginning to study, in laboratories, what Ayurveda Medical Protocols have applied in practice for centuries.
The partnership aims to make “Food as Medicine” a part of mainstream healthcare. Integrating nutrition into clinical care, research, and medical education.
It’s a visionary step forward, and it reaffirms what Ayurveda has always recognised:
healing begins with food.
In Ayurveda Medical Protocols, food is not a side note in prescription
but It is the first and most personalised form of medicine.
Before prescribing a single medicine, an Ayurveda doctor analyses the patient’s Agni (digestive strength), Prakriti(constitution), Vikruti (imbalance), and the Ritu (season).
Dietary recommendations are then built as part of the treatment sequence and into the prescription.
That is why you do not see a separate dietitian course in Ayurveda medical colleges.
These protocols guide not only what a person eats, but when, how, and why.
It’s personalised nutrition with a therapeutic goal what the modern world now calls precision nutrition.
The new IISc–Tufts centre will explore topics like:
1) Nutrition and ageing
2) Gut microbiome and immunity
3) Chronic and metabolic diseases
4) Plant-based and precision nutrition
5) Food and technology — sensors, AI, and predictive health
Every one of these areas already finds a place in Ayurveda’s classical texts but what this collaboration will bring is global-scale validation.
By combining advanced tools from molecular biology, data science, and clinical trials, with the contextual wisdom of Ayurveda, we can bridge a thousand years of medical evolution.
Lets be very clear my intention is not about choosing between Ayurveda and modern medicine
It’s about connecting them to build a healthcare future that is truly integrative, preventive, and human.
Because in the Ayurveda Medical Protocol, food isn’t a supplement.
It’s the starting point of healing.
About Author
Dr. Sreelekha RS
Dr. Sreelekha R S has 20+ years of clinical experience and is highly regarded for her expertise in the management of lifestyle diseases and diet-based Ayurvedic wellness
