Ayurveda

When it comes to Ayurveda and health, there is absolutely no mention of non-vegetarian food. Ayurveda is known to be laying equal emphasis on preventing diseases and on curing them. What kind of diet can prevent diseases? We tend to believe that diseases are unforeseen and almost all of us have examples of people who were health conscious but still suffered from a disease.
I recently read a quote that said that the only person you need to be better than is you. You cannot compare your health with someone else. We need to be healthier that what we were and what we could have been if we were not aware. Ayurveda defines the physical constitution of human body into 7 types. 3 major types are Vata, Pitta and Kapha and others are a combination of any two and all 3.
How the food that we eat affects us depends on our body constitution. We all have noticed that two people having the same diet and same lifestyle (and same genes, sometimes) also turn out to be different in terms of health. Some remain skinny no matter what and how much they eat. These are usually the people with 'Vata' constitution. Other characteristics of vata type are dry skin, restless behavior, small body frame etc. Pitta people are perfectionists and get irritated easily. People with Kapha constitution are relatively calm and have a tendency to get lazy.

There are questionnaires available on the net too that help you identify your constitution (or Prakruti) but it is best to contact an Ayurvedic doctor. They are able to detect your constitution through your pulse. They recommend a diet based on your constitution and the imbalances currently present in your body.
Once you know your constitution, you will realize that you need not eat anything just because your friend or family member does. You eat what is good for you. You get diet charts consisting of foods that are good for your body type. Most people avoid and cure diseases just by a little change in lifestyle and diet.