Unit of competency

Modification History

Application

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to determine an Ayurvedic nutritional treatment strategy based on an existing diagnosis, provide relevant advice to the client and complete treatment documentation.

This unit applies to Ayurvedic practitioners working with clients to address specific therapeutic needs.

The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State/Territory legislation, Australian/New Zealand standards and industry codes of practice.

Elements and Performance Criteria

Foundation Skills

The Foundation Skills describe those required skills (language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills) that are essential to performance.

Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency

Unit Mapping Information

No equivalent unit.

Links

Companion Volume implementation guides are found in VETNet - https://vetnet.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=ced1390f-48d9-4ab0-bd50-b015e5485705

Assessment requirements

Modification History

Performance Evidence

The candidate must show evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage tasks and manage contingencies in the context of the job role. There must be evidence that the candidate has:

• performed the activities outlined in the performance criteria of this unit during a period of at least 400 hours of Ayurvedic client consultation work
• prepared at least 40 different nutritional plans. Clients must include males and females from different stages of life with varied presentations, including:

• dosha imbalances
• ama
• deficiency or excess in the dhatus, agni, malas, doshas and ojas

• followed Ayurvedic principles by determining appropriate strategies based on the diagnosis and evaluation of:

• nutritional status
• physical, mental and emotional status
• available medical data
• particular client issues, addictions or preferences
• contraindications

• planned strategies to balance rajasic and tamasic gunnas, to reduce ama generation, to eliminate the excessive build up of doshas, to open all srotamsi, to maintain optimum agni, to restore balanace and ojas and to sustain health at all the four levels
• interacted effectively with clients:

• provided clear advice with rationale, expectations and affecting factors
• explained and agreed treatment monitoring and evaluation

Knowledge Evidence

The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage tasks and manage contingencies in the context of the work role. This includes knowledge of:

• legal and ethical considerations (national and state/territory) for provision of nutritional advice:

• codes of conduct
• duty of care
• informed consent
• mandatory reporting
• practitioner/client boundaries
• privacy, confidentiality and disclosure
• records management
• work role boundaries

• working within scope of practice
• presenting symptoms that require referral to a medical practitioner

• work health and safety

• principles of Ayurvedic nutrition and diet:

• ahara, vihara aushadhi principle
• prakruti and vikruti specific
• variations necessary with the changing seasons
• digestive processes
• rasa, virya and vipaka, prabhawa and gunnas
• agnis and their functions
• shath rasa - the six tastes
• tridosha theory
• triguna theory and its relationship to food
• virudha ahar

• Ayurvedic food classifications, categories, composition and therapeutic uses:

• fruit
• vegetables
• dairy
• animal foods
• oils
• sweeteners
• nuts and seeds
• grains
• beans and legumes
• herbs and spices
• best utility of ahara
• gruels
• virudha ahara
• pratinidhi ahara
• ahara to suit various prakruti and vikruti

• types and features of culinary herbs and spices in Ayurveda
• rasayana, vajikarana & chikitsa preparations
• types and features of foods containing macronutrients and micronutrients, vitamins and minerals, carbohydrates, fats and proteins
• function of fibre in the body
• types and features of foods that affect the mind and moods, and the body:

• food additives
• preservatives
• colouring
• alcohol/drug consumption
• virudha ahar
• fast food dependence
• wrong diet choices for prakruti

• Ayurvedic cooking and food preparation techniques for major food classifications
• features of ama, its causes signs and symptoms (emotional, mental and physical)
• nutritional supplements in the Ayurvedic framework:

• main Ayurvedic nutritional supplements used for each system/condition/mind state
• appropriate safe dosage levels for different groups
• potential adverse effects
• principles of formulation - including dosage, dosage form, and duration of treatment according to reference texts

• drug-nutrient and nutrient-nutrient interactions
• amino acids (essential and non-essential)
• potential impact of supplementation on the condition or disease state, including preventative action
• types of dietary modifications and their indications for use:

• exclusions
• inclusions
• increased consumption
• decreased consumption

• environmental factors and their relationship to nutritional status, including:

• pollution
• demographic
• rtucharya and sandhis

• main types and culinary characteristics of diets that are part of contemporary Australian society
• meaning of:

• drug–food interactions
• food allergy
• food intolerance

• key health and legal consequences of failing to address special requirements:

• allergic reactions
• anaphylaxis
• food sensitivity or intolerance reactions

• basic biochemistry as it relates to diet and nutrition – make up of carbohydrates, proteins, fats
• contra-indications of treatment - in vikruti, particular seasons, diseases and age groups
• principles and techniques for preparing nutritional plans to suit vikruti, with duration and costs
• cultural restrictions on diet and nutritional supplementation
• pathya kalpana (therapeutic nutrition) and preparation for:

• manda (clear rice water)
• peya (light rice soup)
• yavagu (concentrated rice soup )
• krsara (cooked wet rice with cereals)
• yusha (mung dhal soup)

• avaleha

• brahma rasayana
• ashwagandhadi lehyam
• haritakyadi rasayana
• chyawanprash
• triphala rasayana
• vilvadi lehyam
• drakshavelha
• bilvadilehyam
• madhu
• shilajatu rasayana

Assessment Conditions

Skills must have been demonstrated in the workplace or in a simulated clinical environment that reflects workplace conditions. The following conditions must be met for this unit:

• use of suitable facilities, equipment and resources, including:

• client information
• private consultation area

• modelling of industry operating conditions, including provision of services to the general public
• clinic supervision by a person who meets the assessor requirements outlined below

Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015/AQTF mandatory competency requirements for assessors.  

In addition, assessors must:

• have at least 5 years current clinical experience working as an Ayurvedic practitioner providing services to the general public
• hold practising membership of an Australian professional body that represents Ayurvedic practitioners
• fulfil the continuing professional development requirements of the professional body to which they belong

Links

Companion Volume implementation guides are found in VETNet - https://vetnet.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=ced1390f-48d9-4ab0-bd50-b015e5485705