by Alexa Berman
Ayurveda offers a markedly different perspective on the hierarchy of importance concerning nutrition and our meals. In the West, we predominantly prioritize the content of our diet when discussing healthy eating habits. The micronutrients in each food item often take center stage.
Ayurveda, on the other hand, firmly believes that if you cannot properly digest what you are consuming, the organic, fresh, or artfully prepared nature of the meal becomes irrelevant – it may still convert into toxins within your body.
If our bodies are unable to break down the ingredients in our meals, then those micronutrients will not be assimilated.
You, of course, want fresh, nutrient-dense foods as your foundational diet so that whatever does get absorbed will be helpful. Effective digestion and absorption simply take precedence over the mere quality of food.
Timing Your Meals for Better Digestion
When to eat is the most important. So, when should we eat? The answer is simple: only when we experience true hunger. The true feeling of hunger is an emptiness below the navel and a pleasant anticipation of the next meal. True hunger is no other feeling—nausea, dizziness, indigestion, upset stomach, numbness, heaviness, gas or bloating, anxiety… none of that is your body’s signal that it is ready to digest a meal. In fact, those are all signals that your body is not available to digest a meal because it is either still working on your previous meal or it is sending its energy somewhere in your body that needs extra love and attention at that moment.
If we eat when we are not hungry, whether it’s right away in the morning for breakfast because we think we should eat since we are told “breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” or in between meals because someone offered us a nibble or snack of some food they brought to the office, whenever it is, no matter what it is we eat, those meals will turn into toxins in our body. This happens because it overloads the body with food it doesn’t need, so the body has no choice but to either store it in our fat tissues to digest later or to eliminate it as quickly as possible through the skin (hello, acne), sweat (oh hi, bad body odor), sticky unfinished bowel movements, or even vomiting (migraines anyone?).
Foundational principles of healthy digestion
Once we have identified whether or not we are truly hungry for this next meal, and remember from our previous discussion on the digestive fires that this won’t be until 4-6 hours after our previous meal, then draw mindful attention to the circumstances around this meal.
I don’t think you will be surprised to read that Ayurveda believes that mindful eating practices are essential to ensure proper digestion, assimilation of nutrients, and overall well-being. Here is an easy guide to follow with different practices Ayurveda recommends for when you are sitting down (yes, sitting) for your next meal:
Eat with Awareness and Gratitude
- Mindful Eating: Pay full attention to your meal without distractions like television, phones, or work. Eating mindfully helps you connect with your food and recognize when you are full.
- Savor Your Meal and Feel Gratitude: Enjoy the flavors, textures, and aromas of your food. Express gratitude for the food you are about to eat. This practice can enhance overall appreciation for life and satiation during the meal.
- Cook Your Own Meal: As much as you can, cook your own meals. The act of picking out the ingredients at the store, chopping the ingredients, making them into a meal to your taste, and then proudly consuming what you created for yourself is one of the deepest self-nourishing practices there is.
Eat in a Calm Environment
- Peaceful Setting and Positive Mindset: Create a calm and pleasant eating environment. Avoid eating in a hurry or when you are upset, angry, or in a negative emotional state, as emotions can significantly affect digestion. Stress and distraction can impair digestion.
- Comfortable Seating: Sit comfortably and maintain good posture while eating. This helps in the proper digestion and absorption of nutrients.
- Proper Chewing: Chew your food thoroughly until it is well-mixed with saliva. This aids in the mechanical breakdown of food and activates digestive enzymes, promoting better digestion. Chewing 20-40 times per bite is ideal if you need a gauge.
Eat According to Hunger
- Portion Control: Serve yourself moderate portions. Ayurveda advises filling half your stomach with solid food, a quarter with liquid, and leaving the remaining quarter empty for optimal digestion. Listen to your body and stop when you feel comfortably full.
- Consistent Meal Times: Establish regular meal times and try to eat at the same times each day (only if you are truly hungry). This helps regulate your digestive fire and maintains a balanced metabolism.
So there you have it. Nutrition goes far beyond the type of food we choose to eat, it encompasses the journey of food through the digestive system. This vital component is oftentimes overlooked, which leads to the build-up of toxins in the system. So start by creating awareness around your eating habits and tune into your body to see how you feel after having a meal. From there, start making small changes to support your digestive system and ensure the food you eat truly nourishes your body.
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Alexa Berman is a Denver-based Ayurvedic Practitioner who has been helping women achieve balance and health transformation for 7 years, and 11 years as a self-study in her own life. She has studied in Chiang Mai, Thailand and Boulder, CO and is trained in Ayurvedic formula making, pulse reading, and diet and lifestyle counseling.
