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Eating a nutritious diet is important for a healthy body and mind but the role of digestion is not any less. Without a healthy digestive system, our body may not be able to break the food efficiently, absorb nutrients and supply them to all parts including mind. Poor digestion can thus lead to many diseases from skin issues, hair loss, autoimmune diseases, obesity, anxiety, stress, or even depression. Many of us may be suffering from issues like acidity, bloating and constipation post Diwali due to indulging in all the high-calorie stuff at get-togethers and parties. While you may be looking for quick-fixes for your digestive health right now, it is important to follow certain tips for optimum digestion that could help you stay healthy year-long. (Also read: 3 amazing kitchen superfoods to improve digestion, boost immunity)
As per Ayurveda, including all six tastes in your meal in moderation, having herbal teas in between the meals, keeping a significant gap between your bedtime and last meal could help you have a robust digestive system.
Ayurveda expert Dr Dixa Bhavsar in her recent Instagram post talks about 4 tips to make your digestive system better.
1. Include all six tastes at every meal
Ayurveda recognizes six tastes (sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter & astringent) each of which communicates a unique combination of energy and information to the physiology. By incorporating each of the six tastes into every meal, the body receives a bio-diverse energetic palate. Try to include a small amount of each taste into every meal. It may be only a pinch of salt, a squeeze of lemon, or a slice of pepper but as long as the taste is present, the energetic puzzle will be complete.
2. Stop eating 3 hours before bedtime
During sleep, the body repairs, heals and restores while the mind digests thoughts, emotions and experiences from the day. If the body’s energy is diverted into physical digestion, the physical healing and mental digestive processes are halted. For this reason, Ayurveda recommends that the last meal of the day be relatively light and completed three hours before bed to avoid this imbalance.
3. Herbal teas between meals
Tea is not just a palate-pleasing beverage, it is also a powerful healer that can aid in restoring health, vitality, and joy. To avoid diluting agni, beverages, including teas, should be minimally consumed with meals (no more than 1/2 cup). However, between meals teas can be enjoyed liberally and they act as herbal remedies. Drinking teas like CCF Tea between meals pumps the body full of “liquid medicine,” curbs snack cravings, facilities detoxification, and stokes the digestive fire.
4. Eat your largest meal of the day at lunchtime
Agni is strongest when the sun is highest. By consuming the largest meal of the day at noon, the body is able to use its powerful inner fire to break down and assimilate nutrients with less energetic output than at other times of the day. The noon meal is the best time of the day to integrate heavier or difficult-to-digest foods.
“Each of these ancient Ayurvedic rules will help you remain healthy not only by virtue of the food you are eating but how you eat it. And don’t forget to take your time to enjoy your meals and be grateful for the foods you eat along the way,” says Dr Bhavsar.
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