Harness your Digestive Power for more Energy

Ayurveda states, that 85% of diseases are rooted in digestive issues. When your digestion is running smoothly, you will have energy for the things you love.

Think of your digestive fire, like taking care of a bonfire. You want to create fire, a fire that does not easily extinguish, nor one that breaks out…

You need to treat your internal digestive fire well if you want to maintain overall health and have great energy levels.

Here are some of my tips for a great digestive fire (jatharani):

·      After oral hygiene (tongue scraping, brushing teeth, oil pulling), start your morning with hot water.

·      Sip CCF tea throughout the day. This helps with digestion, homeostasis, and keeping your temperature even.

·      Try an Ayurvedic appetizer, a tiny bit of grated ginger, with lemon juice and rock salt 15 minutes before your meal.

·      Only eat when you feel hungry, this signals that your body is ready to have food and that your digestive fire is ready.

·      Eat at regular mealtimes. Avoid snacking. Leave at least a 3-hour gap between meals. Otherwise, it disrupts our digestive cycle. You don’t have enough rest of digestive system if you snack, the first meal can’t be digested. Imagine a rice cooker: You add rice and cook it for 30 min, then you decide you add more rice, after 30 min even more raw rice. Some rice will be very mushy, other will be raw. Digest one meal at a time, so no toxins (ama) can accumulate.

·      Eat at the same times each day. Eat a light and warm breakfast in the morning, and eat your largest meal at noon. When sun is highest, digestion is strongest, in the evening eat less, like supper which stands for supplemental or soup.

·      Include a variety of colors and foods, incorporate fiber and spices to your meals. They are medicine, you can use different ones for respiratory system, bloating or congestion.

·      Only eat warm and cooked food, prepared with love. It affects how you digest it. Prasad in Sanskrit means: „Food that is cooked with love, seasoned with devotion, offered to God, sealed with a prayer and served with joy.“ The energy and intention of the cook is infused in the food we make. Have a clear mindset and positive energy when cooking, only then it will nourish body, mind and soul.

·      Avoid raw foods, too many animal products, industrial sugar and cold beverages.

·      Eat while sitting down. There is an Ayurvedic saying: „When you eat while standing, death is looking over your shoulder.“ By sitting down, your nervous system will relax into „rest and digest“ mode and be able to properly digest the food you are eating.

·      Eat without distractions. Do not work, watch TV or your phone while eating. Food is sacred, it nourishes our body so you can exist. Make it a ritual, find a place with no noise, no music, a calming environment to enjoy your meal, maybe light a candle.

·      Before you eat, clear your mind and emotions. Anger causes the release of too much stomach acid and lows digestion down at the same time.

·      Say a prayer before your meal, have a moment of gratitude. The mind-body connection tells your body it’s time to eat.

·      Chew well, digestion always starts in your mouth. Saliva contains enzymes that break down the food, also signals from the brain to the body that food is about to come.

·      Don’t drink large amounts of water with your meals. This slows down digestion. Otherwise, digestion acids and enzymes get diluted. Better drink half an hour before or after your meal. During a meal, you can have small sips, maximum half a cup of hot water, or ginger tea. Avoid cold drinks and fizzy beverages. Cold beverages and food dampen digestion. Fizzy drinks increase gas, bloating, and discomfort.

·      Eat your dessert before your main meal. Eat the sweet taste first or as a snack between meals. Sweets need a longer time to digest. The body will prioritize digesting sweet things and putting others aside.

·      Eat until you are 3/4 satisfied, not full. Overeating causes free radicals and overloads digestion. Be mindful not to overeat. Practice conscious eating, cut smaller pieces, take time and chew well.

·      Chew on toasted fennel seeds after a meal, to help soothe the stomach and to avoid bloating and gas.

·      Go for a shatapawali (100 steps after each meal) or lean onto your left side (you help your organs digest more easily). Sitting creates no space for your organs to digest a meal.

·      Breathe deeply throughout your day.

·      Get your body moving, even if it’s for 15 minutes only, this helps move your digestion faster as well.

·      Enjoy little moments, like walks in nature or chats with people you love.

·      Develop a positive mindset towards yourself.

·      Do things and meet people that are nurturing.

·      Have a 2-hour gap betwen your last meal and before going to sleep.

Besides my tips, do you have any special tips that help you?

With love,

Lisa