You Are What You Eat
Breathing in, there is only the present moment. -Thich Nhat Hanh |
Ayurveda Practice – You Are What You Eat“Your Attitude About Eating Makes A Difference” How you eat your food is even more important than what you eat. Even foods which normally cause greater imbalances, will be digested reasonably well if the proper rules are followed. Likewise, if you eat the correct food in the wrong way, your digestion will be compromised, damage done to the digestive fire, and formation of ama or toxins will follow. Consciously connecting to the importance of the food for your body and mind brings a whole new intention surrounding your meals. Eat in a calm, pleasant environment. Dining in the car, at your desk, over the sink, or in any number of uncomfortable places impairs the body’s ability to fully digest the food. It usually will encourage you to eat faster and you are more likely to be distracted during your meal. Eat without distraction. We ingest our food through all of our senses. When we are engaged in reading, watching TV, answering E-mail, arguing, talking on the phone, etc., we are ingesting the words in the book, the news, or the argument along with our food. Neither one can be healthfully digested. Pause to acknowledge the beginning and ending of the meal. When we consciously begin our meal with either a grace or a moment of silent acknowledgement that we are about to eat, we prepare our body to receive food. The digestive juices start flowing and we are better able to remain present with our meal. Eat until you are ¾ full. This allows you to have adequate air in the digestive system for the food to freely move as it mixes with the acids and enzymes. You can notice when you are ¾ full by watching for a slight burp when your stomach has reached its optimal point. With time, you will come to recognize how this feels while you are eating and will stop without thinking about it. Rest for a few minutes after a meal. This may be done sitting at the table or by taking a short non-strenuous walk. For the body to best digest the food, it is important to allow some time between the meal and your next activity. This also gives you a break in your day. Avoid between meal snacking and eating late. Allowing the body adequate time to fully digest one meal before adding any more food to the system will encourage the natural flow of the enzymes, digestion and elimination. Allow 3 to 4 hours for good digestion before eating fruit or snacks or another meal. Foods eaten late in the evening, after the sun goes down , do not properly digest. These habits can benefit your physical and mental well being. They will support a healthy weight loss program. When you begin to make changes in your eating habits, it is best to focus on only one change at a time. Be gentle with yourself. Allow time to shift into new habits. Employ moderation in every aspect of your daily activities. Each time you present anything into your body, externally or internally, you are engaging in an act of self-preservation. Sit with each activity without distractions and focus on the nutritional qualities of the food or herb extending and inviting them into your temple for the highest good of self and the energies that come from consuming it. Regard ALL actions as a “sacred“ expression of your Higher Being! The more you are mindful of what your tongue looks like before scraping will encourage your desire to maintain a diet that is in keeping with your well-being. It will also turn up your internal volume about what you are bringing to your mouth and sifting through the quality of what essence you are inviting into your body’s systems. Make it a great life! Be eversowell!
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