When your diet is wrong, medicine is of no use. When your diet is right, medicine is of no need; says an ancient Ayurvedic proverb which still holds true especially in today’s context. Our stressful and sedentary lifestyles constantly get in the way of healthy food habits and the formulation of a structured routine. Your diet is most crucial to your overall wellbeing and daily functioning. Ayurveda has a prescribed set of guidelines when it comes to food consumption be it breakfast, lunch or dinner. These Ayurvedic guideline for food consumption are as follows.

Don’t skip breakfast

Breakfast is your most important meal and it should be light but never be skipped at any cost. Even if you’re fasting intermittently, don’t miss out on your breakfast. Eat a heavy lunch because you’ll need energy to fuel the rest of your day. Make sure dinner is your lightest meal and if your body constitution allows it, you can even skip it altogether. 

Keep consistent meal timings

A hectic and stressful  routine can cause you to be lax when it comes to sticking to a specific meal timing. Bear in mind that our bodies are governed by a circadian rhythm that regulates the production of digestive enzymes and juices so being consistent with your timing is essential.

Focus on your food and avoid all distractions during meals

Keep your phone, magazines and tablets away when you sit down for a meal. Make sure all distractions are kept away and try to avoid conversations during meals. Focusing on your food makes us more mindful with our portion sizes, we chew our food better and for longer before swallowing. When we talk during meals, we swallow unwanted air which leads to bloating, flatulence, regurgitation or belching and burping. 

Food that’s prepared should always be fresh, warm and moist

Make sure that food is consumed on the same day that it is prepared. Storing food for a long period of time or even overnight makes it stale and causes its properties to change. Thus, the food is difficult to digest and not as nutritious as it would have been if consumed immediately. 

For each meal, include the 6 tastes as per Ayurveda 

Madhura (Sweet), Amla (Sour), Lavana (Salty), Katu (spicy), Tikta (Bitter), Kashaya (Astringent) are the six tastes that are essential for a balanced meal. Each taste has its own function. 

Cereals, good fats and root vegetables are examples of the Madhura taste which forms the main source of your body’s nourishment. The Madhura taste also helps line the mucous membrane of your stomach to ensure acidic digestive enzymes don’t cause ulcerations or damage your stomach or intestinal membranes. 

Amla or the sour taste is found in pickles or lemons. It is important in kindling your digestive fire (Agni) and secreting essential enzymes that break down food consumed. Lavana or the salty taste comes from the salt we use to cook our food, it primarily helps moisten the food making it easier to break down. Katu is a pungent taste that comes from the host of Indian spices we use be it cumin, pepper or turmeric which also aids the digestive process. 

The bitter taste of Tikta comes from bitter green leafy vegetables or gourd vegetables. Tikta has antibacterial properties and helps fight toxins present in the food as well as enables us to feel satiated. 

The last taste is Kashaya, the astringent taste which comes from things like buttermilk which is important for the assimilation and absorption of the food. Therefore, it is essential that every meal includes these six prescribed tastes. 

Talk a leisure walk after each meal 

Make it a point to go for a 10-15 minutes walk after every meal. Avoid brisk walking as it redirects the blood flow from your digestive system back to your limbs.

When you take a slow walk, the churning process in your stomach becomes easy. This speeds up the movement of food from your stomach to your small intestine. This is exactly why Ayurveda insists on the practice of Shatapawali (walking a hundred steps after a meal).

Include digestives like black pepper, turmeric, fresh ginger or dry ginger powder in meals

You don’t need to have an issue with your digestion to consider the use of digestives before and after meals. From pesticides to adulterated food and a sedentary lifestyle including a digestive is necessary. A digestive will help your body process food easier and better. 

There’s an ancient Shloka which goes; when you respect your food and adhere to these rules, the food will give you strength and longevity. However, but the reverse will occur should you not follow these rules. The moral of the story? Be mindful, respect your food and good health will follow. 

If you have questions on your nutrition and diet? Drop a comment or book an appointment with our in-house Ayurvedic expert, Dr. Yojana Pokarna. Follow us on Instagram for more useful tips on Skin, Hair & Wellness.