3 most important habits
Author: Maharishi Ayurveda Date Posted:14 March 2016
Before you stop eating gluten or dairy…
Do certain foods increase your bloating, indigestion, along with diarrhoea or constipation?
Do you find big lunches make you feel sleepy?
Have you been considering going paleo, vegan or raw foodist?
Changing your food choices may settle your symptoms of indigestion but not get to the underlying cause of your imbalance. This week we have 3 tips that will make a big difference to how you digest your food no matter what your dietary preferences. These habits along with herbs to help reset digestion are part of a complete approach to keeping your digestion strong.
These three most important habits help create:
- A strong immune system (useful particularly now as winter is on the horizon),
- Even moods
- Stable energy
- Balanced blood sugars
- Great vitality
Try them for a week and see.
Habit 1
Eat your meals at an easy pace – never rush a meal or eat when angry, upset, or distracted by TV, computer, phone, i-pad, books etc
Have you noticed that eating when feeling stressed, on the run or pressured invariably leads to indigestion or cravings for comfort foods that may not be your most healthy choices?
When stressed the sympathetic “fight-flight-freeze” nervous system engages to help you survive the stress. At this time digestion is powered down as it is considered a secondary need when life may be in danger. When you take time to relax prior to or during a meal the parasympathetic nervous system (rest-and-digest) kicks in helping you get the most from your food. So eat at a relaxed pace with full attention on enjoying the food and company this week.
Habit 2
Rest on the left side after a meal
Taking a few minutes to lie or lean on your left side after eating a meal allows your stomach to cradle the food as it moves and empties the food into the small intestine in a relaxed way.
Lying on the right side can encourage gravity to force undigested food to empty prematurely into the small intestine adding to indigestion and discomfort.
Habit 3
Take a walk after each meal
An after-meal walk for 15 minutes has been shown to support healthy blood sugar levels and weight reduction. Leaving the walk an hour or so is not as effective as walking straight afterwards. Surprisingly this habit is really effective and adds a social bonus of a catch up with loved ones too.
Lastly the helpful herbals to reset digestion are Herbal Digest taken before the meal to help get your digestive process ready for optimal digestion. Then after a meal consider taking Digest Plus for cold or irregular digestion or Aci Balance if you have a tendency for acidity or loose bowel.
Wishing you the bliss of balance in your digestive system this week.
|
Linda Sinden has been a practising Maharishi Ayurveda Consultant since 1990 and is a regular contributor to our weekly Insights. She has a practice in Auckland, New Zealand and also provides phone or Skype sessions for those who need assistance, but don’t have a consultant in their vicinity. Email: lindasinden@orbislife.co.nz Skype: Linda.Sinden |
 |