How to eat according to Ayurveda?
In the context of diet or food, the mental condition during meal has also been taken care of in detail. However one should take care of the following things while eating.
- When considering diet, the quality and freshness of food are important factors. There also are certain foods that are incompatible when eaten together, such as fish and milk, meat and milk, yogurt and beef, and sour fruits and milk. In addition, most melons should be eaten alone. In combination with other foods, they create clogging and may prevent absorption by the intestines. These effects could cause an imbalance in the tridoñas. Toxins result when these incompatible foods are ingested together.
- The in- take of food should be regulated by the condition of the agni, the digestive fire in the body. Do not eat unless you feel hungry and do not drink unless you are thirsty. Do not eat when you feel thirsty and do not drink when you feel hungry. If you feel hungry, it means your digestive fire is enkindled. If you drink at this time, the liquid will dissolve the digestive enzymes and the agni will be reduced. It is food that nourishes the body, mind and consciousness
- How you eat is very important.While eating, one should sit straight and avoid distractions such as television, conversation or reading. Focus your mind upon and be aware of the taste of the food. Chew with love and compassion and you will clearly experience the taste. Taste does not originate in food; it originates in the experience of the one who eats. If your agni is impaired, you will not taste the food properly. The taste of food depends upon agni. Spices help to enkindle agni, as well as to cleanse the body and to enrich the taste of the food. Each mouthful should be chewed at least thirty-two times before it is swallowed. This practice allows the digestive enzymes in the mouth to do their work properly and in addition it gives the stomach time to prepare for the arrival of the masticated food. It is important that one eats at a moderate speed.
- How much food you take at one time also is important. One-third of the stomach should be filled with food, one-third with water and one-third with air. The amount of food eaten at a meal should be the equivalent of two handful of food. If one eats in excess, the stomach will expand and demand additional food. An overeater’s stomach expands like a balloon. Overeating also results in the creation of additional toxins in the digestive tract. The food becomes a poison that the body must eliminate through effort. One should eat and drink with discipline and regularity for eating is a meditation. Eating in this way will nourish your body, mind and consciousness and will also enhance longevity.
- Water plays a vital role in maintaining balance in the body. Water may be taken in the form of fruit juices. Although fruit juice should not be taken during meals, water is necessary at meals. One should sip water while eating. Water taken with meals becomes nectar that aids digestion. If a quantity of water is drunk after the completion of a meal, the digestive juices will be diluted and digestion hampered. Climate will affect the amount of water the body requires.
- A person should eat that food which he is accustomed to and which agrees with him.