Tridoshic Guidance
General Guidance for All Doshas
In Ayurveda is believed that a low Agni (digestive fire) leads to indigestion, and indigestion is the mother of all diseases. It is possible to improve the Agni by following the advices of the following list:
1. Eat only if you are hungry. This is the way the body tells us that it is ready to receive food. If you eat without hunger, you will be placing food on top of the one that is already being cooked in your stomach. The first food will have to stay longer in the stomach where part of it will be undigested food, which will not give nutrients to our body and will be transformed into accumulated toxins in different parts of our body.
2. Scheduled your meals at the same time every day. Your body will get use to receive food and you will feel that necessary hunger at the same time everyday. This will help to regulate your Agni.
General Guidance for All Doshas
In Ayurveda is believed that a low Agni (digestive fire) leads to indigestion, and indigestion is the mother of all diseases. It is possible to improve the Agni by following the advices of the following list:
1. Eat only if you are hungry. This is the way the body tells us that it is ready to receive food. If you eat without hunger, you will be placing food on top of the one that is already being cooked in your stomach. The first food will have to stay longer in the stomach where part of it will be undigested food, which will not give nutrients to our body and will be transformed into accumulated toxins in different parts of our body.
2. Scheduled your meals at the same time every day. Your body will get use to receive food and you will feel that necessary hunger at the same time everyday. This will help to regulate your Agni.
3. Light breakfast. The Kapha part of the day (06:00 – 10:00am) makes your Agni low, therefore it is advisable to eat light.
4. Lunch as the biggest meal of the day. You can have it in the Pitta part of the day (10:00 – 14:00), when your Agni is highest. Make this meal the largest of the day, but respecting the amount that you need. 5. Light dinner. The second Kapha part of the day (18:00 – 22:00) has a low level of Agni, definitely less than the Pitta part of the day, this is why it is also advisable to have a light meal. Moreover, it is important to finish dinner at least three hours before going to sleep, this allows the body to have enough time to digest and while you are sleeping the body can work in the regeneration of tissues instead of digesting. |
6. Eat calm and relaxed. Eating too fast does not allow the body to be prepared for a right digestion, and does no allow you to enjoy your meal. Avoid judging the food, just feel it and enjoy it as it is.
7. Chew properly. With your teeth you are making the digestion easier for your stomach. It is the same if you boil small cubes of potatoes instead of the whole thing, you can save half of the time or more! Give it a try. And remember that the digestion starts in the mouth.
8. Heaviest first. Eat the heaviest food first and lightest last.
7. Chew properly. With your teeth you are making the digestion easier for your stomach. It is the same if you boil small cubes of potatoes instead of the whole thing, you can save half of the time or more! Give it a try. And remember that the digestion starts in the mouth.
8. Heaviest first. Eat the heaviest food first and lightest last.
9. Right amount of food. Vagbhata recommends “Two parts of the stomach (half its capacity) should be filled with solid foods, one part by liquids and the remaining one part should be kept vacant for accommodating air”. Divide the stomach in four parts, two of these parts are to be filled with solid food, one part with liquids and the last part leave it empty for the air to help the digestion. The liquids are considered in the food, if for example you are eating a watery curry or a soup, there is less need for drinks. How do I know that I ate two quarters of my stomach capacity? The answer is according to your energy after eating, we should always feel light and able to walk freely after eating. If we are tired after eating means that we ate more than the two quarters. |
10. When to drink? Vagbhata says “Persons who drink water in the middle, at the end and at the commencement of the meal, will remain normal, become stout and emaciated respectively” . In other words, if you drink water in the middle of a meal you will stay normal in weight (just little sips of warm water), if you drink water immediately after the end of the meal, you may increase your weight, and if you drink water at the commencement of the meal, you may not absorb all the nutrients that your food is bringing to you, making you lean. The more watery is the meal, the less you have to drink and the drier it is the more you have to drink. Drinking water along meals is to be understood as little sips, respecting the one quarter stated in the previous advice. This water is meant to be warm.
11. Avoid cold drinks. When you drink cold, or even worse iced drinks, you are reducing the temperature of the digestion in your stomach. It is the same if you pour water on a bonfire, the fire will disappear and the logs (food) will get black, half cooked and will remain as accumulated toxins in your body. This is why the water to be consumed in meals has to be always warm and only in little sips. On the other hand, if there is no water in the digestion, the digestion will be too dry increasing Vata dosha. Lastly, carbonated drinks increase gases in the stomach, producing constipation and increasing Vata dosha.
12. Six tastes in meal. Try to incorporate the six tastes (or Shad Rasas), in every meal. In other words, try to have some sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent or spicy and astringent elements in each of your meals. You may give privilege to the tastes that you most need according to your Vikrti.
13. Avoid taking shower after meals. Water has a cooling effect, even if you have a hot shower when you finish you will feel cold, this reduces the Agni.
11. Avoid cold drinks. When you drink cold, or even worse iced drinks, you are reducing the temperature of the digestion in your stomach. It is the same if you pour water on a bonfire, the fire will disappear and the logs (food) will get black, half cooked and will remain as accumulated toxins in your body. This is why the water to be consumed in meals has to be always warm and only in little sips. On the other hand, if there is no water in the digestion, the digestion will be too dry increasing Vata dosha. Lastly, carbonated drinks increase gases in the stomach, producing constipation and increasing Vata dosha.
12. Six tastes in meal. Try to incorporate the six tastes (or Shad Rasas), in every meal. In other words, try to have some sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent or spicy and astringent elements in each of your meals. You may give privilege to the tastes that you most need according to your Vikrti.
13. Avoid taking shower after meals. Water has a cooling effect, even if you have a hot shower when you finish you will feel cold, this reduces the Agni.
14. Milk. Milk is better warm and alone or with a pinch of spices such as ginger, cardamom, cinnamon or turmeric.
15. Fruits. Fruits are better eaten by themselves, combined only with other fruits. They have a shorter period of digestion in comparison with others elements such as grains. When they are eaten together fruits will have to wait longer in the stomach, creating discomposed fruits. Therefore illnesses appear due to rotten food in the body.
15. Fruits. Fruits are better eaten by themselves, combined only with other fruits. They have a shorter period of digestion in comparison with others elements such as grains. When they are eaten together fruits will have to wait longer in the stomach, creating discomposed fruits. Therefore illnesses appear due to rotten food in the body.
16. Gratefulness. Always give thanks for being able to eat, not everybody has the chance to eat when they want and what they want, realize all the process that every single piece of food needed to live to arrive to your plate. Or concentrate for a few breaths before start eating, this will help your body to prepare for digestion.
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