Basic Eating Principles
- Eat food in its most natural form. Anything which can be eaten raw should ideally be eaten raw to retain its nutrients completely.
- Eat fresh and seasonal food. Avoid processed foods that come with an expiry date.
- Eat to balance and be in sync with your body doshas (vata, pita, and kapha). These doshas have been based on our body elements: air, water, fire, earth, and ether.
- Align your body rhythm with ‘nature’. Just like the sun, our digestion is strongest at midday.
- Afternoons are the best to have the heaviest meal of the day. Eat well at lunch.
- While cooking, make sure you don’t overcook or undercook the food. Overcooking kills nutrients and you’re left with food that might be flavourful but not rich in quality. On the other hand, undercooked food can cause digestion issues.
- Eat till you’re half full. One-fourth of the stomach should be filled with water (to be drunk before the meal), half of the stomach should be filled with food, and the rest of the one-fourth with air. A ‘burp’ usually suggests that our stomach is three-quarters full and that’s when we should stop eating. You should feel light and comfortable after your meals, not heavy and lethargic. Eating consciously to read your body signs.
- Incompatible Food Combinations: Do not mix ‘milk’ with eggs, fish, meat, fruits, onion, and yogurt.
- To make smoothies or milkshakes, use dairy-free milk options. You can choose from oat, soy, coconut, or any nut-based milk (almond, cashew, hazelnut).
Basic Drinking Principles
- Store drinking water in round earthen or copper pots. The shape and material of the container help maintain the essential properties of water.
- Drink water when you feel thirsty. Follow the natural instinct and rhythm of the body.
- Do not drink water to meet targets like 8-10 glasses a day. Depending upon your body type, you might need to drink more or less water in a day.
- Do not drink water while standing. Talking big gulps of water while standing does not allow kidneys to filter it properly and it hits the lower wall of the stomach with a splash.
- The best way to drink water is to sit down and take small sips. Drink water at room temperature. This will help you quench your thirst as well.
- Drink water 30 minutes before and after your meals. Any liquid taken during the meal dilutes the stomach acid and slows down the digestive fire. If necessary, then take a few small sips of warm water during the meal.