Ayurvedic tips for healthy digestion

Most of us have digestive problems at some time or the other in our lives. These days, hectic work schedules, incorrect eating habits and junk food have made the problem worse.

At times when most of us are running around trying to concentrate on work, food often takes a back seat.

It is difficult to change our working patterns; so here is a list of 5 most important things prescribed by Ayurveda to keep our digestive system in good working condition.

Ayurveda considers food as sacred and believes that the process of eating should be given the time and attention it deserves. To keep your digestion system working in an excellent condition, make sure that you follow the five basic tips prescribed by Ayurveda.

• Make sure you always eat in a relaxed environment. Sit down and eat. Never eat while on the move, in a car or while working or watching TV. It is also advisable to have fixed meal timings. This keeps your metabolism fit and prevents acidity. It also cuts down on snacking in between meals as you do not feel the urge to eat outside your normal meal timings.
• Drink beverages at room temperature. This will improve your digestion. If you have a pitta dosha, you may balance it with drinks made with rose water or milk with dates or fresh mango between meals.
• Ayurveda believes that our digestive system works the best during midday. This means that you must let lunch be your heaviest meal. You should have lunch between 12 and 2 PM and dinner before 8. It is also important that you do not eat dinner after 10 PM. This is because your body would produce unwanted toxins during the night time and you would wake up feeling tired and sluggish the next day.
• Drink mildly sweet lassi during or after a meal. This improves digestion. If you have a sluggish digestion, have some fresh ginger with a few drops of lemon juice and a few pinches of salt on it before a full meal. If you have an overactive digestion and your body produces too much heat and acid, have pomegranate chutney.
• Regular use of triphla, an ayurvedic preparation, also promotes good intestinal health, and provides overall support for digestive function. Following these simple steps will keep the digestive system in shape and keep you feeling healthy and light throughout the day.