Right Way of Eating as Per Ayurveda lays certain guidelines which needs to be followed for holistic health and wellness.
As per Ayurveda, food is supposed to be consumed on fixed time. Our body is not made to eat anything at anytime. The time needs to be in accordance with the timing of JATHAR AGNI.
What is Jathar Agni
There are many types of agni in the body. Within the digestive system, agni determines the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach (where it’s known as jathar agni), bile acids in the liver (bhuta agni), and sugar-digesting pancreatic enzymes (kloma agni).
Jathar agni is at the highest for 2.5 hours after sunrise. This will depend upon your location. Ayurveda recommends this time to be best to have the biggest meal of the day.
The Right Way of Eating as Per Ayurveda Guidelines
Morning
Ayurveda recommends this time to be best to have the biggest meal of the day.
All the heavy foods like stuffed parathas, sweets etc should be had in the morning meal. Ayurveda says, What you like best you should eat in the morning. So that you can eat your fill.
This will ensure you are mentally satisfied as well as physically. Ayurveda science of food says it is extremely important to have food that fulfills all your senses. Due to this the Pineal gland will be most active and you will stay healthier as well as happier.
Lunch
Around noon one can have a lighter meal or juice, fruits, chhaas etc.
Evening
Evening meal should be had while sun is still out. Once sun sets jatharaagni becomes dormant.
So best time to have dinner is up-to 40 minutes before sunset.
In the night only a liquid is to be taken. Best is milk.
Opposite Foods In Nature Are Not Recommended
Ayurveda considers following food as opposite in nature and should not be eaten together:
- Doodh and dahi, any item made of these two should not be taken together.
- Doodh and dahi and doodh and gud don’t go together.
- Honey and ghee are poison if taken together. This can be taken together only when cow mutra is used to counter negative effect.
- Kathal/Jackfruit never with milk.
- Onion and milk are poison together.
- All sour fruits don’t go with milk except amla.
- Even mango should be taken with milk only when it is completely ripe and sweet.
Food To Be Eaten In Sukhasana
Ayurveda guidelines suggest that one should eat food only sitting on the floor in Sukhasana. Sitting in this asana makes the Jatharaagni active.
Sitting on a chair reduces the process and standing up reduces it completely.
One should keep the food plate a little bit higher above the floor while sitting in Sukhasana.
Resting After Meals
Ayurveda wisdom suggest you must rest in afternoon after your meal.
Lying down on your left side after meal is recommended. This habit helps in Jatharaagni to work effectively.
Lying on left side activates the Pingala (soorya) naadi on the right side of the body and this in turn activates the Jatharaagni.
If you are healthy then the moment you start eating food the Soorya Naadi should get activated automatically. This rest should ideally be between 20 to 40 minutes. But if one feels sleepy then you might extend the nap till you feel recharged and active.
No Rest after Dinner
After Dinner for at-least 2 hours you should not sleep. This is because after sunset our jatharagni slows down. Due to which the whole process of digestion also slows down. So sleeping right after the dinner will not allow our digestion to happen and the undigested food will accumulate as toxins which will invite diseases like heart attack, diabetes, BP etc.
At times, if you are not able to follow this, then atleast after your dinner sit in Vajra asana for atleast 10 minutes. This is the only asana allowed after food according to yoga and which aids in faster digestion.
Ayurveda on Lifestyle Diseases
Following the right way of eating is extremely important for patients of diabetes, asthma, vaat ke rog. These patients health can significantly improve if they link their pattern of eating to the movement of Sun.
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