Eating food is a bodily requirement to nourish and replenish its vital systems and not a fun sport to be indulged in to pass time. Improper diet, as per Ayurveda, is the root cause of all illness. Simple rules could be followed to ensure that we eat right and maintain our health-
1) Always eat warm and freshly prepared meals- make a habit of always having a freshly prepared meal as this guarantees that the vital nutrients present in the meal are not lost. Stale food looses its nutrient value and also causes more harm by creating toxins in the body.
2) Chew properly- chewing the food properly seems too simple a thing to be a rule, but it is. Many times we almost swallow or consume our food rather concentrating on chewing it well. Chewing food is a very important to make the size of the morsel smaller for easy digestion. When we chew the food the saliva mixes with the food and kicks off the first step of the process of digestion.
3) Eat when hungry- do not force feed yourself. Always eat when you feel hungry. This is crucial because being hungry is a sign that the body is ready to digest the food. Force fed food is not digested by the body and gets converted into toxins.
4) Avoid distractions- when eating a meal focus on the action at hand rather than watching TV or reading the newspaper. Attention to food not only helps us enjoy the flavors but also helps in better digestion and absorption.
5) Eat light- never over feed!! Eating as much is required is very important as the body does not have an endless capacity for digesting everything we consume. The body can process only a certain amount of food at one time and only take nutrition as is required. Overfeeding dos not mean that the body gets all the nutrients that we have consumed, most of them will get eliminated or get converted to fat. Overfeeding also weakens the body’s digestive system and causes illnesses.
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