Tips for digestive system and general health

  • Always drink 1-2 glasses of water (preferably of body temperature or warmer) just after waking up. You can add lemon juice, neem+turmeric, triphala or teaspoon of honey.
  • Keep your tongue lean. Clean it every morning after brushing teeth
  • Don’t bath just after meals. It will mess up the digestion process. If you take shower in the morning then do it before breakfast, not after.
  • Drink water 30 minutes before the meal or minimum 40 minutes after.
  • Keep drinking water in a jug. Avoid drinking from the tap. Keep the water for several hours in a jug before drinking.
  • Small sips of warm water during a meal will aid digestion and absorption of food.
  • Avoid iced drinks, especially during the meal. Iced water slows agni and digestion. Indeed ice water should not be taken under most circumstances, as it is too shocking for the system.
  • Eat ½ teaspoon of fresh grated ginger with a pinch of salt (preferably rock salt) before the meal to stimulate agni
  • Eat one spoon of honey every day. But remember, honey should never be cooked. If cooked, it becomes a non-homogenized glue, producing toxins. Uncooked honey is nectar. Cooked honey is considered poison.
  • Fill the stomach with one-third of food, one-third liquid and one-third should be empty.
  • Never take food when you are anxious or tense.
  • Eat the same time every day, don’t miss your breakfast
  • Avoid eating at night. Only warm milk can be taken before sleep.
  • Avoid eating sour milk products or fruits late in the evening. They will create mucus in the body. They should be eaten morning or day time.
  • Avoid eating sour fruits with milk or yogurt on a daily basis. Avoid combination banana& milk
  • Avoid difficult combinations, like cheese&beans or eggs, beans&meat or fish and ect.
  • Don’t eat fruits just after meal. Eat them before, separately from the main dish. Excepion: you can make peanut-banana-honey shake for breakfast
  • Don’t drink tea or milk just after the meals. Milk is best alone, exception: almonds, rise, dates, oatmeal.
  • You can drink hot drinks after cold, but don’t drink cold after hot
  • Eat “live” food, like fruits, fresh vegetables, nuts and sprouted grains. They will give you maximum energy
  • Potatoes and tomatoes have minimum prana. If it is your main food you should take extra vitamins
  • Avoid eating stale food. Don’t prepare meals for many days to save the time
  • Avoid heating food, it looses prana, eat it fresh
  • Avoid drinking coffee, black tea and garlic on a daily basis. Otherwise you risk overstimulate your nervouse system
  • Try cumin seed tea. (You can add some cloves and cinnamon to it)
  • Do one-day fasting once in week or once in two weeks
  • Do bhastrika pranayama in the morning
  • Sit in vajrasana for 5-10 minutes immediately after meal. (The only asana you can do after having food)
  • Practice yogasanas daily, you can start your day with Surya Namaskar instead of coffee
  • Don’t take shower and don’t eat immidiatly after practicing asanas
  • Make your diet accordingly to your doshas

Cycles of human life accordingly:

Kapha

childhood (till 16 years old). Kapha disorders are dominant in this period

Pitta

adulthood, when the people are most active (16-50 years old). Pitta disorders are common this time

Vata

old age. Vata disorders

Seasons of the year accordingly:

Winter - kapha

Spring - kapha/pitta

Summer - pitta

Fall – vata

Take into concideration the season of the year as well when you make your diet. For example, avoid cold food and green salads in winter, or add hot spices. If you are over 50 years old add more nuts and seeds  into your diet, they have heating properties. They increase pitta&kapha and decreases vata.

There some spices which increase agni and will give you extra heat in the body. Aspecially good in cold season. (Careful if pitta is your dominant dosha)

Black pepper. Increases digestive juices, eases digestion and stimulates the enzymes in the stomach, which then helps to digest proteins in food. Increases Pitta, stimulates Vata, relieves Kapha.Mixed with ghee it relieves pitta disorders, such as hives and dermatitis.

Enkindles agni and neutralizes toxins. Mustard consists minerals and vinegar, a weak acid. It also contains alkaline, which neutralizes stomach acid. You can use it when you feel heartburn. Decreases vata and kapha 

This root contains multiple compounds that may provide health benefits, including antibacterial and anticancer effects. It contains antioxidants that treat respiratory disorders like mucus and sinusitis. 

Clove is an aromatic spice which constitutes eugenol oil. This oil is known for its antioxidant, antiseptic and anesthetic properties. It is a natural pain reliever. Powered cloves may be used with vegetables and fruits and also may be taken as a tea. Decreases vata and kapha

The warming spice has excellent digestive properties, pain-relieving chemicals and immunity boosting power that protects from cough and cold. It is commonly used in winters as a tea or in vegetable dishes.

Cinnamon is known to improve digestion and absorption of nutrients. It is an anti-bacterial and helps prevent infections. Even it is hot, post-digestive effect is sweet, might stimulate kapha.

 buy good quality cinnamon sticks and melt them yourself. Malted cinnamon from supermarket might not be a real cinnamon, but a substitute.

If you don’t like using clove, mustard or black pepper in your meal, you can melt it and take with a sip of warm water just after or during the meal (as a medicine). It will help your digestion.