This post is from guest blogger and fellow Vancouver Wellness Foodie, Muneera Wallace. |
In the Eastern health science of Ayurveda, we pay a lot of attention to digestion. Not just what we eat (that is an obvious consideration understood here in the West as well) but also how we eat and when we eat. The how refers to the way your food is prepared and how present you are while eating it. The when refers to the time of day in which you eat, and the consistent eating rhythm you keep from day-to-day. These aspects are equally important to what you choose to put in your body.
For example, consider scenario 1. You are eating a nutritious meal with just the right balance of raw/cooked for your digestive capacity (because raw food is harder to digest and not ideal for people with weak digestive systems). You eat it at the same time everyday (so your stomach is ready with the digestive juices to process it), and you enjoy it in a calm and present manner. The conditions for digestion are perfect!
Now for scenario 2. In this scenario, you are eating a meal that is taxing to your digestive system (too raw for your delicate digestive fire perhaps, or just too heavy for you on this certain day). It is also eaten at a random, unpredictable time in the day, and while you are engrossed in some other mental activity. In this scenario, the body just will not be able to digest it as efficiently as the first meal in our example, because the conditions are just not ideal.
In Ayurveda, you are not what you eat, rather, “You are what you digest”.
The hazard of not helping your body maintain these optimal conditions for digestion is that undigested waste materials are then produced and they start to circulate in your body. When the body isn’t able to eliminate them effectively, they settle into the tissues and cause trouble. Essentially, this toxic gunk created from bad digestion is the cause of most disease.
So, according to Ayurveda, the best preventative measure you can take against disease is to pay attention to your digestion. Respect it, nurture it daily, strengthen it when it is weak, and be careful how you tax it with food.
Here is s simple tea you can take to help your body boost digestion and help it rid itself of undigested food waste that may be circulating.
Cumin Coriander Fennel Tea (usually shortened to CCF TEA in Ayurveda)
This medicinal tea is a staple in many Ayurvedic cleansing facilities because of its ability to encourage the body to break down undigested food toxins in the GI tract and encourage subtle detoxification.
INGREDIENTS
½ teaspoon each coriander and fennel seeds
¼ teaspoon of cumin seeds
I litre of water
METHOD
·Boil water. Add spices add let it steep for 10 minutes
·Strain and pour into a thermos to sip through the day.
·Add some raw honey to the tea at room temperature if you like. Or squeeze some lime in for freshness.