It seems that many of us have been experiencing some form of exhaustion. I know that life on its own can be tiring, but sometimes we are thrown a curve ball that knocks us out- Take Covid for example. These curve balls can add an extra layer of stress, anxiety, or just a feeling of UGGGGG to our already stressful life!
So, what am I talking about?
Our bodies are amazing! Our bodies can be great at detoxing many of these life stressors that are thrown at us. But when life throws too many curveballs at us and all at once or over a long period of time, our bodies can’t keep up with all of it or the stress/toxins can begin to build up and overwhelm us. So really what kind of stressors am I talking about? I could be talking about anything added to our life or changed in our life. Whether we perceive the change or addition as positive or we perceive the change as negative. Change on its own can be stressful. Like a new job, a new baby, relationship, or a new home. These all sound like positives, but change can be stressful.
These changes can also be hardships, a loss of a job, a loss of a parent or loved one, a child moving out of the home, becoming injured, or being in an accident.
Also, our bodies could be feeling the effects of the buildup of toxins in the body from eating genetically modified foods, experiencing toxins in our personal products, foods, or environment. Our bodies could be reacting to EMF, bright lights, staying up too late, not being outside in nature, or not exercising. Then on top of all this, we are aging, our bodies are not as well equipped to detox or we have stuffed down these layers of stress for so long there is no longer any room to stuff any more.
So, what might you see as a result of this:
Weight gain Leaky gut or gut issues
Tiredness Headaches
Irritability Rashes
Getting sick more often Weird ailments that change, shift, or move
Lack of motivation Hair loss
Anxiety or depression Can’t sleep/ sleeps too much
Lack of focus Increased use of alcohol, medication, CBD, or another drug
But there is an answer and Ayurveda has it.
According to Ayurveda- everything starts in the gut. Science is now saying the same. What this means is that if you have a health concern, starting with your digestion is a good place to begin.
You want to ensure that your gut lining is healthy, that you are digesting your foods, and that you are getting all the nutrients from your food.
Here are some tips:
Mindful Eating– We have all heard this and we understand the importance, but we rarely give it the attention it deserves. Your digestion begins before you take your first bite of food. Your digestion begins when you are collecting and preparing your meal. Your taste buds begin to get excited, and you begin to salivate. This is a very necessary step in your food being digested. Skipping this step means your meal may not be digesting fully.
Then there is the chewing of your food, another much overlooked aspect of digesting your food. If food goes into the belly in large chunks, the stomach acid may not have the ability to break it down fully. This isn’t good.
Another note. The body can only digest your food if it is in the rest & digest mode. If your sympathetic or fight & flight is kicked into action, your body isn’t finding digestion a priority. This means if you are watching television, scrolling the internet, or working or driving & eating, you are not digestion your food.
All right, I think you have the picture- slow down chew and enjoy your food.
What you eat-We know this answer. Eat real food. The further away your food is from its natural source the harder it is for your body to consume. This leads to calories being taken in but not many nutrients. So, eat what you like, but eat real foods. (Of course, Ayurveda has some suggestions on the best foods for your Dosha, but for now, eat real)
When you eat- can be just as, if not more important them what you are eating. If your belly is a little furnace burning up and digesting your food, you want to eat while the furnace is at its hottest. This is mid-day. So, your biggest meal should be lunch. Eat a lighter breakfast and an even lighter dinner.
Also, your stomach needs time to digest your food. If you eat a meal, then eat a snack or the next meal prior to the first meal being digested, the food begins to pile up. In Ayurveda this is where Ama (toxins) come from. Give your digestion some time to digest the food in your belly before you send more food in there. This means a break of 3-4 hours between meals with no snacking.
And science is now able to explain why this is important. It turns out that the migrating motor complex (this is the gut moving food through the intestines) kicks in after 3-4 hours.
What & when you should drink- So you have this awesome fire in your belly ready to digest your meal, if you drink a cold beverage, it is like dousing your fire with water. You need that fire burning hot and bright to digest your meal. It is best to drink room temperature, warm, or hot water or tea.
You should sip on warm water through the day to stay hydrated, keep your digestive fire kindled, and loose some weight.
Don’t drink too much liquid with a meal. You want the stomach acid to be able to break down any food you eat and this may effect this.
Digestive Herbs- here are some great herbs you can add to your meals to help with digestion, add some phytonutrients to your diet, and add some great flavor; ginger, black pepper, turmeric, cumin, coriander, and cardamom.
Some teas that help with health & digestion- Triphala is the magic tonic that heals all, or according to Ayurveda it does. This is a great addition to your daily health practice. Also dandelion tea, burdock root tea, milk thistle tea help support the liver.
Some little tricks– Here’s a little something to help with weight loss and kickstart your digestion- thinly slice some organic ginger, sprinkle with a bit of Celtic Sea salt, then drizzle with honey. Eat this 15-20 minute prior to your meal.
Another one- add a ½ tablespoon of local organic honey to a mug of warm water. Honey is known for its scrapping power. Scraping toxins from the body is good.
Adrenal Supporting Herbs & Fungi– when life gets tough and we get tired, here are some great supportive herbs to help out; ashwaganda, medicinal mushrooms (Chaga, Lion’s Mane, Rishi).
And now let’s take a look at some great practices that support health- Pranayama or breath practices are great for finding balance in our life. If we are looking for weight loss- Bhastrika-bellows is great. Looking to find balance- Nadi Shodana alternate nostril. To calm the central nervous system- Bhramari Humming bee Breath.
Meditation-is a great way to move you into para-sympathetic. This is when your body heals, its when you can digest your meals and your emotions. Taking time to slow down isn’t being lazy, selfish, or unproductive, it is vital to your body’s health.
Exercise- finding time to move your body. Your body was never designed to sit as long as we do now. Our lymphatic system relies on movement to work. This is how we detox and clean out the waste in our body and our brain.
Ok, well that’s enough for now. You now have some great tools to get started in finding better health, more energy, and your healthiest weight.
Here are some reminders to get you started:
- Eat mindfully-
- eat real food-
- space your meals-
- drink warm water throughout the day-
- add some spice to your meals-
- Add supportive herbs and teas to help your body out-
- Breathe-
- Slow down-
- Move-
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