In this blog we will explore the connection of our digestion and vitality according to our founder, Jason Lim, basing his knowledge on the ancient science of Ayurveda. Learning Ayurveda is becoming more accessible via reading books, watching online lessons or working with a practitioner of you choice and will transform your life.
When working with digestion to improve our overall quality of life, we also invite the energies of supportive crystals such as Honey Calcite, Yellow Calcite and Hiddenite (Green Spodumene) which connect with the Solar Plexus.
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We can all can agree and appreciate deliciously tasting food and want to live healthier more vibrant lives. Certain foods can help bring us closer to this goal or it can be quite the opposite. Over the years I have incorporated many different things for a better connection with food and below are my top 5 tips for healthier eating habits.
Avoiding Canola & Vegetable Oils
What may sound all good and healthy camouflages itself into a liquid that wreaks havoc in the gut causing a lot of inflammation. Primarily these oils are used in a lot of kitchens and having worked in a couple myself know that it doesn’t make for a pretty outcome. A lot of illness stems from the usage of these oils as some of the key ingredients consist of nothing but highly processed chemicals manufactured in a lab. Take an observation next time you use these oils, if they make you feel sluggish afterwards maybe it’s time to kick it as.
A great alternative to use is Ghee which is my absolute favourite. Not only does it taste super delicious it also has a high smoke point so you can fry with and goes with just about anything. There are plenty of videos on the internet on how to make it at home which I highly recommend as it will have you stocked up for weeks.
Giving Gratitude to our Food
A little ritual I have incorporated in before eating each meal is to take a moment to connect with the food before us. Sometimes we can forget how much energy has gone into the final product from the time grown on the farm, to the logistics to then the chef's preparation at the end. A little thank you and acknowledgement goes a long way as we get all the love back with each bite. I like to start by smelling the food to let the stomach wake up so it know that there is food coming, and then thank the food and everybody involved as we are fortunate enough to consume this meal.
Eating without Screens
I am definitely guilty of eating an entire meal in front of a screen whether that be in front of the phone or an entire episode on Netflix - this somehow works its way into the normal after a long day at work. When we are distracted in habits like this we miss out on the full spectrum of taste on offer and don’t realise how much we consume, making it very easy to overeat. This means all our hard effort in the kitchen goes un-noticed. On top of that, our stomach does not have the ability to register the meal and so the digestive process will not break down the food as much. Next meal switch the screens off, close your eyes and chew your food while feeling all the flavours in each bite, trust me it will make you appreciate your food more.
Drinking Warm Water
It really is tempting to grab a glass of cold water from the the dispenser of the fridge, though having cold water is a sure fast way to kill the fire in your digestion. When drinking cold water your body has to use what energy available to heat the water back up making it counter productive and leaving your food undigested. Aim for warm water as it aids for better absorption of food and other nutrients.
Eating with the Sun
Sun is an awesome reminder of how strong our digestive fire is. When it's at its peak during lunch time, it signifies that our ability to digest is much higher while during sunset it is time to take it easy on the food. Having a meal before bed could mean that the food becomes undigested and then it turns into toxins that cause heaviness and disease. To avoid this, we shall aim to have our last meal by around 6 PM to make sure it's all digested by the time we go to sleep and we can wake up light the next morning.
If these tips caught your attention and you would like to learn more about the science of Ayurveda, you are welcome to connect with our incredible partner Ayupotheca, who is based in Habitat Byron Bay but regularly supports client online from all over Australia. If you are interested in having a deeper connection to your body and sustainable eating habits, Shay from Ayupotheca will be here to support and when booking a session online, enter the code "ZALAH10" for 10% discount off your treatments.
