Warm cooked foods are easiest for our body’s to digest, so we are getting a nourishment boost even before we put the food in our mouth. In our belly, we have a digestive fire, agni. We put food on that fire and digestion begins. When we put in cooked foods, our fire can more easily digest the food for nourishment. Think of putting cold or raw foods as similar to putting wet or dense logs on a small campfire, those logs may not burn completely and may even douse our fire.

In Ayurveda, it is suggested that we eat 3 meals a day and avoid snacking. The timing of the meals is important and can vary from individual to individual. Eating meals with time in between them, allows our digestive system to follow its natural process; food digests in the stomach and then moves to the intestine. While the intestine does its thing, our stomach gets to rest and reset before the next meal. Roughly, meal times should be:

• Breakfast 8-9AM
• Lunch 12-1PM
• Dinner 5-7PM

Our sense of how much to eat can be affected by many things. We eat very little when trying to lose weight. We eat massive amounts of protein when we want to gain muscle. We gorge when we are celebrating. So what’s the guidance from Ayurveda? Two cupped hands worth of food is the correct amount for a meal. Those are your hands, not someone else’s!

We’ve probably all eaten a meal or snacks while angry, sad, arguing, or whatnot. We also probably know that doing so leads to a less than stellar dining experience. So, take a minute or two before you eat to find some calmness and clarity. Perhaps feel some gratitude for the food you are about to receive?

One way to tell if we are eating in a healthful manner is to notice how we feel after we eat. Ideally you will feel:

• Energized not lethargic
• Light not heavy
• Clarity of mind
• Hungry before your next meal time
• Able to comfortably take a walk
• Easy & satisfying bowel movements

Walking after a meal is next level self care. In Ayurveda there is a recommendation to take at least 100 steps after eating, but if you can make that into a 10+ minute walk, so much the better. Walking aids digestion, stokes the digestive fire, and calms the mind. Walk with a companion or walk alone, either way it’s fabulous.