These days while some are struggling with starvation, others are trying to manage their indigestion.
So what is the cause of it?
I will say there are many factors, since everything in this existence is not just a simple thing but a complex reaction to everything there is.
I will name just a few which are in my experience.
Time of meal, the way we sit, the food we eat, The way we eat, the way we are, if it is something we share or not.
I am sure there are millions more 🙂 but these seems to me to be some of the most significant and are the only one coming in my mind in this moment.
***Every article may be improved as Is written, something more can be added trying to improve it. It may take an eternity to bring it to perfection and after some time it may seem irrelevant, as time is an illusion, perfection a concept and separation a lie.
Time of meal
When I refer to this I am not talking about a specific hour. Of course time of the day influence it in a significant way, but more powerful than the arrangement of planets and their influences 🙂 it is your own system / body how it works.
So it is definitely important that your body is ready to take food.
Waking up with almost closed eyes, moving directly in the kitchen and indulging ourselves, may be damaging. The stomach is not ready for what is about to receive and may lead to indigestion, especially when you take a heavy breakfast. *Sometimes we eat like we‘re preparing for holocaust.
So when morning starts, try not reaching to your phone, leave it on airplane mode still, even if it is the end of the world, somebody died, or big emergency is there, it can wait. It has waited all night and anyway for you to give maximum results, it is best that hunger is not an impediment.
Some stretches even in the bed helps J start your yoga in bed J turn to sides, disturb your “partner”:)J kisses and hugs may be there, take your time and move towards bathroom.
Clean yourself, instead of using hot water, which will get you more asleep try some cold/ slightly warm water. Either a shower or just wet hands all over the body will do it also, imitating washing your whole body and notice how the whole body feels more energized, alive, awake.
Time to create even more energy moving the neck, fingers, wrists shoulders arms, spine twists, quads knees ankles… so many things you can do in just a few minutes with some deep breaths .
Tumeric and neem on an empty stomach can do wonders, If not try lemon juice with warm water or a warm tea. Avoid having caffeine.
Caffeine might be creating a habit in the body that he doesn’t need to wake up, external factors will do it for it. One day 🙂 you cannot wake up without it and starting your day with an addiction is not very empowering for the possibility of a human being.
Then, depending on your schedule, go for a run, have your yoga practice, or a walk in fresh air.
*If it is any other time of the day, the important thing is to create some heat, energy in the body before, helping with digestion. Space then heat.
The food we eat.
Start with a light breakfast, simple, warm. Lunch make it bigger. Diner definitely lighter. Eating heavy
food will get you lethargic, asleep. The Food we eat is a big subject and in the same time subjective, so learn what suits you best. Try it on yourself, don’t necessarily follow others what works for them, can be damaging for you, there are different body types and lots of people who fake it J or are unaware of how food impact them, so do your own thing J
The way we sit
Major impact. If using chairs J Cross-legged sitting posture can be comfortable, you have the impression it keeps the blood in the stomach also increasing the focus/energy/attention on the lower part of the body. You will feel how you are reducing the energy sent to your legs and bring it to your stomach. Sitting on the knees it is said to have even a better impact, but that I would use after eating, to settle down for a few minutes.
Straight back. Big difference. Is like someone pressing on your belly while you’re trying to eat, irritating. You can breathe more freely. No obstruction in digestion.
Also big difference if you can maintain a straight back not using the support of the chair. You will feel you’re not pressing on the nerves behind, which have an impact on the whole “working” of the body better connection for the veins and nervous system to do its work.
This is like watering a garden. But someone puts a foot on the pipe responsible for the watering. Some water will go, but not full on. It will just take more time for digestion, when time is not something you can spare.
The way we eat
Digestion starts with your tongue. With mastication. At least 30% of digestion can start in your mouth. So do a favor to your stomach chew your food, your saliva brings enzymes and proper lubrication to food so it can go easily on the pipe J Mastication makes small pieces so it is easier to break down food and bring nutrition in your body. Yoga says 24 mouthfuls, masticating 24 times each one, which is more than enough as a quantity for a meal.*Now don’t become a machine 🙂 enjoy the process just a little more chewing.
How much we eat
At rest the stomach has the volume of a fist. They say around 75 ml. So eat reasonable, let’s say ½ kg max that is almost 10 times your stomach at rest. More than enough. Little bit of water after a few minutes or a warm infusion helps and keep some space for air. Stomach is also masticating, using contractions and movements. When it’s to full how can it move? How can it contract?
Don’t worry you will not die of starvation, only with water you can manage for a few days. So for a few hours why are you acting like this is your last supper?
Don’t eat fast J Take your time, or you’ll bring more air than food. Which can cause bloating and gasses.
The way we are
Before eating. Try calming yourself. Don’t rush into food. Take your time to become stable. Don’t talk if it’s not something that can enhance the quality of the process of eating. Don’t use the thoughts to eat, try being with your mouth, tongue, mastication, breathe, stomach, small intestine. Try keeping your energy on yourself, on the food in front, be grateful/appreciative.
Indigestion is also related to the way you “digest” thoughts. SO a rested mind definitely is a better way to avoid indigestion. Or at least avoid anything labeled as *new* or *old* “to digest” while you’re eating.
Talking while eating, It may be consider ethical and polite while, but definitely damaging to the digestive process. You are eating but your focus is on your mind, thoughts altering the way you breathe, energy goes to brain not to stomach. Is like J running and drinking in the same time, just in a milder way.
If you are with someone who needs to talk say “mmhmmm-mhhh-” many ways to avoid a conversation to continue, usually when you want to finish a conversation just agree 🙂 and approve to that person, they are just trying to make a point usually 🙂 but keep a blank mind.
Conversation can bring stress to the system, you already know how it feels when you’re under pressure/stress and you’re trying to enjoy food. So just be the weird one, not talking. There should be quiet tables.
Share your food with someone
Not your plate, But the action of eating. This is common when you do any activity, when you’re alone most of things seems harder to do, but when you share something, you can call it anyway you want, but it seems like is a collective energy all working towards the same thing, in our case digestion. It is just easier and more pleasant to eat together.
Take some time after
For a few minutes don’t move. After that a walk ca do it, or just sit on your knees for some time, with your attention on the stomach small intestine. Just observe it. Breathe calm. Notice the digestion how it feels.
And then back to life . Work or whatever you do. This are some small advice that you already have practiced unconsciously. You have felt the benefits already. But now because someone else talks about it, it enforces what you have felt and believe. It is true it can be difficult to be practiced in some circumstances but we try and try until it becomes in our habit .
How can anyone talk of anything if not from experience?
As it gets better 🙂 i m just pointing out what i have changed.
“What I know I know, what I don’t know I don’t know.” SG
If we would just limit ourselves to just this.