I've just finished a great book called "Yoga for the Digestive System" written by an Australian medicine graduate turned yogi. There is an old naturopathic belief, which this book subscribes to as well, that all disease starts in our gut. Digestion is something we most often take for granted, because it happens on its own, subconsciously or "naturally". And what do we do with things we take for granted? Well, we use and abuse it... we eat in front of the TV or computer, we eat standing up or on the go, we have heated arguments or debates over a meal and we shove huge amounts of food down our throat and expect it to be taken care of.
My brother-in-law was recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. It is a terrible disease of the gut. Made me read every single word in this book, and in several related articles, just a little more carefully. So, the things I have learned and that I will try and apply to my life (recognizing it's not always easy):
- Overeating is very detrimental to our health. Our internal organs are not built to take on the amounts of food we eat in the West today. A healthy amount of food to eat is about the size of your two hands cupped together. Basically, undigested food is worse than no food. Eat smaller portions less and live healthier for longer.
- Pay attention to your mood as you eat. Do not eat when you are tense, stressed or angry. All of these upset states affect our autonomic nervous system and disrupts our body's ability to properly digest the food. It is actually better to skip the occasional meal than to eat in an upset state.
- Respect the food. Prepare it with awareness and care and make it look tasty. This will help very important enzymes get produced in your saliva and your stomach. If you're not the one preparing the food, perhaps just take a moment when it has arrived on your plate and, literally, salivate over the upcoming meal.
- Chew your food!! Be careful not to start thinking of the next bite as soon as one has hit your mouth. That way we tend to swallow before the food is properly chewed and we create more hard work for our gut. Stay present and focus on the bite that's in your mouth, that will make it taste a lot better too!!
I'll end with a few lines from the book that I like: "No organ causes so much trouble as the tongue. It can get us into endless strife outside as well as inside. Talking and eating rank amongst the hardest body processes to control." So, granted, all of the above is easier said than done, but by trying to apply some of these principles to my life most of the time, I hope to live a healthier life.... in body, and thus also in mind and soul.
