5 Healthy Takeaways from "Perfect Digestion" by Deepak Chopra {Five Series}

Finally, I have also started reading some of the books which would be useful for the blog and me :) And, this one has scored high on my list. For a beginner health enthusiast, it can serve as one of the foundation books. It explains ayurveda in a simpler way than I could ever understand it till date. So, check out 5 new things I learned from the book.

One holistic system

Ayurveda treats our entire body as a single unit with each part having its own portion of intelligence as opposed to a machine controlled by a central engine. The nutrients from our food enhance the said intelligence. Ayurveda also believes that perfect digestion is the key to keep the body free of any disease.

Our thoughts, our imaginations, our feelings, desires and energies are as much "us" as are our fingernails, our blemishes and our digestive tracts.

Ayurvedic Doshas

Pitta characteristics so do check out if they concur with your nature!

Ayurveda understands a body as a part of three doshas - Vata, Kapha and Pitta. 

Vata - controls movement like breathing, blood circulation, food passing through the digestive tracts, nerve impulses sent to and received from the brain. 

Pitta - represents metabolism or digestion like processing food, air and water and facilitate proper intellectual functioning. 

Kapha - governs body structure, holds cells together and forms muscles, fat, bones and sinew, also governs digestive fluids int he body. 

Everyone has all 3 doshas in equal measures but some imbalances in the body may lead to one or other dosha dominating over the others in which case the said dosha must be pacified and balanced . Our body is in a harmonious state when all these three doshas are in perfect balance. 

Digestion is considered a heating process in Ayurveda which is why it is denoted by the agni or digestive fire. 

• Too high digestive fire means pitta dosha which leads to excessive appetite.

• Too low digestive fire means kapha dosha which leads to low energy and weight gain. 

• Too variable digestive fire means vata dosha which leads to extreme hunger or loss of appetite. 

• Perfect digestive fire in which all doshas are balanced. 

Kapha characteristics so do check out if they concur with your nature!

Small Intestine and Its Role

Small intestine is one the major organs where the maximum digestion and extraction of the intelligence from the foods happens. To keep it healthy,

• eat variety of foods everyday

• foods should not be over-cooked or raw

• foods must not be too hot or too cold  

That is why ice cold water is not a preferable option, as much you might crave it!!

Spice to eat to keep the digestive system in healthy order - black pepper, ginger and nutmeg.

Vata characteristics so do check out if they concur with your nature!

Ama and Ojas

When the body is in perfect harmonious state, it produces a biochemical called Ojas which represents the positive flow of energy in the body. It means the body is in complete harmony with the mind.

A complete opposite to this harmonious state is when the body feels sluggish. A sticky biochemical called Ama is produced in such a state. It can be due to improper lifestyle, improper diet or improper digestion.

Signs of ama production in the body - lethargy, feeling of  heaviness, weakness, weak immunity, fatigue, emotional instability, low energy levels.

Visible sign - white coating on the tongue which is also present throughout the digestive canals of the body. That is why tongue scraping should be done right after brushing your teeth.

How to eliminate Ama from the body?

• Eat in a settled and quiet atmosphere where there is no television or talking. 

• Rest quietly for a few minutes after a meal to begin the digestive process in a effortless way. 

• Always eat while sitting. it helps the body relax. 

• Do not eat while upset. Wait for a few minutes to stabilize your emotions and then start eating. 

• Do not overeat. Always eat only 3/4th of your total capacity. leave eating when you feel almost full and still feel light. 

• Always avoid cold drinks or foods. Cold freezes the digestive fires and may lead to creation of ama. 

• Always eat slowly. After a bite, chew and wait till you swallow it before taking another bite. 

• Do not eat till your preceding meal is digested. It takes 3-6 hours for the previous meal to digest so if you feel heavy but crave something to eat, snack on a fruit or any warm beverage. 

• Always eat fresh food. 

• Drink hot water throughout the day, as often as possible, to dissolve the ama in your body. 

sort of diet you should maintain according to your specific dosha

6 Ayurvedic Tastes

Ayurveda identifies 6 tastes in order of digestion - sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter and astringent. It is important to incorporate all these tastes in all our meals throughout the day. And, one should eat them in their order of digestion as specified.

For example, sweet should be eaten before anything sour which should be eaten before a salty dish which should precede a pungent one which should precede bitter and lastly, follow with an astringent. That is why dessert should be taken first and salad should be the last meal.

Have you read the book? Do you think digestion is the key element to our well-being? 

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5 tips to avoid Headaches {Five Series}

I am in angst with Hyderabad weather! It is so damn unpredictable that I always find the sun shining on top of my head when I am out and the sun happily goes and hides behind the clouds when I am inside!! And, not to speak about the sultriness these days....huh.

And, all this takes a toll on my health and my chronic headaches get worse. So, I decided to list down what are the very common reasons why one may get headaches and how can you avoid them. So, lets check them out!

Stay out of Sun 

Well, pretty obvious reading the introduction to the post, right? Direct exposure to sun rays might prompt the headache especially when you are doing a lot of in and out from an air-conditioned place! The change in warm and cold atmosphere itself is enough to trigger some or the other problem. Same goes to the fluctuating weather conditions and change of seasons.

That is why not only sun but excess wind should also be avoided! And, of course, getting used to a lot of cool in summers or hot in winters makes one sensitive to any slight change in temperature. And, if you have to, make sure you cover yourself well especially your head and ears!!

Acidity can trigger Headaches

Proper diet is very very essential for proper functioning of the body. If you do not eat on time, you might get acidity. If you eat more, you might get acidity. Either of the conditions, acidity suffocates the body a bit and that might lead to a headache so control acidity by following a strict daily routine.

And, say no to coffee when you have headaches. I do not know if it increases acidity but it sure increases your headache. Tea is good because it relaxes the system a bit but I would suggest to go for herbal teas instead because they are refreshing for the body and feel nothing more than you are drinking delicately-flavored hot water. 

Do not skip on Breakfast

Again the same thing. Proper diet is very important and breakfast is the most important meal of the day. What you eat in breakfast determines how your entire day goes! So, eat a healthy balance of lots of carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Try to get a heavy breakfast even if you have a desk job. 

Exercise for 30 minutes everyday

This is invariably a condition if you want to lead healthy life so I would not say much except that get moving, guys and gals! 

Sleep at correct times and for right amount of Hours

For me, if my sleep gets disturbed or if I over-sleep or under-sleep, I always get headaches. So, yes proper deep sleep is very important for me. Also, I would add that proper pillows and mattress and sheets aid in good sleep so invest in them. And, always take care of your postures so that you do not get a crink while sleeping!

And, now the bonus tip! 

Healthy Snacking 

I totally get it that you love to munch and snack and at the tea-times more often than not you want that extra samosa or the burger which the other person is enjoying! But, they are really bad for you and that is not just because of junk. But, also because they do not satisfy your appetite. 

You need to develop some healthy snacking habits. Either carry something from home or get some salads at the office. Some extra fruits would not put a lot of weight on you. And, when really hungry, go for fiber even in healthy options! That peanut butter is very useful. Or, carry some dates or sprouts or dry fruits!!

What are your ways to avoid a headache?

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Sitting on the Floor - How Important? {Health}

We have moved!! Yup, to an apartment nearer to the offices! And, if you are a renter, you would know how difficult a move can be, especially the first move coz you do not have anything except for your clothes. We did try finding a furnished apartment but that did not happen.

So, the new house was bare with only walls and floor. And, all the furniture we ordered was not gonna be delivered for a week or two. Thankfully, we had the presence of mind to order for the mattresses before hand. So, we had something to work with.

And, that was the time when the problems arose. There was no stool or chair to sit on. For everything, we had to sit on the floor, cutting veggies or relaxing or sleeping. It has been almost 10 years since I have slept on the floor and the last time was at my grandparents house so I was clearly out of practice.

Helps with spinal cord stretch while sleeping

My mom prefers to sleep on the floor or hard beds because of her back problem. Apparently, the hardness of the floor helps alleviating the body of all kinds of pains. Honestly, I can not vouch for the scientific reasoning or proof of this statement and neither did this happen in my case. In fact, I everyday fell asleep dreaming of the soft and spongy memory foam mattresses of the hotels :D

Definitely helps with Knees and Hips

Well, Indian tradition has always been pretty scientific. Even the squatting required in the Indian toilets has been proved to be beneficial for the health and body as opposed to the western ones. The act of sitting down and rising allows the lubrication of the knees and hip joints and keeps them healthy.

May Lose Me some Weight

Well, yes, I have yet to start with weight loss series. But, for now, I was just hoping all that up and down might have helped me with losing at least a kg or two. Man, you realize the weight of your body when you actually have to sit and get up from the ground!! But, then, two weeks might not make a lot of difference.

Apparently helps with Digestion and Makes one eat properly

I hate eating while sitting on the floor. It might be traditional or amazing for the body but I absolutely hate leaning and bending on my plate to eat without spilling. It is just too inconvenient, especially when you are over-weight! But, I think because of this reason, you tend to eat less and so less calories :) Nah, I used to sit on the mattress as opposed to the floor while having my meals so no reduction in calories :(

And, the list does not even start here. When I just googled about this topic, there are plenty many reason to sit on the floor and most of which will do amazing things for your body and help you keep active. So, go on and find yourself just one reason and start the practice! I know weight loss is good enough a reason for many of us and yet...we are lazy!

Do you have the habit of sitting on the floor?

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Should you eat curd/yogurt at night? {Health}

Well, so you would already be aware that dinner should be the lightest meal of the day! But since I miss a decently filling lunch, I miss all the important ingredients like curd and such which I make up for in my dinner.

But, few months back some body warned me not to eat curd at night. That was because curd at night in winters is extremely cooling for the body. Also, curd is heavy on the stomach and doesn't get digested easily!

And for people suffering with sinus issues, curd at night can lead to congestion and breathlessness as it pours the toxins into the lungs (that is not quite literally right but a metaphor)! Also, it can interfere with sleep. 

Ayurvedically as well, one is suggested to avoid curd at night. But if at all you are interested in having curd, mix a pinch of pepper powder. That's what I read somewhere! Also, it is best if you can manage buttermilk instead but curd mixed with sugar is a complete no no. 

Do you eat curd at night? I shall mix pepper powder from now on!!

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