By Dr. Ashish Jaiswal
27/04/2023

Improper eating habits lead to poor digestion & absorption of food. Do you tend to multitask while eating meals? Do you snack a lot in between meal hours? Do you have a habit of eating heavy food late at night or sleeping after eating? Believe it or not, 90% of the diseases start from the intestines and the primary reason is bad digestion.

When the absorption of food is substandard compared to what it should be, the body sends some alerts suggestive of the improper digestive health with signs like bloating, flatulence, or bowel irregularity. Here are some tips to improve digestion based on Ayurveda principles;

Have a stable routine pattern of sleep hours, meal planning, exercise hours.
Observe fast once in a while to give rest to the vital organs & rejuvenate the entire system by removing the toxins out of the body.
Start the day with a cup of hot water to hydrate and wake up the digestive system. Add ginger/lemon/honey for a gentle cleanse.
Include herbs like ajwain, cumin, turmeric, asafoetida, garlic, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon in the dietary menu for healthy digestive fire.
Remember 5 Important Do’s for good digestion:
Chew properly.
Eat only 3/4th of stomach capacity.
Use digestive herbs in cooking.
Drink lukewarm water sip by sip throughout the day.
Chew fresh ginger with a pinch of salt just before meals.

Ayurveda quotes that all the diseases are due to weak digestive fire, so balancing digestive fire or agni for healthy digestion is the key.