How we eat our food is even more important than what we eat.  In fact, Ayurveda understands that eating is a daily sacred ritual in which we take the ‘other’ and make it ‘us’.  When we eat our food, we are taking in the atoms and molecules that have been around in different forms since the beginning of time and asking them to join well with our bodies.  If the food does not join well with our body the end result will be gas and other digestive disturbances.  The result of poorly digested food is ama (toxins formed from poor digestion) and ama the first stage in the disease process.

10 Rules for Good Digestion
 
1. Begin meals by preparing the body to receive the food.  This can be done with grace or a simple acknowledgement of gratitude.

2.  Eat in a calm environment where there is a little distraction.  It is best to avoid having the television on.  Avoid excessive conversation and all conversation about emotionally intense issues.  Avoid reading.

3.  Chew your food until it is an even consistency.  This requires your attention to be on the food in your mouth.  There is no magic number of times to chew your food.  Chewing properly improves digestion and absorption of the food.

4.  Eat at a moderate pace and until you are 75% full.  Overeating is one of the major causes of disease in our society.  When we eat too much, digestion becomes difficult.  When we finish eating, we should not feel heavy and we should not feel hungry.  We want to feel satisfied.  This is what is meant by 75% full.

5.  Following your meal let your food digest some before going on to the next activity.  It is best to wait 15-20 minutes for food to digest.  A slow walk will also aid digestion.

6.  Do not drink cold drinks prior to or during the meal.  This weakens digestion.

7.   Do not drink large quantities of liquids during meals.  About one half-cup of room temperature water is enough to moisten the food for good digestion. 

8.  Allow three hours between meals for food to digest. 

9.  Digestion is the strongest around noon, when the sun is highest in the sky.  Our bodies rhythms mirror those of the universe.  Therefore, it is best to eat your largest meal at noon.  Morning and evening meals should be lighter.

10.  Eat food prepared by someone that loves and cares about you.  According to Ayurveda, the thoughts and emotions of the cook become part of the food.  The energy of the cook gets ‘cooked’ into the food.  If the cook is angry or tense, that is the energy infused in the food and taken in.  So cook with positive emotions like love and kindness for those you provide for and eat food prepared by someone that loves you.