Lifestyle and laziness is moving an entire generation to eat unhealthy food. Frozen, reheated, swiggy, zomato, fast food …. odd sleeping & eating hours are all taking a toll on the digestive health of people. Rare is the house where a mother lovingly cooks and feeds fresh hot food to the family. This Blog is an attempt to create awareness on how the food we eat impacts our digestion and our lives.
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Many spiritual aspirants regard intake of food as a sacrament. In India the stomach is thought of as a Havan – sacrificial fire, and food as the offering. Most Ashrams and Yogis chant this verse from the Bhagavad Gita before every meal.
Brahmārpañam Brahma Havir BrahmāgnauBrahmañāhutaṃ,
Brahmaiva Tena Gantavyam BrahmakarmāSamādhinah.
AhamVaishvānaroBhutvā PrāñināmḌehamāshritaha,
PrāñāpānaSamāyuktah PachāmyannamChaturvidham.
HarirDātāHarirBhoktā Harir Annam Prajāpatih
HarirVipraSharīrāstu BhūnkteBhojayateHarih.
Meaning
The whole creation being the gross projection of Brahman, the Cosmic Consciousness itself; the food too is Brahman, the process of offering it is Brahman; it is being offered in the fire of Brahman. He who thus sees that Brahman is action reaches Brahman alone. I, the Supreme Spirit, abiding in the body of living beings as the Fire (Vaiswanara) in their stomach I am associated with their Praana and Apaana, digest the four type of foods (solids, fluids, semi-fluid and liquid) which they eat.
What is Prana
Prana is the energy – gross & subtle that pervades the entire cosmos. Prana is the life giving force and plays a crucial role in digestion and healthy life.
Types of Pranas
This energy can be divided into 5 main Pranas – Apana, Samana, Prana, Udana & Vyana. Of these, the two mainly concerned with digestion are Samana & Apana.
Samana – From navel to diaphragm activates and controls the digestive system – stomach, liver, pancreas and small intestine. It is the force of energy that prepares the Rasa (Essence) or juice of the food and distributes it to the respective part of the body. Samana promotes the secretion of juices and assimilation of nutrition. Samana (pranic level combined with bile (physical level) produces heat. Samana & mucus produces cooling. These two combinations work in balancing digestion and gastric fire – Overheating can result in ulcer and diarrhoea, nor should it go cold causing asthma.
Apana – Below the navel throws out the impurities via the process of elimination & expulsion. The gross earth element predominates and hence Apana is characterised by heaviness and a downward movement.
With respect to digestion these two aspects of energy function in coordination with the other Pranas.
Prana – Diaphragm to throat. Creates hunger & thirst. Moves from mouth to stomach to maintain body heat.
Udana – Throat & above. Functions in the process of belching & vomiting. The upward force that keeps the body erect.
Vyana – whole body. Keeps the sensory nerves active, helping us to perceive & taste. Aids circulation of nutrients in the blood, lymph etc.
Good digestion depends on a well-balanced body and mind. One of the best ways to achieve this is through awareness and regulation of the Pranas.
Cycles of Prana – why eating at the right time is important
Most body forces work in daily cycles. Aligning your food intake to the cycle is an important aid to digestion.
Maximal functioning of body organs.
This list represents the time when Prana is maximum in the organ. The opposite time represents the lowest Prana.
Lungs: 3 – 5 AM, Large intestine 5 – 7 AM, Stomach 7 – 9 AM, Spleen 9 – 11 AM, Heart 11 AM – 1 PM, Small Intestine 1 – 3 PM, Bladder 3 – 5 PM, Kidneys 5 – 7 PM, Heating components 7 – 9 PM, Metabolic Processes 9 – 11 PM, Gall Bladder 11 PM – 1 AM, Liver 1 – 3 AM
The stomach is most receptive to food in the morning and least in the evening. Hence best to take morning meal between 7 – 11 AM for best digestion. This will help the food to reach the small intestine between 1 – 3 PM. Evening meal should be light and taken before sunset.
The low point of stomach Prana is around 8 PM – large meals taken at this time cannot be digested. Unfortunately, most people have dinner between 7 – 11 PM and then go to sleep on a heavy stomach. This is a key reason for the digestive challenges they face.
Eating at the correct time we flow with the natural body energy. Else we swim against the current and pave the way for disease.
Nadis are the pathways of Pranas. Flow of prana in the body works in a 90-minute cycle alternating between the Ida & Pingala and spending a few moments in the Sushumna the point of crossover.
Pranic body can be energised by concentrating on the Chakras – especially the Mooladhara & Manipura. They represent the intersection of subtler bodies. Their manipulation when performed correctly under guidance can release large amount of energy as well as rebalance function.
Digestion is governed by the Manipura Chakra. Situated in the spinal cord behind the navel. This psychic centre is associated with the fire of the body – which is used in digestion & metabolism. When Manipura is weak the digestive system is sluggish, blocked, or unbalanced. Manipura Chakra can be activated through Yogic sadhana.
Overeating
Overloading the stomach results in loss of energy rather than gain. Blood is redirected to the stomach and intestine to aid digestion leaving most of the body with minimal supply.
A light meal may stay in the stomach for 2 hours. A fatty meal may stay for 6 hours or more + its passage through the rest of the digestive tract may take 24 – 36 hours.
Eating the wrong food leads to over secretion of one type of digestive juice causing imbalance. Too much sugar results in excessive mucus – which in turn cools the digestive fire. Hot spicy oily food results in excessive secretion of bile leading to indigestion.
Steps to increase Prana.
- Simple vegetarian diet.
- Eating with your hands. Palms and fingers radiate large amounts of prana. Taking food to the mouth with your hands is a natural way of closing a circuit of energy.
- Eat in a stress free happy relaxed atmosphere.
- Preparation of food is important – when one purchases and cooks food with awareness and care, prana is transmitted into the food.
- Regular practise of Yogic techniques – cleansing practises and asanas tones the body. As imbalances and disturbances are gradually eliminated the appetite becomes regulated to the body’s needs.
Source
The above writeup is excerpts from a chapter on Yoga for the Digestive System by Dr Swami Shankardevananda. Yoga Publications trust, Munger. (Bihar School of Yoga)
A Few Good Things 
Very useful .
4types of food 1.Bhakshyam- chewed and eaten solid type 2.Bhojyam-directly swallowed, liquid type like Milk 3. Lehyam, licked and consumed like Honey 4.Choshyam, sucked inside Like sugar cane, rasalu mango etc.🙏
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