You Are What You Digest

We all know the adage “you are what you eat”. Let me take that a step further and say, “you are what you digest!” And this is not just me, it is what the ancient Ayurvedic science that originated in India says too.

Digestion can mean many things: The foods that we eat, the words that we speak and the company that we keep. It also means the news that we watch and read. And the words that we listen and ingest.

The current Covid-19 situation has created a lot of physical and mental stress all over the globe. We are already 18 months into it, and the world is going through further turmoil with deadly multiple waves. Morale is at its low ebb, and the fear factor continues to be high. Almost all of us seem to know someone close that is either very sick or hospitalized or passed on. The mask, the vaccine, and the socio-political debates go on and on, with heated arguments being presented by both sides. Kind of overwhelming, don’t you agree?

So, how do we stay connected and empathetic to what is happening around us, but at the same time strike an emotional balance so we do not tip over the edge due to severe anxiety? This is where the physical, mental and psychological digestion comes into play.

I hope you will be able to incorporate a few of these healthy digestion practices into your daily life. These will benefit you long-term, long after the current pandemic situation has passed, and will help you weather other life crises with equanimity.

Let me know in the Comments section below what you are doing to improve your digestion!

 

Physical Digestion

 

If we merely consume food and not pay attention to our digestion, it will not matter if we are eating the healthiest foods or not. These foods will fail to do us good. Mindless and hurried eating while at your desk job, or attention focused on your phone or the television, or wolfing down your food prevents your body from absorbing nutrients. A weakened body is an invitation for stress. We all know that stress leaves to “dis” ease and illness.

Here are a few tips on how to keep your body physically healthy. Your immune system will also thank you for these practices.

1. Eat during fixed times and do not graze and nibble on food all day. You may want to try Intermittent Fasting to see if it is for you.
2. Sit down at your meal table and eat without distractions from TV or telephone. Taste and enjoy every morsel.
3. Try to eat with the family as much as possible.
4. Help yourself to nutrient-rich vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds and probiotics. Consume flours, fried, processed and sugary foods and drinks in moderation. Check out our Recipes Page for several ideas that include dietary considerations.
5. You may be allergic to certain types of foods (even if you were not in the past), so tune into your body to recognize signs of bloating, indigestion, constipation or discomfort after eating certain types of foods. Take a break from those foods for a couple of weeks and see how you feel. Gluten, soy, corn, sugar and dairy are a few suspects.
6. Drink adequate amounts of water to flush out toxins. Sometimes, the body mistakes thirst for hunger. Remember, our bodies constitute over 60% water! Juice and other such beverages are not considered as water.
7. Sitting is the new nicotine. Try to move and stretch every hour or two instead of sitting for 8 hours and exercising at the end of the day for an hour.

 

Mental Digestion

 

We do not realize this, but just as important as physically digesting our food, it is important to pay attention to what we are digesting all through the day. Here are few pointers that may help.

1. Make sure you go to bed between 10 and 11 pm. There are several studies which show that lack of sleep effects the efficacy of vaccines! Read one such study here.
2. Try not to consume digital media for at least 2 hours before your bedtime.
3. Restrict alcohol and caffeine just as you restrict digital media before bedtime.
4. Try to sleep and wake up at the same time, including on weekends. If you have trouble sleeping, check our blog on how to get a good night’s rest.
5. Have a 10–15-minute routine as soon as you wake up. Read something uplifting for 3 minutes, stretch your body for 5 minutes, breathe deeply with your eyes closed for 2-3 minutes, write down your top goals and 3 things you are grateful for in a journal. This will set the mood for the day.
6. Set time aside to go for a walk, do an online workout or yoga class (plenty of free classes available on YouTube), listen to music, or work in your garden. Spending some alone “me” time is very important.
7. Find a calling in a hobby – whether it is learning a new language, working on a crossword puzzle, learning how to grow vegetables in pots, or learning to draw a mandala.
8. Clean out clutter around you. Did you know that physical clutter increases stress levels? Instead of making this a huge project and overwhelming yourself, aim to clean out one kitchen cabinet or one small closet every couple of weeks.

 

 

Psychological Digestion

 

Did you know that your gut has a brain? Your GI (gastrointestinal tract) is affected by extreme emotions like anger, anxiety, sadness and elation. These see-saw emotions wreak havoc on your long-term health.

What social media are you (mostly blindly) scrolling through and forwarding? Is your TV on all the time during your waking hours? Are you constantly checking your emails?

What we feed our mind is what gets reflected in our health. This is not to say that we should absolve from reading all negative news. Here are a few tips to keep our psychological digestion in top shape:

1. If you have the means, donate to a charitable organization that is working on alleviating anything that you feel strongly about. It does not have to be a large sum of money – every little counts. It does not even have to be money. You can spend time volunteering.
2. Call a friend or family member that you have not spoken to and connect back.
3. Reach out to senior citizens in your neighborhood and ask them if you can help them out with their medicine or grocery purchases. Or just to keep them company.
4. Find joy in laughter. Laughing releases good endorphins. Meet with people who you enjoy being with, but prioritizing safety first.
5. Investigate facts from reliable sources and do not blindly consume news that is forwarded to you. Pause and reflect on the impact to the recipients before forwarding anything.
6. If you have a smart phone, social media sites like Instagram allow you to set time limits. I have archived several of the Whatsapp groups that I am part of, so I am not constantly distracted. Use the Do Not Disturb and Airline Mode features to keep yourself focused.
7. Release toxic people from your immediate circle. During the ‘quiet’ Covid months, I got a chance to evaluate friendships and relationships, and decide which to keep and which to discard. It was a cathartic experience!

 

Check out our Blogs on Finding Meaningful Connections:

• Covid-19 – How I am Learning to Cope
• 7 Ways to Manage Your Emotions During Covid-19 And Beyond
• Vibrating Higher
• This Thing Called ‘Blah’
• Stronger Than the Storm

 

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