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According to Ayurveda, it is important to evacuate the
bowels every morning. That's simple enough, or so it
sounds. But why is it so important? What happens if you
skip a morning, or wait until later? No big deal, you
might think. On the contrary, not emptying your bowels
in the morning impacts both your physical and
psychological well-being. Being regular and following
nature's, and your own body's, rhythm makes a huge
difference in how you feel during the day.
The body's clock always tries to follow the cycles of
nature. During night-time, Soma, or lunar energy, is
more predominant, so our body focuses on lubrication,
cooling and nurturing. In the morning, when the sun
rises, our body goes into absorption phase when Agni,
the active, burning and transforming solar energy
dominates. If during the day, you carry around the waste
material you created at night, you may absorb some of
that waste material into your system.
The toxins your body is trying to get rid of will be
released into your system again, and weaken your immune
system. You are also carrying some extra weight in the
lower abdomen, the seat of Apana Vata, which, in
addition to elimination, governs the sexual functions
and the menstrual cycle. If you do not support your
body's natural tendency to evacuate its waste material,
you may feel fatigued, drowsy and irritable during the
day.
According to Ayurvedic principles, one should evacuate
the bowels every morning, and feel that the colon is
clean and light. Feeling energetic and relaxed are signs
of proper evacuation. Twice a day is normal, but at
least once a day is essential. Don't ignore your urges
and don't wait.
If you don't have a bowel movement every day on a
regular basis, you are probably constipated.
Constipation can be a result of several dietary or
lifestyle factors such as lack of enzymes and beneficial
bacteria in the gastrointestinal system, not eating
enough fibre, dehydration, stress and ignoring one's
natural urges.
 Proper elimination doesn't start in the colon. The
entire digestive system has to work in balance.
For proper absorption of nutrients we need friendly
bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract. Chemicals and
pesticides in food, and antibiotics destroy these
probiotics. We therefore need to support their
existence. The best way to do this is to drink lassi or
ayurvedic buttermilk with lunch.
To increase natural, water-soluble fibre in your diet,
consume whole grains such as oats, rice, wheat, barley,
rye and quinoa, and different kinds of squash and
fruits.
To enhance the secretion of enzymes and enhance
digestion use the following spice mix:
-
1 part turmeric
-
2 parts cumin
-
3 parts coriander
-
4 parts fennel
First sauté the spices in ghee; then add the spiced ghee
to your vegetables, grains, or dahl. [NB This is the
same as our
Digestive Spice Mix
formula.]
Drink plenty water – 2 litres a day is good. Get a
herbal water recommendation from your Ayurvedic expert
if you can.
Eat three meals a day. Have your biggest meal at noon
when the digestive fire (agni) is strongest. Eat
according to your body type or imbalance and don't skip
meals. Your dinner should be light and eaten before 7.00
p.m.
Relax when you start eating. Don't eat in a hurry, while
talking on the phone, riding in a car, watching TV, or
when you are upset. Chew well and focus on eating. Eat
in a nice, settled environment, in a good atmosphere
with friends or family.
Our experiences show that emotions can directly
influence bowel movement. Diarrhoea can be induced by
fear, while constipation can result from worry. Apana
Vata, which governs elimination, has a direct link to
Prana Vata, the subdosha governing our thoughts. This
connection explains why we feel relaxed after
elimination. Bowel movement is not just a physical
function. If anything disturbs Prana Vata, for example
mental or emotional stress, our elimination will suffer
too. More tips to aid regular elimination:
Don't read while evacuating the bowels. Any mental
activity will occupy Prana Vata, disconnecting it from
Apana Vata. Keep your mind free so that Prana Vata can
aid elimination.
Take a walk after dinner to unclog the channels of Apana
Vata and to improve digestion. Regular exercise also
helps reduce stress.
To relax the mind and body, and to reduce the harmful
effects of stress, practice the
Transcendental Meditation technique.
First, try to follow a regular diet rich in organic,
fresh foods. Avoid canned, frozen and "fast" food, and
leftovers. If your elimination is still not regular,
cook some prunes or figs with apples and eat the mixture
for breakfast. If that does not bring results, take some
Maharishi Ayurveda supplements such as
Triphala with Rose
or
Herbal Cleanse.
Since bowel movement affects your entire physiology, you
cannot neglect or ignore it. With a few changes in your
diet and routine, you can get in tune with your body's
internal clock and make regular elimination a part of
your daily routine. |
