I recently came across a very good example that has its roots in Indian wisdom. It is that whatever we eat should be like putting offerings in the sacred fire of Hawan.

The offerings to the holy fire are made slowly to be consumed by it, making the fire burn even stronger. If we put in too much too soon, the fire is put out and there is smoke, and the offerings are not consumed by fire.

This applies to our digestive system as well. There is Agni (fire) in form of digestive juices in our stomach. If we put too much at one go, the juices (strong acids around ph-2) cannot do their job of breaking down the food into simpler components. This results in the unbroken food travel into the small intestines, where the ph is alkaline, and nutrients are supposed to be absorbed from already broken down food groups.

The environment in the intestines helps churn the broken mushy foods into a finer slurry, ready to be absorbed. The nutrients are assimilated into the bloodstream through the thin walls of the intestines.

In our age, we try to combine the knowledge of ancient wisdom and the new time science to make the best out of both worlds. But to have a deep understanding of how to eat, and what to eat and how much to eat, to balance our 'Doshas' is our ultimate aim.

Lots of learned scholars have written books after books to explain the delicate balance of food. However, it is the entire Ayurveda science that is based on the effects of heating and cooling foods and the toxic combinations. Foods that may be medicinal to one personality may not be recommended for another type of personality.

Understanding each grain, veg, seed, spice type and its effect on the body, its seasonal consumption helps in maximum body output. A healthy sleeping cycle and a healthy gut cycle of hunger and proper excrement of waste through the body every morning after a restful sleep is essential to keep the body healthy.

The body is Intelligent enough to detoxify itself provided it gets enough fuel, rest and exercise. If there is too much of any one thing, that is either too much fuel or too much rest or too much exercise, can disturb the whole delicate balance of sleep, detoxification, excretion and repair.

The art and wisdom of cooking are passed on from generation to generation. There is always a generational family recipe that is therapeutic, healing and healthy and includes good taste. Such recipes are made to keep the entire family healthy, especially during seasonal changes. This becomes a tradition of the family, with the female members handling the delicate job of preparing the recipe themselves (Females have historically been recognised as the more efficient gender when it came to family needs, as they had more compassion.)

However, in the modern era, the advent of technology has allowed easy access to traditional recipes and knowledge at the fingertips. Using this knowledge wisely would come from a deep understanding of own selves. The best way to go about using what is best for us is going the traditional route, using the age-old recipes is the easiest and sure-shot way of covering all aspects of digestion in the safest way. For example, the traditional method of making mustard greens or spinach ensures each and every nutrient gets absorbed by consuming even a small amount of the food.

In contrast when we eat foods that are not getting digested or assimilated and the body stays hungry or the gut is too tired, it gives birth to deficiencies in the body that leads to weight gain.

The act of eating, the method of cooking, the display of a plate, the balance of foods on a plate, the utensils used for cooking, the mood while eating- they all have a role to play in our health and are essential for much more than just weight loss.

This knowledge comes in handy while preparing your body to lose weight, during the weight loss journey and even after weight loss. To sustain a long term healthy weight, we need to learn about the effects of foods on our system. You can learn about it not just from Google and modern medicine, but also take into account what Ancient medicine says about it. This helps us from getting into the trap of Yo-yo dieting … and leading a happy balanced and productive life 💕

The role of a positive and supportive family can’t be ruled out, so the balancing of family needs again for a long term balanced happy life is important. It can’t be impressed enough how each member of the family understands the need of eating local seasonal and traditional. Even if we fall into the trap of fast foods and our taste buds are hijacked, our gut bacteria that has been built up by eating home-cooked fresh foods, help us bounce back, similar to the effect of traditional foods that bring a zing in life.

The unscrupulous use of antibiotics plays havoc with our gut bacteria but is unavoidable in most cases, so rebuilding the delicate balance of various bacteria is crucial. Modere has a unique set of prebiotics, probiotics and post biotics that help us do this easily and more effectively. Healing a tired gut is not just about eating. We impress upon lifestyle and following the circadian Rhythm and curtailing stress as all these have an effect on our digestive juices and in turn on our digestive capacity.