Gratitude & Connection
Here are a few tips to aid your digestion on one America’s biggest feasting days.
Schedule in time to sweat and move your body early in the day. This might be a yoga class, a bike ride, your regular homework out, or a brisk walk up the nearest hills. If you have houseguests or you are the houseguest, invite others along, everyone will benefit.
Drink greens early on. Start your day with a green juice or smoothie and drink in powerful nutrients. Then sip hot water the rest of the day.
Hydrate. If you are busy in the kitchen or on the road, fill a thermos with hot water and even throw in some fennel, cardamom or lemon to aid in digestion later in the day.
Schedule your meal while the sun is up. The earlier you eat, the more time you have to digest. This might mean a leisurely stroll through the neighborhood with family or play with the kids outside before the sun goes down.
Eat slowly and savor. Put your fork down between bites. Be inquisitive and interested in other people’s lives. Be sure to initiate a gratitude practice if no one is. Heated discussions and tempered topics can sometimes lead to indigestion, so be aware when a conversation isn’t going in the direction that is of interest to your gut and direct it elsewhere.
Ginger Tea. Have ginger tea and hot water for the rest of the day and consider. Avoid late night snacking and wait until you are feeling true hunger before you eat your next meal, this may not be until lunch the next day.
Enjoy yourself. Excuse yourself to the bathroom to take a few deep breaths if the room starts to feel loud or busy. Deep breathing can shift an experience faster than another glass of red wine.
Red wine?? It is maybe the best choice before the meal. It can actually aid in digestion. But too much can cause poor choices and lead to overeating and then discomfort later on.
And remember, in Ayurveda, it isn’t so much about what you eat, but how you eat that’s important. So take it slow and enjoy the time being with the people you love.
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Rachel Peters is a yoga teacher, yoga health coach, lifestyle and habits expert, easeful living advocate, and lover of wild places. She leads others towards Embodying Ease through a yearlong wellness & lifestyle journey to dissolve perfectionism, embody daily habits that promote mental clarity, overall ease, and deeper connection to life on this wild ride of modern living. Learn MORE today!