The logic behind 2 meals a day
When it comes to eating food, we often follow the pattern of breakfast, lunch, evening snacks and dinner. But, in Sadhguru's opinion, the best approach is to eat only 2 meals a day and no snacking in between. He explained this in his blog article titled "Tips for Eating Healthy – How, When and What to Eat," where he also discussed the importance of chewing your food 24 times, sitting cross-legged on the floor while eating, and the concept of eating with your hands. Scroll down to learn more about his take on the two-meals-a-day concept.
Why avoid too many meals?
According to his post, when the digestive process is happening in the stomach, the body's purification at the cellular level almost shuts down. So if you keep eating throughout the day, the cells retain impurities for a longer period, which creates various problems over time. Even the excretory process from the intestines does not happen efficiently because waste material keeps coming to the colon at different times instead of all at once. If the colon is not clean, you are asking for problems. In Yoga, we say that an unclean colon and psychological disturbances are directly connected. If the colon is not clean, you cannot keep your mind stable, he adds.
What does Ayurveda say?
According to Indian traditional medical systems such as Ayurveda and Siddha, regardless of a patient’s ailment, the first thing they will want to do is purge your digestive system because most problems may stem from an unclean colon. The way people are eating today, keeping the colon clean is going to be a big challenge for them, he mentions in his post.
What happens when you eat only 2 meals
According to Sadhguru, when you eat just two big meals a day and nothing in between (like we normally do in the ashram), or if you are too active and eat a fruit in between, your colon will always remain clean. In the Yogic system, we say there must be a minimum of six to eight hours between one meal and the next. If that is not possible, at least a five-hour gap is a must. Less than that means you are causing trouble for yourself.
What else he suggests: Chew your food thoroughly
One of the most repeated pieces of advice from Sadhguru is simple: Chew your food well. He mentions that digestion starts in the mouth. The process of chewing breaks down food mechanically and mixes it with saliva, which contains enzymes essential for breaking down carbohydrates. When you chew your food thoroughly, you not only ease the burden on your digestive system but also absorb nutrients more efficiently. Sadhguru recommends chewing each mouthful at least 24 times. While this may sound excessive in a world of quick lunches and on-the-go meals, he argues that slowing down your eating process can significantly impact your energy levels, mood, and digestive health.
Include raw foods in your diet
Sadhguru stresses the importance of having a portion of raw food in every meal. Fruits, nuts, vegetables, and sprouts are considered “live foods” in yogic terminology. According to him, consuming live foods increases the body's vitality because these foods carry prana, the subtle energy or life force. He recommends starting each meal with raw food, which prepares the stomach and activates digestive enzymes before the main portion of the meal arrives. Furthermore, raw foods are rich in fiber, vitamins, enzymes, and antioxidants, all of which support digestion, improve skin health, and boost overall immunity.
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