In DIGESTION - PART 1 we saw how all our senses are involved in the process of digestion.
We ignore this essential aspect for wholesome digestion in today's world.
We try to eat while reading something or while watching television or listening to music. We have perfected this into an art of eating pop corn while watching a movie. By dissociating the eyes (and other senses) from the process of digestion, we are harming our own selves. The body - deprived of the advance warning from the eyes and ears - has to react to the food AFTER it enters the mouth. Our mind is also kept busy in some other thing - hence there is no real "wanting" the food. Without the mind and five senses participating in digestion - our body does not digest the food properly. Eating becomes mechanical. When eating food is mechanical - the body does not warn you when you overeat. That is why people end up eating even a big bucket of pop corn.
Another crazy thing that we do - and that which baffles me - is the use of a cold drink while eating or eating an ice cream after the meal. You walk into any hotel - you will see at least one person having a pepsi or a coke by the side of their plate. When we eat food - the stomach produces renin and pepsin to digest the food. Both renin and pepsin need normal temperature to be effective. When you drink something that is cold or eat an ice cream which is extremely cold - these two enzymes do not function. Therefore, digestion is literally halted. Improper digestion is the result. If this becomes a habit - then cancer can result due to this improper digestion. Indians were aware of the need for a hot environment for proper digestion - that is why pepper water (rasam) was eaten - and rasam was served hot during the meal!!! Today - many of us have stopped the habit of having pepper water totally - because it is not advertised anywhere. We forget that business houses will not advertise anything that is healthy because there is no money there.
In the next post - let us see how digestion is a step by step process and how to eat properly.
We ignore this essential aspect for wholesome digestion in today's world.
We try to eat while reading something or while watching television or listening to music. We have perfected this into an art of eating pop corn while watching a movie. By dissociating the eyes (and other senses) from the process of digestion, we are harming our own selves. The body - deprived of the advance warning from the eyes and ears - has to react to the food AFTER it enters the mouth. Our mind is also kept busy in some other thing - hence there is no real "wanting" the food. Without the mind and five senses participating in digestion - our body does not digest the food properly. Eating becomes mechanical. When eating food is mechanical - the body does not warn you when you overeat. That is why people end up eating even a big bucket of pop corn.
Another crazy thing that we do - and that which baffles me - is the use of a cold drink while eating or eating an ice cream after the meal. You walk into any hotel - you will see at least one person having a pepsi or a coke by the side of their plate. When we eat food - the stomach produces renin and pepsin to digest the food. Both renin and pepsin need normal temperature to be effective. When you drink something that is cold or eat an ice cream which is extremely cold - these two enzymes do not function. Therefore, digestion is literally halted. Improper digestion is the result. If this becomes a habit - then cancer can result due to this improper digestion. Indians were aware of the need for a hot environment for proper digestion - that is why pepper water (rasam) was eaten - and rasam was served hot during the meal!!! Today - many of us have stopped the habit of having pepper water totally - because it is not advertised anywhere. We forget that business houses will not advertise anything that is healthy because there is no money there.
In the next post - let us see how digestion is a step by step process and how to eat properly.
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