five ayurvedic tips for a happier (digestive) holiday

the food.

So much of the holidays center around food. Between holiday parties and New Year celebrations, we’re eating foods that aren’t our typical, at times the don’t jive with the Āyurvedic clock. We may be tempted to overeat because of the novelty of novelty or frequency of meals. Some holiday meals may last all day; from the Christmas brunch, to the family dinner, snacking in-between, and the dessert course at the end of the evening.

Delicious? Yes. Friendly to Agni (our digestive fire)? No.

This holiday season I’ve compiled my top five Āyurvedic tips to keep your Agni happy, and you enjoying whatever culinary traditions or experiments you’re conducting.

1. prime your digestion.

Stoking your digestive fire before a meal is key. This approach helps the body prepare the necessary components of digestion - so that when the food hits your GI tract is as ready as it can be.

Ginger Pickle is a favorite way to stoke Agni. To prepare ginger pickle, grate fresh ginger root, add a squeeze of lemon juice, and a pinch of himalayan salt.

Take 1/2 - 1 tsp of this pickle 20-30 minutes before your main holiday meal.

Alternatively have a cup of lemon-ginger tea or Kapha Bright Fire tea before your meal.

2. don’t hydrate during your meal.

While hydration is important, hydration at meal time disturbs the balance of digestive juices the body has prepared. Sipping on hot water during a meal is fine, but avoid guzzling. Drink ~ 12oz hot water 30-45 minutes before your meal, and then wait ~ 45 minutes after a meal to start taking larger amounts of water again.

3. over did it? drink a cup of 8 spice digestive tea after your meal.

Add hot water to 1/4 tsp of 8 Spice Digestive and drink as a tea. This spice blend helps keep gas and bloating from overwhelmed digestion at bay.

4. Give the body time to digest

Snacking (or grazing) between meals interrupts the digestive process, your body will be happiest if you give yourself at least 4 hours before you eat again.

Having your last meal (or course) 3 hours before bed, will also ensure the body has had time to complete the first stages of digestion before sleep, which will mean you digest better and have less indigestion and undigested byproducts (ama) in the system.

5. eat lightly the next day.

Your Agni should be able to take the occasional hit, and bounce back, but making the next day a day of light and more digestible foods will help ensure that happens. Simple soups, kitchari, and plant based foods will support the strength of your digestive fire. Skip the salad; the cold, raw qualities of salad are actually tough on digestion and will further slow things down.

Happy Holidays! May these tips lead to happier digestion on this holiday and all days.

~ Kara & the Ayurvedic Wellness Center team

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