Volume III · Part III · Chapter 30
After the Meal
The Art of Eating
About 1 min read
| Do | Why | Avoid | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rinse the mouth and clean teeth | Oral hygiene; removes food residue | Bathing within 1 hour | Draws blood and heat away from digestion |
| Sit in vajrasana for a few minutes (if knees allow) or sit upright | Traditionally aids digestion; upright posture helps reflux | Lying down at once | Reflux, choking risk, Kapha |
| Walk about a hundred slow steps (shatapavali) | Gentle movement aids digestion and blood sugar | Vigorous exercise | Competes with digestion |
| Rest quietly, left side if lying later | Traditionally favoured for digestion | Sleeping right after a heavy meal | Heaviness, Kapha (a short rest is fine for elders) |
| Chew a few fennel or coriander seeds | Freshens breath; digestive | Large drinks of cold water | Suppresses agni |
Do
- Rinse the mouth and clean teeth
Oral hygiene; removes food residue - Sit in vajrasana for a few minutes (if knees allow) or sit upright
Traditionally aids digestion; upright posture helps reflux - Walk about a hundred slow steps (shatapavali)
Gentle movement aids digestion and blood sugar - Rest quietly, left side if lying later
Traditionally favoured for digestion - Chew a few fennel or coriander seeds
Freshens breath; digestive
Avoid
- Bathing within 1 hour
Draws blood and heat away from digestion - Lying down at once
Reflux, choking risk, Kapha - Vigorous exercise
Competes with digestion - Sleeping right after a heavy meal
Heaviness, Kapha (a short rest is fine for elders) - Large drinks of cold water
Suppresses agni