FOOD

Seven dhātus

plasma

Blood

muscle

fat

bone

marrow

reproductive fluids

From what we eat and drink …

Waste

one part is excreted as waste,

Plasma

some turns into plasma and blood

Mind

and one part turns into mind .

If we injest wholesome food, then we get a strong and vigorous body and better-quality thoughts and feelings.

If we eat poor quality food, we get a weak, vigourless body and degraded thoughts and feelings.

Annam – Food

Taste your food,
don’t eat your ideas.
Fresh,local
pure, seasonal
wholesome, delicious.
A hearty breakfast,
lunch before 1 p.m.
and dinner before 7 p.m.
Less sweets,
no snacking,
chew your food.

Six tastes - 6 rasas

lavaṇam

Salty

kaśāyam

astringent

Amlam

Sour

Tiktam

Bitter

Madhuram

Sweet

Kaṭuḥ

Spicy

Meals

Before starting a meal say a prayer out of gratitude to the producers of the food.
While eating, full attention should be given to the food…
and not to chatting or watching television, operating mobile phones, playing video games, etc...

12 guidelines to follow while having food

uṣṇaṃ bhuñjītha

Eat freshly prepared food.

snigdhaṃ bhuñjītha

Eat tasty food.

mātrāvat bhuñjītha

Eat moderate quantities.

jīrṇe sati eva bhuñjītha

Eat after proper digestion of a previous meal.

vīryāviruddhaṃ bhuñjītha

Eat food types that can be combined and which are suited to your nature.

ajalpan bhuñjītha

Eat without chatting, so you can relish your food.

nāti drutaṃ bhuñjītha

Don’t eat too quickly.

nāti vilambitaṃ bhuñjītha

Don’t eat too slowly.

ahasan bhuñjītha

Extreme emotions to be avoided during meals.

iṣṭadeśa-iṣṭasarvo’

Eat in a place where you enjoy eating with proper utensils.

ātmānamabhisamīkṣya bhuñjītha

Eat until you are satisfied but not until you are full. The stomach should be half full of food, one quarter full of liquid and one quarter empty space.

tanmanāḥ bhuñjītha

Eat with full awareness.

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