Nutritional Principles
The following natural nutritional principles apply and should be adhered strictly to receive the maximum advantage out of a balanced diet:
Do not to stuff the belly with food in full, fill half with food, 1/4th can be digestive juices and liquids and 1/4th to keep empty. The rhythmic contractions and expansions of the stomach are responsible for efficient mixing of digestive juices and enzymes with the food. The stomach should have necessary space to sort different types of food ingested and digest them properly. If there is not sufficient space stomach would be forced to push the undigested things to small intestine which cannot be absorbed and assimilated properly.
Have food only when feels hunger. The burning hitching uncomfortable sensation inside the stomach is not hunger. Hunger is a sign of health, a highly comfortable state of emptiness of the stomach. This is the sign of body’s demand for food. When one feels hungry the stomach would be like an emptied balloon. That is a super disposition sign of enthusiasm.
Do not eat or drink anything that is too hot or cold. The enzymes in the mouth and stomach act best in body temperature.
Do not have food while in tension. When restless or tensed the digestive juices will not secrete properly. Ensure that we should be able to rest after food. It is compulsory to rest for a while after meals. Don’t do hard work after food. Digestion and work both needs energy. If we do both food will remain half digested.
We should not go to sleep at night just after meals. Digestion slows down during sleep. Body loses its precious rest as intestine is working on digesting the food. Digestion is not just a physical or chemical process but a psychological one. Hence digestion during sleep will always incomplete.
Do not have cold water along with food. Avoid drinking water while having food. Water absorbed in ten minutes from the stomach and in the process it will dilute the digestive juices and decrease the digestive heat; it also increases the pressure inside stomach and pushes the food to small intestine before finishing digestion.
Stop drinking water half an hour before and have water only after two to three hours of food. Add more raw vegetable salads along with food which can reduce the need for water and also supply necessary vitamins and minerals. Chewing the food properly also helps to reduce the requirement for water.
Digestion starts from the mouth. The moment we see or think about food salivary gland starts producing saliva. Chew more and more enjoying the taste of it will allow the food to properly mix with the saliva breaking starch in to sugars thus prepare it ready for digestive processes inside the stomach. A well chewed food is easily digested.
If we follow the natural laws prescribed above, there is no need to be overzealous about controlling our diet, no need to count calories, no need to worry about vitamins and no need to worry about cholesterol and no need to worry about worries.