Dinner Tips from Ayurveda: Right Way to Eat, Drink and Sleep

Many people have fallen into the habit of eating in a rush, often with a phone or television in hand. Ayurveda suggests that a few simple changes in eating habits can make a significant difference to digestion. The guidance covers where to eat, how to eat, what to put on the plate, and when to rest after a meal.

The first principle is the setting. Food should be consumed in a calm, clean space while sitting. Distractions such as television, loud laughter or animated talk pull attention away from the meal. Turning off the screen and paying attention to each bite is considered the best approach.

The second principle concerns chewing and temperature. Each morsel should be chewed well, without eating too quickly or too slowly. Food should be at a normal temperature. Extremely hot food and cold food straight from the refrigerator are both believed to reduce digestive strength.

The third principle is balance. A meal should ideally include all six tastes: sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter and astringent. This is believed to ensure complete nutrition for the body. A helpful sequence is to start with a sweet item such as fruit, move to sour and salty foods, and finish with a bitter or astringent item such as salad.

Fluid intake requires care as well. Drinking large quantities of water shortly before or right after a meal is said to weaken the digestive fire. If thirst strikes during the meal, small sips of lukewarm water are recommended instead.

Finally, timing and post-meal habits play a role. Lunch can be a full meal, but dinner should be light and eaten at least three hours before bedtime. After dinner, Ayurveda recommends walking at least 100 steps and then lying on the left side for a short while. Rigorous exercise, lifting heavy weights and intense mental work immediately after eating should be avoided, as the body needs rest to digest food properly.