Enjoy the holiday season without regrets

The holiday season—and other special holidays—are a wonderful way to remember our roots and traditions. They are also a time to get together to celebrate, relax, and enjoy. Very often these times include also lots of great food and drink which later tends to manifest itself on our hips or the scale!

To prevent that from happening, here are some simple Ayurvedic tips on how to come out of the festive season without any ‘leftovers’.

• Moderation is the key. Choose the middle path, be it regarding food, words, or activities.
• Eat your heart out but the next day, listen to your digestion and lean towards the light, easily digestible soups and herbal teas spiced with lots of cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and ginger.
• Skip a meal if the previous meal is not yet adequately digested.
• Sip warm water or hot ginger tea several times a day to prevent indigestion.
• Daily evacuation of the bowels is very important as it will help process the toxins and maintain healthy digestion. Resort to mild herbal laxatives in case of constipation.
• Avoid skipping a meal in anticipation of a big lunch or dinner as we tend to overeat.
• Slow down, chew well, and enjoy the food—this will help keep emotional eating in check.
• Early dinner will ensure good digestion, less bloating, and better sleep.
• Prefer full meals to snacks.
• After a heavy meal, take a walk with family and friends, to help digestion.
• To tackle too much physical or emotional stimulation, practice alternate nostril breathing for at least five minutes daily followed by a quick meditation or yoga Nidra.

Aparna K. BAMS, MD, PhD

Aparna is one of the few specialists worldwide with a PhD in Ayurveda. Born into an Ayurvedic family which operates a traditional Ayurvedic Panchakarma hospital in Kerala, India, she grew up observing her father, the renowned Dr Padmanabhan.