From bathing right after meals to having lunch post 2 pm: Common mistakes to avoid for better digestion

Bathing right after Meals

According to Ayurveda, every activity has a specific time period, and doing it beyond that limit can harm the body. It is suggested to not take a bath for 2 hours after having a meal. “The fire element in the body is responsible for food digestion, so when you eat, the fire elements get activated and result in increased blood circulation for effective digestion. But, when you take a shower, the body temperature goes down slows the digestion,” she said.

“Taking a bath immediately after meals cools down your body. A sudden drop in body temperature will dampen your agni and lead to a sluggish metabolism. Since an impaired metabolism is a major reason for all diseases, according to Ayurveda, this will lead to various diseases. Ideally, taking a bath 2-3 hours before meals would be best,” said Dr Archana.

Walking right after meals

While walking for some time after a meal is beneficial, indulging in heavy physical activities and long walks is not recommended. “Walking long distances, swimming, exercising — all these activities are Vata aggravating and shall disturb digestion, leading to bloating, incomplete absorption of nutrition and feeling of discomfort post meals,” Dr Dixa said.

Vikas Chawla, Ayurveda Expert, Vedas Cure, added, “A common misperception that needs to be disabused is that walking right after having dinner meals or breakfast supper ensures fast digestion. It is not true. Long-distance walks and exercising are physical activities which aggravate Vata dosha. This hampers nutrition absorption of meals and precipitates feelings of discomfort, pain, and bloating.”

Having lunch after 2 pm

Ayurveda recommends having lunch in the afternoon anytime between 12 to 2 pm when the sun is at its peak. “It is that time of the day when pitta is dominant, which helps digest food easily. For the same reason, Ayurveda considers lunch to be the most important meal of the day and recommends it to be moderate to heavy,” Dr Dixa reasoned.

“People who go for intermittent fasting and fad diets often make the mistake of skipping lunch or eating after 2 pm to maintain long breaks between meals. But it results in patchy digestion and fat accumulation,” Chawla added.

Consuming curd at night

Many of us are habitual of adding curd to our dinner thinking that it aids digestion, however, Ayurveda suggests avoiding it at night. “Curd is sour and sweet in taste and it increases Kapha and Pitta dosha in the body. During the night, there is a natural predominance of Kapha in the body, and having curd at this time can lead to excess kapha buildup. It could also sit in the gut and make you feel constipated,” said Dr Dixa.

Sleeping right after meals

Don’t sleep right after your meals; a gap of at least 3 hours between meals and sleeping time is recommended. “During sleep, the body repairs, heals, and restores while the mind digests thoughts, emotions, and experiences from the day. For this reason, Ayurveda recommends that the last meal of the day be relatively light and completed three hours bed,” added Dr Dixa.

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