Upayoga Samstha (Rules For Taking Food)
Upayoga Samstha denotes the rules for diet. Food should be eaten only when the last meal has been digested properly, and one must feel hungry and enthusiastic about eating. Our body exhibits hunger when it needs food. Snacking without hunger, especially if it is done at night, will definitely cause indigestion. Activities like laughing, talking, and watching television while eating should be avoided. It is not a good idea to eat when we are anxious, worried, deep in thought, angry, or sad. Or in other words, eating when one is emotionally compromised must be avoided. Food should not be consumed in a hurry or too slowly either. In addition, the quality of food must also be taken into consideration. For example, food should be warm, tasty, easily digestible, of good quality, of the right quantity according to the Agni of a person, and should contain all the 6 Rasas. In Ayurveda, there are six tastes or Rasas – sweet, sour, salty, bitter, spicy, and astringent. Ayurveda recommends including each of the tastes in every meal. Too much of any one of the six Rasas should also be avoided.
Ayurveda also emphasises a fixed mealtime for proper digestion and assimilation of food. It is not just about maintaining a fixed time for meals; but how the food is consumed is also important. For example, jumping out of bed at 7 am and having a quick bite is not the right way. We need to wake up early, engage in light exercises like yoga & meditation, and complete our morning ablutions. It is then that our body enzymes start working for digestion. Ayurveda believes in customising food patterns according to one’s Doshas. But generally, we can have a light and warm breakfast like porridge, millet rotis or chapatis, warm oatmeal, rice pudding, egg, steamed fruit, etc. by 7:00 am. Lunch must be the heartiest meal and should be taken between 12:30 pm to 2:00 pm. We can have some fruit in between breakfast and lunch if hunger strikes. But this should be taken before 11:00 am. Post lunch, at 4 pm, one can have fruit juices. Dinner should be consumed at least 2 hours before bed. That means, it can be taken between 6:30 pm and 8:00 pm and not after. A relaxing walk post-dinner is a good practise after which one should go to bed by 10 pm.
