Last updated on August 21, 2024 by Dr. Subashri Thanigaivel
Having a balanced diet is not just enough to support your long run in this harsh world. Following proper eating habits is also needed. Let’s say you have a balanced diet and provide the necessary nutrients to your body. But how well do you know that the nutrients have reached your cells properly in the right quantity?
Unhealthy eating habits can disturb your system and not allow nutrients to reach every cell of your body in the correct quantity and at the right time. So what exactly are those unhealthy eating habits that inhibit you from nourishing your system? Curious to know more? Find them below!
Eating until you are 100% full
Appetite is something that is basically satisfied, not overloaded. If you feel hungry, you eat to satisfy your hunger, not to overload your stomach with food. Humans are not cows, eating when offered and then munching it later. As said in our previous blogs, divide your stomach portion into three divisions; one part is for solid foods, the other one is for a liquid diet and the last one is for air. Eating until you are 100% full can even leave you with digestive problems like indigestion, nausea symptoms, etc.
Irregular sitting postures while eating
While eating, the food has to travel from your mouth to your stomach through the esophagus for digestion. To make your food travel safely for better digestion it is necessary to have your backbone straight while eating. In Indian tradition, people sit on the floor to have their meal. Sitting on the floor with your legs folded straightens your backbone. This makes for an excellent posture for eating. Avoid lying down while eating.
Absence of ginger, turmeric, pepper, asafoetida, or cumin seeds in your diet
Turmeric, pepper, cumin, and asafoetida are some examples of Indian spices. Each ingredient has got its own benefit. Including them in your regular diet nourishes your overall system.
Ginger promotes easy digestion and relieves digestive problems like bloating, constipation, etc.
Turmeric heavily contributes to healthy digestion with its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It effectively maintains your gut permeability.
Peppers not only spice up your bland food but also aid in stimulating hydrochloric acid in the stomach for better digestion and absorption of food.
Asafoetida is traditionally an effective ingredient for various stomach disorders. Being rich in fiber it relieves stomach problems like gastritis, bloating, abdominal pain, etc. It is an excellent ingredient that keeps your stomach away from infections.
Cumin seeds promote your digestion and help in keeping your appetite level stable.
Adding these ingredients to your regular diet basically keeps your digestive system healthy.
Filling the stomach with water during mealtime
Some people are habituated to drinking water during a meal, which can disturb their appetite. Don’t have too much water before or after your meal. Drinking water before a meal can suppress your appetite and after a meal can overload your stomach making it difficult for digestion. Drink water in sips while having your meal. This helps in a smooth digestive process.
Binge eating
Eating even after you are full is called binge eating. Munching all through the day, and eating at times other than mealtime are all binge eating habits. This can bring all kinds of discomfort to your stomach. Weight gain, Obesity, bloating, nausea, acid reflux, constipation, diarrhea, indigestion, stomach cramps, abdominal pain, low energy, and drowsiness, are all the aftermath of binge eating. So binge eating is an unhealthy eating habit that can severely affect your gut.
Not chewing the food properly (swallowing wholesome ingredients)
Chewing remains the first step for digestion. When you chew your food, the saliva secreted gets mixed up with the food which is now half broken. Half-broken food gets easily digested and saliva helps in better digestion of food. If you fail to chew your food, then the food takes a long time to break down and absorption of nutrients is delayed. Sometimes they don’t get digested leading to bloating, constipation, or other digestive problems. Weight gain can be a serious issue when you don’t chew your food properly.
Enjoying cool water or beverages after a meal
Drinking cool water immediately after a meal can trouble your digestive system. Cool water or beverages alter the temperature of the system thereby solidifying the fats in your diet. Solidified fats become difficult to digest leading to fat deposits in intestinal walls. This can cause serious constipation issues. So drink warm water after meals for better digestion and efficient breakdown of fats.
Taking fruits/desserts after a meal
Fruits are basically light and easily digestible. Also, they must not stay in your digestive system for too long. But eating them after a meal slows down your digestive process and fruits stay in your system for too long. According to Ayurveda, this leads to improperly digested food toxins which are referred to as “ama”. So neither the nutrients of fruits are completely absorbed nor the nutrients of your meal. So eat fruits an hour before your main meal or two hours after your main meal. Give your system time to digest your food.
No focus on the food you eat
Lack of proper nutrient absorption is mainly due to the lack of focus on the food you eat. When you focus on the color, smell, taste, and texture of the food then you can feel that your stomach is already prepared for good digestion. Digestive enzymes are ready for digestion. This helps in good absorption of nutrients. Lack of focus on food becomes an unhealthy eating habit
that affects your digestive process.
If you are following any of the above unhealthy eating habits regularly, then it’s time for you to quit the same. Healthy digestion promotes better health and happy life. So keep your gut healthy and happy!
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