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05-30-2011, 06:50 PM
MAKING THE MOST OF WHAT YOU EAT
http://www.sanjeevkapoor.com/upload%5Cdigestive-system-23974146-ga.jpg
An important physiological function performed by our body is that of digestion. The power of digestion determines the overall health of the body’s functioning.
We can always do a few things to improve our digestive powers. There are no strict rules that can bring on immediate effects but there are some sure practices that can streamline the digestion processes by way of converting them into good eating habits.
What really happens when you eat? After that burger disappears into your mouth, it makes its way down the esophagus, through the stomach and into the small intestine, where the major part of digestion takes place. Food is broken down into nutrients small enough to be absorbed into the bloodstream. The bloodstream carries the nutrients to all parts of the body and that is how you get the energy to do the things you do every day. Nutrition not only boosts the muscles you use, it also provides energy to keep up the things you do not think about: the building and repairing of cells and the movement of blood through your body.
To improve digestion, eat only when you are hungry.
The body can tolerate even wrong combination of foods in strong genuine hunger. But the fact remains that the digestive system should be handled with utmost care. Some experts are of the opinion that food like milk should not be combined with any other food. It should be taken alone as it is a complete and concentrated food in itself. It prevents the gastric juices from reaching out to the other foodstuffs, hence delaying digestion. Milk is best taken with light snacks like biscuits.
Melons should also be eaten alone. Melons digest more quickly than other foods and may even ferment sometimes. Also, as a law no liquid should be taken with solids. Liquids tend to rush through to the intestines directly taking away all the digestive enzymes thus inhibiting the digestion.
Take one type of food or lesser varieties of foods at a time. More variety of foods puts great strain on digestive system since body can handle one food at a time more smoothly. It has no provision to secrete many juices and digest different foods at one time. Hence many varieties of foods taken at a time result in delayed, imperfect digestion and fermentation and putrefaction. For example, having a beverage like tea, coffee or soft drink with food severely restricts the proper gastric secretions and therefore normal digestion is hindered. Milk and yogurt should not be taken together for the same reason. Fruits and vegetables too should not be taken together. Avoid eating fats with proteins as fat depresses the action of gastric glands and inhibits the release of proper gastric juices, which are required for protein digestion. It lowers the digestive tone by more than 50 percent. Unlike proteins, combination of carbohydrates with fats is tolerable. Applying butter on bread is acceptable.
For optimum usage of nutrients in meals, make it a point to consume natural raw foods to the maximum. Munch on an apple when hunger strikes in between meals. Having a carrot to assuage hunger pangs or a bowlful of pulse sprouts for breakfast or even a few almonds when the craving to munch is there, is a good idea as food such as these is light work for the digestive system.
As it is, these foods are fibre rich and fibre helps in weight reduction. Fibre makes a person feel full even though it does not contribute calories. This is because one has to eat this kind o food more slowly since the food needs more chewing. One will swallow more saliva also in the process to fill stomach. A high fibre diet is always a low fat diet and a high fat diet is always a low fibre diet.
As I wind up this column let us take a quick appraisal of tolerable combinations of foods that are ideally most often used in daily fare:
• cereals and pulses
• cereals and buttermilk
• rice and milk
• rice with fish/ egg curry/ meat
• bread and eggs
• sprouted pulses with lemon or tomato
• egg and milk
• nuts and milk
• yogurt and rice
• yogurt and bananas
……….and we could go on!
http://www.sanjeevkapoor.com/upload%5Cdigestive-system-23974146-ga.jpg
An important physiological function performed by our body is that of digestion. The power of digestion determines the overall health of the body’s functioning.
We can always do a few things to improve our digestive powers. There are no strict rules that can bring on immediate effects but there are some sure practices that can streamline the digestion processes by way of converting them into good eating habits.
What really happens when you eat? After that burger disappears into your mouth, it makes its way down the esophagus, through the stomach and into the small intestine, where the major part of digestion takes place. Food is broken down into nutrients small enough to be absorbed into the bloodstream. The bloodstream carries the nutrients to all parts of the body and that is how you get the energy to do the things you do every day. Nutrition not only boosts the muscles you use, it also provides energy to keep up the things you do not think about: the building and repairing of cells and the movement of blood through your body.
To improve digestion, eat only when you are hungry.
The body can tolerate even wrong combination of foods in strong genuine hunger. But the fact remains that the digestive system should be handled with utmost care. Some experts are of the opinion that food like milk should not be combined with any other food. It should be taken alone as it is a complete and concentrated food in itself. It prevents the gastric juices from reaching out to the other foodstuffs, hence delaying digestion. Milk is best taken with light snacks like biscuits.
Melons should also be eaten alone. Melons digest more quickly than other foods and may even ferment sometimes. Also, as a law no liquid should be taken with solids. Liquids tend to rush through to the intestines directly taking away all the digestive enzymes thus inhibiting the digestion.
Take one type of food or lesser varieties of foods at a time. More variety of foods puts great strain on digestive system since body can handle one food at a time more smoothly. It has no provision to secrete many juices and digest different foods at one time. Hence many varieties of foods taken at a time result in delayed, imperfect digestion and fermentation and putrefaction. For example, having a beverage like tea, coffee or soft drink with food severely restricts the proper gastric secretions and therefore normal digestion is hindered. Milk and yogurt should not be taken together for the same reason. Fruits and vegetables too should not be taken together. Avoid eating fats with proteins as fat depresses the action of gastric glands and inhibits the release of proper gastric juices, which are required for protein digestion. It lowers the digestive tone by more than 50 percent. Unlike proteins, combination of carbohydrates with fats is tolerable. Applying butter on bread is acceptable.
For optimum usage of nutrients in meals, make it a point to consume natural raw foods to the maximum. Munch on an apple when hunger strikes in between meals. Having a carrot to assuage hunger pangs or a bowlful of pulse sprouts for breakfast or even a few almonds when the craving to munch is there, is a good idea as food such as these is light work for the digestive system.
As it is, these foods are fibre rich and fibre helps in weight reduction. Fibre makes a person feel full even though it does not contribute calories. This is because one has to eat this kind o food more slowly since the food needs more chewing. One will swallow more saliva also in the process to fill stomach. A high fibre diet is always a low fat diet and a high fat diet is always a low fibre diet.
As I wind up this column let us take a quick appraisal of tolerable combinations of foods that are ideally most often used in daily fare:
• cereals and pulses
• cereals and buttermilk
• rice and milk
• rice with fish/ egg curry/ meat
• bread and eggs
• sprouted pulses with lemon or tomato
• egg and milk
• nuts and milk
• yogurt and rice
• yogurt and bananas
……….and we could go on!