Gone are the days when you sat down to a dinner of meat and three veg. Having a dinner party these days involves checking if the guests are vegetarian, gluten free, lactose intolerant or purely into raw food. While this is a reflection of people making more conscious choices about what they put into their mouths, it also reflects the increasing number of people finding that they are unable to digest their food.

More and more people are finding themselves intolerant of foods they have always eaten or reacting unfavourable to certain foods. In seeking relief from digestive imbalances, the focus is usually on removing the offending item from the diet. When faced with allergies and digestive problems naturopaths will often recommend a diet free of dairy, wheat
and sugar.

This will generally improve the situation but it doesn’t get to the root cause of the problem.

Drugs, both prescriptive and recreational, excessive intake of alcohol, poor diet, restrictive diets and intense periods of stress can all deplete the body and create imbalances in the digestive system.  Following periods of physical or toxic stress, food which you may have previously enjoyed can cause discomfort and reactions in the body. The food has not changed but the machinery for digesting and metabolising it has.

Ayurveda understands the vital importance of the digestive system in the processing of food and drink into all the parts of our physiology. From our varied and sometimes chaotic diet, bones, blood, tissues, cells and organ systems are created.  The body tries to extract all the nutrients and goodness from what we consume to make fuel for our mind and body. How much we can absorb and utilise is dependent on the overall function of our digestive system. Through pulse diagnosis the state of the digestive system can be felt as well as the person’s unique constitutional type.

When the liver is blocked with the effects of improperly digested substances or overloaded by processing pills and toxins, even a healthy, organic diet won’t be properly metabolised. If the digestive fire is weak and the channels of the body are coated with impurities, losing weight will be difficult even if the overall food intake is less. Similarly cholesterol can remain high, despite reducing fatty foods, if stress levels are high.

Maharishi Ayurveda takes an holistic look at all the aspects of digestion and all the factors that influence how we process our food. When, how, where and why are just as important as what we eat. Understanding of the doshas Vata, Pitta and Kapha are also necessary for determining the most appropriate diet for each individual.

When balanced, a fiery Pitta can enjoy harder to digest foods including salads and some raw vegetables, while an airy Vata predominant person would feel overloaded and bloated from such a diet, preferring soupy, cooked foods.  Earthy Kapha natured people are more prone to congestion and dullness if they eat lots of dairy products while Vata and Pitta types are balanced by moderate amounts of milk, ghee and soft cheeses.

If you feel tired after eating, experience bloating, reflux or constipation, have a poor appetite, find it hard to lose or gain weight, lack energy (despite sleeping well) or have developed an allergy or intolerance, it is worth paying attention not only to what you eat but how well you are digesting your food.

Wendy Rosenfeldt is running half day seminars on Improving Diet  & Digestion. Call 5499 9580 or check out
www.wendyrosenfeldt.com.