GET A HEAD START
There are a lot of guidelines, charts, and rules out there with some simple internet searching. It can get overwhelming so I am putting the ones I hold in highest importance in this first section. This information will help you skip a lot of education that is given in an initial consultation.
Don’t mix your proteins - This includes, dairy, eggs, beans, lentils, nuts, and meat. I think this is the hardest habit for people to break initially so let me explain. Each type of protein requires a specific strength and timing of digestive juice secretions. This means that no two types of concentrated protein should be consumed together at a meal. Meat and dairy should specifically never be eaten together. Meat is heating and milk is cooling so they contradict one another, upsetting agni and producing toxins. Also no two types of animal protein should be eaten together.
Eating fruit with your food - Unfortunately your smoothies could be causing more harm then good depending on what you are putting into them. Fruit breaks down a lot quicker then other foods, diary, nut milks etc. It just ferments in your stomach while the other ingredients take their time breaking down making it impossible to properly absorb all the nutrients you are trying to give yourself. This doesn’t include raisins and dates. Eat fruit as a snack several hours after your meals or 1-2 hours before.
Snacking - Most people these days have a pretty strong snacking habit. So much so that we are become detached from the feeling of genuine hunger. Best practice is if you are actually hungry between meals then have have some water first to see if that subsides it. If you are still feeling hunger snack on some fruit which will break down quickly and leave you ready for your next meal when it comes.
Eat meals 4-6 hours apart - This is dependent on how strong your digestion is, but it is a pretty safe timeframe. Planning your mealtimes is just as important as planning your meals. Rule of thumb is to not eat just because you have food in front of you. If you aren’t hungry it is not necessarily a good idea to eat. Your digestive capacity could be impaired and if you weigh it down with a meal when it is not ready for it your body will not break it down properly and will create toxins. With the right herbs, diet, and lifestyle shift your digestion can be addressed.
Ice - When you eat ice and very cold things you are dampening your digestive fire with all the cold drinks. Eating and drinking cold things freezes the digestive process so having an ice cold glass of water with your meal makes it much harder for your body to break down your food.
Give your body time to digest your meal. This means:
Exercising after you eat - This includes protein bars and all things things marketed for your pre-workout calorie intake.
Sex after a meal - Its very similar to to the exercise rule, but can be even more whole body involved. Your body can not do both at the same time.
Showering - Showering right after you eat is the same concept as the above. Basically when you exert yourself the heat and attention your body uses to properly digest your food goes to your peripheries instead of in your stomach where it needs to be.
Yogurt - Properly made fresh yogurt can be a great source of protein and probiotics. However it can also vitiate your blood and lead to skin disorders in certain conditions. Mixing any sour fruits with dairy diminishes the digestive fire, changes the intestinal flora, produces toxins and causes sinus congestion, cold, cough and allergies. The majority of people already have vitiated blood to some degree, whether it is from our parents, past or present excessive alcohol consumption, pharmaceuticals, etc. The list is long, but the point is that we don’t need anymore heating fermented products, especially a fermented dairy product to assist in this imbalance. Many “good” things for us can actually end up being bad for us depending on whats going on with our particular system.
Raw food - If your digestion isn’t strong enough to break down hard to digest raw food, then you are not going to be able to absorb those nutrients. Cooking food, even if it is a mild version of cooking, helps your body break it out more easily.
Heating Honey - Honey becomes toxic when cooked. Cooked or heated honey takes long to digest and its molecules become glued together and stick to mucous membranes and block fine channels, producing poison. So refrain from cooking with it and make sure your tea is not extremely hot before you add it. Always purchase organic raw honey.
Leftovers - Fresh food is full of nutrients. These start to diminish soon after it’s cooked. By the time it’s a leftover its properties have changed and it’s difficult for the body to digest. Avoid food that’s been cooked for more than 24 hours before and don’t mix fresh food with leftovers as the nutrient value decreases, creates toxins in the body, and increases Vata dosha.
Do not suppress natural urges - One should not suppress the natural urges of
Urine
Excretion of stools
Ejaculation of semen
Flatus
Vomiting
Sneezing
Coughing
Yawning
Hunger
Thirst
Tears / crying
Sleep
The first six of these urges are more capable of creating disease if suppressed. The suppression of these urges, leads to the obstruction of Vata dosha in its normal course. This initiates the disturbance in the flow of Vata, which then deviates from its natural course, causing imbalance and disease.