Daily Health Tip | The Ayurvedic Clock

Let's get down to business and talk about the real important part of the day--when to EAT! The Ayruvedic clock is broken down into three areas of Vata (air), Pitta (fire=agni) and Kapha (earth), both occurring twice in the 24 hour cycle. The first Pitta cycle begins at 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. is the most desired time to ingest the largest meal of the day. The other Pitta or Agni time frame is 10 p.m. - 2 a.m. and is reserved NOT to eat. This second Pitta cycle is specifically for organ healing, processing emotional trauma and digesting existing food in the body. Pitta is the ruler of our digestion and rests in the center of our solar plexus directly above the liver, spleen, gall bladder, stomach and pancreas. Upon waking in the morning (Kapha 6 a.m. - 10 a.m. & 6 p.m. - 10 p.m.) the idea is to slowly build the digestive juices in our stomach to reach max capacity at 12 p.m. Ideally introducing food and drink during the breakfast hour --( I wrote on this in Day 5) The body has the ability to break down foods much easier while Agni is at its peak and also has plenty time afterwards to supply our vital organs with the nutrients that we require. It just makes sense? Picture the grill on your patio as you light the coal, wait patiently for the best temperature to grill the meal to perfection. The same is so with digestion. In the alternative, it is not recommended to eat anything after 10 p.m. Although it is again Pitta time of day - this is the time to restore the body from the daily intake of food and to rid the body of toxins. Our liver, the most forgiving organ, works double time while we sleep to eliminate toxins from our body. Do not make it work triple hard by pouring new food (or alcohol) on top! The evening meal in Ayurvedic philosophy occurs during the second Kapha cycle from 6 p.m. - 10 p.m. and is a light, nutritious meal. Something like Tomato Basil Soup and Kale salad or Butternut Squash soup, Gluten-free cornbread and baby spinach salad. By using this method for eating, sleep will deepen and the body will wake feeling much more rested - not as though a marathon occurred in your sleep, because otherwise your liver just did!