OUR THREE BIORHYTHMS: And why they are important.
Appropriation phase (2 p.m. to 10 p.m.) — At 12 noon, your digestive fire is as strong as the sun. In this phase it would be best to eat most of the foods you would consume during the day, because the body is ready to receive them and your digestive system is at an optimal point to digest them. That is why it is ideal that you eat between one and six in the afternoon.
Assimilation phase (10 p.m. to 6 a.m.) — Just as the sun goes down to end the day, our digestive fire also dims to allow the body to focus on other things. In this phase the body needs time to incorporate nutrients and prepare to rest and heal at night. That is why it is not ideal to eat before sleeping or after 8 at night.
Elimination phase (6 a.m. to 2 p.m.) — It is at this time of day that the body works to eliminate all the toxins from the previous day, so, it is best to get up to drink a glass of warm water and wait until later for breakfast to give your body a chance to detoxify itself. We are applying the idea of intermittent fasting, to give the body a minimum of 12 hours and ideally 13 hours from the last food you consume at night and the first one you consume in the morning (other than water, tea or coffee). Other rituals to take care of yourself in this phase could be to clean your tongue, rinse your mouth with coconut oil, exercise, stretch and/or brush your skin with a dry brush to support the body to purify its systems even more.
HABITS FOR GOOD DIGESTION: What to Consider Before, During and After Eating
BEFORE
Drink water 20 minutes before eating to hydrate the body. Wait to see if you are really hungry or just thirsty. Pay attention to whether you are truly hungry or not before a given meal time, because you don’t have to eat on a schedule — wait until you really feel hungry. For example, if you had an ample breakfast, it may be ideal to eat very light around lunch time, such as fruit or a smoothie. Or if you had dinner later than normal the night before, you can fast until your hunger is real.
DURING
Good digestion requires us to be calm and present while we eat. Stress of any kind puts the nervous system into “flight or fight” mode, and when we feel fear, which is how the body registers any sense of urgency, the digestive system is turned off. Therefore, it is very important to eat when you are not in a hurry and try to be present in the moment, noticing the texture, flavors and aromas of the food. It is important to chew your food well, not only to prepare the digestive system to receive food, but also because while chewing, saliva provides enzymes that help us to digest better. Similarly, we should not drink water or other liquids at mealtime so as not to dilute gastric juices, which are what prepare food to pass through the intestines.
AFTER
After 20 or 30 minutes, drink water or hot tea. It is also ideal to rest a little, but not to lie down. An active rest such as cleaning the kitchen, sitting outdoors or walking in the park can be a way for our stomach to use the energy it needs to digest food well. It is best to give the digestive system about three hours to fully digest a meal.
When and How Should We Drink Water?
An ideal way to drink water is between meals, preferably alkaline water. This avoids dilution of gastric juices, keeping the body hydrated and decreasing the chances of confusing thirst with hunger. Think of digestion as if it were a fire: the maximum point of the fire is the moment you consume and digest the food. So, to keep our fire perfectly “stoked” and ready to digest efficiently, we want to avoid large quantities of liquids while we eat.
At the start of our day, we can help the process of the elimination phase a lot by drinking water. I prefer warm water to start my day. Another glass before breakfast might be ideal depending on what time you need to have breakfast. I try to wait until 9:30 or 10 a.m. Then we wait until 20 minutes after breakfast to drink water if we are still thirsty or feel hungry. Continue on this way during the day, giving a window of 20 minutes before and after each meal before drinking water.
Get in the habit of making a fresh jug of naturally flavored water daily. Here is a list of ideas of what you can combine to prepare truly delicious, refreshing and detoxifying water for your home:
DETOX WATER INFUSIONS
*serve hot, warm or room temperature ideally
Citrus
- Lemon
- Lime
- Orange
- Tangerine
- Grapefruit
Herbs
- Parsley
- Basil
- Mint
- Peppermint
- Coriander
Seeds
- Chia
- Poppyseeds
Roots
- Ginger
- Turmeric
- Radish
Fruit
- Blackberries
- Strawberry
- Pineapple
- Peaches
- Guava
Flowers
- Jamaica
- Lavender
- Chamomile
Vegetables
- Cucumber
- Celery
Teas
- Green
- Lemon
- Matcha
- Herbal
- White
Tip: If you prefer, you can use food-grade essential oils as well. Check out my IG Reel
From My Book: 10-Day Detox: A Guide for Moms to Feel More Energized and Find Their Balance, Naturally
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