Mitahara – (Sanskrit: Mita = moderate, Ahara = taking food, diet)

Mitahara is another of the Yogic Yamas (self-restraints or disciplines) that usually doesn’t get discussed much.  The first five Yamas get the most attention as they are part of the eight limbs of yoga.  Prior newsletters have covered two of the first five yamas: Ahimsa (non-violence) in the August 2023 newsletter and Satya (truthfulness) in the October 2023 newsletter.

The ancient yogis believed and passed on guidance that one should eat wholesome, nutritious food filling up their stomachs three quarters of the way, leaving one quarter of their stomachs empty to allow sufficient room for digestion. 

---------

Today, nutrition experts say we should chew our food 32 times before swallowing.  This helps to reduce the size of the food and activates your salivary glands that break down carbs and fat.  Taking the time to thoroughly chew your food can slow down the pace of your eating, allowing you to notice your body’s satiety cues before you get to that over indulged state.

---------

Yoga helps digestion as some of the poses apply pressure/compression to the digestive organs and others apply a stretch.  These pressure changes improve circulation bringing increased blood flow to the organs, enhancing their natural function.