From habit, I still eat meals sized for a 25-year-old man. But lately I’ve found that being full takes such a toll on me. I sit for an hour after dinner, eyes heavy as all energy is funneled toward digestion. It’s as if I get full at the drop of a hat, and it takes forever to become un-full again.
I remember years ago in a pranayama yoga class learning from an Indian yogi about an expression that translates something like, “When done eating, your belly should be half full of food, a quarter full of water, and a quarter full of nothing at all.” I am taking this as my new maxim. No more eating to fullness. There’s such a fine line between fullness and gluttony, and it’s really not necessary, especially for those of us with sedentary jobs.
Music: Bob Dylan :: Wigwam
In eating, apportion a third of your stomach to food, another third to water, and leave the last third empty. The bowl most distasteful to God is a full stomach.
from a Hadith
I’ve been suffering similar problems lately, and think I may have found the cure – a paleolithic diet, cutting out pretty much all grains, legumes and potatoes. It’s these things, all of which are poisonous in their uncooked state, which take the most energy to digest, and also being very carbohydrate-heavy they make us feel full quicker.
The diet sounds a nightmare but actually I’m finding it quite easy – lots of meat, salads, eggs, vegetables. And after only a few days, I feel like I have bundles more energy.
Paleolithic — interesting. So-named because grains were not consumed by cavemen, ie. are pre-agrarian?