You could have the healthiest plate of food in front of you and it wouldn't matter at all if you can't digest it.
In Ayurveda, we know that undigested food turns to toxins or ama and this is the root of disease. Now don't stress, when ama is in the digestive tract, it is easy enough to clear. It's when we don't help it to clear that it becomes a problem.
That's why this week, I'm sharing with you the KEY signs that your digestion is not functioning as it should.
Let’s talk about poop.
Your poop is a big indicator of your digestion and overall health. In fact, the ancient Ayurvedic physicians could treat the royal 👑family simply by examining their bedpans.
Here's what to look for:
#1 Easy elimination every morning (without coffee).
Hard TRUTH for you... if you don't poop every morning, you're constipated. As someone who used to struggle with this, I know it's not fun. But you don't have to suffer on the daily - there's hope for you.
#2 Consistency and shape like a ripe banana 🍌
Cue the Gwen Stefani... because this SHIIIT is bananas, B-A-N-A-N-A-S. Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.
If it's on the harder side, you struggle with a vata imbalance (your colon is dry). If your stool is looser, pitta is at play.
#3 Floaters are great. This indicates the food is properly digested.
If it's heavy and sinks, there's too much kapha. Lighten up your diet for a few days.
#4 No foul smell. Ok there's never going to be roses 🌹
But your poop should not smell really foul. This is an indicator that something is not being digested and or there's an imbalance of bad gut bacteria.
#5 Color is medium to light brown.
Dark means you’re slight constipation or you ate beets/greens. If there’s any blood, call a Dr.. immediately. If your stool is grey or yellow, there’s too much fat and not enough bile to digest it.
If you take a moment to notice your poop each morning, you’ll become familiar with what a healthy elimination looks like. You’ll learn signs of imbalance and which foods are too much for you. If yours is off and you'd like to FIX it 🛠, set up a free clarity call. You'll walk away with 3 simple steps you can take to feel more balanced today.
Next up, is your tongue.
Your tongue betrays all of your secrets. We can tell a lot about your digestion and overall health by examining your tongue. Your tongue is a map of your organs and reveals important information to the practitioner.
It also gives YOU some great data about how well your body is digesting the food you ate. even just minutes after. Check your tongue in the morning after scraping it or after a meal to see how digestion is going.
Here's what to look for:
Coating - a healthy tongue has no coating. A thick whitish, even fuzzy coating indicates toxins in the gut. this may occur after eating a meal high in sugar or carbs. To avoid toxic buildup, do NOT add more food to the system. Fast on ginger tea until the coating has cleared up.
Color - a healthy tongue is pink 😛 If your tongue is yellow, there is a pitta imbalance. If your tongue is dark or brownish, there's an imbalance in vata. If your tongue is pale, there may be a blood deficiency like anemia.
Breath - if your breath or burps smell like the previous meal, then it is still sitting in the gut. Fast on herbal tea until it is fully digested.
Tuning into how you feel after eating can tell us a lot about your digestion.
Do you feel energized after you eat? Heavy or tired?
Some signs that your digestion is not primed:
- burping
- bloating
- acidity or heartburn
- feeling tired or heavy
- gurgling
- gas
- pain or cramping
- constipation
- diarrhea
If you experience any of these, take note of what you ate. You may want to keep a food diary to track which foods are problematic.
And finally, your appetite is an important indicator of your digestive health.
Everything tastes better when you're hungry and it’s important to know the difference between true hunger and emotional hunger.
Signs of true hunger include:
- a pleasant anticipation of the next meal
- mouth watering
- stomach growling
Pay attention to your appetite. You may feel hungry all the time, a sign your digestive fire is too hot. If you experience sporadic hunger, your fire is too windy. Or low hunger, especially in the morning is a sign your digestion runs cold and slow
Unsure? Try fasting for a day! You'll quickly learn the difference between true hunger and emotional cravings.
These key signs will indicate how well your digestion is functioning.
If you’d like to learn how to improve your digestion, join the 5-Day Challenge!
Or sign up for the Heal Your Gut Webinar.
You’ll learn the importance of digestive health, signs your gut needs some TLC and how to care for your agni.
