Smaller Portions, Bigger Rewards
Mini Meal in the Making: Cucumber Salad with Steamed Fish for breakfast
I was always amazed at the
amount of food on my grandmother's plate. All my life I watched her
eat small, satisfying portions, and I never saw her snack
in between meals. She and my grandfather lived for 98 and 95 years,
respectively, which prompted me to wonder: Did the smaller plates
contribute to their longevity? According to Ayurvedic medicine,
absolutely.
In
the ancient tradition of Ayurveda (the Science of Life), the amount of
food we eat is key to maintaining good health. "If you cup your two hands
together and make them into a bowl, it's called an anjali. Two anjalis
of food is the proper amount to fill each individual's stomach (one
anjali for a child)," says Barbara Sinclair, an AADP certified Holistic Health Counselor
and Energy Healing Practitioner based in New York. "When we are finished eating, the contents of our
stomach should be 1/3 food, 1/3 liquid — warm water or herbal
tea is best — and 1/3 empty, which allows for proper digestion to occur."
To experience the full health benefits of eating appropriate portions of food, it is recommended that you eat slowly and in silence, which helps with
digestion. "So many of the health problems today could be eliminated if
we followed these simple Ayurvedic guidelines," says Sinclair.
The best way to discover if this works for you and your body is to try it, and always remember to listen to what your body and your physician are telling you.