Agni building routines make or brake our wellness as we move through Vata time of Life. We are what we digest. Our bodies worn a bit by years living need nutrients to keep us healthy. Strong agni unlocks the nutrients in foods our bodies needs. As we age we change and have different requirements for healthy agni. Embrace changes to enjoy vata time of life.
Skipped into my 6th decade this year. I have to own the changes I see. I have a wonderful head of grey hair and am constantly looking for reading glasses. As the days darken into the end of the year, there is no denying I am in vata time of life. I feel the shift in my digestion and tissues. Ayurveda teaches honor the shifts and support health in the best ways possible. In vata time of life you move from building to maintaining. Supporting digestive health is at the top of my list.
The Reality of Aging
Many people get soft around the middle as they age. Muscle mass declines without conscious exercise. It is a reality that metabolism in our 60’s and seventies slows, we need less calories so okay, many of us might want to cut back a little on food.
On the other side of the seesaw, our bodies need more nutrients for repair. Dimming agni overtime means we may garner less of what we need from what we eat. So we need less food and the same or more nutrients, what is a person in Vata time of life to do? Add structure and support to foster strong digestion as you age.
Support Agni Digestive Fire
A steady bright burn supports optimal transformation of food into quality ahara rasa. Your tissues can easily recognize and access the nutrients they need when food is well digested. Agni needs support to stay strong and healthy as we age.
Choices To Build Strong Agni
- Support your biome with living fermented foods lots of vegetables and fresh seasonal foods.
- Get all six tastes, sweet sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent
- Eat 2 to 3 meals a day to nourish tissues.
- Get in touch with the hunger scale. Eat slowly and thoughtfully and listen to your body. Give your body time to catch up with your mouth.
- Cut back on snacking. Digestion is a downward moving process that functions best without interruption. You want time between food intake 4 hours or more to transform food into ahara rasa. Snacking is a big interruption that stalls the process and creates ama.
- Close the kitchen early and go off to bed before 10 pm. When you give your body time 12 hours or more of rest from eating at night, you give your food channel important recovery time and support sama agni.
Signs Of Success
- Feel Good after Eating, no fatigue or food coma
- Hunger a regular part of your day. A healthy sign your agni is working.
- Regular evacuation of waste. A good poop a day upon rising.
- Healthy Weight without too much trouble.
- Zest for Life understanding you can digest what comes your way.
“As WHO advocates, it is not important to add just years to your life but add life to your years. With help of wisdom of Ayurveda Shastra and advancements in Science, we can make life livable and more pleasant while it exists.”1
Some people say 60 is the new 40. Ayurveda teaches practices to embody this. One key way is to build a strong relationship with agni and live well in the Vata time of life. How about you? If you are looking in the rearview mirror at 50, consider instituting practices to live fully as you age.
Ayurveda is a wonderful healthcare system to support ageing with grace. It teaches the wisdom to understand, the ability take appropriate action and honor your body’s needs as they change with age. Post your questions and look for my next in this series of articles on aging gracefully.
Reference:
1 Bhushan Patwardhan, “Adding life to years with Ayurveda”, J Ayurveda Integr Med. 2012 Apr-Jun; 3(2): 55–56. doi: [10.4103/0975-9476.96514]
PMCID: PMC3371556PMID: 22707857