Five Elements of the Sunnah that Support Digestive Health
One of the major similarities between Prophetic and Ayurvedic medicine is the emphasis on digestive health. An oft-cited verse in the classical texts of Islamic medicine states, “The stomach is the well of the body, and the veins drink from it. If it is healthy, the veins pass on good health: if it is sick, the veins pass on poison.” Much of the sunnah around food consumption can then be seen as a means to keep the stomach–and, thereby, the greater body–in a state of wellbeing and ease.
With Ramadan approaching, it seemed like the perfect moment to review some of these aspects of the sunnah, especially as these are habits that underlie and support digestive health. Before fasting begins, cultivating a strong digestive fire will help give us the physical resilience we need as we get deeper into the holy month. I think we have probably all had the experience of starting off Ramadan in a weak state and finding it harder to reap the many spiritual benefits the month offers, merely because we are bogged down by the physical experience. Even with Ramadan just a few days away, there is still time to get into the right state with regards to how we approach our food. Below you will find 5 simple acts whose impact is not to be underestimated.
Start your meals with the Basmalah
“You who believe, eat the good things We have provided for you and be grateful to God, if it is Him that you worship” Quran 2:172
Starting your meal with the basmalah is one of the fastest and simplest ways to give credit where credit is due. We know theoretically Who is providing for us, yet this knowledge doesn’t always trickle into our actions or our lived experience. By beginning our meal in the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate, we are acting on this knowledge and clearing the space for the blessings that are inherent to food to actually become apparent. Too many times have I brought agitations from the outside world to the table, and didn't even feel I had eaten when I was done with my plate. The food never landed because the consciousness wasn’t there. Beginning our food with the basmalah allows for a clear starting line, a transition from whatever we were doing before to what we are doing now–nourishing our bodies. Through the basmalah, you enter through another door and you can then see your plate for what it is–a pure gift.
In one of the seminal texts of classical Ayurveda, the author writes,
"Food should be consumed in a seated posture, in a peaceful state of mind, with gratitude, and not in a hurry." Ashtanga Hridaya, Sutrasthana 4.24.
The basmalah slows things down and creates a space for true gratitude for what we have been given at this moment. Food. Drink. Peace. Sustenance.
Eat in a seated position
The Prophet ﷺ is known to have taken his meals seated on the floor, usually seated on his knees, and always in company.
As a mom, this element of the sunnah has probably been the hardest one for me to incorporate. As my kids have gotten older, it has definitely become easier to do. The earlier days of parenting meant bouncing out of my chair every few minutes (seconds?) to handle the near-constant stream of requests. Those days, I often found it easier to just have my meal standing alone at the kitchen counter. That way, I wouldn't expect to find any rest at my meal and therefore wouldn’t be disappointed when I didn´t. Also, there seems to be a universal law of parenting that makes it so that sitting down and looking comfortable is actually the fastest way to get your kid’s attention. If I wanted to eat in peace, I needed to stay out of eyesight and look busy.
During my Ayurveda studies, which also aligned with the early days of which I speak, I kept running across different classical authors reiterating the need to sit and eat.
"One should eat while seated, in a composed state of mind, with due regard to the rules of dietetics, in order to ensure proper digestion and assimilation."
Sushruta Samhita, Chikitsasthana 24.77:
"Standing while eating increases vata, weakens the digestive fire, and leads to improper assimilation of nutrients."
Bhava Prakasha, Purva Khanda, Annaraksha Vidhi 6.4
This could have been why I struggled so much with digestion during those years…I wasn’t giving my body the chance it needed to actually assimilate nutrients. By standing at the counter amidst the screams instead of sitting at the table in peace, I wasn’t creating the space that was required to activate my parasympathetic nervous system–the “rest and digest” hormonal signals that your body needs to actually relax and break down your food properly. In other words–I wasn’t following the sunnah. I wasn’t inviting any barakah into my mealtime.
Eat to only ⅓ capacity
In a well known-hadith, The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“A human being fills no worse vessel than his stomach. It is sufficient for a human being to eat a few mouthfuls to keep his spine straight. But if he must add more, then let it be one third for food, one third for drink and one third for air.”
Sunan Ibn Majah 3349, Book 29, Hadith 99
This concept of moderation is mirrored in Ayurvedic classical sources, with some slight variation in proportion.
Vaghbhata writes, "Half of the stomach should be filled with solid food, one-quarter with liquids, and the remaining quarter left empty for the movement of air."
Ashtanga Hridayam, Sutra Sthana 8.46
In other words, we should not be eating to full capacity. As an Iranian, this principle has been difficult to achieve at times—food and abundance are such a big part of our culture of hospitality and the flavors are so paradisal that it is easy to stray into excess. I think we all know the feeling of having overeaten, though, or of having had too much to drink before or during a meal. The feeling of the water sloshing around or the tightness and discomfort of a bloated belly. These experiences contrast sharply with the light, refreshed and energized feeling we have after having eaten the right amount. The Prophet’s rule of thumb is a simple way to achieve what tomes of Ayurvedic classical literature were also set out to achieve–that ideal post-meal feeling, a strong indicator of health and bodily ease. With Ramadan approaching, it becomes even more important to watch how much we fill our stomachs after iftar. Not allowing enough space for air and for liquid will make the evening hours significantly more uncomfortable and can limit our ability to worship in the ways we may have intended. I’m trying to make it a point to remember that the goal is not to eat the same amount I would during another time of year, only at a different time of day, but to actually continue to keep room in my stomach for air and water.
Don´t criticize your food
We know from the companions of the Prophet ﷺ that he never criticized his food. According to their narrations, if the Prophet ﷺ liked something, he ate it. If he didn’t like it, he would leave it. He wouldn’t talk about the meal’s shortcomings, which is something I feel we do a lot of these days. “All I eat is pasta.” “This food has no flavor.” or “This has too much of that or not enough of this.” “I wish I were having something else. Something healthier.” Ultimately, what we reveal in these moments is our ingratitude, our lack of awareness for the blessings we have before us. We have the food we need to keep our backs straight, why do we expect or even demand something more?
In Ayurvedic medicine, a person’s inner state can profoundly affect digestion. Even if the healthiest, finest, most organic dishes were put before you, emotional disturbances and lack of contentment can inhibit you from reaping their benefits. Likewise, even a meal that you don’t necessarily even like can act as a “sweet nectar,” if you have the correct attitude towards the meal and its Provider.
Eat simple meals with few ingredients
“Eat and drink but do not be extravagant: God does not like extravagant people.” Quran 7:31
During my time working under an Ayurvedic doctor, I quickly noticed how her first prescription for those suffering from acute illnesses was to radically simplify their diet. More often than not, patients were required to stick to a 3 day regimen of congee–a simple rice water soup with varying levels of salt in order to allow the body to reset and reach its baseline. From there, the root causes of their illness could be addressed. Oftentimes, the root cause was related to a certain degree of extravagance in an area of diet or lifestyle. Too much spicy, fermented food? Diarrhea and mouth sours. Too many cold, sweet or sticky foods? A mucus overload.
Simplifying the diet is always a way to start anew and help bring the body to homeostasis. The Prophet himself ﷺ was known to maintain a simple diet. Sunnah meals such as talbina, a combination of boiled barley and honey; tharid, a broth made with barley and meat; nabidh, dates or raisins soaked overnight; and hais, a combination of barley, dates, and butter have notably only two or three ingredients. From an Ayurvedic perspective, including these sunnah foods and other similar combinations can significantly reduce the pressure on your digestive system, allowing the body to focus on other areas that need attention.
"Lightness, ease of activity, balance of doshas, longevity, and health come from simple and moderate eating.” Charaka Samhita, Sutrasthana 5.3
The Prophet ﷺ serves as an ideal model for simple and moderate eating, thereby offering us a guide to achieve this lightness, ease of activity, longevity and health referred to in the Ayurvedic classics, inshallah. When in digestive distress, we only need to look to his sunnah to help bring us back to equilibrium.
Over the next few days, as we prepare for Ramadan, my intention is to try to incorporate all 5 of these sunnah elements. I invite you to do the same. Let me know which one you find most challenging. After a few days, let me know if you notice any changes. My guess is, you will, inshallah.
