Ayurveda refers to digestion as the key to health and longevity and we need to tend to our digestive fire, or agni, everyday. When our digestive fire gets too cold, our digestion becomes sluggish and can lead to constipation, gas, and toxicity. When our digestive fire gets too hot, our digestion is too fast and can lead to diarrhea, acid reflux and poor nutrient absorption.

Our digestion struggles when the vagus nerve becomes impaired, either from chronic stress, inflammation, infection, and certain medications. This bi-directional communication between the brain and body - primarily between the brain and gut - along the vagus nerve causes our digestive fire to either be extinguished or to burn too hot. We might notice digestive symptoms like bloating, constipation, diarrhea, bacterial overgrowth and more.

Knowing that the vagus nerve and digestion are so closely linked, we can employ some Ayurvedic eating principles to keep our digestive fire burning optimally and stimulate our vagus nerve at the same time:

Warm liquids: Warm water or herbal tea, helps to improve vagal tone as it flows through your esophagus adjacent to the vagus nerve. Using ginger or peppermint tea about 30 minutes before a meal can really optimize our digestion as well.

Soup: When we eat soup, we get the same benefits of drinking warm liquid, plus all of that easy to digest fiber. A diversity of fiber is essential for improving digestion. If your digestion is weak and you often experience bloating, constipation, or feel tired after eating, we recommend a pureed soup to take some of the burden of breaking down foods off of your gut. Our favorite is a pureed vegetable coconut curry soup - recipe below!

Take it easy on raw foods: All food has to be cooked, either outside of the body or inside. So when we eat raw or cold foods, our body has to work harder to digest them. Even lightly steaming or sautéing veggies can make a big difference in digestion.

Chew your food: It sounds simple, but each bite you take should be chewed until it is a paste-like consistency - almost like baby food. This typically means chewing each bite at least 20 times to really stimulate your digestive enzymes. The physical work of chewing and swallowing sends a signal of relaxation through your vagus nerve. Being mindful of the food in your mouth and noticing if it is properly broken down before swallowing can be an easy meditative practice to incorporate into your day.

Eat in a blissful state of mind: We tend to think about food choice and quantity as the main pillars of digestive health, but Ayurveda places our state of mind while eating above all else. Unfortunately, you can not have optimal digestion while watching Netflix or scrolling your phone during a meal. We suggest experimenting with eating outside (or by a window) at least once a week without distraction to fully enjoy the eating and digestion experience.

We hope these Ayurvedic tips for digestion and vagus nerve stimulation bring some ease to your body and brain.

Curried Veggie Soup

Ingredients:

1 large onion
1/2 head of cauliflower
6-8 large carrots
6 garlic cloves (crushed)
1/2 inch piece of chopped turmeric
1 inch piece of ginger
2 TBS red thai curry paste
5 cups bone broth or stock
1 can full-fat coconut milk
Sea salt, to taste
chopped cilantro, lime, or avocado for serving

Directions:

Roughly chop onion, cauliflower, carrots and add to large pot. Open the coconut milk can and add some of the clear liquid to sauté the veggies (or you can use a little avocado oil instead). Saute on medium heat for 5 minutes until texture is slightly softer. Add curry paste and continue to sauté.

Chop turmeric, ginger and crush garlic and add to pot. Saute all together for 5-10 minutes, slowly adding in the broth as the pot gets dry.

After veggies are considerably softer, add all broth and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to simmer and add in the coconut milk. Let all ingredients simmer for 10 minutes and puree - you can use a stick blender or transfer carefully to a blender.

Add salt, cilantro, lime to taste. Serve with avocado, sesame seeds or over rice!

Enjoy!