• Are you fed up of experiencing heaviness, bloating or pain upon elimination?
• Do you have inexplicable chest pain and headaches?
• Are you tired all the time, yet have difficulty sleeping and don’t know why?

These symptoms could all be related and could all be signs that the health of your elimination system is in compromise.

In western, mainstream media you might be offered shiny, new quick fixes and popular elimination diets for digestive problems, but unlike some modern medicine, Ayurveda, the ancient five-thousand-year-old Indian science, provides long-term solutions rather than a temporary band-aid that does not last.

In the west, we tend to think of digestion and elimination as being completely separate phenomena, whereas Ayurveda sees them both as deeply intertwined. Logically, when digestion is optimal, healthy elimination naturally follows; that which benefits digestion also supports elimination. Ayurveda resolves the cause of digestive problems and interrelated symptoms, keeping you in good stead for a lifetime and future of health.

Below are my favourite simple Ayurvedic tips to improve your digestion:

1. Wake up early – before 6 am, before the Kapha time of day begins to help with elimination in the morning.
2. Drink warm water – first thing in the morning to enhance your digestion.
3. Avoid ice-cold drinks or food – these are a killer for the metabolism especially in the morning, before or after meals as well as in the evening. Instead, drink warm or room temperature drinks and water is best of all.
4. Stop eating salads – this applies if you suffer from constipation. Salads are heavy and cold and difficult to digest. Instead, eat warm, light, easy-to-digest food.
5. Consume certain dairy products  – Takra (buttermilk) is the digestive medicine in Ayurveda. Spiced buttermilk after a meal will help you digest healthily.
6. Cumin Coriander Fennel (CCF) tea – ignites your digestive fire (Agni). Drink before a meal or throughout the day if you’re suffering from severe constipation.

In Ayurveda, identifying your predominant bodily constitution (Dosha) is necessary as this describes your digestive capacity. Bearing in mind that we are all unique, as a quick guide, below are examples of features of the digestion for each type:

• Vata – The metabolism is naturally irregular and prone to constipation due to the dryness of this body type.
• Pitta – If the digestive fire in Pitta is burning healthily, Pittas have a quick metabolism, eliminating 1-3 times a day.
• Kapha – The digestion is regular but is characteristically slow and sluggish.

Knowing your body type and having an awareness of your digestive habits paves the way to resolving any digestive issues with ease. Your Ayurvedic practitioner will recommend herbal remedies, tailored dietary practices, selecting balanced foods that are right for you, alongside lifestyle and behavioural adjustments that will benefit your whole being; your body with your mind and your soul.