How I got rid of heartburn and began to clean myself with Ayurveda and mindful eating
Early in 2020, I was dealing with crippling heartburn issues. It was every day, and the worst came at night in my chest when I was lying down. I could barely drink water without feeling the acid reflux bubbling up in my poor stomach, and problems were apparently spreading to other places in my chest.
I was also living life very disconnected, obliviously assuming that my body could digest the same things as other bodies. My coworkers would invite me for a spicy lunch and I loved spicy food, so I never missed it. I drank sparking water constantly. It became normal for me to have heartburn, so I carried chewable acid reflux pills with me everywhere and used them as a bandaid for the symptoms of a greater problem I was intentionally creating within me.
Believe it or not, I was actually mindful of a lot of eating even then. I would notice which foods caused me the worst pain and think it over. But I just assumed that my problem would eventually go away and that my body was like everyone else’s in that it could be ‘normal’ with minimal effort.
In fact, I saw a doctor when it was at its worst, and she advised me that I just needed to avoid certain foods, and it would go away after a couple of months, and then I could resume ‘normal life’ again. I thought I could just keep living life the way I was living it already, and doctors confirmed that assumption.
But I was wrong. And the doctor was wrong at a fundamental level.
The incorrect fundamental concept that we are taught to believe about our bodies is that we are all the same. Our bodies do not react to things the same way, and the cure or treatment for our illnesses is not going to be the same, either. We need to think deeply about the stories leading up to what ails us, and the unique reactions in each of us. Specifically in this story, the intake of food has very different outcomes in different people’s digestion.
I tried limiting myself from eating the acidic, spicy, great foods I loved for periods of time. But the problem was: I didn’t know my end goal. The doctor said that my stomach would eventually settle, and I could go back to normal. But I was soon to learn that the idea of my previous ‘normal’ was what was ailing me, and might eventually kill me.
After many months went by, I started reading about the chakras in a book entitled The Wheels of Life by Anodea Judith. In the beginning of the book, she mentions Ayurveda as a philosophy in line with what she was describing about the chakras. It is a five-thousand-year-old philosophy for living life in balance. In modernity, it is often applied to diets. I had remembered seeing it on menus when visiting Ubud, Bali several times. It intrigued me. So, I bought a couple books about Ayurveda by Susan Weis-Bohlen and Sahara Rose, and my worldview — of the spirit, but also of digestion and the body — was forever changed. Forever.
These books about Ayurveda explained that my body type was high in ‘fire’ in the digestive process already, so I shouldn’t need to eat MORE spicy or hot things (which of course, I loved — the books explained this, too) because that would overload me with heat — and did. If I continued to overload my digestion with heat, such as spicy foods, eventually I could develop very serious illnesses beyond heartburn, like ulcers and stomach cancer.
Not only this, but Ayurveda recommends me avoiding things like sparkling water, citrus juices, onion, garlic, and egg yolk — things that produce no ill effects in other people. I became so much more grounded, happy, and more importantly: awake. My digestion became balanced. Let me explain some ways this happened.
Open communication with the stomach
The first thing that happened in my perspective shift was that my awareness became heightened during mealtimes. I stayed in communication with my stomach to determine when I was full or hungry. I often stop eating now way before I finish all the food on my plate. I focus on the state of my whole body while eating, preserving balance and a feeling of lightness. Directly after eating, I check in. If the meal didn’t make me feel good, I don’t eat it again. I notice what makes me feel like a better, more capable person. Often, that is easily-digestible food full of organic nutrients, like soups and roasted veggies. I even notice the next day where my digestion has led me. I don’t let anyone else’s ideas about ‘healthy’ get in my way. Staying aware and in receptive mode with the stomach is key.
Spicy food and sparkling water
Spicy food was an obvious trigger of my heartburn. Sparkling water and citrus juice was a surprise. But when I realize how acidic sparkling water and citrus juices are, it makes sense. People always told me that sparkling water was healthy — but that wasn’t for my body type. Of course, my favorite things in life included spicy curry, jalapeños, and San Pellegrino, so it was very difficult getting those out of my diet. But when I became aware of the state of health that my body could maintain without them, it was an obvious choice. They were basically toxic to my system. Putting them in my system, no matter how delicious or how satisfying to the taste, was destroying me slowly.
Now I drink warm tea and eat mild curry, and my gut is happy. I haven’t experienced heartburn in months, whereas it used to be daily. Life is good, and I don’t need doctors on this topic anymore.
Onions and garlic
Ayurveda taught me to be mindful of my food intake, but also what happens while the food passes through me. Onions and garlic are a great example of how food could interrupt my ability to find balance and a state of mindful happiness. They’re also a great example of food that may benefit some people but not everyone.
For me, onion and garlic block my ability to be serene — I never understood this until my new awakening made me pay attention. Although said to be ‘healthy’, and although I quite enjoy their taste, they sit in me for hours with uncomfortable signals to my body. I can’t get fully comfortable in my body or my mind. If I can’t get comfortable, how can I live in balance with the world?
Egg yolks
My body had been sending me signals for years that egg yolks were not good for me. (Just because every brunch menu on the planet contains omelets, eggs benedict, and waffles doesn’t mean that it is good for your digestion.) My body finally had enough.
My stomach had to start sending me stronger, louder signals that were impossible to ignore. Every time I ate anything containing egg, including birthday cakes and ice cream, I would get nauseous. So, I stopped. This isn’t revelatory, but it was a clear message that everyone is different and unique, and there are food intolerances and allergies that manifest only in some people, and that’s okay. We just have to remain mindful and stop making ourselves sick just because the rest of society tells you what is ‘healthy’ to eat.
Mindful eating solutions
Mindful eating was the answer to my digestive problems, and the deeper I go, I see that meditation and mindfulness are the answer to all my ailments. My body is mine, it’s unique, and only I can truly see internally what is happening, in ways doctors never can. Only I can heal myself through awareness of the right approach to how I treat myself. Doctors sometimes can aid in this process, but ultimately, I’m in charge of it. When you truly look within and stop to question what you’re doing to your body — whether it is good for you — great changes happen.
I have written about the effects of eating non-organic foods and on other experiments in Ayurvedic nutrition. I’m still living it and understanding it in new ways every day. I hope you join me in opening a whole new world of health!
