Beans, beans, the magical fruit......

In the studio, we are into our detox progam, the Elemental Immersion, week 2. This week we switch to 2 vegetarian meals per day and that means we will be eating more beans than our Western digestive system is used to. You may find that the beans create a bit of gas in your system. This is normal and I find that as your body adjusts to the additional fiber, this problem settles down. The Wind body type will suffer the most gas and should favor lentils or dahl.

To eliminate gas, always soak and rinse your beans. As the beans cook, skim off the froth that comes to the top. Cooking your beans more thoroughly enhances the digestive process and can help prevent gas. Adding ginger, cinnamon, fennel, peppermint and turmeric to your bean dishes can also prevent gas.

Throughout your day, sip hot water with ginger. In Ayurveda, hot water is believed to stimulate digestion. It warms the Wind or Vata in your digestive system. Vata in your digestive system is responsible for the movement of waste out of your body. If you are cold and dry which irritates Vata, then you may not eliminate effectively and you may develop constipation. From a clinical western perspective, there is no evidence that hot water does anything to your digestive system. I don't think anyone has even studied it. This method has been used in India, Japan and China for centuries.

Dr. Chopra, in his book "Perfect Digestion" explains that hot water melts away "ama" or toxic buildup. "Ama is sticky and greasy by nature. Hot water can dissolve ama from your system just as it dissolves grease from dirty dishes, and it can accomplish this gradually and comfortably."

From personal experience and anecdotal evidence, the hot water does work. When I or my children have a bad stomach, we drink hot water and it will stimulate elimination and make your belly feel better. A past participant in the program suffered from Irritable Bowel Syndrome and she insisted that the hot water with ginger was her cure for it. Hot water is very filling and can curb cravings for snacks. The ginger placed in hot water releases its juices and enzymes more easily than if it were in cold water.

So drink your hot water, eat your beans and know that everybody farts......