You return to work after a tasty lunch. A new project sits on your desk. Rather than feeling ready to tackle it, you feel ready to take a nap. You feel tired after filling your belly, and have zero umph or inspiration. With a cloudy head and lunch in your gut you struggle to keep your eyes open, to plug on through.

After a big meal, like Thanksgiving Day, it's normal to feel tired. Feeling flagged after every meal, on the other hand, is frustrating, especially when you've got a deadline to meet. Food is supposed to energize you. But if food frequently makes you drowsy, there's something wrong. Postprandial drowsiness isn't just an annoyance in Ayurveda, it's one of the most important warning signs your body uses to tell you it needs help.

For kapha individuals, fatigue after eating is the first and most important sign that you have a Kapha imbalance. Kapha is one of the three body types in Ayurveda. It is the body type most often associated with heaviness. A kapha imbalance could mean you are gaining weight, that mucus is building up in your respiratory tract, or even that your blood sugar levels, triglycerides or cholesterol levels are elevated. Attentiveness to this single symptom can help Kapha individuals avoid or regulate these conditions. It could mean that your metabolism is too slow or sluggish to digest the food. It could be a sign of poor circulation. Finally, feeling tired after eating could mean that you have too much mucus in your stomach. Ayurveda pays close attention early warning signs like fatigue after eating. Self-awareness up-front prevents disease and keeps your body vital and healthy.

So if food makes you tired how do you lighten up and regain your zeal? What will restore your mental alertness and motivation? To begin, check your portions. Larger portions make you tired. According to Ayurveda you should eat no more than what would fit in your two hands if they were a bowl. Digestion takes a lot of energy. If you overeat you will strain your metabolism. Your gut will slave away trying to digest the enormous portion. If you feel tired after a meal, recall what you ate and adjust accordingly.

Eat only when truly hungry. Don't force yourself to eat breakfast if you aren't hungry. Instead, make a nice cup of ginger tea. If your digestive tract is backed up with old food, it might need a break to get caught up and detox. Fasting for a day can be beneficial if you're otherwise healthy and strong. Eating a simple meal like kitchari for 3-5 days can also help give your gut a breather.

Next look at what you're eating. Heavy foods like wheat, dairy, sugar and red meat make you tired, Try lighter foods like salad, spelt bread, or vegetables. Instead of pizza or a sandwich, opt for soup. Use fresh herbs like parsley, oregano and thyme to keep your meal zesty. Seek out the foods which energize you.

Favor foods with bitter flavor - like dandelion greens, arugula and kale. These foods stimulate movement in your digestive track - freshening it up so to speak. Eat your food warm and well spiced - especially if you tend to have sluggish digestion. Digestive spices like ginger, cardamom, mint and black pepper can help put the pep back in your step. And speaking of step, take a short walk after meals to stimulate blood flow and metabolism. These spices can also break up excess mucus in your GI tract.

You can also try these Joyful Belly Formulas to put the spring back your step: Digestive Bitters, CCF.

DIET REMEDIES FOR 'TIRED AFTER EATING'

PRODUCT REMEDIES FOR 'TIRED AFTER EATING'

AVOID DIETS, LIFESTYLES & HERBS THAT AGGRAVATE THESE EFFECTS

Symptoms Tell A Story

The first step to healing is learning patterns from your symptoms. Symptoms are clues that reveal underlying imbalances, showing you where your body is weak. Specifically, they reveal the doshas & qualities that may have become aggravated. If you notice a quality or dosha appears next to many of your symptoms, it helps you establish a pattern that may be systemic.

V = VATA, P = PITTA, K = KAPHA

GUNA	FOODS TO AVOID	DO YOU HAVE THIS IMBALANCE?
OILY ABOUT OILY GUNA Oily refers to anything fatty, or that increases fat. LEARN MORE ABOUT OILY	AVOID OILY FOODS THAT MAY AGGRAVATE TIRED AFTER EATING	Status Unknown Take these quizzes to find out if you have an imbalance of 'Oily' guna
HEAVY ABOUT HEAVY GUNA Heavy is identified by sedation, sluggishness, or increased weight. LEARN MORE ABOUT HEAVY	AVOID HEAVY FOODS THAT MAY AGGRAVATE TIRED AFTER EATING	Status Unknown Take these quizzes to find out if you have an imbalance of 'Heavy' guna
DIFFICULT ABOUT DIFFICULT GUNA Difficult refers to anything that is difficult to digest, or takes a long time to digest. LEARN MORE ABOUT DIFFICULT	AVOID DIFFICULT FOODS THAT MAY AGGRAVATE TIRED AFTER EATING	Status Unknown Take these quizzes to find out if you need to decrease Difficult to digest foods
SWEET ABOUT SWEET GUNA Sweet refers to anything builds tissue, including macronutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins and fats. LEARN MORE ABOUT SWEET	AVOID SWEET FOODS THAT MAY AGGRAVATE TIRED AFTER EATING	Status Unknown Take these quizzes to find out if you have an imbalance of 'Sweet' taste

To learn more about the symbols above, click on them.

SEE A DIET WHICH REMOVES THESE CAUSES

ADDRESS ISSUES IN STAGE OF DISEASE 1

If you have symptoms in this category, your body is sending you a warning sign. Since digestion is so metabolically intensive and sensitive to stress and emotions, the earliest warning signs of imbalance usually appear in the digestive tract first. You may have gas and bloating, for example, or acid reflux. Ayurveda recommends paying careful, close attention to warning signs. They indicate that an imbalance is starting to accumulate. Correct these warning signs before they accumulate further and weaken your body's resistance. This is usually accomplished by removing diet and lifestyle habits that aggravate your imbalanced doshas and qualities.

REDUCE THESE RELATED SYMPTOMS & HABITS

DO YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT YOUR UNIQUE BODY?

What aggravates it? What heals it? Then get your Personal Ayurvedic Body Book! This book, written by founder and director of Joyful Belly, John Immel, is individually formatted for your unique body and will help you confidently choose food that restores your healthy glow to get you feeling like your best self. Just $19.99!

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About the Author

John Immel, the founder of Joyful Belly, teaches people how to have a healthy diet and lifestyle with Ayurveda. His approach to Ayurveda exudes a certain ease, which many find enjoyable and insightful. His online course Balance Your Ayurvedic Diet in a Week provides tools for gracefully healing with Ayurveda to thousands. John also directs Joyful Belly's School of Ayurveda , which specializes in digestive tract pathology & Ayurvedic nutrition. John and his wife Natalie recently published Explore Your Hunger: A Guide to Hunger, Appetite & Food.

John's interest in Ayurveda and digestive tract pathology was inspired by a complex digestive disorder acquired from years of international travel, including his public service work in South Asia. John's commitment to the detailed study of digestive disorders reflects his zeal to get down to the roots of the problem. His hope and belief in the capacity of each & every client to improve their quality of life is nothing short of a personal passion. John's creativity in the kitchen and delight in cooking for others comes from his family oriented upbringing. In addition to his certification in Ayurveda, John holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Harvard University.

John enjoys sharing Ayurveda within the context of his Catholic roots, and finds Ayurveda gives him an opportunity to participate in the healing mission of the Church. Jesus expressed God's love by feeding and healing the sick. That kindness is the fundamental ministry of Ayurveda as well.

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