Hello readers!
Hmmm… how many of you have finally understood your body? I mean, you know that eating this will cause that, these are the precautions I should take, and oh, this is good for my body. Understanding Digestion is something I am still learning too.
Because I haven’t completely figured it out!
I thought I knew my body pretty well, but it turns out I am still learning. And sometimes, my body gives me a very clear lesson—even when I don’t really want one!
A Recent Development in Understanding Digestion
On Tuesday, I thought of making green gram curry for lunch with some rice.
I roasted some green grams first. Then, in the cooker, I added oil, chopped garlic, asafoetida, cumin, mustard seeds, curry leaves, turmeric, red chilli powder, salt, and tomato. I cooked the tomato until it softened a little, added the roasted green grams and some hot water, covered the cooker, and let it cook.
Everything seemed perfect.
The green gram was cooked so well that it could practically be smashed with a spoon. The curry looked good, smelled good, and tasted good.
So I happily ate it.
And then…
Ouch!
I had an extreme stomach ache around my navel.
My Body Was Trying to Tell Me Something
Now, this wasn’t exactly the first warning.
I already knew that gram dosa didn’t suit me because I had experienced stomach pain after eating it before. I had also noticed the same problem after eating ladoos made with gram flour.
But somehow, I didn’t take those experiences seriously enough.
Maybe I thought, “It happened that time. Maybe it won’t happen again.”
Well, my stomach clearly had other plans!
After this happened again, I called my doctor and explained what had happened. She said I might be having difficulty digesting larger amounts of green gram.
And I was confused because I can eat green gram and split pigeon peas dal together as a curry without any problem. So why does my stomach react so badly when I eat roasted green gram in a larger quantity?
Understanding Digestion and the Protein Problem
There is another reason this was especially frustrating for me.
I feel guilty whenever I eat meat or fish, so I usually have them only when I really can’t control my cravings. Because of that, I had started relying more on green gram as a source of protein.
I thought I had found a good alternative.
And now my stomach seems to be saying, “Think again!” 😄
The irony is not lost on me. I shifted towards green gram for protein, and now I seem to have trouble eating it in larger quantities too.
Maybe I’ll just stick to my dal curry from now on! 😂
Of course, I am still learning what works for my body, and I will continue listening to my doctor’s advice rather than making my own conclusions.
Learning My Limits and Understanding Digestion
This whole experience reminded me that Understanding Digestion isn’t something you necessarily figure out once and then you’re done.
Sometimes, you have to keep learning.
Something that is considered healthy may still not suit everyone in the same quantity. Something you enjoyed eating before may become difficult for your stomach to handle. And sometimes, the amount you eat or the way food is prepared may make a difference.
For me, this seems to be one of those lessons.
The stomach ache lasted for two days. During that time, my stomach felt bruised, tired, weak, and extremely sensitive.
Honestly, I was so done with it!
I kept thinking, “Why can’t I just eat something without having to think about how my stomach is going to react?”
But perhaps this is also a reminder to listen more carefully.
I Am Still Learning My Body
We often say that we know ourselves.
But our bodies can surprise us.
I am slowly learning to pay attention to patterns instead of ignoring them. If something repeatedly causes discomfort, perhaps I shouldn’t keep testing my luck!
I also think there is a difference between knowing that something is healthy and knowing whether your own body can tolerate it comfortably.
That is an important part of Understanding Digestion for me—not trying to diagnose myself, but noticing what my body is telling me and discussing it with my doctor when something keeps happening.
And that is something I am still figuring out.
Maybe you are too.
What About You?
Do you have any unique dietary problems or foods that your body simply refuses to cooperate with?
Maybe there is something that everyone else seems to eat without a problem, but your body says, “Absolutely not!” 😄
I’d love to hear about your experiences.
Come over to The Cozy Café, grab your favourite cup of tea or coffee, get comfortable, and let’s talk about the funny, frustrating, and sometimes surprising ways our bodies teach us to listen to them.
After all, we may never completely understand our bodies—but we can keep learning!
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