eating habits of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w

Prophet Muhammad s.a.w always insisted on having dinner, even if it were a handful of dried dates, and he used to say: “Neglecting dinner accelerates the aging process” (reported by Imam Al-Tirmithi). Abu Naim narrated that Prophet Muhammad s.a.w insisted on not going to sleep immediately after dinner, and he used to say: “ Going to bed on a full stomach hardens one’s heart” (reported by Imam Ibn Maja). That is why knowledgeable physicians advise people to have a walk after dinner, even for as little as one hundred steps, and they suggest that sleeping on a full stomach is harmful. As for Muslim physicians, they advise either walking a few steps after dinner, or performing supererogatory (nafl) prayers before going to bed. This will help the food to settle in the stomach and the digestive process to ripen fully.

Prophet Muhammad also did not drink anything while eating, or after finishing his meal for half an hour at least, and particularly hot drinks or cold water, otherwise, the digestive process would be enfeebled, and could cause the food to spoil in the stomach. He also did not drink water when exhausted, after engaging in recreational exercise, after sexual intercourse, after a hot bath, or when suddenly waking up in the middle of his sleep, or after eating fruits, except after eating certain kind of fruits when water can ease their digestion. All of these are accumulated habits that become second nature to us, and God willing, can be overcome gradually.

Source: Natural Healing With the Medicine of The Prophet : Translation and Emendation From The Original Arabic by Imam Muhammad Al-Akili.