The yoga diet, also referred to as the Sattvic diet, is based on choosing foods that are able to purify, energize, and refresh both the body and mind.
According to Yoga Gurus, food contains prana, or life sustaining forces and energy. The value of each type of food is determined by the quality of prana it holds and the effect its consumption produces.
It is believed that there is a very strong connection between the body and the mind, and what you choose to put into your mouth will not only affect your physical health but will also have a great impact on your emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being.
The yoga diet stresses choosing foods that are able to increase vitality, optimize digestion, and provide physical strength while also calming the mind to maintain emotional balance.
The key is to choose foods that will help maintain the mind-body equilibrium. So, how do you know which foods to eat and which ones to avoid? The principles of the yoga diet are based on three categories or gunas, and understanding these divisions will help you choose the best foods for optimal overall health.
Rajas foods, or stimulant foods, are those things that make you feel physically or emotionally agitated, restless, and aggressive. They can contribute to mood fluctuations, stress, or feelings of discontentment, but can also excite passion or incite change.
Although the Rajasic effect is considered to be negative, there may be times when it is desirable so some people leave room for the occasional consumption of Rajas foods.
However, since these foods act as stimulants, they provide a lift to the body while neglecting the mind, which will eventually lead to poor health, so their use should be limited. This category includes such things as caffeinated beverages, chocolate, spicy foods, salt, sports drinks, or high sugar foods.
Tamasic foods, or sedative foods, are those things that make you feel sluggish, heavy, lazy or unmotivated. They can also contribute to feelings of anger, depression, or apathy.
These foods do nothing for your body or your mind. In fact, they are often considered to increase stress levels and can be detrimental to your physical health, leading to heart disease, diabetes, or overweight.
Foods that create the Tasmic effect are meat, fish, eggs, onions, garlic, mushrooms, reheated or stale food, fast food, and addictive substances such as cigarettes, drugs, or alcohol.
Sattva, or balancing foods, contain the most prana and contribute to qualities such as love, peace, purity, calmness and clarity of mind, courage, energy, and strength.
The goal of any yoga diet should be to eat primarily sattva foods, which include clean, wholesome choices that will help increase these qualities in your life. Eating a sattva diet will keep both your body and mind healthy and calm, so you will feel refreshed and energized.
Breakfast:
Can what you choose to eat really affect every area of your life? New research and science has shown that there is some truth to the old adage, “You are what you eat”.
It seems Hippocrates knew what he was talking about when he said, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”, because centuries later, it is still obvious that food can influence the way you think, feel, and act.
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I will continue to share ideas about diet and exercise that have helped me along the way. If you have any questions I can help you with, or if you have any ideas you want to share, feel free to contact me or visit our Q&A forum.
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