One of the most essential things to perform or even function well in any task is energy. We should have enough energy to perform any task with full enthusiasm, and when it comes to practicing yoga, it requires an even greater amount in our body. Imagine when all the other people around you are involved in their practice without stopping; you just look at them with tiredness all over. Sounds bad, right? That’s why having a yogic diet comes into play.
Food works as fuel for our body, and we should always keep our tank full of good fuel to run as far as we want to on our yogic path. Yogic diet plays a vital role in our yogic journey as it is an ancient dietetic philosophy that is deeply rooted in yogic principles, emphasising the connection between food, body, and mind. It shows us the consumption of healthy food that promotes our overall well-being and supports our practice.
Understanding the yogic dietetic practice is beneficial for both practitioners and teachers. As for practitioners, including this diet plan in their practice will help enhance and improve their yoga experience by boosting their energy levels. While for yoga teachers, learning and understanding this approach will help them guide their students towards good eating habits to effortlessly complement their physical efforts on the mat.
Ayurveda: The Pillar of Yogic Dietary Practices
You all must have known or have gone through this word, “Ayurveda,” which is considered the ancient Indian system of holistic medicine and the foundation of the yogic diet. Ayurveda is translated as the “Science of Life,” emphasising the essentiality of having balance between your body, mind, and soul for better health. This helps in shaping the yogic diet through:
Doshas
According to Ayurveda, there are primarily three types of body and mind, which are called doshas (Vatta, Pitta, and Kapha). Each type of dosha has its own unique dietary needs and characteristics. While a yogic diet is a common dietary need that focuses on having Sattvic food that benefits everyone, a more personalised approach to diet based on your body dosha can be explored with Ayurveda.
Digestive Fire (Agni)
The digestion system is vital for every body, and in Ayurveda, we should maintain a healthy digestive fire within our body, which is also termed Agni. Thus, the yogic diet promotes various practices that support Agni, which include having regular healthy meals, avoiding any type of processed food, and consuming only those food items that are easy to digest.
Five Elements
Ayurveda, being a holistic practice, takes most of the things from mother nature and believes while recognising the five basic elements that are present in nature, the human body, and food itself, which include water, earth, air, ether, and fire. And having a yogic diet aims to create a subtle balance between these elements within our body, which results in a healthy body and overall well-being.
Food as Energy: Decoding the Secret Language of the Gunas
Have you ever thought about where this yogic diet we take gets its core principles from? No, well, it takes it from the concept of three Gunas (Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas). These are essential qualities that influence everything in this universe, which includes our food choices and the impact they have on our body and mind. Learning and understanding about these gunas is essential to navigating our yogic diet path.
Sattva (Purity, Lightness):
Sattva includes consuming sattvic food, which is considered light and pure and promotes mental clarity and calmness within. This food type contains fresh meals and food items such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. These foods are beneficial in promoting peace, focus, and healthy well-being, which are ideal for performing yogic practice.
Rajas (Passion, Activity):
Rajas include Rajasic foods that contain all the benefits related to stimulation, passion, and energy. This dietary potion generally includes spiced food items, meats, and some stimulants, such as coffee. These food items are known to provide a temporary burst of energy within, but later they can also lead to restlessness, anger, agitation, and distraction that can hinder and create difficulty in yoga practice.
Tamas (inertia, heaviness):
Tama or Tamasic food items are those that make you feel lethargic, dull, and heavy after consumption. They usually include foods with more oils and fats, such as processed foods, stale foods, and fried foods. Consumption of these foods is considered bad for health and can directly lead to sluggishness, mental fog, and negativity, which make it difficult for you to concentrate or engage in any yogic practice.
Sattvic Foods: The Fuel for a Healthy Yoga Practice
As we discussed above, Sattvic food, among all, takes center stage in the yogic diet for a good reason. These food items are the best and most beneficial for a healthy, energetic, and focused yoga practice. Here’s the reason to incorporate it into your diet plan:
More Energy and Focus:
Sattvic food items contain essential nutrients that offer you optimal energy throughout the practice. Unlike the temporary boost of energy that Rajasic food items provide, they offer a steady flow of energy that allows you to perform, focus deeply, and maintain optimal performance during the whole session.
Clarity and Inner Peace:
The Sattvic food diet focuses on whole-food servings that help with mental clarity and promote calmness. Through this diet plan, you can easily avoid aggression. and sluggishness, and perform the yoga practice in a state of peacefulness. This helps you approach the practice with a clear mind and an openness to experience and explore the complete benefits of yoga.
Supports Physical Prowess:
Physical well-being is as essential as mental clarity while performing yoga, and while this sattvic food is also rich in vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals, it healthily contributes to your physical well-being as well, which results in a more strenuous, flexible, and stamina-rich practice. This will also help you perform your yoga posture with ease.
Core Principles of the Yogic Diet
Ahimsa (non-violence): What not to have
Ahimsa, which means walking on the path of non-violence, lies at the heart of the Yogic diet, which extends far beyond simply avoiding any physical harm to others. It believes in having only vegetarian food and avoiding any type of flesh item that causes harm to living creatures. Through this, you can contribute to minimising the suffering in the world and align with the Yogic philosophy of compassion and respect for every living being.
Moderation and mindful eating: How to have
This yogic diet principle focuses on how to have them, which includes finding the correct balance. Overconsumption, even of healthy food items, can disrupt your digestive system and create difficulty in practice. You should focus on portion control and consume only enough to nourish the body without excess. You can practice eating slowly and taking small bites while savoring them by avoiding distractions and stopping when full.
Freshness and Seasonality: What to Have
The Sattivic diet plan includes having fresh food items as they contain more potent sources of energy, which is beneficial in many ways as compared to processed or out-of-season food. They also maximise the nutritional content within, which provides you with a wealth of antioxidants, nutrients, and vitamins. Including them in your diet will result in good performance and contribute to more strength, stamina, and flexibility.
Beyond the Asana: Building a Yogic Lifestyle Through Food and Practice
Yogic dieting doesn’t only include having food in your diet and putting restrictions on it; it’s also more about following what reflects your yogic practice. Here are the benefits you will get from your practice:
Increased energy levels
You can incorporate foods like oats, brown rice, and quinoa, as they contain subtle amounts of carbohydrates to keep you going throughout the practice. You can also replace the refined sugar with fresh fruits like bananas, apples, and honey for quick energy. Additionally, eating healthy fat foods such as seeds, avocados, and nuts will contribute to satiety while offering slow-burning energy and preventing hunger pangs during the practice.
Enhanced Focus and Clarity
To enhance the overall focus and clarity of your practice, you can incorporate foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, as they can boost brainpower. Also, staying hydrated throughout the day is essential for better cognitive function, for which you can take herbal teas and water. But don’t underestimate leafy greens, as they are filled with minerals, iron, and vitamin B for better focus and clarity.
Better Strength and Flexibility
Protein sources such as dairy products, legumes, and tofu help in building muscles and repairing tissues and support the overall strength development of yoga postures. Taking hydration lubricates your joints and allows for better motion and alignment during the yoga practice, while taking foods that are rich in vitamin C, like broccoli, is also good for collagen production as it contributes to overall good health.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, a healthy yogic diet is your way to be healthy, energetic, and full of positivity during your yogic practice. It is one of the most essential and powerful approaches to enhancing and improving your overall well-being and yoga practice. By following the core principles like sattvic food and practicing mindful eating, you can fill your body with clarity and subtle energy to truly flourish your mat experience.
This approach goes beyond just eating and cultivates a holistic lifestyle built on respect for the world and other creatures, as well as your own self. Remember, it is a beautiful journey and a notable destination where you can reach and stop. It is a path you need to take and keep walking. Have, experience, experiment, and explore different food items to find the one that works best for your body type. By knowing and embracing the ancient dietetic practice, you can experience and unlock a connection and balance between your body, mind, and soul.
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