Essential Yoga Diet Principles

Yoga diet principles play an important part in getting full benefits from your yoga practice. Why do sportsmen and pregnant women need special food? Our body requires food for getting energy and this energy sustains life. Food is what builds up our body, we are what we eat. Type of food and its quality affects your physical as well as mental health.

Yogic diet philosophy does not believe in calorie count of foods or the amount of vitamins, minerals or proteins we get from the food. Instead stress is laid on type of food and its quality. Some of the yogis survive on meager amount of food and still enjoy better health than all of us.

Yogic Diet For Health

Focus on nutrition available from food without bothering about its taste. Becoming a slave to taste buds is temptation yoga does not recommend. Also, moderation is recommended in whatever you drink and eat. As per yoga philosophy, self discipline in choice of foods is critical for your health and subsequent march to meditation and spirituality. Yoga diet principles are very easy but difficult to follow.

Fast Foods

Modern fast food items like hamburgers, pizzas, jams, jellies, soft drinks, ice creams etc. have gained control over our eating patterns and are the main cause of obesity we see all around. These fast foods are rich source of sugar, oils and preservatives all of which are not good for our health. People are now attracted by various types of fast food which are very low in nutrition. In addition, these foods tax our digestive system and body has to do extra work for digestion and elimination of such food. Everyday we are faced with the choice of selecting our food and we must prefer nutritious food rather than going for the taste.

Look Towards Nature

Yoga diet philosophy emphasises on the natural sources of nutrition. Nature has provided us several nutritious edible foods in their natural form like whole grains, seasonal fruits, vegetables, milk, honey and dry fruits.

Over Eating

More people fall sick due to overeating or wrong dietary habits as compared to people who get sick due to non availability of food. Observe moderation in quantity of food we eat. People who keep on over eating without proper understanding of the principles of eating are bound to harm themselves physically and mentally. One golden rule to avoid overeating is, not to have any type of snacks between your meals.

Balanced Diet

Balanced diet is essential requirement of good health. A balanced diet should include plenty of salads, fresh vegetables, fresh fruits, milk and raw nuts. Include these items in your existing dietary choices.

Salads

All vegetables eaten raw constitute salad. Fresh cucumber, tomato, carrots, beetroot, lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower etc are used for preparing salad. Salad should be cut into small pieces with suitable dressing of you choice. Ideally salad should form first course of your lunch and dinner. Eat plenty of salad half an hour prior to your meals in case you want to reduce your food intake.

Fresh Vegetables

Ideally fresh vegetables from your kitchen garden can be the freshest vegetables. Fresh vegetables should not be dried or deformed in shape. Vegetables stored in your refrigerator do not remain fresh for a long time.

Fresh Fruits

Fresh fruits are most nutritious food for our body. Regular intake of fresh fruits is essential for good health. Use fresh seasonal fruits. Fruits are better than fruit juices as fruit also provides you fibre.

Raw Nuts

Yoga diet should include nuts like cashew, pistachio, almond and walnuts provide essential minerals, proteins and vitamins. For yoga practitioners, a handful mixture of these nuts is recommended for obtaining energy and good health.

Quantity Of Food

As a general rule, fill only 50% of your stomach with food, 25% of your stomach for water and keep 25% of your stomach empty. If your stomach is overstuffed, it is not properly digested. You will feel uncomfortable and your body is forced to digest extra food and also work for eliminating it. By overeating, your abdominal system is strained and body becomes sluggish. Finally, it leads to gaining of extra weight. Eat only when you feel hungry and eliminate any snacks in between the meals.

Alcoholic Drinks

Alcoholic drinks are nutrient thieves; they steal and destroy nutrients available in your system. Alcoholic drinks weaken the individual physically and mentally, if used without restraint. For yoga practitioners, it is best to avoid alcoholic drinks.

Spices

Avoid excessive use of spices and salt. Too much of seasoning of food is also not recommended.

Water

Drink 10 to 12 glasses of water everyday. Drink water half an hour before meals. Avoid drinking water with food. Drinking of one or two glasses of water when you wake up is ideal for health.

Coffee and Tea

It is ideal if you can avoid tea and coffee completely. Otherwise limit your tea or coffee intake to 2 cups per day. Excess of tea and coffee leads to constipation, insomnia and nervousness in addition to extra calories each cup of tea or coffee pumps into our bodies.

Method of Eating

Eat slowly and chew your food properly. Eating fast does not allow the time for satiating signals to reach your brain from your abdomen resulting in overeating. By chewing the food properly, saliva can better mix with food and make it easily digestible. Body is able to make full use of food you eat and helps you to maintain better health. Principles of yoga diet are time tested and very easy to follow. To lead a healthy life one has to establish a dietary pattern that will sustain good health. Yoga and diet are essential components of good health and happiness. Eat to live and not live to eat.

Vegetarian Vs Non Vegetarain Diet

Shall I stop eating non vegetarian diet with yoga is a common question for yoga beginners.  Though it is not essential to stop eating meat for starting yoga but vegetarian diet is highly recommended for holistic yoga practice.

Types of Yoga Diet

The type of food you eat has an immense effect on your health and well being. As per yoga all food items can  be classified into three types of yoga diet namely sattvik, rajasik or tamasik.

Suggested Diet for Yoga Practice

A simple vegetarian diet for yoga is essential for maintaining a healthy body with yoga practice.  The diet needs to be balanced and nutritious.

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