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The most common topic is about having food and craving for it, but only very few are aware of the fact that the actual intense fat burner is none other than yoga diet. The diet is healthy containing fruits, whole grains and vegetables, that in no way supports gaining weight. As a result, it concentrates more on vegetarian foods and thereby excludes meat, fish and poultry. This is also viewed spiritually as being kind to animals, but it accepts dairy products such as milk, butter, eggs, yogurt and cheese as they are rich in calcium and vitamins required for the body.

Beans and legumes must be incorporated as it makes one of the best yoga diets that have protein and is a must to the body. Hence, it can be included in recipes, salads with beans and lentils, and various other bean dishes such as bean soups, sandwich spreads and lentil salads. Vegetables are the main nutrition in yoga diet and include an array of vegetable dishes comprising of organic and seasonal vegetable dishes such as curries, stews, appetizers, casseroles and entrees. Similarly, water is highly recommended such that a person takes nearly 2 liters of water everyday, and hence incorporating vegetable or fruit juices, coconut milk, rice milk, smoothies, nut milks, soy milks and other beverages that are healthy is preferred.

Foods that can be enjoyed are the best foods of yoga diet and this includes easy digesting foods such as vegetables, fruits, honey, beans, juices, butter and milk. Foods to avoid as per the yoga diet refer to the foods that cannot be easily digested or it can also be considered to be a heavily processed food. This includes several packaged foods made with white sugar or white flour, and also the food that is available in cans and in other packages that are filled with preservatives proclaiming longer shelf life. Another very essential aspect of it is eating the food slowly so that it is digested properly. Simply, pushing down the food into the mouth and swallowing is not the right way of eating, instead enjoying every mouthful and chewing it properly helps in proper digestion and yoga diet.

The primary concern is fitness and health and it is observed that following yoga diet has enormous health benefits than clinging to pills or strict diet regimens. These may be quick fixes, but are certainly temporary solutions, besides resulting in later on side-effects. It keeps a person health and refreshed and this health benefits keeps the mind focused, besides reducing high stress levels and high blood pressure. Yoga diet does not refer to any dry and tasteless food; instead it offers a delectable vegan treat. Mind should be focused as well as open to change so that an individual achieves success and also maintains it permanently.

Yoga diet brings gradual changes and expects to eat many small snacks and meals, instead of having big meals twice a day as it increases the metabolism. Drinking water before each meal will naturally limit the eating course and drinking 8 glasses of water is a must. Exercise is essential for increasing the fitness levels and peace, besides increasing the self-esteem levels as well as improving the mood. Walking even for ten minutes and taking the stairs whenever possible is ideal to support the yoga diet.

The yoga diet is an excellent way to compliment yoga and improve your health. If you are into yoga fitness and want to change the way you eat, the yoga diet will impress you with its vast knowledge about foods and how they work in your body.

Practicing yoga might not be enough to get the energy you want. Energy can be physical and mental as many of the foods around us can drain our energy. The yoga diet actually works to bring out your energy in a good way and leave you feeling your best.

The yoga diet uses the three Gunas as a basis for its beliefs. It means that energy has three qualities that exist to create balance. There are Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. It is believed that these three things work to create inner peace. Sattva means purity, Rajas stands for activity and passion and the process of change, while Tamas stands for darkness.

To create the yoga diet you first need to make some changes to your diet. There are Sattvic foods that work with your body to help it feel healthier. This is the purest form of diets and it calms and purifies the body by giving it only pure foods. These foods include; cereals, whole-wheat bread, fresh fruits and vegetables, fruit juices and milk.

Rajastic food is anything that is hot and spicy, bitter dry and salty. It is believed that these foods work to over stimulate the brain and body. It is also noted that eating fast is also unhealthy. A few examples of these foods include; coffee and tea, spices, fish, eggs, salt and chocolate.

Tamastic food is believed to give you know benefits at all. It has been linked to energy loss and making your body feel unhealthy. Over heating is also considered Tamastic. Foods that are a part of this group consists of; meat, alcohol, tobacco, onions, garlic and vinegar.

The ideal yoga diet consists of vegetarian foods. A misconception is that vegetarians are unhealthy because they do not get enough protein. However this is a myth, there is lots of protein in nuts and dairy that many vegetarians consume daily.

Benefits to being a vegetarian include many perks. You might have a less chance of developing a heart attack, stroke, kidney disease and some cancers. You also have a less rate of obesity.

Vegetarians are allowed to eat many great foods. These include; cereals, pasta, rice, fruit and vegetables, nuts, dairy, honey, and herbs. With a diet consisting of all these foods, you are sure to be able to make meals and snacks that will be quite nutritious and tasty.

Easing into a yoga diet might take some time. You might want to take it slow. Start by including more fruit and veggies, and slowly work meat out of your diet. If you begin with small steps your success rate may be higher.

Along with becoming a vegetarian you might also want to try fasting. It is an important component of yoga. It is believed that fasting can rid the body of toxins which in turn will make you feel better. Not only is it great for toxins it is also excellent for the mind as it takes allot of mind power to fast and stay focused. And staying focused is a key component of yoga.

Yoga diet helps in setting an ideal weight and achieving spiritual and emotional balance. Yoga diet does not insist on planning a complicated menu or calorie tracking, nor does it ask you to stay hungry. Yoga diet refers to vegetarianism, as the principles of yoga regard Sattvic foods to be the ideal diet. These foods create new energy, calm mind and there by enables to use physical, mental and spiritual talents, besides being nutritious and easily digestible. Sattvic products include fresh fruits and vegetables, cereals, beans, natural fruit juice, milk, honey, butter and pure water. An ideal yoga diet focuses vegetarianism compiled of simple, natural, pure and effortlessly digestible foods that encourages the overall well-being and health.

The food cycle depends on the source of energy received from the Sun that helps in nourishing plants and hence it is believed to have vital life force, besides promoting life. Owing to this reason, the animal meat value is considered to be inferior by nature, albeit being a strong source of nutrition. Natural foods such as vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts and seeds all have varying essential nutrients in differing proportions and quantities. These are considered as they are getting easily absorbed, making the best sources of protein.

Yoga practitioners have listed fish and meat among injurious food believing that death fear pervades in every animal cell while being slaughtered. However, traditional yoga diet concentrates on lacto vegetarian and hence avoids eggs and animal meats inclusive of fish. In reality, modern research as well has given evidences that vegetarians are in better shape than non-vegetarians as the required proteins are obtainable from dairy products, nuts and legumes than that is available from fish and meat. Legumes, seeds, nuts and dairy products give sufficient proteins.

Yoga diet is appropriate with lacto vegetarian and this means it is composed of non-animal foods with the exception of milk and milk-derived products like yoghurt, cheese and butter. The research studies also state that a vegetarian diet is the best for overall health as meat proteins consume longer time to digest and are tough on the liver and kidneys. Relying on a vegetarian diet is not tough as there are adequate tasty alternatives to support the digestive system and health. However, red meats need not be cut down overnight and this can be done gradually by opting for white meats. Similarly, finding nutritious and tasty vegetarian foods will assist in relinquishing poultry, eggs and fish.

Eating fresh vegetables and fruits, and also cooking vegetables without destroying their enzyme and vitamin content with an inclusion of a few raw vegetables are recommended as yoga diet. Having whole grain foods and drinking nearly 2 liters of water everyday is mandatory. Stepping up by taking fluids having fruits and vegetable juices, herb trees, milk and vegetable milks is also suggested. Including soya, coconut, rice milk and abundant water rich foods are the best yoga diet, while steering clear of foods that are processed, sugar, white flour, fast foods, tinned foods, bottles, jars and pre-cooked meals is recommended.

Following a yoga diet does not compulsorily demand yoga practicing, but it focuses on the proven diet to reinforce a strong body and mind. Yoga insists in having a well-balanced diet to remain energized and alert throughout the day and is hence predominantly vegetarian comprising of simple, pure and natural foods.

Basically a Yoga Diet is a totally vegetarian diet. The spiritual reason behind it is the fact that people who practice yoga gain some consciousness of mind which does not allow them to eat meat of living beings. They practice kindness to all animals and lay emphasis on the benefits of vegetarian diet.

Yoga Diet has been able to stand the test of time and has been around for a number of years. It primarily consists of whole grains, cereals, fresh vegetables and fruits. Practicing it not only takes care of your health but also helps in rejuvenating your soul and spirit. Also it helps you to lose weight and remain healthy, thus making you feel better.

The main contents of a Yoga diet and the ways and means in which you can stay healthy with a yoga centered diet are discussed here.

As the yoga diet is typically a vegetarian diet without any meat or fish, the protein requirement of your body is taken care by the incorporation of beans and legumes in your diet. A good quantum of salads, sprouted beans, lentils, bean soups and dishes made from lentils and beans are instrumental in providing you the much needed protein intake. Dairy products such as milk, cheese, butter, yoghurt etc. are allowed and are helpful in providing energy to the body. Seasonal and organic vegetables are the main source of nutrition. Dishes such as curries, appetizers and entrees can be made out of such fresh vegetables.

Plenty of water intakes are recommended for a healthy mind and body. According to the prescription of a Yoga Diet, your body should get at least 2 liters of water everyday which may be consumed in the form of plain water or fruits and vegetable juices, nut milk, soy milk and other liquids. Mainly recommended food are those which can be digested easily such as juices, fruits, vegetables, milk, honey etc.

Foods which are difficult to digest must be avoided. The main concept of yoga is to keep your immune system in good shape and if you intake lots of heavily processed food which cannot be digested easily then the whole purpose of Yoga diet will be defeated. You should avoid consuming food made with white flour or white sugar and packaged food which are added with preservatives to keep them fresh for a longer period. This type of food can be detrimental to your health.

Yoga diets also prescribe that you must eat your food slowly and chew it properly before swallowing so that it can be digested easily. Fibrous foods and green leafy vegetables are most recommended for easy digestion.

If you follow a proper yoga diet and supplement it with yoga workouts, you are sure to stay fit and lose weight at earliest. This is also sure to reduce the chances of heart attack, kidney diseases, stroke and cancer. Meat lovers are more prone to cancer and heart attacks than those who follow a balanced vegetarian diet.

A well chalked out yoga diet provides all the necessary protein and minerals to your body and the yogic exercises practiced along with pure vegetarian diet provides you with spiritual rejuvenation thus making your body, soul and spirit work in the right union and yield positive results.

Indeed if someone were to say they thought Yoga was just stretching after they saw a student leave a Yoga class and later on eating at McDonald’s or something, they probably would be right.

Why?

Well, Yoga, in its entirety, includes a proper diet. One doesn’t exist without the other. This is THE factor that anyone seriously interested in taking up Yoga must understand. If one wants to do Yoga, you’ve got to include all its principles.

When I started doing yoga some 6 years back, I did extensive research on the subject of diet and Yoga. Perhaps this was fate, as co-incidentally, this was around the time that an associate had told me to look into fasting and a natural diet as a means to cure my horrendous acne at that time.

I stumbled on a book called “The Complete Illustrated book of Yoga” by Swami Vishnu-Devananda, and this had a whole chapter on diet. What he explained here made it clear that as beneficial as most- if not all- yoga poses could be for overall health, if one constantly subsists on unhealthy foods, it defeats the purpose of exercising in the first place.

This is perhaps even more important in regards to Yoga.

Why? Well, Yoga is more than just a physical exercise as Meditation, Breathing Exercises and even some Poses such as the Peacock, Shoulder-Stand and the Sun Salutations are known to have an effect on the spiritual core of one’s existence. This is rooted in one’s solar plexus and forms the basis of the Kundalini or life-force power inherent in all humans. Remember, we are mainly physical bodies living in a Spiritual World.

Now keep that point in mind as I proceed to remind you of this quote and renowned cosmic law: “You are what you eat…” Now, combine the gist of both factors and you should start to see the connection between how what you eat matters to your entire existence-physically and spiritually.

When you begin to seriously practice Yoga, it is advised that you also begin to watch what you eat. ALL the sages and pioneers of Yoga such as

Swami Sivananda, Swami Vishnu-Devananda and BKS Iyengar have all attested to this fact.

Here is Sivananda’s quote on the subject of diet and Yoga (and keep in mind he is arguably THE guru when it comes to the ‘who is who’ of Yoga)

“By the purity of food follows the purification of the inner nature…”

Swami Sivananda.

In addition here is another quote that supports his comment

“Without observing moderation of diet, if one takes to the Yogic practices, he cannot obtain any benefit but gets various diseases”

(Ghe. Sam. V-16).

Yoga has an adverse effect on yours and the spiritual forces around you, consequently eating what yoga sages coin as the Sattvic Diet (which co-incidentally is the mucus/disease free or alkaline diet of the alternative health fraternity) will be the best way to go.

Simply put, it is your fruits, roots and leafy vegetables (raw and ‘properly cooked’). This is the Yoga diet and this has to be included in your lifestyle if you seriously want to practice Yoga.

Is it a co-incidence that this is the exact diet prescribed in Gen 1: 29 in the Bible?

Is it a co-incidence that this diet forms the basis of Hippocrates’ quote “let your foods be your medicine…”?

Is it a co-incidence this is the same diet that the drug-free fraternity labels as the best for delaying aging, having brighter eyes and complexion, better muscle tone and the like?

I think not.

Heck, if you just want to do any kind of exercise and not just yoga, you will still enjoy a lot of benefits from such a dietetic lifestyle.

I’ve read of several raw-vegan or vegetarian body-builders like Stephen Arlin, David Wolfe, Scott Brodie and Bill Pearl (A 4-time Mr. Universe contest winner) who do extremely well on a similar diet, so one will be on the right track eating as such and choosing any exercise they want.

So do you want to experience all that Yoga has to give? Then remember to include perhaps its most important principle for your overall health-the Yoga diet.

Your friend in the mirror will thank you that you did. Trust me

In Friendship.

Anyone can practice yoga and not eat a specific diet. Yet, devoted yogis have paid close attention to their diet, as a part of yoga practice, for centuries. For the whole health benefit of yoga, one must pay close attention to nutrition.

Discussions about yoga, and yoga benefits, are mostly centered on the movements of the practice. The focus on holistic nutrition is often swept aside. Yet, this is an essential element of whole body health. In a society where pre-packaged foods are easier to find than fresh vegetables and fruit, no wonder we have the health problems we do.

Paying attention to what you put into your body helps you listen to your body as well. The foods that are encouraged in yoga nutrition are whole foods, mainly of lacto-vegetarian origin. Whole foods are those that are as close to their natural state as possible. No alterations or pre-processing has been done to them.

Basically, they are the simplest, most natural form, of the food available. Whole foods should be eaten close to their original source, and in season, when possible. Buy foods in their natural form, not packaged. Know the source of your food, and make sure it is as chemical and additive-free as possible.

These processed, packaged, and “spoiled,” are classified in the yoga diet as tamasic. Foods that contain excessive spices, or salt, are also classified as tamasic. These foods cause lethargy, laziness, and an intolerant temper. Sound familiar?

Have you ever felt this way after eating a meal high in salt and preservatives? You did so for good reason. These foods do not support the body’s functions or the mind’s balance. They do the exact opposite. Reason becomes foggy and emotions grow dark. Eating too much, which is nearly encouraged in our society, is also classified as tamasic. Isn’t your well-being reason enough to look at a different way of eating?

Yoga, and Ayurveda, classifies food into three categories: Rajasic, Satvic, and Tamasic. Let’s discuss two of those three categories.

Rajasic foods are stimulating and provide energy. Too much of these foods, which are sometimes high fat, can cause restlessness and weight gain. However, in moderation, they can be used in the yogic diet to perform their purpose. Foods in this category are sour or pungent foods, like onions, garlic, curry, meat, and beverages, such as coffee and teas.

The foods to focus, on including in your diet, are sattvic foods. These are the purest foods that promote health and provide an even energy. Honey, fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, lentils, yogurt and other dairy, make up much of these foods.

Rice and grains are also in this category, providing fiber and assisting digestion. Little, to no preparation, is done to the foods before consumption. In this way, nutrition goes undisturbed with foods which are served raw or lightly cooked. These foods provide the highest degree of benefits and nourish the body. Sattvic foods keep the body balanced and are the most thoroughly absorbed and incorporated.

Impure, highly processed, and synthetic foods, not only isolate the nourishing benefits of foods – they also cause imbalanced conditions. These conditions cause discomfort, obesity, and disease. Most diseases are linked to diet in a major way. Seek to create balance in your body through your diet.

Any change in diet is difficult because it is a lifestyle change. Lifestyle changes are the only way to see long-term benefits. This is why fad diets are so terrible for the body. The more widely the pendulum swings, the less equilibrium you will experience.

Ancient yogis very much understood this and sought to balance their body, mind, and spirit, in all ways. While you will find great improvement through regular yoga practice, without intentional eating, it will be limited. Make the effort to create a new life balance for yourself through the yoga diet.

Copyright 2008 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications