Our diet can also be considered a practice, which can help us seek universal balance. Like, yoga is a spiritual discipline, which focuses on bringing harmony between mind and body. Yogic diet or diet during yoga practices is an indispensable aspect of one’s emotional, intellectual, and spiritual development. If the diet during yoga is pure then purer will be the essence of the body. Purity of physical body leads to a purity mind and emotions.
However, eating is a very personal activity- one adapts gradually over the period of time. But the fact remains, upon developing a mindful eating practice or following a yogic diet one can get maximum benefits of yoga practices. Yogic diet plays an important role in the success of yoga practices. Especially in advanced yogic practices like pranayama and meditation, a yogic diet becomes indispensable.
What is Yoga
Yoga is an inner science, that promotes the art of healthy living. The word ‘Yoga’ is basically derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Yuj’, which means ‘to join’ or ‘to unite’. According to Yogic scriptures the regular practice of Yoga leads to the unification of individual consciousness with that of the Universal Consciousness.
Aim of Yoga
The main aim of practicing Yoga is Self-realization. Yoga is practiced to overcome all kinds of mental and physical sufferings, which leads to ‘the state of liberation’ (Moksha) or ‘freedom’ (Kaivalya). Yoga is a great tool to maintain a perfect harmony between the mind and body, man & nature. Since its inception Yoga has been catering to material and spiritual upliftment of humanity.
Types of Diet
There are three types of diets according to Srimad Bhagvad Gita viz., Sattvic diet, Rajasic diet and Tamasic diet. Sattvic diet renders pure and calm mind. While, Rajasic diet excites passion. Tamasic diet, on the contrary fills the mind with dullness, anger, darkness and inertia.
Importance of Yogic Diet During Yoga
Diet during yoga should be conducive to practices of yoga. Hence, the diet which is recommended during yoga is vegetarian and most often Sattvic. The reason why one should have vegetarian diet during yoga is – it is easily digestible and keeps one healthy and full of energy all day.
In Taittriya Upanishad food is considered as medicine- “Aushadhibhyah annam.” According to the Taittiriya Upanishad, after the creation on the earth, the various kinds of vegetation and herbs (aushadhis) on the earth became the diet of the people here. In fact, the same was supported by the father of modern medicine science – Hippocrates, as he also said “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”
What we eat is very much connected with our mind. The fact is, our mind is formed out of the subtlest portion of food. In Chandogya Upanishad Sage Uddalaka instructs his son Svetaketu “Food, when consumed becomes threefold: the gross particles become excrement, the middling ones flesh and the fine ones the mind. When curd is churned, its fine particles which rise upwards, form butter. Thus, when food is consumed, the fine particles which rise upwards form the mind. Hence verily the mind is food.”
Further it explains the impact of pure food on one’s life: “By the purity of food one becomes purified in his inner nature; by the purification of his inner nature he verily gets memory of the Self; and by the attainment of the memory of the Self, all ties and attachments are severed.”
Health Benefits of Yogic Diet
Our physical well-being very much depends on perfect nutrition than on anything else. Diet during yoga should be well-balanced and not rich. As rich diet may produce diseases of the liver, kidneys and pancreas. Well-balanced diet on the other hand helps one to grow, to work more efficiently, maintain a proper body-weight, and increase stamina.
There are many health advantages of following a yogic diet, which includes a lower risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, lack of energy, lack of high vitality, and colon cancer. Researches show people who follow a right diet during yoga usually have lower blood pressure and cholesterol readings.
Also, if people with sedentary lifestyle follow a proper diet along with their yoga practices will be benefitted immensely. “We become what we eat.”
Dietary Precautions before Practicing Yoga
- Yoga should neither be practiced just after the meals, nor when one is very hungry.
- Yoga should be practiced empty stomach.
- One can do yoga in the morning as well as in the evening, but he/she should make sure that there is a gap of 4-6 hours between the meal and the yoga practice.
- However, in case of small meal you can have gap of 3 hours.
- Also, over eating should be avoided by practitioners of yoga.
- In case of heavy meal there has to be a gap of at least 6 hours.
Yogic Diet During Yoga Practices
Vegetarian and Sattvic diet is recommended, as, such diet facilitates both spiritual and psychic advancement. Vegetarian Food impacts the mind greatly and positively, apart from keeping the body healthy.
Yogic diet should be well-balanced. As explained by Lord Krishna in his discourse with Arjuna:
युक्ताहारविहारस्य युक्तचेष्टस्य कर्मसु |
युक्तस्वप्नावबोधस्य योगो भवति दु:खहा || 17||
yuktāhāra-vihārasya yukta-cheṣhṭasya karmasu
yukta-svapnāvabodhasya yogo bhavati duḥkha-hā
Meaning: Those who follow moderate eating and recreation, are balanced at work, and regulated in sleep, can easily eliminate all sorrows by practicing Yoga.
Yoga practitioners should eat light, nutritious and Sattvic food. For instance, foods like milk, fruits, almonds, butter, green gram, cereals, etc. Needless to say, different foods produce different effects on one’s body.
Consumption of tea and sugar should be done in moderation. Or, it is good to abstain from them completely.
Yogic diet should be free of gluttons and epicureans.
One should not eat too much or too little. A yogic diet should be balanced and right. In Bhagvad Gita Lord Krishna says:
नात्यश्नतस्तु योगोऽस्ति न चैकान्तमनश्नत: |
न चाति स्वप्नशीलस्य जाग्रतो नैव चार्जुन || 16||
nātyaśhnatastu yogo ’sti na chaikāntam anaśhnataḥ
na chāti-svapna-śhīlasya jāgrato naiva chārjuna
Meaning: O Arjun, those who eat too much or eat too little, sleep too much or too little, cannot attain success in Yoga.
Foodstuffs which are stale, kept overnight, decomposed, putrid, junk, unhealthy, hot, bitter, dry, too salty, too spicy, meat, alcohol, tobacco, excess of garlic and onions , fermented foods, and overripe substances should be avoided completely. These foods are detrimental to yoga practices.
In fact, a yogic diet should be light, fresh, simple, wholesome, easily digestible and nutritious. It should comprise food items which are Sattvic in nature. Also, natural and simple eating and drinking habit should be followed by a yoga practitioner.
Final thought:
Yogic diet is especially designed for people who practice yoga and it is chiefly vegetarian. According to Sage Patanjali’s eight-fold path of Yoga, the main purpose of the yogic diet is to promote ahimsa (non-violence), Yama (Self-restraint) and Niyama (Personal observances) especially, Shaucha (cleanliness/ Purity) and Santosha (contentment).
To be happy and fetch maximum benefits of yoga, one should eat in moderation and well-balanced diet, A YOGIC DIET!!