Healthy Diet

Healthly Eating For Optimum Well-being

In order to achieve optimal health, keep a goal to eat a variety of nutritious, fresh, organic, vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts, beans and legumes. A healthy diet is an important principle of yoga. You will eventually notice that eating properly will make you feel better, fitter and healthier. The Yoga Diet is a perfect complement to Yoga Exercise.

There are three types of diets. Yoga believes in three Gunas, qualities of energy or states of existence, which also apply to foods. They are Sattva (pure), Rajas (passion, activity) and Tamas (darkness).

Sattvic (pure) Diet

The Sattvic diet is the purest diet. It nourishes your body and maintains it in a calm and balanced state. It purifies the mind and enables it to function at its maximum potential.

This Diet includes:

• Milk, Butter, Cheese: source for Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Zinc and Vitamins A, B2, B3, B12, D, K

• Raw Fruits and fresh Fruit Juices: source for Folic Acids, Potassium, Enzymes & Vitamins A, C, K

• Vegetables and fresh Vegetable Juices: source for Calcium, Folic Acid, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium & Vitamins A, B2, B3, C, E, K

• Cereals, Grains, Bread: source for Calcium, Potassium, Zinc & Vitamins B1, B2, B6, K

• Nuts, Herbal Teas, Molasses, Honey (natural sugars): source for Calcium, Fluoride, Manganese, Phosphorus and Vitamins B1, B6

• Legumes (Peas, Lentils, Soybeans, Beans like Mung etc.): source for Protein, Amino Acids, Calcium and Folic Acid, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus & Vitamins B1, B6, E

• Seeds and Sprouted Seeds: source for Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium & Vitamins A, B1, B2, E, K

Rajastic (passion, activity) Diet

The Rajastic Diet is quick, over-stimulating and makes the mind restless and uncontrollable. They destroy mind/body equilibrium and excite passions. Eating in a hurry is also considered Rajastic.

This Diet includes:

• Strong Spices (hot substances)

• Stimulants, such as Coffee and Regular Teas

• Salt

• Fish

• Chocolates

Tamastic (darkness) Diet

The Tamastic Diet neither benefits the mind nor the body. The body’s resistance to disease is destroyed. Also, the mind is easily filled with negative emotions, such as anger and greed. Overeating is also considered Tamastic.

This Diet includes:

• Alcohol

• Tobacco

• Meat

• Onions

• Garlic

• Fermented Foods

• Stale Foods

The Sattvic diet is what we want to aim for. A Sattvic Diet is ideal for the body. It gives a person more vitality and energy. This diet calms the mind and emotions and makes it easier to mediate and think clearly.