The Yoga Guide to Diet

Yoga has become an overwhelmingly popular fitness trend in the United States, particularly over the last decade, and with good reason. The health benefits of the physical practice of yoga postures and stretches are many, including decrease in stress, management of chronic pain and illness, weight management, improved strength, tone and posture. Some studies even suggest that this sort of Yoga practice enhances mood and cognitive function. Unfortunately, most Westerners are missing the big picture when it comes to the benefits, traditions, and history of genuine Yoga~ and missing out on some major rewards!

Yogic practice involves much more than simply learning a number of poses, breathing and meditation. Diet is a key component is successful Yoga practice, but is often overlooked or neglected in Western schools of Yoga. Fortunately, diet is one of the easiest changes we can make, and it pays off in a big way. To understand how to reap these benefits, one must understand the concepts and reasons behind eating like a Yogi.

A Yogic diet is a completely vegetarian and spiritually conscious diet, rooted in a complex belief system. While we in the Western world have been taught that the 'top of the food chain' would be made up of carnivores that feed on other animals, Yogic thought is exactly the opposite~ believing that foods that thrive on sunlight (the source of all life) hold the spot at the top , and animals that devour these things are inferior sources of nutrition, more difficult to absorb or to derive any positive benefit from. Science has proven this concept to be valid from a health viewpoint, as studies have shown again and again that a vegetarian diet can help in the control, and possibly prevention of, diabetes, obesity,hypertension and even cancer~ but those are just the physical benefits of a diet based in the concepts of Yoga. The spiritual benefits are much more profound.

In Yoga the consumption of meat is considered 'Tamasic' . The consumption of things that are Tamasic drains the energy (Prana) from the mind and body of the yoga practitioner and replaces it with darkness, sluggishness and anger. Drugs are also considered Tamasic. In Yoga these things cloud the mind and interfere with spiritual growth, balance and union~ the basic reasons for doing yoga in the first place. Tamasic foods should be avoided at all times by the yoga practitioner, as they are very detrimental.Other foods that should be avoided by the Yoga practitioner include foods that are considered rajasic.

Rajasic foods are not as bad as Tamasic and they include all those that contain stimulants~ coffee, tea and chocolate as well as all things that are excessively strong to the palate, such as fish, hot and spicy dishes and so forth and so on. The mechanism behind rajisic foods is different, but the outcome is, in a sense, the same~ interference with the spiritual growth and benefits derived from the practice of yoga. rajasic foods are not as detrimental to the mind and body as those that are Tamasic, but they are just not ideal (Sattvic) .

A perfect diet for a yoga practitioner would be made up of beans, lentils, soy and other vegetable sources. For many Westerners, who have grown up in a meat and two veggies world, this can be an intimidating change to make, but a very worthwhile change indeed. With vegetarianism becoming much more common for a myriad of reasons these days, there has never been a better time to go veg. Resources are plentiful for the new vegetarian on the internet. It is now easy to find recipes, diet tips, tips on substitutions, and other resources, with a simple search.

If you enjoy doing yoga but do not feel that you are reaping the full benefit of your efforts, perhaps it is time to look deeper into the philosophy and practice of this ancient spiritual art.