You Are What You Eat: Develop a Stress-free Diet for Better Heath

Believe it or not, what you eat plays an important role in your pure inner nature. This basically means that the food you put into your body stimulates more than your digestive track but also affects the entire body and mind, causing both mental and physical stress. By eating maintaining a proper, well balanced diet one can create a balance between the mind and body.

Our bodies need to take in fuel in the form of food at regular intervals. Keep in mind that whatever enters the mouth will be broken down into usable forms and transported through the entire body via the bloodstream to all the cells.

A proper diet has several basic components, such as fiber, carbohydrates and vitamins. All these are essential to the body for it to function at its best. A healthy body leads to a healthy mind.

Avoid substances that are over stimulating such as onions, garlic, coffee, tea and tobacco as well as heavily spiced and salted items. Fast foods, refined sugar, soft drinks and chocolate are also placed in this category. These foods arouse animal passions, bring a restless state of mind and can make a person over active, thus destroying the mind/body balance that is essential for happiness.

Some substances produce feelings of heaviness and lethargy. These are meat, fish, eggs, drugs and alcohol. Avoid undercooked and over cooked foods as well as those containing preservatives. Individuals that over eat these foods tend to suffer from depression.

The best foods are those that calm the mind and sharpen the intellect. These substances are pure, wholesome, and naturally delicious, without preservatives or artificial additives. These foods include fresh and dried fruits and berries, 100% fruit juice, fresh vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds, whole-grain breads, honey, fresh herbs, herbal teas, and dairy products. This diet is easily digested and supplies maximum energy thus increasing vitality, strength, and endurance. A balance between mind and body is maintained.

Try to keep meals on a regular schedule. Eat slowly and savor your food. Chew it completely, remembering that digestion begins in the mouth. Eat only four or five different foods at a meal. Complex mixtures can be hard to digest and may interfere with vitamin and mineral absorption.

Do not overload your system. Fill half the stomach with food, one quarter with liquid, and leave the rest empty. This allows the stomach to digest the food properly and reduces gas.

Some people believe fasting helps maintain a healthy system. This voluntarily refraining from eating is considered one of nature's greatest healing agents. It gives the whole digestive system a rest, allowing the body to cleanse itself. Usually one day of fasting each week maintains good health and mental state. Be sure to consult with an expert for guidance.

For more information read the book "Yoga, Mind and Body" by Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center, published by DK Publishing, Inc.