Essential Yoga diet means the diet that you are in need of to make your health toned up by all means. Actually there is no such diet referred to as the Yoga diet, you can go after your own sweet will. But you have to brood over the matter that the foods you are taking must have nutritive value and they are easily digested. As you are practicing Yoga you have to take such types of foods that can be easily assimilated and offer you the health benefits. To enjoy the health benefits of Yoga all you have to do is to opt for simple diet, nothing anything special. Whatever you take at hand can be the essential Yoga diet. Taker into account the matter that the diet you take is, in a word, balanced diet.
Diet and three Gunas
According to the ancient scriptures three Gunas, actually three vital energies, control the balance of our total body system. These three are Sattwa, Raja and Tama. Sattwa means absolutely pure. This quality makes a man divine, religious, pious, charitable; to be more precise, a godly kind of man. Raja Guna makes a man brave. He never dares to withstand any challenge. A true hero in the true sense of the term, always ready to fight with those who oppose. Tama Guna makes man lethargic, quarrelsome, a perfect glutton. He cares only for his own, bothers for nobody, hankers after money and earthly pleasures.
Now the sages in their inscriptions have mentioned the diet of those three types of men. Sattwik man prefers that food that is easily digested, such as milk, fruits and vegetables. The Rajasik man prefers wine, meat, starch and the Tamasik man opts for only those foods that are hardly digestible. Spicy palatable dishes are the only things they prefer most.
What to eat?
As Yoga is related to 'Tapa' or meditation, to keep the mind under strict control, so that any disturbance can not distract the perfect diet is mentioned in the time of Yoga practice. The diet should be such that do not bring any discomfort to the body. Actually Yogis practice Yoga to bring the body and the mind under total control. Hence such foods should not be enlisted in the diet that cause absolute disturbance. The Yogis opine that if you take meager meal but in due time you can get elegant health benefits. You are sure to wonder that these Yogis lived for hundreds of years. Still today there are so many Yogis in the remote corners of the Himalayas whose age can never be detected. How do they live? Absolutely they sustain their lives with the aid of meager meal, with the constant practice of Yoga.
Go for vegetables
It is easy to say but difficult to take the foods referred to in the scriptures right now, at this internet age. Sattwik diet is preferable but you can not find enough satisfaction in it. It is better to take vegetables after your own sweet will. Take green vegetables in the form of curry (never spicy) or salad. Green vegetables have the proper nutrients; hence if you take them you will never be duped. Lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, beans, gourds, pumpkins, cauliflowers, cabbages, broccolis, carrots, beets, grains, cereals, Potatoes, red potatoes, to some extent bitter gourd, pea nuts can be taken in the form of salad, soup or curry. Salad must be taken twice a day, with lunch and dinner. The fibers containing in the vegetables clear your bowels and you can dodge many digestive problems.
Nutritional Value of Milk
Milk is absolutely a complete food. Those who are ready to practice Yoga, if possible, can take some milk. In this complicated WORLD, infested with lots of diseases and maladies, inflicted with GREEN HOUSE EFFECT AND GLOBAL WARMING, it is really impossible to think of leading a healthy life. But you have to. There is no option other than taking the stale materials especially in the countries of the third world. What you are now consuming is nothing but poison, the vegetables are grown with rampant use of manures and pesticides. Actually if you have any means to have pure milk you can consume it after your capacity and get back the essential vigor.
Egg or fish as essential Yoga diet
Actually these two are referred to as the non Sattiwik food. But they can give you proper health benefits. Egg is the only thing that can never be adulterated. Fish especially those packed with Omega Fatty Acids can be taken in limited quantity. If you are not vegan you are bound to take these two things. BUT IF YOU SUFFER FROM HYPERTENSION, DIABETES OR HEART AILMENTS YOU HAVE TO CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE OPTING FOR THOSE ITEMS.
Avoid fast food
There is no other way than to stop taking fast foods. Cheese, pizzas, burgers, ice creams, pastries, soft drinks may be mouth watering but the only thing they can do is to do harm to your digestive system. Again purees, samosas, halowa, golgappas, bhel-purees, chapattis, biriyani, anything fried must be forsaken. They contain no food value. They are absolutely tasty but hastily lead you to the verge of catastrophe. Make your children aware of the deadly effects of the fast foods. Rather encourage them to take bread, butter, fruits and nuts.
Take seasonal fruits
Yes fruits are absolutely mandatory if you want to enjoy the yoga health benefits. Fruits like apples, pears, bananas, mangoes, watermelons, guavas, grapes, pomegranates, oranges, musambis can be taken after your financial capacity. Do not take the juice of fruits; rather it is better to opt for them whole, cutting in to pieces. The fiber contents in the fruits help in digestive process. You can take dried fruits like cashew, nuts, pistachio, dates too in proper quantity.
Finally, for effective results
All you have to do is to curb your greed by all means. Greed is the main foe of you when you aspire for yoga health benefits. Take meager meals three or four times. Never take anything at a time. At any cost try to give up smoking, taking wine, or any other addiction if you have. You practice Yoga for health benefits so if you go all out for absurd things how can you hit the bull?
