“When you listen to yourself, everything comes naturally. It comes from inside, like a kind of will to do something. Try to be sensitive. That is yoga.”

Yoga has become a very important part of the modern lifestyle. The hustle, the bustle and the fast living have made yoga an essential, a must for a healthy lifestyle. Today on the occasion of the International Yoga diet, let’s talk about the Yoga diet. If you haven’t heard of it yet, now is the time to learn about it. Let’s begin-

It goes without saying that a well-balanced nutritious diet has a huge impact on your physical and mental well-being. The yogic diet is based on the yoga principles of purity (sattva), nonviolence (ahimsa), and balanced living. It consists of foods with sattvic qualities, which increase energy and create balance in the mind and body.  Rajasic and Tamasic foods are limited or eliminated whenever possible, as their low vibration or life force and inherent toxins reduce the vitality of the person eating them.

SATVIC FOOD	RAJASIC FOOD	TAMASIC FOOD
Sattvic foods are those which purify the body and calm the mind	They stimulate the body and mind into action. In excess, these foods can cause hyperactivity, restlessness, anger, irritability, and sleeplessness	Tamasic food are those that dull the mind and bring about inertia, confusion and disorientation
Cooked food that is consumed within 3-4 hours can be considered sattvic	Overly tasty foods are Rajasic	Stale or reheated food, oily or heavy food and food containing artificial preservatives fall under this category
Examples - Fresh fruits, green leafy vegetables, nuts, grains, fresh milk, certain spices	Examples – Spicy food, onion, garlic, tea, coffee, fried food	Example – Non-vegetarian diet, stale food, excessive intake of fats, oil, sugary food

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Yoga also prescribes a more personalized diet according to the nature of our constitution. Food that might be favourable for someone might be harmful for a person of another constitution. It is best to consult an Ayurvedic physician to decide what kind of food is necessary for you and which should be avoided.

So in order to follow the Yogic diet to the best in the modern world, try to follow these points-

• Eat seasonal vegetables and fruits only!
• Reduce the amount of meat consumption if not remove it completely.
• Reduce the amount of oil in daily cooking, stick to mustard oil.
• Eat at regular intervals and allow space between meals.
  Do not eat anything before 3 hours of Sleeping.
• Eat with mindfulness and a positive attitude!

And of course, don’t forget to practice yoga daily!