Yogic Diet Tip to Achieve Full Balance of Mind and Body

Yoga is a journey of your body. Along this journey, you seek universal balance through focus, discipline, and concentration. This balance however, is not only achieved on the yoga mat or through the perfection of asana. Instead, the true balance needs to encompass all aspects of life, including food. Nourishing the body creates a foundation to nourish the mind and therefore it is important to consider what you’re eating and how it will affect your balance. Here are some diet tips that will help you nurture and rejuvenate your body.

Sattvic Foods

If you want to maintain a meditative mind, yogic and Ayurvedic philosophy suggests you indulge in a diet of sattvic foods which help to increase clarity and lightness. They calm and purify the mind and allow for a balanced flow of energy though the body. It is the purest diet for any serious yoga follower and creates a peaceful state of mindfulness. Sattvic foods include fruit, vegetables and produce such as milk, butter, cheese, nuts, seeds, and herbal teas.

Free Yourself of Chemicals and Stimulants

Yogic diets avoid stimulants like caffeine and artificial foods and substances. These foods alter the mind and prevent people from concentrating on the Divine. One way of ridding yourself of these chemicals is by adopting the Paleo Diet. This diet helps you to align the food you eat with your natural genetics. It helps us return to the diet of our ancestors and rejects sweeteners, processed foods, and chemicals.

Vegetarian Diet

You cannot achieve balance by filling your body with food that is dead. Meat takes three days to digest and therefore, can decrease the flow of energy through your body. Instead, men should eat foods that digest within 24 hours and women should eat foods that digest within 18. Uric acid found in meat also disrupts the path to a clear and meditative state as it blocks the bloodstream.

When you’re eating, remember the ideals of mindfulness. Be thankful for the food that you have received from the Earth and be sure to take time to appreciate your food. Focus on it and notice how it looks and feels before you eat it and admire how it tastes. When you eat it, eat slowly and take in how it makes you feel. This process will help you achieve mindfulness and balance both on the yoga mat and off it.