Written by: Dr. Shraddha Thakur
Edited by: Pratibha Thakur
yoga is an ancient practice that involves physical poses, concentration and deep breathing.
A regular yoga practice can promote endurance, strength , calmness, flexibility and well being
How does yoga work
Benefits of Yoga practice
yoga has many physical and mental benefits including-
Building muscle strength
Enhancing flexibility
Promoting better breathing
Supporting heart health
Helping with treatment for addiction
Reducing stress, anxiety, depression and chronic pain
Improving sleep
Enhancing overall well- being and quality of life
Diet management ( food before and after yoga class practice)
Food before yoga practice
1. Drink at least 8 ounces of water 30 minutes before class. If it is evening class try to drink half of your body weight in water throughout the day. For example if your weight 120 lbs , drink 60 ounces of water during the days
2. Don’t drink a lot of caffeine prior to class coffee is dehydrating and if hot yoga is our preference, we need to focus on hydrating our body
3. Do eat small snack 60-90 minutes before class if you are going for a evening class. If you are going for a morning class, eat half a banana at least 30 minutes prior
4. Don’t eat large meal prior to class. If your stomach is full, you will have hard time engaging your core, poses will be harder to get into. And you risk getting on upset stomach
5. Best is to eat a fruit 45 minutes before yoga
6. Drink water/ coconut water or to take lemon and orange for hydrate your body
7. Idea flue is a 200-300 calorie snack, consumed up to a half – 1 hour before class
A bigger meal in the 400/500 calorie should be eaten 2 to 3 hours before class
For Examples:
1. A half glass of milk and bread which is light and gives satiety
2. Fruits and juices like orange, lemon to get vitamin C
3. A nuts like almonds, cashews, walnut can give you a enough energy
4. Energizing smoothies such as banana milk shake , carrot milk shake , can be taken because it is light , hydrating and easily digestible
5. Coconut water is the best rich electrolyte aids in hydration better than water
6. Half a cup of oatmeal makes a good light pre – practice snack
7. Water melon is a water rich fruit that is also low in acid that can help you stay hydrated and energized during warrior poses
8. Yoghurt is a great snack protein which is protein rich snack that is lactose, a naturally occurring sugar that will give you sustained energy
Food post yoga practice
Early morning class (4 -8 am)
When doing asana between 4-8 am it’s must do in empty stomach. After the session, it is recommended to hydrate with at least ½ liter water with a fat, protein and carbohydrate
For example:
1. Soya sprouted toast and veggies
2. Smoothie with fruit, greens
3. Oatmeal in almond milk with berries and walnuts
4. Homemade cooked any style of breakfast idily / poha / Upma
Lunch time class (9 – 11 am)
Take some light before a class then consume a nice balanced lunch afterwards the idea are –
1. Salad with whole meal like chapati + rice + dal + curd
2. Salad + chapati + veggies + curd
Mid – afternoon class (4 – 6 pm)
It is important to digest your lunch when you take a mid – afternoon class so take light snack after the class
1. An apple/ any fruit
2. A mix with nuts and seeds
3. Some sprouts with veggies
4. Brown Bread with any nuts butter
Early evening class (6 – 9 pm)
Anyway you will have a small snack before class early class mean you are saving dinner until after class. So we have tips to refuel your body without interrupting your sleep
1. A soup with veggies, beans or lentils barely
2. Salad
What should you eat before and after
1. Though it is ideal to do yoga early morning and on an empty stomach, considering today’s hectic lifestyle people have to squeeze in their exercise and yoga practice whenever they find the time
Eating the right food before and after yoga is thus crucial to it’s success, also when to eat
2. Though heavy meals should be avoided, in case it happens . Allow 3- 4 hours to pass before starting your yoga practice
3. 1-2 hours after a light meal and 30 – 45 minutes after having juice, fresh fruits etc and 15 minutes after drinking if yoga is done in the morning, shortly after waking up , on an empty stomach is preferred
4. However, if the practice is started 1-2 hours after waking up , one’s metabolic rate and food requirements should be considered.
It may be advisable to have easy to digest food like fresh fruits ( bananas are a great source of potassium) or juice at least 45 minutes before practice
5. In case of a fast metabolism or long and fairly strenuous travel to reach ( by public transport or driving one’s car )
Nuts , dry fruit or even light snack( slow energy releasing food like dairy products, grains) may also be considered as a feeling of hunger will be distracting during practice and the body may not have enough energy to perform asanas efficiently
6. If yoga can not be done in the morning the second best time is in the evening before dinner, given one is not tired
The same rules apply in terms of food
Before as in case of late morning yoga
7. Dinner after yoga practice should be light with plenty of protein- rich food
An ideal yogic diet
Would consist of grain , dairy product, vegetables, fruits, nuts, honey and nutritive roots
Pure water
Herbal tea
Nuts and Seeds- raw
Natural unrefined oils including olive oil, coconut oil, sunflower oil, sesame oil, ghee and butter
Sattvic foods plant based and include seasonal fruit and vegetables, pulses, herbs, nuts , grain
13 foods to avoid on a yogic diet
1. Added sugar
2. Added salt
3. Onion and garlic
4. Meat
5. Fish
6. Poultry
7. Eggs
8. Processed foods
9. Artificial sugar
10. Alcohol
11. Caffeine
12. Fried foods
13. Spicy food
DO'S
1. Saucha means cleanliness – an important pre requirement for yoga practices. It includes cleanliness of surroundings, body and mind
2. Asana should be practiced on empty stomach. Consume small amount of honey in lukewarm water if you feel weak
3. Bladder and bowels should be empty before starting yogic practice
4. Practice sessions should start with a prayer or an invocation as it creates a conducive environment to relax the mind
5. Yogic practices shall be performed slowly in a relaxed manner, with awareness of the body and breath
6. A warm up loosening exercise and stretches before asana is mandatory to avoid injuries
7. Asana should be done slowly and one should move to advanced posture with practice
8. Try to eat Sattvic food ( avoid meat , eggs , onion, garlic and mushrooms from diet)
9. Stay hydrated before going into yoga practice
10. Wear supportive and comfortable clothing. Light and comfortable cotton clothes are preferred to facilitate easy movement of the body
11. Yoga should be practice in a well ventilated room with a pleasant draft of air
12. Use a mat with a good grip to do yoga asana
13. Be aware of breathing while doing yoga asana
14. Complete the yoga session with relaxation techniques to cool down
15. Do not hold the breath unless it is specially mentioned to do so during the practice
16. Breathing should be always through the nostrils unless instructed otherwise
17. Do not hold the body tight or give undue jerk to the body
18. Perform the practices according to one’s capacity. It takes some time to get good results, so persistent and regular practice is very essential
19. There are contraindications/ limitations for each yoga practice and such contraindication should always be kept in mind
20. Yoga session should end with meditation/ deep silence/ sankalpa/ santi paths etc
DONT'S
1. Yoga should not be performed in a state of exhaustion, illness, in a hurry or in an acute stress conditions
2. Women should refrain from regular yoga practice especially asanas during their menses. Relaxation techniques and pranayama can be done instead
3. Don’t preform yoga immediately after meals. Wait until 2 to 3 hours after a large meal
4. Don’t shower or drink water or eat food for 30 minutes after doing yoga
5. During illness, surgeries or any sprains or fractures, one should refrain from yoga practice . They can resume yoga after consulting experts
6. Don’t do strenuous exercise after yoga
7. Don’t practice yoga in adverse and extreme weather conditions ( too hot , too cold , too humid)
What is the yogic diet
The consumption of natural unprocessed food that prom spiritual , mental and physical health and aligns with yogic philosophy.
It's based primarily on the yogic principles of Ahimsa , Sattva, and saucha .
Ahimsa
Is commonly translated to non- violence. Ahimsa is the idea that all living things are connected and that the world would be a better place if you do not harm living things. The most obvious way to not cause harm is to reduce or eliminate the consumption of meat and dairy products
Sattva
Is state of equanimity that yogic practice aim to cultivate A diet that is abundant in Sattva foods
Will promote a calm heart and a clear mind. Sattvic food generally vegetables, whole grain and beans, mild healing spices and other mildly sweet fruit and vegetables
Saucha
Is the practice of purity and cleanliness. One of the simplest ways to promote saucha is to remove or reduce impurities in your body by only eating organic foods, which are free of chemicals
The three types of foods
According to the techniques of Ayurveda ( knowledge of life) ( Sanskrit: Anna) can be divided into three groups
1. Tamsic food
Is not good for you. It reduce the PRANA in your body and will fill you up with strong, dark urges such as greed or anger coupled with a lack of proper skills.
Tamsic food include - meat , fish , alcohol, drugs, too much medication, overripe or even rotten foods ( ice crystals damage the cell walls) warmed up food ( PRANA escapes) and above all , too much food
2. Rajasic food
Make you restless- your body, your mind and your emotions. To avoid this reduce the following foods to a minimum egg, coffee, black tea, white sugar, white flour, and all the products there of hot spices, sour and bitter food.
Rajasic is also too scoff your body insufficient chewing and to mix to many different food in one meal
3. Sattvic food
Everything that brings PRANA . Is easily digestible and makes your mind light and peaceful. This food lets your mental and spiritual abilities flourish Sattvic is the ideal food for every yogi and every Yogini
Sattvic diet consists of the following food groups
Grains-
whole rice , millet, buckwheat, whole wheat, semolina, Rey , barley
Legume-
Lentils in all colors- beans field beans, azuki beans, soya bean and soy products such a tofu and tempeh, soy milk , peas - chickpeas, green peas , yellow peas . to make legume digestible they must be well cooked and soft best to soak them the day before you want to use them
Vegetables, fruits and salads -
Use fresh seasonal vegetables , fruits and local vegetables and fruits. The most PRANA in your body will get out of raw vegetables but caution.
Start with just one or two changes and see how you feel. Slowly explore and add more changes a you can . Most importantly make sure these changes do not create stress or imbalance in your life.
Yogic diet benefits
1.Add weight loss -
Yogic diet mainly focuses on fresh fruits, vegetables and grains and plants food .
This eventuality leads to a healthier diet pattern overall
These foods are high in fiber so they are very helpful in controlling for longer as this food stay in your body for a while and all the food items include are nutrient dense all this together result in healthy weight loss.
2. Improve digestion -
Whole grains and fruits are high in fiber, hence this diet overall helps to improve gut health. Green leafy vegetables, fruits and grains increase the bulk in stools in hence bowel movements are improved.
Therefore another benefit of yogic diet is improving digestion.
3. Removal of toxins -
Body removes toxins on a daily basis in the form of faeces , urine and sweat it brings a lot of improvement in your body. Various fruits like berries and lemon also help to detoxify your system. And as there is less intake of toxins during this diet, eventually the body feels better.
4. Boost metabolism -
Yogic diet includes a lot of raw foods our body spends more calories in digestion of food . Healthy food also helps you improve metabolism. You also feel lighter as diet is majorly plant based, because our body has to digest simpler foods
5. Improves mood and increased energy -
Yogic diet focuses on the spirituality of your body including yoga in your routine along with this diet can be have very significant improvement in mental state of a person. It makes you calmer and stress free. It also has positive impact on both physical and spiritual energy.
Tips for yogic diet
Only eat when you are naturally hungry ( appetite is not hunger)
Only eat again after the last meal is digested ( about 4 hours)
No snacks
Eating a heavy meal for lunch - digestion is stronger at this time of the day
Chew slowly and throughy - digestion start in the mouth
Eat with awareness- focus your food and appreciate it
Peace at the tables- no discussion while eating do not eat while standing, do not eat under stress
Stop before you are full
The technique of HATHA YOGA recommend filling your stomach half full with food ( that about two hands full) 1/4 with water and leaving the rest empty
Eat accordingly to the season , your region and your constitution type ( VATA , PITA, or KAPHA)
Change your diet gradually rather than suddenly
How about yogic diet help
If you stick to the yogic diet, you will find back to your natural instincts that tell you what is good and what is bad for you
Your yoga practice will get a boost and you can enter a new level of consciousness
Your taste sensation will change and the appetite for Tamsic and Rajasic food will fade.
Yogic diet has been developed to let you move forward on your spiritual path. Even if enlightenment is not your goal you will quickly feel the effect of the yogic diet, your body is healthy resilient and you self- healing power are activated.
Final conclusion
Eating is not merely an enjoyment. It essentially makes us who we are physically and mentally. Our diet plays a vital role in keeping our well- being at all levels by making our systems function in rhythm.
A yogic diet is undoubtedly the way forward toward a sustainable, healthy and contented life style. If you are following yoga on your mat and feeling positive about it, try bringing it to your kitchen and in your eating habits too.
Let the yogic diet bring you closer to a peaceful life style.