yogic Diet......

It is said that our level of development, mental and spiritual, is reflected in the kind of food we eat and our stage of consciousness is revealed in the nature of that chosen food. Both yoga and ayurveda advice on a sattvic or a pure vegetarian diet. Such a diet, it is believed, encourages the development of the higher qualities of peace, love and spiritual awareness. Yoga and Ahimsa The basis of an ideal sattvic diet is the attitude of ahimsa or nonviolence. A sattvic or ascetic diet is first and foremost purely vegetarian, eschewing all such methods which involve the killing or harming of animals. In addition, a lot of emphasis is put on natural foods, i.e., foods grown in harmony with nature, on good soils, ripened naturally, cooked in the right manner and with the right attitude of love. Partaking of a diet such as this helps in the development of prana or vital energy and spiritual consciousness. Since the aim of a yogic diet is the development of air and ether elements (vata), it is best suited not only for detoxification of the body but also for widening the parameters of our mind (according to both yoga and ayurveda, the mind is basically composed of vata elements). And for the same reason, die-hard yogis recommend raw food coupled with frequent fasts. They believe that a reduction in the body ultimately results in the expansion and development of the mind—increasing detachment and lowering our physical consciousness while raising the spiritual counterpart. Nonviolent yogic diets consider not only the doshas or the ayurvedic humors of vata, pitta and kapha but also the role of prana. Good raw foods, such as cucumbers, radishes, carrots, tomatoes, sprouts, cilantro, parsley together with spices like ginger, cayenne, cinnamon and basil, flushes both the mind and the body with pranic energy. Traditionally, raw foods, grains and dairy products are used for cleansing the nadis or the channels of the subtle body because they bring with them an increase in prana. A combination of yogasana, pranayama, mantra, meditaion and a yogic diet works wonders for those intent on cleansing both the physical and the subtle body. Legends have it that the great yogis of yore lived on air and prana alone! But it is possible for slightly lesser mortals to live on water, a little fruit, milk and clarified butter (ghee) too.

Foods to Eat: • Fresh, sweet fruits of all types, preferably taken whole. • All vegetables except onions and garlic. • Whole grains, such as rice, wheat and oats. • Ideally beans like mung, aduki and tofu, other types in moderation. • Not overly roasted or salted nuts and seeds such as almonds, coconuts, walnuts, pecans and sesame. • Butter, ghee (clarified butter) and all good natural plant-based oils like sesame, olive and sunflower. • Dairy products like milk, ghee, yogurt and cottage cheese from dairy animals who've been treated well. • Natural sugars such as jaggery, honey, maple syrup and molasses. • Ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, fennel, cumin, coriander, turmeric, mint, basil, fenugreek and other such sweet spices. • Herbal teas, natural water and fresh juices, particularly of the lemony kind. • Foods prepared with love and consciousness.

Foods to Avoid : • Meat, fish and eggs. • Artificial, processed and junk foods. • Canned food, except naturally canned fruits and tomatoes. • Animal fats, margarine and poor quality oils. • Factory farm dairy products. • Garlic, onions and other over-spiced food. • Fried food. • White sugar and white flour. • Artificial sweeteners. • Old, stale, over and reheated food. • Alcohol, tobacco and all other stimulants. • Tap water and artificial beverages. • Microwaved and irradiated food. • Genetically engineered food. • Foods eaten in a disturbed environment or eaten too quickly. THANKYOU........