Yogic Diet
The human body needs food for two reasons: as fuel to produce the energy it needs and as a raw material to regenerate the body and continuously renew the tissues. A pure and natural diet is the best way to support our body’s two basic needs.
"Let the yogi eat moderately and abstemiously; otherwise, however clever, he cannot gain success."
All energy comes from the sun. So the closer our food is to this source, the more energy it has. Human beings can only draw vitamin D and life energy (prana) directly from the sun, whereas plants use photosynthesis to convert sun energy into matter. Therefore, a vegetarian diet delivers nutrients directly ‘from the source’. Meat or fish, by contrast, contains only ‘second hand’ nutrients – the natural energy of the plants has already been metabolised in the body of the animal.
We are what we eat. This is true in more ways than one. We need food to maintain the functioning of our body. But food also has more subtle effects: it forms the substance of our mind and can thus influence the mind in a very subtle way. This is another reason why we should eat natural foods. Fresh, light and nutritious food keeps the body trim and flexible, the mind clear and sharp and makes both body and mind receptive for the yoga practice.
If we ignore the basic principles of healthy eating, we will eventually pay the price – in the form of physical ailments. A balanced vegetarian diet should therefore consist of the following elements:
Carbohydrates and fat are the main sources of energy for the smooth functioning of the organs. Proteins, minerals and water are needed for the continual regeneration of the cells. Vitamins and minerals are necessary to regulate bodily processes and to maintain hormonal and enzymatic functioning.
Experts recommend that our diet should consist to 55% of carbohydrates, 30% of fat and 15% of proteins.
The menu of a yogi is made up of grains, pulses, plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds and a small amount of dairy products. This diet is wholesome, well-balanced, easy to digest and supplies the body with a maximum of nutrients and energy.
In order to prevent diseases, it is not enough to eat natural foods. Day in, day out, we are exposed to an overload of toxins and unhealthy environmental factors, such as polluted air and water, pesticides in our food, electromagnetic pollution and so on.
Effective prevention of diseases is therefore only possible when the five points of yoga are observed:
