Yoga is all about achieving balance and living a healthful, natural lifestyle. Considering this, it is no surprise that diet plays a key role in maintaining balance and health. While you will find some specific diets called a Yoga Diet, it is not necessary to stick to them without deviation.
Basically, a yoga diet could be described as a whole foods diet or a diet consisting largely of foods as close to their natural state as possible. For example, fresh strawberries are a whole food, strawberry Pop Tarts are not.
The way you treat your body will influence how you feel. Processed foods contain many unhealthy ingredients, such as sodium, Trans fats, high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavorings and artificial colorings. These ingredients can leave you feeling sluggish and out of balance.
This will negatively affect your health and your yoga practice. Scientists and nutritionists have shown that a diet high in processed foods is bad for the health and increases the risk of a broad range of illnesses, including Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and cancers.
Holistic health practitioners and some mainstream doctors believe the body can be thrown out of balance by poor diet and lifestyle choices. A healthy, whole foods diet and regular yoga practice helps return the body to balance and good health.
Many people find they are naturally drawn to whole foods and natural living after beginning to practice yoga. The overall philosophy of yoga is supported by a diet rich in whole foods.
Although some yoga practitioners are vegetarian or vegan, this is not a requirement. The basic idea is to eat foods as close to their natural state as possible. For example, free range chicken is far better than chicken nuggets, which are barely recognizable as chicken. Choosing meat and dairy products that are organic is helpful for avoiding pesticides sprayed on crops and hormones and antibiotics fed to farm animals. When purchasing packaged foods, choose brands with as few ingredients as possible or organic brands.
Consider the concept of mindfulness in your yoga practice and bring this into your menu planning and grocery shopping. Be mindful of your overall health, both now and in the future, when making purchasing decisions in the supermarket.