In today’s fast-paced world, where convenience and taste often take precedence over nutrition, it’s essential to revisit the ancient wisdom of Satvik food. Rooted in Ayurvedic principles, Satvik cuisine emphasizes the importance of consuming wholesome, pure, and easily digestible foods that nourish both body and soul. By adopting a Satvik approach to our daily diet, we can cultivate a deeper connection with our inner selves, promote overall well-being, and foster a more harmonious relationship with the world around us.
CHRONOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE OF DAILY DIET
1. Brahma Muhurt Jagran (waking up early in the morning)
- Two hours before sunrise viz(4.30-5.00 AM).
- This is when the mind and the entire environment remain calm and pollution-free.
2. Defecation (natural care)
- The urge to pass stools and urine etc. should never be stopped, nor should it be done forcefully.
- Many diseases can arise by stopping the urges.
3. Dant Dhavan (Protection of teeth):
- Use a fresh toothbrush, and use Neem (Azadirachta indica), Khadir (Acacia catechu), etc.
- Cleaning your teeth eliminates bad odor.
4. Nasya
- Put two drops of Anu tail in the nose ( Ayurvedic medicine).
- It prevents premature graying of hair & baldness and ensures sound sleep.
5. Gandush (mouth washing)
- Fill the mouth with Triphala Kwath or other medicated oil.
- Prevents excessive thirst, and improves taste and oral health problems.
6. Abhyanga (oil massage)
- Use sesame oil daily.
- Keeps the skin soft, improves blood circulation, and removes dirt.
7. Exercise
- Exercise at half your capacity.
- Increase in stamina and resistance power and improvement in body blood circulation
8. Bath
- Take a bath for half an hour after exercise.
- Improves appetite, boosts energy, and eliminates body odor
9. Food
- Avoid spicy food, eat tasty nutritious food, and do not overeat.
- Provides rapid growth and strength.
10. Follow the Ayurvedic principles.
- Do not practice violence.
- Keep a cheerful attitude and help the needy.
- Maintains mental peace and a pleasant environment.
11. Keep the sleeping environment calm and pleasant.
- Ignore daytime sleep i.e. do not sleep during the day.
- Provides health and longevity. Improves physical shape and mood.
IMPORTANCE OF FOOD IN YOGASANA-
Time, health, and their connection money have no label on these three. But when we lose them, then we realize their true value. It is said that the first happiness is a healthy body and for attaining this happiness, a person must give up the reasons that cause pain.
What are the reasons that cause pain?
I sleep late at night, get up late in the morning, live an inactive life, eat the wrong diet, and do not do yoga. The most important among these is my wrong diet because 80% of the diseases in the body occur only due to the incorrect diet.
In life, we survive on one-third of what we eat, and doctors survive on the remaining part.
- Whatever we eat throughout the day from waking up in the morning to sleeping at night, plays an important role in perfecting yoga postures. Diet plays an important role in yoga postures.
- Lord Shri Krishna also said in the Gita that without a proper diet, yoga practice is not beneficial.
- Looking at the current situation, yoga has become a necessity for mankind because yoga is not just a process to cure diseases, but a method of all-round development.
- It leads to our physical, mental, and spiritual development.
The purpose of yoga is to cure all diseases of the body, relieve the mind from stress, and establish a connection of the soul with God.
- According to international research, we can increase 1/3 of our working capacity only by practicing yoga.
- But this will be possible only when our diet is balanced, timely, easily digestible, sattvic, and pure.
- Whatever we consume as food, its nutrients are separated in the form of juice by the digestive system and distributed to all other organs through the blood circulation system.
- The juice obtained after the digestion of food is used as energy in our body. This makes the body healthy, flexible, and strong.
- Therefore, we get a lot of benefits from yoga practice.
If our food is heavy, made of lime or refined flour, it will make the body stiff, due to which we will not be able to master the asanas.
- 50-60 years ago our diet was pure and there was no trend of junk food or outside food, people used to eat only home-cooked food.
There are mainly three types of food- Tamasik, Rajasik, and Satvik.
Do you know that only with food does our body become healthy and energy is generated in the body, our body develops in a balanced manner and we get the power to fight diseases? It has been said about food that as the food hurts, so does the mind.
The first is Tamasic food.
- Tamasic food is dominated by Tamoguna which means laziness.
- It creates laziness in the body, that is, Tamasic food is forbidden for a yoga practitioner.
- This food provides less nutrition to our bodies. Cold food, stale food, canned food, meat, fish, eggs, and cold beverages come in this category. As far as possible, we should avoid Tamasic food because it becomes an obstacle in Sadhana.
The second is Rajasic food.
- As the name suggests, it is the food that kings and emperors used to eat.
- Such food is prepared by frying in oil and frying in mortar and pestle.
- This food is tasty and heavy to eat. But it is difficult to digest.
- Hence, yoga practice is very important.
- Like Tamasic food, Rajasic food is also not considered appropriate for those who do not consume food because it brings heaviness to the body and increases unnecessary burden on the digestive system, due to which there is a fear of liver damage.
The third is Satvik food
- All kinds of seasonal fruits, vegetables, especially green leafy vegetables, and salads come under the Satvik diet.
- Among these, Amla is of special importance because it is the only fruit whose properties are not destroyed by cooking and one Amla contains 7 times more Vitamin C than lemon.
- It can be eaten in any form. It can also be used in the form of jam, pickle, chutney or powder.
- Similarly, knead the leaves of Drumstick (Moringa) in flour and make roti. These leaves contain 17 times more calcium than milk. Among pulses, eat whole pulses with peel.
- Eat rotis made of millet flour and maize flour in winter.
- Millet flour contains a lot of iron, which is very good for bones.
- Bones become strong, the body gets energy. Eat mushrooms, flaxseed, and sprouted grains.
- You get plenty of vitamins A, B, C, and E in sprouted grains. Flaxseed is rich in fiber, which helps the body to absorb sugar and fat.
- So, in a satvik diet also, you will get all the nutrients like iron, vitamins, fiber, potassium, folic acid, calcium, vitamin D, etc. All kinds of these seasonal fruits and seasonal salads are very useful in this.
Therefore, satvik food is of great importance and is considered the best for a yogi because eating satvik food makes our thinking positive and our thoughts become pure and altruistic. We live our lives in service, sadhana and dedication. Therefore, to energize the body, take satvik food and practice yoga regularly because yoga is the only complete method that makes a person physically, mentally, and spiritually strong. If there is any best way to live life, then it is yoga and a satvik diet.
In conclusion, embracing a Satvik diet is not just a matter of personal choice, but a conscious decision to live in harmony with nature, our bodies, and our minds. By incorporating Satvik principles into our daily lives, we can experience profound transformations in our physical, mental, and emotional health. As we journey towards a more balanced and sustainable lifestyle, let us remember that the path to true wellness begins with the food we eat and the intentions with which we nourish our bodies and souls.
ALSO- https://yogvedalife.com/breathing-easy-the-role-of-ayurvedic-medicine-in-mitigating-air-pollution/