Importance of Diet in Meditation and Yoga Practice
Let your food choices be an instrument of Peace and Healing~
We do meditation to lighten the mind by reducing stress, anxiety, depression, worries, and overthinking what load the mind and negatively affects the body. To be more focused in meditation the body should be light and fresh. There are many types of diets, and we can talk about plenty of popular ones, which usually have a temporary effect. According to my experience and people's stories, the best way is to keep eating simple and fresh. And more importantly, give your body time to recover and stay light for making more energy which you can spend doing more activities that will fill up your life with interesting things.
Usually, when you start to do any kind of practice or sports activities you should at least take your last meal two hours before your exercise.
Yoga practice can be vigorous or soft, active or passive, and each type of practice has an energy reserve from the body. Equally important is maintaining mental alertness during practice, keeping focused will prevent the body from becoming injured. Therefore, having a light quality to the body will allow for a deeper, more purposeful practice. When your body is completely busy with the digestion process you will feel heavy and be not able to do the proper practice.
The quality of food and your nutrition choices help you stay active and energized, which is helpful when meditating or practicing asana for long periods. So, poor nutrition leads to an increase of toxins in our bodies that cause the mind to become lethargic. It says that combining the right diet with nutrition will make your focus razor-sharp. Here can be fit that a balanced body has a balanced mind.
Why do we need to eat?
It's better to eat mostly unprocessed foods that are easy for the body to digest, such as fresh fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and nuts.
Well, it says that vegetarianism or veganism can make your body more light and healthy and yoga practice more easier and effective. But it's always up to you, just you can make your decision and observe your feelings and results. You can always try and pick what is better for you.
The Importance of Mindful Eating
In a Yogic diet, it isn't only What you eat but How you eat. Mindful eating is an essential practice to uphold. Whether that be avoiding outside distractions, chewing slowly, or savoring each bite, it is vital to be present with your meal, but nowadays who does eat like this? I'll write more about this in the following posts. This allows you to stay in tune with how much food your body needs.
Studies in the United Kingdom found that "Multitasking can prompt you to eat more, slowing down and savoring your food can help control your intake". This study also found that when individuals remove outside distractions while they eat, they are more likely to notice the colors, textures, and smells of food, which improve your digestion and supports a yogic practice. We know that digestion starts in the mouth, and when you take the time to fully chew each bite, your stomach has a much easier time with digestion and processing the food. This creates a greater connection between you and your meal. It allows space for greater appreciation of your food and all that goes into creating the meal that is on your plate. And of course, from the farmers who grew it to the people who transported the food, there are so many people to be thankful for :).
Actually, I try my best to eat mindfully and be in the moment, but there are too many distractive things, like watching tv, talking to someone while eating, etc. So we should ask ourselves again and again "Are we in the present"?
We are not perfect, but it's so nice to try our best to make our life better and better! Good luck dear friends!
Stay healthy, happy, and mindful!
Namaste!