瑜伽6- 瑜式飲食

（筆記 only）

Yoga is not about weight loss, it is about bringing us home, that is our body. It shows how delicate and complicated as the same time the body is.

The digestive system, for example, is a complicated system in the body. It sends messages to let us know whether the food we take in is good or not. To eat is to give oneself energy and not the other way around. So, if the food taken in makes us tired, dull or even sick, they are either unhealthy or unsuitable to us. Generally speaking, food should be light and easy to digest; there should be no gas to produce, nor discomfort or pain in the stomach after a meal.

Different foods take different time to digest. There is time for every meal to be taken. Breakfast, lunch and dinner should never be missed and should be taken on a fixed time. It takes at least 3 to 4 hours to fully digest a meal of proteins, grains and vegetables. Therefore, light and simple food is good choice for someone who needs to practise yoga every day, otherwise when twisting or bending the body, or when doing pranayama (breathing exercise), the flow of energy (prana) in the body, which originally is used for digestion, will be interrupted.

We need foods because we need energy. However, it always says that we should not eat too full, as it will put too much “work load” for the digestive system. While the body needs energy to practise yoga, some foods, especially complex mixtures, consume our energy, especially those of heavy proteins and sugar – they make digestion difficult and so the time for digestion is longer and more difficult.

Also, always eat slowly and peacefully to put no pressure in the digestive system.

There is mental benefit for eating light foods too. They keep the mind focused and peaceful as less energy is consumed for digestion. For the practice of yoga, they bring us back to the soul.

It is all about balance. Healthy eating is about balance and so is yoga. For someone practising yoga, therefore, it is better always to keep their stomach and bowels clean and light before each practise. The simpler the meal, the easier for digestion and the healthier for the body. For those who practise yoga regularly, who are not necessarily vegetarian, fruits and vegetables (especially organic) are good choice because they are raw, clean, pure and easy to digest. They produce less toxin to the body and sometimes even have detoxifying/purifying effects. Practitioners should avoid heavy meal and, compared with meat and poultry, a vegetarian diet is simple and pure and not less nutritious, the mind will also be clear and focused as less energy is used in digestion.

Fasting can also be done regularly if one is free of chronic diseases.