Nutrition
In yoga, healthy eating is seen as something that strengthens the soul as well as they body. It is important to drink up to 3 litres of liquid a day, preferably water and herbal teas. What, how and when you eat can have a huge influence on the state of your body and spirit. For this reason, it is advisable to eat slowly and in a relaxed fashion whenever you can, and to eat fresh, untreated food when possible. As a rule of thumb, you should fill half of your stomach with food, one quarter with water and the remaining quarter should remain empty. This prevents drowsiness and heaviness. The motto of a healthy lifestyle is “eat to live, don‘t live to eat“.
The vegetarian diet advocated by yoga is due to the fact that one should live in harmony with nature. The maxim “do not torment or kill animals for food or unnecessarily hurt other living creatures“ belongs to this way of life.
In the teachings of yoga, nutrition is generally divided into three different forms:
Tamas (idleness), Rajas (restlessness), Sattva (lightness) which denote the three spiritual qualities of humans which take effect in the whole universe.
TAMAS: “Tamasic“ food has no vital force and is considered unhealthy. The body is deprived of strength and energy. Ready meals, alcohol, tobacco, drugs, meat and fish fall into this category.
RAJAS: “Rajasic“ food is understood to be everything that makes one restless. This includes food and drinks such as coffee, spicy foods, sugar and white flour. Eating too quickly or not chewing enough is also “Rajasic“.
SATTVA: “Sattvic“ food is the ideal form of nourishment. This includes products such as vegetables, salad, fruit, nuts, wholemeal and milk products.
Clothing
When practicing yoga you should wear whatever you feel comfortable and happy in. Clothing should be light and breathable. Loose trousers and t-shirts are suitable. Anyone who wants to live entirely by the philosophy of yoga should pay attention to themselves and their surroundings - buy organic cotton textiles and breathable natural fibres as yoga places great value on the conservation of natural resources.
Effect
Improve your health with yoga and immerse yourself in a world of mental and physical balance. Many of the exercises present a physical challenge, particularly in the beginning, but are peaceful and rhythmic nonetheless. The exercises focus on different areas of the body and activate specific bodily regions. By doing so, the circulation is stimulated in order to improve wellbeing. Fundamentally, yoga has a positive effect on the body and soul, provided that it is practiced correctly. It helps build all body muscles and can, under certain circumstances, lead to alleviation of some diseases, such as circulation problems or chronic headaches and back pain.