HOW YOGA PROMOTES CONSCIOUS EATING AND HEALTH OF OUR WORLD

Posted by Beena on June 20th, 2022

People have become too dependent on drugs instead discovering and eliminating the root cause of these chronic diseases. In contrast, ancient yogis knew how to keep themselves naturally healthy and enjoyed a long happy life. What did they know that we can learn from them ? Why is it so extremely important we change these trends for the health of our youth, family, and and society’s well-being ? What is the link between yoga, conscious eating and good health?

During my time here in India I am witnessing many cultural similarities between America and India. I am seeing many people from both countries now opting to eat more highly processed food on a daily basis instead of whole foods close to their natural state as grown from the earth. Also, both countries (as well as countries around the world) are reporting alarmingly increasing cases of childhood diabetes and higher numbers of death due to heart disease over the last 20 years. The younger generation is eating out more, cooking less and feeling more stress as a result of more external societal pressure to do well in school in order to find good paying careers. Meanwhile, they are feeling the effects of sedentary life as they spend countless hours and the majority of the day in front of the computer and/or on their phones. Another thing I’ve observed is that although yoga originated here in India, sadly many of the people have begun immediately associating the word yoga only with asana or exercises just like many of us westerners do.

In 2015–2016, the CDC reported that 45.8% of the U.S. population used prescription drugs in the past 30 days. With age, dependence on drugs increased: 18 % of children aged 12 and under to 85.0% of adults aged 60 or older. In an article written in THE HINDU, it was reported that 52% of Indians self-medicate with the easy availability of medications. This is becoming more of an issue because in an effort to save the doctor fees they suffer even larger health problems down the road due to misdiagnosis or a compromised immune system from improperly taking antibiotics .

Of course we need to reverse this upward spiraling trend to preserve our individual health and financial health. Obviously it is a much better quality of life to be free of expense (or minimize expense) of maintenance medication and many of these medicines which are also known to give us other undesirable side effects. Although human beings are living longer lives, their quality of life is diminishing as more and more people globally are suffering the consequences of these diseases which are largely preventable through lifestyle choice.

One of the most valuable medicinal systems that the early yogis from India left us with is the Ayurvedic tradition which is closely associated with yoga. Ayurveda, meaning science of life, promotes foods that are considered sattvic. Sattvic foods include most vegetables, ghee, fruits, legumes, seeds, nuts and whole grains. Very simply put, our bodies are meant to thrive on natural foods that keep us feeling light and clear in mind, body and spirit. Ayurvedic systems are meant to promote healthy living in stead of treatment of diseases. We come to understand that many herbs, vegetables, and fruits carry all the nutrition to nourish our bodies. They each have their own medicine.

Through our daily consistent practice of yoga we naturally develop a deeper sense of mindfulness which includes being more conscious about the foods we are consuming. Throughout this process we can discover what foods are best for us individually. Yoga practice trains us to connect fully and learn to listen to our mind, physical body and emotions.

JUST A FEW SIMPLE CHANGES HAVE HUGE HEALTH BENEFITS

The great news is that with just a few simple changes to our lifestyle we can live the highly energetic and dis-ease free life we are meant to.

1- BEGIN WITH YOURSELF AND COMMIT TO DAILY PRACTICE

At first, start with yourself. Make yourself a priority independent from anyone else’s choices. After some time, you can introduce your family, or your peer group. By doing this, you will be able to improve not only your own health but assist and support those around you. Once you commit to a daily routine and have established some consistency, you can invite your family and children to join in your practice. It is best to begin small by committing 30 minutes daily to a morning routine. In my work, as I visit villages, we take some time for asana practice, meditation and pranayama. After the session I visit with the individuals to discuss their nutrition habits, how they are feeling, their sleep and I advise them on small changes to make further progress. While you may be able to make faster progress by hiring professionals to help, it is not necessary as long as you yourself have a strong desire matched with a disciplined mindset.

2- KEEP A PROGRESS JOURNAL-

Keeping a journal is such an easy and fun way to track your progress along the way. Some helpful things to record are your daily habits. Take note of your sleep quality and length, what food you are consuming and how much water. Also, make sure to write about how your mood and energy are physically, mentally and emotionally. This will be a powerful tool for you to see exactly how much your health is improving over some time.

3- ENJOY YOUR FOOD

There are many practices and rituals our forefathers left behind for our benefit. It has been scientifically proven that blessing our food by sending loving intentions and gratitude actually infuses it with positive energy. All life here on the planet is water based, so your words, your good intentions affect not only your food but all vibrations in the environment. Here in India I have been a part of mantra chanting to bless the food. In the United States many people like to offer a prayer of blessing (grace) to express gratitude for what they are about to consume for it to nourish their body. Instead of sitting in front of the TV or surfing the internet on our phone, it is better to concentrate on the food. Use your senses to notice the taste and smell. Make it a point to make your food pleasant to the eye as well.

Resist the urge to hurry and eat quickly. Take your time to fully enjoy. If you are able to do this you will find you have more energy throughout the day because you are practicing mindful eating which keeps your energies balanced and light. You will easily be able to tell if you are consuming too much or right balance of food. If your stomach feels heavy and/or you feel sleepy, then you know an adjustment needs to be made. When you leave a meal feeling refreshed and energized then this will be the perfect mix for you. Always eat seasonal fruit and vegetable along with seeds and nuts and limit or eliminate meat consumption.

If you do these few practices consistently, I guarantee you will see tremendous improvement in your health and greater quality of life. Not only will you feel the quality of your life improve but you will save the tremendous expense of relying on pharmacology to treat symptoms of your illness not to mention the doctors fees and taking time off work. If you feel you would enjoy further direction or health coaching please contact me at templegordon72@hotmail.com.