The Yogi Diet: 10 Do's and Don'ts

I am a yogi and I love food. I also have a predominantly Kapha constitution, which means that it a bit easier for me to put on weight, something I didn’t really think about until after I had children. Click here for a constitution quiz.

Some yogis choose to be vegetarian for a variety of reasons. I have been one for a very long time. My mother says that I came out that way. She actually says that I ate pasta and green beans, Guess what I still love? You got it! You don't have to be a vegetarian, though, just because you're a yogi.

Throughout my years of trying various diets (not diets to lose weight) and cleanses, I’ve noticed some things. I’ve also spent a lot of time reading about what yogi masters and teachers as well as lots of other professional say about food.

What did I learn? I feel light, my emotions are level, I sleep well and I feel energetic when I am eating organic fruits and vegetables and not much else. Other people do not have that same experience. Some feel drained, some get light-headed and some are down right miserable when they don't have animal protein.

Bottom line is that some people make better vegetarians than others. Some need animal protein more than others. Some people do well with dairy; I’m not one of them. We are different and we have different needs.

My suggestions for a healthy, healing yogic diet:

1.   Eat organic, local and humanely-treated food sources

2.   Mostly veggies and some fruits, fresh, raw or cooked

3.   Find the protein sources that suit your body type and lifestyle (beans, meat, fish, dairy, eggs)

4.   Whole grains again that work for you

5.   Lots of warm water and hot tea

6.   Very little sweeteners—honey or maple syrup if needed

7.   Spices of all sorts remembering that spices have long been used as medicine

8.   Homemade foods whenever possible, made with love, chanting and in a peaceful environment

9.   Eat the right amount for your body, 2/3 full

10.  Any food that makes you feel truly alive

The things we want to stay away from:

1.   Genetically modified foods

2.   Anything with a label with words you don’t know

3.   Processed, packaged, re-formed foods

4.   Fried foods

5.   Eating while you are doing something else, angry or rushed

6.   White flour

7.   Sugar

8.   Alcohol, tobacco and other substances

9.   Overly salted food

10. Any food that doesn’t make you feel more alive

If you’re interested in learning more about a healthy diet, join me for a group cleanse starting on September 2^nd. Click here for more information.

For another perspective, you might read, The Yogic Diet: 10Foods to Enjoy & Avoid, by Lisa Mitchell.

As always, I would love to hear your thoughts about food and yoga and how they work together.

Local and Inexpensive -- sprouts no doubt

• Why Sprout?
  
  Sprouted seeds have
   
• More protein than the actual nut, fruit or vegetable
• Increased fiber content
• More oxygen and antioxidants
• More enzymes that help with digestion
• Cardiovascular health
• Minerals more usable
• Local and inexpensive
• Drastically increased Vitamins A, B, C and E
• Increased essential fatty acids
• You can participate in growing your own food in a small space with very little equipment
• Sprouts can and should be a daily part of your diet or cleanse 

How do you sprout?

Start with organic sprouting seeds to avoid pesticides.

There are many seed combinations or you can choose  a single seed. Each seed has its own soaking and sprouting time. 
Measure out the amount you need. I start with 1 T organic alfalfa seeds. I purchase my seed from a local seed supply company.

Place the seed in a bowl with water to soak. I soak alfalfa for 4 hours.

Rinse after 2 hours.

Place in some container that allows water to drain. I use an inexpensive sprouting tray set.

  

Rinse seeds/sprouts 3 times per day and keep them covered (out of the sun).

The sprouts will begin to grow, developing what looks like a tail.

Growth rate depends on the seed, season and room temperature. 3 days growth.

5 days growth. When leaves start to form, place in sun.

Sunlight allows the sprouts to turn green (chlorophyll).

Enjoy!! I tend to eat the whole batch in one day. If you have any left over, they can be stored in the fridge for up to a week in water. Again, rinse your sprouts each day.

Some people are concerned about bacterial growth. I have not had any difficulties because I purchase clean, organic seed and rinse my seeds and sprouts 3 times per day. If you see any growth of mold or notice an unpleasant odor, throw away your sprouts. Clean your equipment well and buy good seed.

You don't have to buy special equipment. You can use cheesecloth and mason jars.

Sprouts have been connected to many amazing benefits including cancer, diabetes, Parkinson's, asthma, joint and hypertension prevention. What do you have to lose? 

I'd love to hear about your results or other words of wisdom about sprouting.

Just another yogini rant...

Remember I have my online and local cleanse during the month of September. Click here for details and to register.

 

Keep your gut happy with Homemade Sauerkraut

Why does this yogini care about sauerkraut? 

Well, our gut needs good bacteria to break down food during digestion. Good bacteria, lots of vitamin C and A (more than in fresh cabbage), and special enzymes that help our bodies break down food are created during the fermentation process of cabbage.

Fermentation
Many of us think of booze when we hear the word fermentation. Yet, it has been used for centuries to make bread, miso, kimchi, yogurt, pickles and certain cheeses. Fermentation is a natural process that converts sugar to alcohol, acids and/or gasses. It is used for preservation of food, making alcohol and generating large amounts of microbes.  

Most of our diets have changed dramatically over the last few decades and our digestive systems need help in maintaining the natural flora that "should" be present. Yes, you can take probiotics and I do when I am doing a cleanse (you can read more about my upcoming group cleanse) or taking medication that could compromise my gut--like antibiotics, which I avoid when I can. It is best if we can get the diversity that we need in our gut, naturally through our diet.

What happens when we don't have fermented foods in our diet?

Any diseases that are related to poor digestion, constipation, IBS, compromised immunity, yeast overgrowth, as well as illnesses some might not think as connected to digestion like skin disruptions, mood swings and irritability, food allergies, weight issues, and even autism.

What can you do?
Most of the time I eat plain yogurt -- dairy or non-dairy (when my predominantly Kapha dosha is in balance). As a kid, I didn't care for sauerkraut and had never heard of kimchi. We did eat lots of pickles and homemade yogurt. I had played around with to making homemade sauerkraut. I have a friend who makes kimchi (kind of a spicy Korean version of kraut) all the time, and people love hers. But, I haven't found a kimchi recipe that speaks to me yet. When I do, I'll share it.

I had been toying with making sauerkraut and tried various recipes; none of them had been to my satisfaction--until I found this recipe last year. Cabbage naturally has Lactobacilli on its raw leaves.

Ingredients and Supplies Needed for Homemade Kraut:

• sterile jars- I used canning jars
• large bowl, knife and cutting board
• organic cabbage (red, green or both)
• sea salt (needed to pull liquid out of cabbage)
• coffee filters 
• rubber bands 

Feel free to add in carrot, green apple, celery, caraway or celery seeds, whatever you want after you do your first batch. 

• Wash cabbage. Take off outside leaves and reserve. Chop cabbage; I like to quarter and core it and then slice it into thin strips.

•  Add about 1 Tablespoons of salt per medium head of cabbage.

•  Mix the salt into the cabbage. 

•  You will notice that liquid starts to be released (salt make the cells shrink so the water comes out).

•  Press cabbage and liquid into a sterile jar. Pack it in as much as you can. Make sure liquid covers all of the cabbage.

•  Place one of the outside leaves on top of liquid.

                                

• Cover the jar with a coffee filter and rubber band.

• Place in a cool place to ferment. 
• Check your jars each day to ensure that the cabbage  stays under the liquid, and use a clean hand to push them back down if necessary; be sure your hands are clean.
• Taste test every few days – it’s done when you think it tastes good to you! It can take anywhere from 1 to 5 weeks. Remove the filter and add the lid. 
• You can store it in the fridge for months. 
• If you see or smell any unfriendly bacterial growth, throw it out and begin again making sure that all of your equipment, hands included, is clean.
  

I'd like to thank Bonzai Aphrodite for the easy-to-use and helpful blog post on how to make sauerkraut.
I'd love to hear about your experiences, recipes or antidotes about fermented foods. I will be guiding a group online and in person through a month-long cleanse. Click here to read more and register.




 

Food, healing and yoga--Oh My!

As I continue to research yoga and diet, I find that yogis continually discuss diet, our behavior, how we take care of our bodies and minds, and so much more than just doing yoga postures. The physical is only the beginning. We cannot go much deeper if we cannot control our body.
 
So what exactly are whole foods? And, what do they have to do with healing and yoga?

Whole food: food that is processed or refined as little as possible and is free from additives and other artificial substances. Google

Healing: the process of making or becoming sound or healthy again; therapeutic. Google

Yoga: to unite, body, breathe, and spirit.

Yoga promotes healing if done in a way that supports who and what we are and remember that there are 8 limbs to yoga- 

1. yamas (which I recently discussed-ethical standards), 
2. niyamas (self-discipline), 
3. asana (postures), 
4. pranayama (breathing practices), 
5. pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses), 
6. dharana (concentration-the beginning of meditation), 
7. dhyana (meditation) and 
8. samadhi (unending bliss).

You are what we eat, a blog I wrote last Spring, discusses the connection between what we eat and how we feel.  
Our body can eliminate many of the pollutants we take in, yet sometimes it needs help with this process. One of the things we can do to help with this process is to promote cleansing. We can do this through a variety of ways:

• sweating through exercise or heat
• eating until you are only 2/3 full
• eating all your food in an 8-hour period so the rest of the time the body can digest
• eating well balanced, whole, organic foods
• eating a clean, mono diet of a health-promoting and detoxing affect for a short period of time 
• practicing particular asanas (yoga postures) such as halasana (plough) and malasana (squat)
• pranayama (breathing practices), breathing deeply and consciously, bringing in more prana (life force)
• kriyas (yogic cleansing practices) such as nauli, which should be taught by a trained instructor
• drinking plenty of fresh water
• promoting regular bowels

These are just some of the things you can begin to do on your own to promote regular cleansing. 

You might also do an actual cleanse or detox or participate in a group cleanse. I will be offering an online, 27-day group cleanse. For more details check out my flyer. 

Bottom line, if you want to have plenty of energy, sleep well, think clearly, maintain your body weight, and so many other possibilities, you can do a regular yoga practice and eat well. 

If you have any questions or comments, please let me know.