Yoga Abhyas-aahar

Yoga Abhyas - Aahar (Food)

Information published here is for reference purpose only. We recommend proper guidence should be taken from the trained authority for yogic practices. The purpose of compiling/listing/detailing these information here is for publishers and our practictioners quick references. Visitor of this page can use these information for reading purpose only.

Ahar (Yogic/satvik food): Ref - hatha-pradipika-ch-1

पुष्टं सुमधुरं स्निग्धं गव्यं धातुप्रपोषणम् । मनोभिलषितं योग्यं योगी भोजनम् आचरेत् ॥६६॥
Pushtam sumadhuram snigdham gavyam dhatu-praposhanam | Manobhilashitam yogyam yogi bhojanmacharet ||

Meaning: The yogi should take nourishing and sweet food mixed with ghee and milk; it should nourish the dhathus (basic body constituents) and be pleasing and suitable.

Suggested do's and don't

Water intake	Food intake	Sleep
Drink water one hour after eating food. Alternatively, you can have fruit juice after breakfast, a yogurt-based drink after lunch, or milk after dinner. Drink water slowly, sipping it rather than gulping. Drink water at room temperature—avoid refrigerated or iced water. Drink 2–3 glasses of water first thing in the morning, without spitting out the overnight saliva..	Eat Sattvik Aahar (pure, balanced food) up to 3/4th of your capacity, and chew thoroughly. Chew your food well—take time with each bite to allow digestive juices to form, accompanied by positive thoughts. Eat food within 3 hours of cooking. Drink water one hour after eating. Avoid refrigerated or reheated food. Avoid consuming yogurt or fruits in the evening. Avoid intake of very cold or very hot beverages, including water, tea, and coffee. Eat according to the season—consume seasonal vegetables, fruits, and salads suitable to your body type. Avoid all packaged and foul-smelling foods.	Go to sleep at least 2 hours after having dinner. Sleep on your left side for better digestion and circulation. Upon waking, gently move your legs and arms—such as making cycling motions with your feet and light hand movements—to help circulate blood throughout the body. General; Avoid extreemities e.g. Avoid hot water baths; it's best to bathe with water at room temperature.

Practice Pranayam(breathing practice) daily specially Kapalbhati, Bhastrika, Bhramari.

Jivva Dhauti:
Practice Jihva Dhauti (tongue cleaning) in the morning before consuming any food or water. This helps remove Amla (toxins) that have accumulated on the tongue overnight. After cleaning the tongue, rinse your mouth with water. This practice enhances digestion and improves the sense of taste (Rasa).

Rasa:
According to Acharya Punarvasu Atreya, the preceptor of the Charaka Samhita, there are a total of six Rasas (tastes).
All types of food items are categorized under these Shad Rasa (six tastes), each having its own unique properties and effects on the body. When consumed, they perform essential functions to maintain balance and health.
Food that includes all six Ayurvedic Rasas is considered ideal. However, they should be taken in proper proportion.
Consuming either too little or too much of any rasa can lead to imbalance and the possibility of disease.

Madhura, Amla, Lavana, Katu, Tikta, Kashaya

These referential steps will balance the kapha, vaat & pitta of your body to stay disease free life. Based on your Ayurvedic Dr (Vaidya) follow suggested methods if you are not a prctioner or trained.

Some relevant reading:

AyurVeda: Ayurveda means science of life and longetivity. Ayurveda is a holistic way to look at health - it doesn't just focus on treating illness but also on preventing it.

“Samadosha, samagnischa samadhatumala kriyaha prasanna atmenindriya manaha swasthya ityabhidheeyate” -(Charak Samhita) It follows that the doshas must be in equilibrium, the digestive fire must be in a balanced state and the tissues (dhatus) and malas (wastes) must work in a normal state. The sensory and motor organs and mind, atma must be also in a pleasant state. Such a person is called a healthy person or Swastha.

TriDosha - Kapha, Vata, Pitta
Ayurveda means “the wisdom of life” in Sanskrit, and the science links the rhythms of the universal elements ( earth, fire, air, water, and space ) to individual constitutions called doshas. The three dosha types are vata, pitta, and kapha, and while people all have some of each, generally, a person tends to have an abundance of one or a predominant combination of two.

Vata types are connected to the air and space, so they are similar to the wind dry, cool, and capable of fast, unpredictable movement and thought. Pittas are aligned with fire, influenced by air, and act with intense determination. Finally, kaphas are a combination of earth and water, move slowly and gracefully, and tend to be both stable and loyal.

These doshic constitutions, known as prakruti, are determined at the moment of conception, according to Ayurveda. But doshas are like anything in life; they are fluid and affected by circumstance, emotion, or even the seasons.

Foods included in an Ayurvedic diet would be fresh vegetables (especially leafy greens), rice, whole grains, beans and organic ghee.

Ayurveda teaches that there are 3 bodies within an individual- the physical body, the subtle body and the causal body.

The physical body is the densest among 3 bodies. Our five sense organs (the eyes, ears, nose, tongue and skin) and organs of action (the mouth, feet, hands, anus and genitals) are contained within the physical body. To nourish the physical body we need food and water (5 elements) which is cause of the 3 doshas.

The subtle body is the bridge between the physical and causal bodies and is a combination of the mind, intellect and ego. It cannot be seen in the physical world. The subtle body consists of the doshas' more refined, subtle essences: prana, tejas and ojas.

The causal body is what connects us with our universal spirit and human soul. It is the non-physical aspect of one's being. Further, it carries a record of our past, present and future experiences.

The subtle bodies:
Prana, or life force, is the subtle essence of the ether and air elements. Practicing daily pranayam, neti, yoga, helathy fresh food will elevate healthy prana. Tejas is the radiant essence of the fire element. Practicing specific asana, trataka will elevate tejas aspect
Ojas – Vitality, Like honey, which is the nectar of pollen collected by bees, ojas is the fine nectar of all tissues of the body. It is mostly connected with eatth and water. Be in nature, good sleep, nourishing food can support the ojas.

In Ayurveda, a day is divided into 6 zones of 4 hours, each dominated by a single dosha:

Time	Dominant dosha	Preferred activity
6 a.m. to 10 a.m.	kapha	Exercise/Study/Breakfast
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.	pitta	Light Lunch/Rest
2 p.m. to 6 p.m.	vata	Drink/hydrate
6 p.m. to 10 p.m.	kapha	Dinner/settle 2 hour before sleep
10 p.m. to 2 a.m.	pitta	Sleep by 10pm
2 a.m. to 6 a.m.	vata	Bramha time-Wakeup/cleaning

Yoga is nothing else but a science of awareness. Do how much you can for others. A life lived for others gives happiness.
So we have duty towards our near and dear and then towards our work.