For centuries, cultures around the world have emphasised the importance of being mindful when eating or consuming food. Ayurveda, the Indian system of alternate medicine and healing, has texts describing how not only what we consume but how we consume changes the way food behaves and functions within us.


Recently, I came across a video where someone suggested that we should only consume food when the right nostril is actively breathing or when the Pingala (our masculine side) is dominantly active in the body.


And I thought to myself, “Hmm, this seems logical, but I’m not sure if it’s true.” After all, not everything on the internet is true.


I’m still trying to connect with an Ayurveda doctor to confirm this. If so, how and why? More on that once I have an update. I can’t wait to find out though.


However, in this blog, we will explore deep insights into Sadhguru’s wisdom and yogic traditions on various aspects of our eating habits and how to approach food.


What we eat is what we become, but how we eat is what the food inside us becomes.


How Your Body Behaves to Food: Sadhguru has explained that when you look at the food served, your body knows if it likes the food. All it takes is a certain level of awareness and sensitivity.


Start by observing how you feel after a meal. If your body responds with sluggishness, lethargy, and sleep, it might not be your best food. When we say best food for you, it means how your body reacts to a particular type of food. What is good for you might not be suitable for someone else.


Similarly, feeling energetic, lively, and alert indicates that your body likes what you consume. For example, I feel sleepy when consuming sugar, simple carbs, and rice. I just can’t stay up. While fruits and veggies have no noticeable impact on my system.


Intermittent Fasting: When you do not eat for twelve to sixteen hours it’s called intermittent fasting. Sadhguru has encouraged all Isha yoga practitioners to keep twenty-four hours fast on Ekadashi. Ekadashi is the eleventh lunar day of the waxing and waning lunar cycles in a Vedic calendar month) every month. It helps to cleanse and rejuvenate the system from the damage food has caused.


According to Sadhguru, intermittent fasting can have lasting benefits on an individual’s health and well-being. It cleanses the body naturally of accumulated toxins and even reduces the concentration of cancerous cells.


Until the age of thirty-two, most human beings can eat two to three meals a day as there’s still some physical development happening in the body. However, after age thirty to thirty-two, one can very easily thrive on one to two meals a day, depending on individual physiology and the nature of work.


How You Consume Food: Food is not just body-building material. Whether you eat meat or a vegetable, it’s a piece of life that has sacrificed itself for your growth and well-being. We must consume another life with a sense of gratitude and reverence.


Being mindful of the food on your plate and using your hands also helps you develop a connection with the food and improves digestion and how the food behaves within you.


What You Consume, Sattvic or Tamasic Food:

There are no substitutes for good food. A good diet helps you stay active and mentally and physically balanced. On the path of yoga, or a profession where you require an active mental faculty, it’s generally preferred to consider a Sattvic diet.


Sattvic foods like fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and ghee nourish the body, increase prana and, keep you active, mentally alert, and support overall health and well-being.


Keep Your Colon Clean:

There’s a particular emphasis on keeping your colon clean in the yogic tradition. Starting your day with neem, turmeric, and lukewarm honey water is a daily ritual at Isha Yoga Centre. It helps to cleanse your digestive tract, absorption of nutrition and bowel movements.


An unclean gut can lead to various health issues and mental health problems. Read these tips to maintain good mental health.


Conclusion

Introducing these small changes will go a long way in improving your overall health and well-being. Because eating right is about being in a state of awareness and being conscious of what and how you consume your food.


I hope Sadhguru’s teachings and timeless wisdom guide you towards a healthier and more balanced life.


If you find this information useful, please consider subscribing. And remember to share it with someone who might benefit from this blog post. Your valuable support helps us go a long way in reaching out to people and sharing tools to promote human well-being.


Until next time, Shambho!