Dear
Yogis,
Imagine you
just ate a large coffee and a fluffy muffin before a class. Or a cheeseburger
and fries served with Camel pose? What effect (s)would it have on your
practice? Would your energy spike and then plummet? Make you moody? Sad? Angry?
All of the above?
This month, let’s talk nutrition
and why it is an integral part in one’s yoga practice. Nutrition not only is
the source that fuels our bodies, but can feed our minds and souls as well. So
what are the foods that can make us thrive? What are the best
foods to eat before we roll out those mats? How much of them should we be
eating? And more importantly…why? Working at a health foods store, I can’t say
how many times I’ve seen someone fill up their shopping cart with health
foods, (which are often pricey) but don’t
really understand why. To put it simply, foods that keep the body light, and
the mind focused are encouraged. Begin to think about foods that give you
sustainable energy and balance. There is no straight answers as to what foods
are right for everyone, as each person’s body is different, but here are some
general things to consider:
·
Eat organic
as much as possible in order to avoid unnecessary toxins
- Cooking oil, like coconut oil should consist of healthy fats and medium chain triglycerides to promote healthy heart and brain functioning
- Raw nuts should always be soaked to break down the enzymes for easier digestion
- Spices and herbs are encouraged for balancing the dosha or your body type (like turmeric for inflammation or milk thistle to help detoxify the liver and kidneys)
·
Foods should
be light and easy to digest passing at least 2 bowel movements/day
Looking at the 8 limbs of yoga, specifically the Yamas, or “the
yoga pillars of truth,” Mitahara suggests moderation. Mitahara says “not too
little, not too much.” There are some extreme eating guidelines which
suggest fasting for several hours before a yoga class so that you’re practicing
on an empty stomach. For most people, however, this is a bit too extreme. The
key lies within moderation. Starving yourself for 6 hours before a yoga class
will most likely leave you with low blood sugar and feeling light-headed. On
the opposite extreme, eating a heavy meal right before class will leave you
with shortly greeting that meal again as soon as you engage in a forward
backbend.
Ideally think about eating a 200-300 calorie
mini-meal approximately 2 hours before a class containing a protein and a
carbohydrate. This combination makes for
a nice source of energy for the body to burn during class. Liquid calories can
be consumed closer to class time, since the gastric emptying time is much
quicker. The good news is, yoga always gives the body a second chance, no matter
what you do (or in this case eat) prior to rolling out your mat Every
practice represents a new beginning, so just by attending a yoga class, you’re
already there as long as you stay committed to yourself.
Love & Light,
little YogaGal
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