Mindful Food Choices

Learn To Be Mindful Of Your Food Choices

Published on January 3, 2014

Such a great deal of time in our daily lives is related, in one way or another, to food and feeding ourselves.  We may find it difficult to remain mindful of what we choose to consume: just one more drink, another piece of cake, a few chocolates here and there…do you often lose track?

Without needing to keep a food diary or mental list of every sugary, alcoholic or fried food we shove in our mouths, we can keep ourselves healthy simply by noticing how we feel after consuming certain foods or beverages. Many people are surprised to discover the strong relationship between their diet and their mood or general wellbeing!

Ayurvedic guidelines are a great starting point for developing mindfulness of the relationship between food and our bodies and minds. Very broadly speaking, in Ayurveda there are three diet types Sattvic, Rajasic, and Tamasic (the three gunas). These diet guidelines are for general purposes only, where there is an illness or special circumstances, individual needs should be taken into account and the diet adjusted accordingly.

The 3 Ayurvedic and Yogic diets

  1. Sattvic Diet: This is the diet generally followed by yogis and is usually the one offered at ashrams, retreats and meditation centers. It consists of a vegetarian diet of fresh fruits and vegetables (organic if possible), whole grains, legumes, and dairy products. Mild, sweet tastes are included while strong, stimulating spices are avoided. Sattvic foods are believed to keep the body lean and agile and promote a calm, clear and compassionate mind.
  2. Rajasic Diet: The party food diet! This group of foods tends to be spicy, salty and sour in taste. Foods that are pickled or aged in some way including, sauces, ketchup, vinegar, wine, tea, coffee, carbonated drinks, all alcohol, and red meat are rajasic in nature. These foods are said to increase restlessness and irritability.
  3. Tamasic Diet: This diet consists of food that has been processed and modified in some way or is stale, overheated, oily or heavy. Canned meat and fish, foods with preservatives, frozen, preserved and genetically modified foods have tamasic qualities. These foods are thought to increase lethargy, ignorance, and apathy.

The sattvic diet isn’t necessarily or always the best, sometimes low energy and depression indicate a need for rajasic foods, and tamasic foods such as tinned tuna, in small amounts can be added to meals for convenience and increase the nutritional value of a salad or sandwich. When you are eating at cafes and restaurants perhaps you will think of these three food groups and let them guide your choices, or perhaps you will notice how you are feeling and base your choices on that mindfulness. Once you have cultivated more mindfulness around your food choices you can more easily learn how to make your diet more sattvic, nutritious and supportive of your yoga practice. You may want to take our quick and easy guna quiz to further help you understand how to shift and balance the energetics of your diet.

Most importantly, when you can understand the link between your diet and its effect on your mental, physical and emotional bodies you will be able to go beyond these three broad food categories to further fine-tune your diet.

What is your relationship with food? Do you notice how different foods have a different effect on your mood, your energy levels or even your asana? What sort of foods dominate your diet? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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3 responses to “Learn To Be Mindful Of Your Food Choices”

  1. mitali r goyal Avatar
    mitali r goyal

    Hello Shari,
    I am an Indian presently living in Budapest. I was born to a non vegetarian family. But I and my family became vegetarian when I was 5year old. I always ate eggs. But I again started eating non veg when I was about 23years old. It was like once in a month and sometimes an year. I again left eating non veg when I was 27. Now I am 33and I am eating non veg. For me it’s chicken, ducks…. I also give it to my 4year old. Though I am married to a vegetarian family my husband eats non veg. And as I cook for him I have begun eating.
    I can’t tell you how divided I feel after eating it. Yesterday I felt like I could feel the chicken sad, and it’s wings in my tummy. I felt like I took her pain. I felt wrong. But I m still eating it. N giving it to my kid. I feel wrong. I want to cook for my husband but I don’t feel right. If I don’t give it to my daughter m I depriving her of something. My husband likes non veg. V r very much divided in our life ideologies so he likes to eat it. Can u guide me?

    1. ram Avatar
      ram

      hi mitali,
      sattvic food is the best,it contains sattvic energy goodness,love,compassion,love and all pure feelings.nonveg is tamasic which contains ignorance,lazziness, apathy.
      The food your eating not only contain nutrients but also energy(good or bad is your choice).
      An animal in slaughter house has fear,pain,anxiety,helplessness,anger all things.How can you e happy etaing this.
      But there is a way watch bkshivani videos she is a great healer you will find right decision.Read bhagavadh gita daily and the first step is you quit non veg.Eat something other when you cook for your family non veg,you are doing rightthing by not giving nonveg to ur daughter because she will not take negative energy if she eats veg.Energy is everywhere love is the energy.

  2. Amy Avatar
    Amy

    Mirali, did you ever find a solution to your feelings? Married into the culture myself for 20 years, I’m Caucasian American and my husband Indian I know of many challenges that we must over come to make each other and our loved ones happy.

    I’d love to hear from you inbox me @aregeti

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Shari Read Avatar
About the author
Shari is a fulltime Yoga Therapist and teacher. Since her initial yoga teacher training Shari has also completed Core, Restorative and Pranayama teacher trainings as well as studies in Ayurveda, Applied Anatomy & Physiology, meditation and mindfulness. Shari has had the privilege of studying with Master Teachers such as Leslie Kaminoff, Cyndi Lee, Sadie Nardini and Simon Borg-Olivier over the last 2 years. She has a PhD in Psychology and has completed graduate studies in Buddhist Psychotherapy. Shari is also mum to 2 gorgeous kids, wife to an amazing husband and loves cats, warm days, UFC, vampire novels and zombie movies.
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