In the ancient view, food has physical, mental, emotional & spiritual impact. The term ‘Conscious Eating’ associates with this holistic aspect of diet and is a higher concept than ‘Healthy eating’.
The idea of conscious eating has been much propogated by ancinent traditions of Yoga & Ayurveda & the aspect of healthy eating is inherently a part of conscious eating. So, what does conscious eating actually mean?
Conscious eating considers all layers of our being and is based on the ideology that whatever we eat has a deep impact on not just the body functioning but on how we think, how we look, behave and operate on day-to-day level.
Foods that impart low vibrations may impact the otherwise sattvic state of the mind and make us either behave rajasic (overactive and overwhelming) or tamasic (dull or in a state of inertia), even though their nutritional value may be high. For example, consuming large quantity of animal food may provide us with concentrated proteins but also can impart us the fearful, frightening or aggressive energy coming in from the basic nature of the animal meat consumed. Thus, in Yogic & Ayurveda sciences, it is highly recommended to make conscious food choices to keep the mind pure and in a state of sattva.
Here are a few tips for incorporating conscious eating with your Yogic practice to feel and look your best:
- It all begins with a commitment to self and dedication to stay on track with high-vibrational food choices.
- Introducing more fruits, vegetables and sprouts in diet and slowly minimizing animal food consumption.
- Making each meal nutrient dense with the inclusion of wholefoods in diet, such as wholegrains, proteins from beans & lentils, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. To eat healthier, start by making small changes. Make each meal or snack contain nutrient-dense foods and try to avoid processed foods.
- Consuming organic & non-GMO foods as much as possible.
- Minimizing the consumption of bottled water that comes with heavy toxic chemicals such as fluoride, chlorine, BPA and heavy metals. Consuming mineralizing spring water frequently.
- Cleansing & detoxing regularly.
- Keeping the body pH alkaline by mineralizing the body with mineral rich foods. These include inclusion of sea salt, sea vegetables, lemon water and cultured foods in diet.
- Cutting down sugar consumption as sugar is highly acidic for the body. Also, the brain survives on ‘good sugars’ that come from wholegrains and vegetables versus from refined sources of sugars.
- Feeding the gut bacteria with probiotic rich foods or through probiotic supplementation.
- Consuming ample amount of green leafy vegetables to rid the body of sickness, imbalances, weight concerns, acidic load and feel more alive in the body & mind.