PRINCIPLES OF YOGIC DIET FOR YOG PRACTITIONERS

Practicing Yog is one of the most benecial daily regimen, and if this regimen is associated with healthy diet it can bring out astonishing results. Eating appropriate and balanced diet is essential for a Yog practitioner. The consumed food inuences physical as well as spiritual wellbeing. Yogic Diet is a Satvik Aahar (diet), a kind of food rich in Prana (vitality); which endorses virtue, strength, health, happiness and satisfaction. Yog is described as 'Chittavrittinirodha', the pacication of the mind. Yog promotes the use of the Satvik diet to support these subtle goals. Valuable guidelines regarding various food components and its intake along with its maximum benets are quoted as references in classical texts of Yog like – Hathayog Pradipika and Gheranda Samhita. The present article is focused to review the principles of Yogic Diet mentioned in classical texts and recent researches available on it. The properties of the food articles mentioned like – Godhuma, Yava, Shashtik, Dugdha, Ghruta, etc and its possible physiological actions on the body of the Yog practitioner will be determined. Also the concept of Hitaahar (contributive/conducive) and Mitaahar (right quantity) will be evaluated in detail.