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| hey ya'll
so my mom finally got in to yoga with me and she read some stuff about yoga diets???
so......what are yoga diets what kind of food do they eat... .ect..
my mom is really intrested in going on a diet but a healthy diet not one of those hurtful diets that can hurt your body ....do ya'll have any suggestings ??
~~**ALYSSA**~~ |
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| a yogic diet is traditionally a lacto-vegetarian diet. this means that the individual does not consume eggs, fish, or meats of any kind. They do consume dairy products, usually in the form of 'raw' (unpasturized) dairy products. They consume fruits, nuts, seeds, vegetables, legumes (beans), and grains.
The yogic diet also avoids most processed foods and refined junk foods. So, it's a lacto-vegetarian whole foods diet. |
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| zoebird - 2005-08-16 3:44 PMa yogic diet is traditionally a lacto-vegetarian diet. this means that the individual does not consume eggs, fish, or meats of any kind. They do consume dairy products, usually in the form of 'raw' (unpasturized) dairy products. They consume fruits, nuts, seeds, vegetables, legumes (beans), and grains. The yogic diet also avoids most processed foods and refined junk foods. So, it's a lacto-vegetarian whole foods diet.
Okay, not to sound like a broken record, but what's your source on this?
One of the things I found very liberating about reading Patajali's yoga sutras is there doesn't appear to be any sort of dietic requirements. I also spoke with my teacher about this, and she suggested eating the best diet I could, and slowing working on improving it. A lot of the people at the local studio are vegans, but I think it's partially a fad.  With the exception of one of the vets who has some really bad food allegies.
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| so tecinilly (that how u spell it ?) the yoga diet thingy means to become a vegitaern ????
i need to read more on this stuff 
but first i have to go to my yoga class cya !!!!
~~**ALYSSA**~~ |
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| GJ:
the sutras do not deal with this, but there are many other scriptures that do. it usually bears out in the saucha and in the ahimsic teachings/philosophies. there is a great deal of evidence that vegetarianism is a part of the 'yogic diet'--and depending upon one's 'station' in life (what phase of life they're in, what job they do), there are different diets. Nearly all of them are vegetarian.
the caveat to vegetarianism has two components: 1. that there is no other way for you to survive or regain and maintain health without meat; and 2. that your job requires it (typically, warrior classes would be allowed meats before battle).
There are two areas that speak about whether or not vegetarianism matters for salvation: tantra and sikhism. in tantra, meat is used in ritualistic practices--and only by certain people. the larger masses of tantrics are encouraged to practice vegetarianism until they can understand the esoteric underpinnings for the ritualistic use of meat. in sikhism, there are a number of teachings about how vegetarianism is appropriate, but not necessary, for one to be considered holy. These also rest on the ahimsic and sauchic teachings and are related to 1 and 2 above).
it is not necessary for you to be vegetarian in order to practice yoga. but, traditionally, the diets are vegetarian. There are those that are raw food vegetarian (not vegan) and those who are lacto vegetarian with cooked foods. in this modern era when unfertilized eggs are available, eggs may also be included (Ghandi taught on this). so, some have ovo-lacto vegetarian diets.
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| so tecinilly (that how u spell it ?) the yoga diet thingy means to become a vegitaern ????
technically speaking, the yoga diet is a lacto-vegetarian diet. If you're looking to follow a 'yogic diet' it is often refering to a vegetarian diet, which means you would have to become vegetarian in order to follow it.
now, there is also a sister-science to yoga called ayurveda. ayurveda uses body type and other elements of the constitution to help an individual discover ways to have a healthy diet. Traditionally, ayurvedic diets are vegetarian diets. Individuals use the 'rules of thumb' for their body type and constitution to find the right balance of vegetarian foods to bring them optimal health and well being.
In the modern context, many people use this ayurvedic body typing system and apply it to their omnivorous diets. i consider this 'applying ayurvedic principles to your diet.' It isn't strictly an 'ayurvedic diet' per se--because these are largely vegetarian. there are a few exceptions for treating extreme illness (if a person's illness is so extreme that they need meat to survive), and in these cases, after health is restored, the individual is often returned to an appropriate vegetarian diet. Thus, if one is omnivorous and applying ayurvedic ideas to their diet, it isn't 'strictly speaking' an ayurvedic diet, but simply applying ayurvedic ideas to the diet. There's nothing wrong with this, btw, it's a matter of personal choice.
if you're interested in learning about vegetarianism, i recommend checking out veggieboards.com. i post there and it is a thriving vegetarian community. people can help you sort out the nutritional materials and give you recipes and support if you decide that it's a transition that you want to make.
definately, though, more research is in order. 
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| zoebird - 2005-08-17 9:36 AM
so tecinilly (that how u spell it ?) the yoga diet thingy means to become a vegitaern ????
now, there is also a sister-science to yoga called ayurveda. ayurveda uses body type and other elements of the constitution to help an individual discover ways to have a healthy diet. Traditionally, ayurvedic diets are vegetarian diets. Individuals use the 'rules of thumb' for their body type and constitution to find the right balance of vegetarian foods to bring them optimal health and well being.
definately, though, more research is in order.
Zoebird-thank you for the info
ur very helpful how did u get into yoga and how do u no so much about it ???
anouther thing my moms friend found a article about a yoga diet were u eat fish,veg.and frui. is that ......condsidered to be a yoga diet or is my mom friend lying ??????
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| how did u get into yoga and how do u no so much about it ???
i started practicing yoga with my mother when i was a small child (basicly, from infancy on, but i only count from when i can remember, whihc is age four). When i was a young teen (12 or so), i started reading yoga books (there wasn't a studio or teacher in my area). When i started university, i started to take yoga classes with three different teachers. I apprenticed with them, whihc meant that not only did i take classes, but i also helped out around the studio, assisted, and learned to teach from them. During this time, i also took a number of religious studies courses at my university, noteably in hinduism and buddhism. I also knew a number of buddhist monks and nuns as well as participated with the local hindu community as well as the local vedanta community. I also knew many members of the International Society of Krishna Consciousness.
when i graduated from university, i moved into another area where i became involved with another couple of styles of yoga. my interests and studies moved into the therapeutic and healing aspects--including the study of ayurveda. i also started to study thai yoga massage.
so, the main thing is reading and working on what i want to work on.
anouther thing my moms friend found a article about a yoga diet were u eat fish,veg.and frui. is that ......condsidered to be a yoga diet or is my mom friend lying ??????
well, there are a few yogins in india who allow fish to be consumed for westerners or non-indians. but strictly speaking, it's not the 'yoga diet' which is lacto-vegetarian. across the board, most traditional yoga practitioners/teachers teach that lacto-vegetarianism is the 'yogic diet' or the 'yoga diet.'
I don't think your mom's friend is lying about the article though--a lot of misinformation gets dissiminated through mainstream media. I've seen many yoga articles in various magazines that are absolutely horrible. the writer didn't really know the topic, and then just put things together--perhaps they didn't ask the right 'authorities' or even do any research at all. So, it happens. |
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| Hmm... I'll have to think about this. Anyway, my understanding is that what vegitarianism varies from place to place. Some yogies are stickly vegan (no animal products), some are vegitarians, some eat fish, and some a little meat. There was an interesting article on YogaJournal about this a while ago.
Anyway, I personally have a couple of problems with this approach. First, it's much more hindu than yoga. Second, ahimsa clearly apply to the plants you eat as much as the animals, why make a distinction. Third, the human body was clearly designed as an omnivore. We have eyes that look straight ahead, like all preditors. We have both flat teeth, which are used for eating plants, and sharp tearing teeth, which are used for eating meat. Finally, eating a vegitarian diet can be difficult at times, since you need to be careful to get all your protein. There's an interesting article here: http://www.mercola.com/2000/apr/2/vegetarian_myths.htm about some of the myths of vegitarianism.
All that being said, I think that most westerns eat a very poor diet, and part of the problem is all the meat. Most people could do well to reduce their intake a little, and eat more fruits and vegitables. Moderation in all things.
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| Found the article on vegitarianism and yoga.
http://www.yogajournal.com/wisdom/999_1.cfm
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| I agree Green Jello. One extra point I'd make regarding the protein element of vegetarian diets is that you have to be careful to use pulses as the main source of protein as many practitioners eat too much cheese and/or eggs and suffer high colesterol counts as a result. If I've understood earlier posts on this topic correctly, I think the main philosophy for a yogic diet is moderation, de-emphasis on the meat/fish element (relative to the typical Western diet) and respect for the fact that your life is reliant on the lives of plants and animals being sacrificed. Fee
Edited by Orbilia 2005-08-18 4:55 AM
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| GJ:
certainly, i have no qualms with a person choosing whatever diet they think is best for them. but, traditionally--and according to most traditional yoga teachers from india and indian texts, a larger part of both yoga and ayurveda is vegetarianism. that being said, there are a number of factors that contribute to whether or not an individual is vegetarian such as 1. personal health needs; 2. food availablity; 3. preferences, tastes, and cultural elements; etc. Certainly, i think that people should weigh their choices in light of the teachings and decide whether or not they should apply vegetarianism in their lives or not.
as to individual points:
First, it's much more hindu than yoga. A lot of yoga is largely cultural or vedic. Yoga is a system of disciplines and philosophies that are applied to our lives. Vegetarianism is, IMO, another discipline that one can choose to apply. It fits in with the philosophies of saucha and ahimsa and there is a long tradition of vegetarianism in the vedic culture of which yoga is a part or perhaps intrinsicly connected. Vegetarianism may also be an aspect of the fasting parts of the culture. Vegetarianism is also greatly supported by ayurveda, the sister study of yoga.
i think it is very difficult to say "well, i just don't want to do it because i don't think it's necessarily a yoga thing" when about 90% of the literature regarding yoga and diet deals with vegetarianism specifically--from health, environmental, social, philosophical, and spiritual stand points. I agree that it's not necessary to be vegetarian to practice yoga, but i do think it's something that a yogin--if they're sincere in the practice of yoga (and not just asana or just pranayama or just a few aspects of the yoga disciplines, but all of the 'eight limbs' of raja yoga) then they will investigate vegetarianism for themselves.
Second, ahimsa clearly apply to the plants you eat as much as the animals, why make a distinction. the ahimsic process in regards to plants deals with three major areas: 1. not wasting the lives of plants by not wasting food; 2. noticing the environmental impact of removing plants or using plants excessively; and 3. the cultural and social impacts of waste and poor food distribution. the ahimsic process in regards to animals deals with their suffering, the karmic impact of participating in this violent act, and so on. Animals have central nervous systems and they have apparent emotional expressions. Most of the literature related to animals and ahimsa deals with the concept of not causing suffering to these creatures.
the sauchic elements for plants are based in the concept of 'pure foods' and this is where yogins get into those concepts of 'rajasic, tamasic, and sattvic foods.' basicly, it describes foods as to how they will help or hinder meditation and the process of obtaining union with the Divine. In most cases, they classify all different foods, with a focus on classifying plant foods. fasting is also valued here. from the sauchic perspective, they're not only looking at a concept of physical purity, but also karmic/spiritual purity. sattvic plant foods support meditation and give one the least karmic impact. rajasic foods can overexcite and cause problems for meditation, and these have a slightly greater karmic impact. tamasic foods include meats and are considered foods of inertia, and have the highest karmic impact.
this is not to say that one shouldn't consume plant sources that are rajasic or tamasic, but that they shouldn't be overconsumed--which brings us to the ideas i mentioned before regarding the ayurvedic uses for meats, as well as the ideas of moderation and self reflection in light of one's eating habits.
Third, the human body was clearly designed as an omnivore. We have eyes that look straight ahead, like all preditors. We have both flat teeth, which are used for eating plants, and sharp tearing teeth, which are used for eating meat.
i agree that we are, in fact, omnivores. This means that we are capable of eating any number of foods--including insects and what not--in order to get our nutrients to support our lives. But our biological classification doens't necessarily dictate our philosophical choices. Certainly, it can be a factor, and part of the factor of being an omnivore is that we can survive on any number of diets--carnivorous (meat, blood, milk), omnivorous (fruits veggies nuts seeds meats dairy etc), or vegetarian (from ovo-lacto to strict). We get to choose how we want to live based on our thinking, not on our biology.
My october j is a rabbit--he only gets one option, vegetarian. the great lion only gets one option, carnivore. but omnivores have choices. most omnivores who are not involved in our 'higher thinking' choose based on food availability, often favoring vegetation and eating very little meat and such when vegetation is plentiful. when it is not, they'll eat more insects and the like (think turtles). Humans, who have both availability and higher, philosophiall thinking, can make food choices based on ethics and ideas (and availability) and not solely on biology and availability.
Finally, the argument itself is flawed. Most people in the west do not consume delicacies from other cultures (such as deep fried scorpions). If i stated "well, we're omnivores, and this means that we SHOULD eat deep-fried scorpions!" most people would balk. it's mostly a matter of comfort and taste in most cases. Saying "Because we're omnivores, we have the ability to eat meat, therefore we should." again, our biology doens' tnecessarily dictate our 'shoulds.' eat meat, don't eat meat--but dont' claim that everyone must because we, as a class of animal, are omnivores.
Finally, eating a vegitarian diet can be difficult at times, since you need to be careful to get all your protein.
the protien myth is one of my favorites. i wonder if you actually read the whole article. I've read it before--i've even linked to it before though not necessarily on here. The largest issue in the article is the issue of fats and animal fats particularly, as well as a number of fat soluable nutrients that are found only in animal sources. It doesn't really deal with protien at all.
most vegetarians consume more than enough protien from plant sources. soy is not the best option, IMO, and not one that i use. People do often tend to overuse eggs and milk, particularly when first starting out, but it doesn't necessarily cause heart problems or cholesterol problems. it is certainly possible to get enough protien from a vegetarian diet--and people in many nations through many years have been doing so without consuming meat.
i agree that the SAD (standard american diet) is a mess. there is an overconsumption of protien, an overconsumption of fat. The SAD is something like 40% fat, 30% protien, and 30% carbohydrates, with a majority of these being refined sugars and flours. A healthy diet is a diet that is 20-25% fat, 15-20% protien, and 60% carbohydrates from whole sources such as vegetables, fruits, legumes and pulses. Most of that 60% should be from vegetables and fruits. In fact, most people would do well to abandon processed sugar and various flours altogether--as this is probably the greatest factor in heart disease and many other diseases in our current culture. Add to this the sheer *excess* of our culture (most people on the SAD consume 2,500 to 4,000 cals a day!) and you have a recipe for disaster.
certainly i think that the average person would do well to restructure their omnivorous diet to an appropriate caloric intake (depending upon size, metabolism, movement, etc--1,500 to 2,500 cals a day) with the appropriate macronutrient spectrum, 25F-15P-60C or 20F-20P-60C.
here is a link to information about recommended daily amounts, in grams, of protien for different age groups, as well as where these nutrients can be found and in what amounts in the foods: http://www.vegansociety.com/html/food/nutrition/protein.php. THis is from the UK vegan society and uses the UK numbers for "RDAs." It also gives a list of sources of 10 grams of protien using however many grams of the sources (such as kidney beans). the sources also provide other macronutrients--such as carbohydrates, so you'd have to count the 20 grams of protien and the rest of the grams, total, as being part of the carbohydrate group. Here is another vegetarian group who has an information sheet about vegetarians and protien, which includes a meal plan that meats the RNI (UK's RDA) for protien: http://www.vegsoc.org/info/protein.html.
i was vegan for a number of years, but disliked relying on overprocessed foods and supplements and fortifications. i prefer a whole-foods diet and have returned to this vegetarian diet for a myriad of reasons (health being one of them). i've never had problems getting enough protien or fat (including omega 3s) as a vegetarian. I know many other vegetarians who have been vegetarian longer than I or for a lifetime that also have no problem. They are active people--lifting weights and doing whatever else--and they are also intellegent, fit, and healthy.
again, i'm not saying that everyone 'should be' or 'needs to be' vegetarian. i'm simply saying that in the yoga tradition, and the tradition from which it comes, vegetarianism is a large part of the teachings. it's worth exploring these teachings and determining whether or not the philosophy works for you and then whether or not the diet itself works for you. If neither does, then no big deal. It's not a prerequisite to be vegetarian to practice yoga. But, i think it is necessary to explore it and it is appropriate to say that 'traditionally, yogic diets are lacto-vegetarian.'
Edited by zoebird 2005-08-18 8:07 AM
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| If I've understood earlier posts on this topic correctly, I think the main philosophy for a yogic diet is moderation, de-emphasis on the meat/fish element (relative to the typical Western diet) and respect for the fact that your life is reliant on the lives of plants and animals being sacrificed.
i agree that this is entirely true. traditionally, though, the diet has been vegetarian for thousands of years BCE. and of course, at least 2005 years CE. This is not to say that there aren't appropriate times and places and individual's consuming meat, but thta generally speaking vegetarianism is to be aspired to and/or practiced.
i also find this element of the article (from yoga journal) really interesting:
Dietary guidelines became explicit centuries later in the Laws of Manu, written between 200 b.c.e. and 100 c.e., say Walters and Portmess. In this text, we discover that the sage Manu doesn't find fault just with those who eat meat. "He who permits the slaughter of an animal," he wrote, "he who cuts it up, he who kills it, he who buys or sells meat, he who cooks it, he who serves it up, and he who eats it, must all be considered as the slayers of the animal."
i completely agree with the statement and the sentiment. it's basicly what i've been saying all along, and i believe that many people have sought to avoid participating in the slaughter of animals by forgoing meat.
in our modern era, it is also important to note the interconnectedness of meat with other products. For example, in commercial 'Factory" dairy farming, male calves become veal. female calves are removed from their mothers and raised as dairy cows. dairy cows are either A. impregnanted regularly or B. given hormones to promote milk products. When a dairy cow no longer produces, she goes to slaughter. So, to consume dairy is to participate in the slaughter of animals. As another example, in commercial "factory" egg production, chickens are kept in not-so-great conditions, given hormones and antibiotics, and forced to lay many eggs. ONce they no longer lay eggs, they are sent to slaughter. So, to consume eggs is to slaughter animals.
This is why many people choose veganism, but IMO, veganism has lots of problems--regarding nutrients, the reliance on processed foods and supplementation, and what not. So, the question then, is, how does one maintain a healthy vegetarian diet and not participate in the slaughter of animals?
i think that an individual has a number of options:
1. instead of participating in commerical 'factory' farms, they should support small, local dairys who hae different practices that the individual feels it is appropriate to support. For example, i support local biodynamic farms that produce raw milk. they do ultimately slaughter their animals, but they do not use hormones to increase milk products and they do not remove calves from their mothers. the meat is slaughtered on sight with minimal suffering on the part of the animal. My husband consumes meat from this farm, and feels that this grass fed meat (they also raise 'beef cattle') is the healthiest and he only consumes appropriate quantities. Both of us recognize that we are taking part in the slaughter of the animals--and i certainly accept the karmic impact of this. (more on this later).
2. finding a hobbiest who has goats or chickens are pets and collect milk and eggs from them. i am lucky enough to have a number of friends who have this sort of lifestyle. i often get my milk products (cheese, cream, milk, etc) from a local hobbiest goat herd. I get eggs from friends who have only two or three chickens--and produce TONS of eggs. in this way, i'm not participating in the slaughter of animals while still able to acquire the food stuffs that i need. (this is my preference).
3. finding an intentional community that doesn't slaughter animals. ISKCON ashrams often sell a number of dairy products made from cow's milk. the cows are well loved and only die of natural causes. the calves are not removed. as far as i know, these groups do not have eggs.
So, there are opportunities for individuals to avoid or decrease their karmic impact when consuming products that lead to the slaugher of animals.
THis is partly why i may be ovo-lacto vegetarian in diet, but in lifestyle, i avoid as many animal products as humanly possible. no leather, fur, wool, pearls (this is the toughest for me), and none in my body care products, household products, etc. many of the animal ingredients in these things are byproducts of animal slaughter--and i'd have to accept the same karmic impact as if i'd eaten the animal myself. So, i strive to avoid it as much as possible.
But the most important element is recognizing that reliance on other beings (plant or animal) and the impact that that reliance has not only on the individual animal, but also on the environmental impacts, the economic and social impacts of the local community, and a myriad of related factors.
and in thinking about these impacts, considering vegetarianism as an opportunity to practice a number of spiritual disciplines that may aid in overcoming many of the problems from modern day animal agriculture. |
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| ok after reading all that info .......my head hurts  ........but it was worth it now i now some stuff i'm still gonna look into it along with looking in to herbal teas ...
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good diets
