Engaging in a Yoga Teacher Training Course in Rishikesh is more than just learning asanas and yogic philosophies, in our opinion. It is an entire transformation in one’s entire lifestyle. However, there is one extremely important thing about this exciting and transformation-filled experience that most people would not know prior to this experience. We are talking about yogic cuisine of course. How Shiva Yoga Peeth embarks on “yogic cuisine” is by identifying that “yogic cuisine is medicine” respectively to “the body,” “the mind,” and “the soul.”
In the following blog post, we will examine what you should eat, what you should avoid eating, and most importantly, the reason behind the significance of yogic diet techniques in your transformation during the teacher training courses of yoga.
Understanding the Yogic Diet Philosophy
The yogic dieting system has some background in yoga, as well as some related practices of Ayurveda that were practiced in the old days. The yogic diet promotes Satvik foods that help in increasing purification, balance, and serenity. Unlike other diets that place importance on calorie dieting, the yogic diet emphasizes ‘prana’ (life force) as well as the impact of ‘prana’ on the mind, as well as the ‘energy system.’
A practitioner at Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh is advised to eat food that contains:
- Facilitates natural processes
- Easy to digest
- Enhances mental acuity and emotional calmness
- Facilitates extended practice sessions and meditations
The food provided in Shiva Yoga Peeth is designed in a way that it is beneficial to the body as well as the mind.
Importance of Diet During Yoga Teacher Training
Yoga teacher training courses involve a physical as well as a psychological growth process. There may be an average daily schedule of activities such as:
- Morning meditation and pranayama
- Various Anasa Classes
- Philosophy and anatomy classes
- Self- study and Refreshment
A yogic diet that is followed in Rishikesh is beneficial for yoga students in the following ways:
- Energy levels should remain consistent
- Improve flexibility and muscle recovery
- increase the focus
- Prevent tiredness and gastrointestinal troubles
A clean diet leads to detoxification, which provides the student with an enhanced level of yogic awareness throughout their yoga teacher training in India.
Yogic Diet Principles
1. Satvik Food for Mental Clarity
Satvik foods are easy to digest, light to eat, and of high “prana”. Satvik foods possess the power to calm our minds and enhance the sharpness of our awareness. This is very much required by those who are going to be “Sadhak”.
2. Freshly Cooked & Seasonal
Yogic meals should be fresh and regionally climatic. In Rishikesh, one finds the usage of vegetables, fruits, and grains from the region.
3. Great and Mindful Eating
Overeating is also discouraged. Eating in a mindful, grateful, and thoroughly chewed manner aids in the digestion and energy flow within the body.
Foods To Eat During Yoga Teacher Training
- Food should be Light
- Fresh Fruits & Veg
Fruits and vegetables are the foundation of the Yogi Diet that yoga teacher trainees are asked to maintain. They are rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Recommended alternatives are:
- Apples, Papaya,
- Leafy veggies, carrots, pumpkin, bottle gourd
- Cucumber, beetroot,
The digestion process is very easy in these foods and helps in practicing for several hours.
Whole Grains: Dependable Energy Supplier
Whole grains contain low-releasing carbohydrates that ensure the students are always energized throughout the day.
Common yogic grains include:
- Rice
- Oats
- Millets
- Whole Wheat Chapati
In Shiva Yoga Peeth, food grains are prepared without pouring an excess of oil and spices so that nutritional values are retained.
Soy Protein
Protein needs are essential during physical exercise; more so, yogic philosophy prefers plant protein.
Healthy choices involve:
- Lentils (Dal)
- Chickpea
- Mung Beans
- Sprouts
All the above food products increase the muscles of the body, along with making the body light, which is very beneficial for a person who is attending the Yoga Teacher Training Course in Rishikesh.
Dairy in Moderation
In conventional yogic diets, the consumption of specific food products made from fresh dairy, when it is fresh, is permitted.
Common choices:
- Milk
- Curd (yoghurt)
- Ghee
Such foods offer joint lubricating functions, digestive health, and nervous system nutritional needs.
Herbal Teas and Warm Liquids
Water consumption is important during heavy training. Herbal teas assist in digestion and detoxing.
Popular varieties include:
- Ginger Tea
- Tulsi tea
- Lemon water
Warm liquids are preferred to chilled ones. This is especially so in view of the yogic environmental conditions prevailing in Rishikesh.
Diets to Avoid in Yoga Teacher Training Programs
In order to derive the proper benefits of the yogic diet, which is advised to be followed in Rishikesh, there are some food items that should be avoided. This is because they might disturb the equilibrium of the body as well
Tamasic Foods
Avoid:
- Fried and oily foods
- Processed Snacks
- Leftovers of stale foods
With diet, it is the food that excites the nerve cells and disrupts the digestive system.
Avoid:
- Too much Spices
- Chives and garlic (in many yoga traditions),
- Black tea, herb tea,
- Refined sugar
These foods influence meditation and emotional balance in yoga teacher training courses conducted in India.
Veg/Non-Veg Food and Alcohol
All classical systems of practice in yoga and Shiva Yoga Peeth, in particular, disapprove of:
- Meat & Fish
- Alcohol
- Smoking and intoxicants
These materials hinder the flow of “prana.” They are opposed to “yoga” practices.
When to Eat During Yoga Teacher Training
Food timing is as important as the choice of food. Generally, it is recommended to have a light breakfast after morning practice:
- Main meal at lunchtime when digestion is strongest
- Light meal before the setting of the
It has been recommended that students keep a gap of at least 3-4 hours between their food and intense practice.
Experience of Yogic Diet at Shiva Yoga Peeth
At Shiva Yoga Peeth, education will be considered complete when diet is introduced as an important factor. This is done through:
- Completely vegetarian
- Prepared as per traditional yoga systems
- Suitable for foreign students
- Intended to develop physical, mental, or spiritual attributes of the user
The calm surroundings that pervade the environment of Rishikesh, along with eating with awareness, help students develop healthy habits during the Yoga Teacher Training Course in Rishikesh.
Benefits of Eating a Yogic Diet
They, by observing a yogic diet regime during their yogic teacher training, will learn that:
- Improved Digestion and Immunity
- Greater flexibility and endurance
- Further Meditation and Self-Awareness
Such benefits can be achieved not only during the process of training but through an entire yogic way of living.
Conclusion
The yogic diet is not a normal kind of diet to be adopted for a temporary span of time; it’s a way of life. When a person undergoes Yoga Teacher Training in India, especially when a person is in Rishikesh, which is highly spiritual, Food acts as a “transformation agent. With a yogic diet, a person, while in Rishikesh, links their “body,” “mind,” and “spirit” to the true “meaning of yoga.”
At Shiva Yoga Peeth, a proper combination of these three things: authentic learning, proper practice, and healthy yogic food, is provided to their students for a comprehensive learning experience. Now, if you are soon to join a Yoga Teacher Training Program in Rishikesh, remember this: it is not just about practicing the right thing; what you eat also matters equally.