...I say " I DO YOGA"

I used to be one of those people who thought of yoga as physical practice.

Today, when people ask me “what are you doing?” (referring to my improved body-shape and complimenting on my weight loss) , I simply answer: I do Yoga. However, I no longer refer to it as an exercise. If you still using the word Yoga just to describe the stretching pose, please call it Pilates.  YOGA is not what you see people do on their mat. In my simple words, I explain Yoga as: a discipline and guidelines by which we move in life. That includes our thinking and eating habits. It is deeply philosophical and scientifically psychological.

…it’s NOT A Religion. Yoga is a method to completely integrate your personality. I see it as a path to my physical, mental and spiritual stability.

~ About the yoga eating guidelines:

 “Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food.”

All yogis should be practicing A Sattvic Diet. What is it?

The Sattvic Diet is:

1. Vegetarian - NO harming or killing animals.

2. Natural: Organic, Simple, Clean, Fresh Foods, Highly nutritious – this means any food that is grown in harmony with nature, in good soils.

3. Moderate Eating – by the guidelines, yogis do not over indulge.  Self observation (another yoga principle) helps to maintain the healthy food portions.  

Yogis are very strict about their diet.

Things that are most commonly avoided are:

1. Commercially prepared food

2. Fried foods and Fast foods

3. Refined (processed) sugar

4. Eggs

5. Stale Food

6. Animal flesh or animal fat

7. Alcohol

Traditionally the yogic diet was called a diet of “fruits and roots”. The bulk of a yogi’s diet would include: whole grains, beans, root vegetables, seeds and nuts, fruits and leafy vegetables, and very limited dairy products (like goat milk.) When a yogi eats, his/her primary goal is to nourishing the body, not to harm! Recall: Ahimsa (none harming) is the first guideline of the ethical teaching of yoga.

It is recommended that 50% – 80% of a person’s diet be made up of raw food for optimum health, physically and spiritually.

What about the protein, some people ask?

“Current research indicates that not only do we get more than sufficient protein on a vegetarian diet, but a vegetarian diet is generally healthier, increases longevity, and increases physical endurance. “

Vegetarian diet is a prime preventer of osteoporosis and heart disease.

Also, when I tell people I do yoga, in that meaning, I incorporate the stress reduction.

Yoga teaches awareness and self observing skills. I’ve become more and more aware and I pay closer attention to my body and my mind. If you listen to your body you will learn a lot.

I stay focus and try not waste energy in emotional chaos and moods. It is also important to truly recognize that the mind and body are inter connected. … yoga practices will lead you to a better way of managing daily life.  If you have too many things that you are juggling, you body starts stressing out.. You will have a tight back, neck and shoulders, digestive issues like acid reflux, constipation, gassiness, diarrhea, and you will accelerate aging. One of the yoga principles is teaching us not to stretch ourselves too thin. But, how many of us try to be at more than one place at the same time? Prioritizing and concentrating on one thing at the time is the key. What matters most? Why do you do what you do? Can you change the way you do things? Will it help you and others around you? Ask those questions from time to time. Meditate.

Of course, being true to my commitment of giving you some help with preparing healthy food, I am moving onto the next chapter:

Homemade Miso Soup:

This is extremely easy and quick!

You will need to buy the following ingredients next time you are at the health Food Store. Some of these you will be using later on , so the first hand investment will stretch out over many meals..

I use lots of tofu, wakame and green onions to make the soup thick. That makes it more nutritious and can be served as lunch or dinner by itself.

1.       Miso

2.       Tofu

3.       Vegetable (32 OZ ) and Mushroom Stock (32 OZ)

4.       Shitake Mushrooms

5.       Green onions

6.       wakame (dry seaweed) ( Arame can be added as an option, but Wakame is a must)

For teh family of 4, I woudl use 1.5 containers of Vegetable/ Mushroom Stock (48 OZ).

Bring vegetable and mushroom stock to boil and place mushrooms and green onion into the broth. Give it a minute and place tofu (diced into small square pieces).

On the side, take 2 tbsp of miso paste and desolve it in a cup of veggie stock.

Pour the liquefied miso past into the soup and turn the heat off. Do not boil miso paste.

Please enjoy!