Every sound, sensation, sight, flavor and aroma we ingest from the environment influences our mind, body, emotion and life.
Although the body appears to be fixed and stable, in reality, it is continuously changing. Your stomach lining re-create itself about every five days, your skin re-new every month and the liver cells are turn over every six weeks. The vast majority of the cells in the body are derived from food.
Nature is our extended body. Each breath that is inhaled and exhaled is a reminder of the continuous connection taking place between our physical body and our environment. Thus, we must take a responsibility of making sure that nature is well cared for, like how we care for our self.
You are what you eat!
A familiar saying which simply means, that the body cells are made from the food that you eat, therefore, choose your food wisely, for what is on your plate will be later be a part of you.
In Ayurvedic and Yogic principle, the Sattvic food is THE SACRED diet. Sattvic means pure, natural, clean, vital and good quality.
Sattvic food brings peace and calmness to the mind; vitality and energy to the body; lightness and happiness to the emotion; gentleness and compassion; evolution of spiritual consciousness. This diet is strictly followed by the traditional yogis and Jainism devotees, for they practice “Ahimsa”(non-violence) and believe in Karma (what you do, comes back to you). Sattvic diet is vegetarian.
The impression of not eating meat makes you weak is totally not true! Look at the elephants, bulls, horses and gorillas, they only eat plant foods but they are powerful and calm (unless provoked). The gorillas are thirty times stronger than a human being! While the carnivorous animals like tigers, lions and snakes are heavy, sleeps a lot and wild.
Sattvic foods:
• All fresh fruits in season and natural
• All vegetables, except for garlic and onions, for it disrupts the process of meditation, and mushrooms, because it is considered fungus, therefore harmful to the body.
• Legumes – red beans, mung, lentils, chickpeas, dal
• Whole grains – brown rice, quinoa, barley, oats
• Nuts – almonds, walnuts, pine nuts, macadamia, brazilian
• Seeds – pumpkin, flax, hemp
• Dairy – fresh organic milk, home made plain yoghurt, goat cheese
• Oils – cold pressed fresh coconut oil, olive oil, flaxseed oil
• Sweeteners – honey, jaggery or raw sugar (unprocessed)
• Drink – fresh water, coconut, sugarcane
Sattvic nourishment is a good preventive measure for cancer, heart diseases, diabetes and obesity.
All choices that we make in life affects and predicts our future. Choosing health now, means a healthy tomorrow.
Eat well, Live well, Think well and Love a lot!
Namaste.
Holistic Living by Riza Shanti Lim