By Radhika IyerTalati
Indic traditions emphasise that good mental and physical health is directly connected to three prime activities– what we eat, how we breathe and the way we think. These help us to understand the deep connection between our bodies, minds, emotions and thoughts.
One needs to respect the balance between the physical or the food that we eat, mental or the thoughts that we manifest by what we think, emotional or the reactions or responses to situations that we give and the spiritual aspects that we experience in understanding the connection between us and the cosmos. Only when all this is in balance will we have the fortune to experience a healthy, peaceful and successful life. Let us briefly divide these three important aspects that help detox our bodies and help us live a wholesome life.
A balanced diet:
Based on the principles of the Indic sciences, our life is primarily composed of elements that are sattva or pure, ahimsa or nonviolence and upyogita or symbiotic living. It is in this context that a yogic diet is recommended to live a wholesome life. An ancient practice that has been tried and tested for over thousands of years, a yogic diet promotes mindful eating, consumption in moderation, eating according to the season and indulging in organic and natural food for consumption. A wholesome diet promotes the concept of “mit-aahar” or moderate eating encourages one to eat food that is in accordance with one’s doshas. Our civilization understood the interspersed connection between the ecology and us and this probably is the one reason that we must find the lost connection on why we need to discipline our food eating habits in accordance to nature. Indulging in wholesome grains, fresh vegetables and fruits, nuts, seeds etc that are both fresh and seasonal are the correct tools to live a healthy lifestyle.
Asanas for great health:
Physical exercise like Yoga is known to help tune into the body’s mechanism. We now need to connect individual intelligence with that of the universal consciousness. Our seers devised yoga as a way to overcome all suffering, internal or external, to enable us to live a healthy and peaceful life. Yoga helps centre the mind in chaotic times, strengthening immunity and building a strong but calm mind that can help us to withstand everything that comes our way. Practicing Yoga Asanas for just 30 minutes every day combined with simple breathing techniques and meditation, will help stretch the body and mind making us stronger and more flexible, less lethargic and more active. Not to mention we will be able to lead a disease and infection free life once we start our yogic journey.
Correct breathing and why it is the key to great health:
Our traditions emphasise that good mental and physical health is directly connected to the way we breathe. Correct breathing is known to help sharpen the brain and body, increase immunity, reduce stress and increase efficiency. Morden research confirms that most of us use only 20 percent of our breathing capacity during our entire lifetime, essentially hyperventilating on two overworked and exhausted lungs throughout our lives. And without realising this, we live a stressful and disease filled life. Specific breathing routines have thus been established by our ancients that are as relevant today as they were thousands of years ago. Simple breathing techniques to manage breath must be practiced every day to consciously navigate the body towards great health.