In yoga, there is special importance of diet and we cannot ignore the diet. In this context, one of the famous Yoga Texts, Gheranda Samhita has even stated that he who commences the practices of Yoga without first controlling his diet becomes a victim of many diseases. His Yoga does not succeed...
Even Sri Krishna in Bhagwad Gita had recommended about diet. He has described the benefits of eating a diet that is balancing to the satsva guna (principle of harmony) and stated the efects of foods that either increases rajas or tamas guna. Foods in the mode of sattva increase the duration of life, purify existence, gives strength, and increase health, happiness and satisfaction.
A sattvic diet is ideal for those who are practising yoga on a daily basis.
Taittiriya Upanishad mentions that the food is God. In this Upanishad, Sage Bhrigu mentions that from food, life springs forth, by food it is sustained and in food, it merges when departed. And all the vital forces are nourished by food.
On the other hand, as per modern science, the quality of food that we ingest is very important. Though foods are made of chemical components, we must remember the Yogic and physicists point of view that matter and energy are interchangeable. The presence of life force in foods is crucial to the vitality of the multi-dimensional body/ mind.
Biochemically, we should always take balanced diet comprising of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals and water. And none of these food components can be ignored. Foods are classified into Energy giving foods (carbohydrates and fats), body building foods (proteins) and Body regulating foods (vitamins and minerals). So, try to take a bowl of 2-3 fruits and a bowl of 2-3 raw vegetables as salad every day either in between your normal cooked meals or alongwith. This will roughly provide all types of food components.
Therefore, one should take the diet seriously alongwith the yogic practices.
