Practical Yoga Nutrition Tips for Better Health
On and Off the Mat

Remember the day you went to a yoga class just after having a latte and croissant? Or that day when you had a juicy burger half an hour before, thinking it would be fine? Most of us know the obvious – try to avoid food at least 2-3 hours before class. Here are some more yoga nutrition tips you should know about.

For some it is even longer, and of course it depends what you eat. In my book, The Flexitarian Method, I discuss what is best for each body type, which means that there is no hard rule for anyone. Not even for one specific person, as it depends on the time of year, age and other lifestyle factors. In India I eat differently than in California. In winter I eat Differently than in the summer. Today I eat less than when I was 21.  Remember, everybody is different. Mark David author of Nourishing Wisdom, says it best; “If there are 6 billion people on the planet, there should be 6 billion diets.”

You can take the Ayurveda questionnaire here.

OK, so you did not eat before class, you go do your practice, you sweat, you work hard to get flexible and strong, but  hopefully you breathe deeply and don’t push too hard. No matter what you do, this is just one part of what will help your body get fit, flexible and healthy.

The other two parts are your mind and what you eat. You can create amazing change just by visualizing the outcome you would like. Your attitude during practice is also crucial – can you practice softly, allowing the muscles to relax where stretching is happening, can you feel positive about the practice.

What about what you eat and how you eat?

Yoga Nutrition Tips

1. Drink plenty of water between meals. You will notice less crackling sounds when you rotate your neck after 2 months of increased water consumption. Of course the amount varies, depending on the weather, and the amount of  liquid you get from food (watermelon is about 92% water).
2. Drink 2 cups of water, half an hour before class. This will help loosen up the muscles. Imagine bending a stick. If it is dry it will break easily, while if it is moist, it will bend.
3. Make dark leafy greens your best friend (At least 5oz a day), to increase your vitamin and mineral intake.
4. Eat some raw foods and sprouts with every meal and as snacks. This will increase your energy in the body.
5. Eliminate sugar. Think of sugar as being as bad for you as cigarettes are. Would you eat that treat now?
6. Decrease or eliminate dairy, especially pasteurized dairy.
7. Eat probiotic foods like sauerkraut, coconut kefir, yogurt and pickled vegetables (look for ones without vinegar in the ingredients)
8. Supplement your food with good quality Vitamin C (500-1000mg a day) and MSM (about 1000mg a day) – Consult with your nutrition consultant on these. I take these half an hour before practice. 
9. Eat your water and drink your food, Gandhi said. Or simply chew well and eat slowly. This will improve your digestion, and most likely cause you to eat less.
10. Enjoy Whole, Real, Organic foods. Eat food that resembles its original form in nature. This means avoid processed food.

Share the Health

For a fast-track method to total nutrition balancing, try The Doron Yoga Cookbook. 108 vegetarian (mostly vegan) recipes, from breakfast classics all the way through to a monumental baking section. This cookbook has everything you need to regain control over what you eat and bring yourself back into joyful balance.

Leave us a comment, what’s your favorite healthy snack? Share this article with a friend who is working on changing their diet or eating practices.

Blissful Living,

Doron