Health & Wellness

Sattvic Living: 

Ayurvedic tradition holds that there exist three gunas (universal energies) - Sattva, Rajas and Tamas, that circulate through all matter and all beings and each individual possesses his or her own unique proportion of these three gunas.

●  Sattvic - peaceful, alert yet calm
●  Rajasic - agitated, restless
●  Tamasic - Dull, lethargic, sleepy

It is essential to maintain sufficient levels of both Rajas (to stay motivated) and Tamas (to be able to rest) whereas Sattva is incredibly healthy in abundance. 

To live a Sattvic lifestyle, one must work to balance the three gunas.

Diet and lifestyle are the two most powerful forms of medicine. When our energy (Prana) is low, we often feel low or sad. We should never underestimate the influence food can have on us. The food we ate yesterday is still impacting our mental and emotional state today, so eating food that is high in prana supports us in regaining a positive state of mind.

Sattvic diet includes food nourished by natural forces like fruits, vegetables, grains and seeds. It is a high fiber, low fat vegetarian diet which is based on Ayurvedic principles. It is rich in nutrient-dense foods and low in processed foods. Food containing animal proteins, fried foods, stimulants like caffeine, and white sugar are excluded from the diet.

Health benefits of Sattvic diet:

●  It encourages whole and nutrient-dense food and discourages the consumption of fried and processed foods.

●  It reduces the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, high LDL cholesterol and certain cancers.

●   It promotes weight loss as the diet is rich in fiber and plant foods.

●  The diet is loaded with all the vitamins and minerals that your body needs and it is easily digestible too.

●  It provides mindfulness and peace to the body and soul.

Foods to eat:

●  Land and sea vegetables like spinach, potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower etc.

●  Fruits and its juices like apples, papayas, mangoes, bananas, melons etc.

●  Nuts, seeds and coconut products.

●  Sprouted grains like barley, millet, wild rice etc.

●  Legumes and bean products.

●  Jaggery and honey as sweeteners

●  Sattvic spices and herbs like basil, coriander, cumin, fenugreek, ginger, turmeric etc.

Foods to avoid:

●  Fried food like fries, poori, pakode etc.

●  Processed food like chips, biscuits, fast food, frozen food etc.

●  Refined products like maida, white bread, cakes, cookies etc.

●  Added sugars and sweeteners.

●  Alcohol, sugary drinks and caffeinated beverages.

Tips for Sattvic living:

●  Eat only organic, fresh and whole foods. Food eaten in pure form brings inner peace and encourages spiritual progress.

●  Fast for a day every week for full body detox.

●  Try to align your body with nature - Regulate your daily events, rising with the sun, eating at similar times each day and sleeping timely (around 10 pm) to ensure enough sleep.

●  Spend a few moments to center yourself each day - Meditate and do yoga, pranayama. Also adopt a regular exercise routine. Consistency is the key!

●  Wake and rise before the sun does, it will make you energetic and dynamic. So the longer you wake up after sunrise, the lazier and sluggish you’ll be.

●  Develop sattvic states of mind - Peace, calm, positivity, happiness, humility, clarity, honesty, balance, gratitude, inner-silence.

●  Practice acceptance and balance your darker side instead of fighting, opressing or ignoring them.

●  Always speak the truth and speak with love.

●  Listen deeply with full presence and offer compassionate words. And ensure that you are blocking out negative stimuli.

●  Study inspirational and spiritual text.

●  Live in the present.

Sakshi Bisht | Life Within

Photo Credit: <a href='https://www.freepik.com/photos/food'>Food photo created by user14908974 - www.freepik.com</a>