SHREYAS CENTRE FOR YOGA

THE ART & SCIENCE OF EATING

THE MOUTH

DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

PROCESSES The food undergoes four consecutive processes within your

system – ingestion, digestion, absorption and excretion.

During food consumption, slowly mash and chew the food, before swallowing it. The enzymes in the saliva will decompose the food, and this will reduce the churning work in the stomach, thus saving your overall energy (Prana).

Don’t drink lot of water during the consumption of food. If the food is mixed with more water, then the stomach will not work much; it will simply pass the food onto the intestine.

For the proper decomposition of the nutrients, the food in the stomach should not be completely liquid and should not be completely solid; it should be a semi-liquid fine paste.

Don’t eat stomach-full. It will deprive the smooth movement of the stomach, and will drain your energy.

DIGESTION The food remains in the stomach for about 3 hours, and

later on, it gets fully digested within the intestine, and the waste reaches the large intestine after about twelvehours of the intake of the food.

This timing is applicable only if the food consumed is vegetarian, and is light in nature. For the heavy food such as fatty and oily, and for non-vegetarian food, the digestion process takes more time, nearly 20 – 30 hours.

Due to the bad food habits or due to the improper food consumption, if the intestine loses its slippery nature, then the toxins get accumulated, leading to scaling.

EXCRETION Your small intestine is about 20 feet long and the large

intestine is about 5 feet long, thus totaling the length of the intestine to be about 25 feet.

The completion of the digestion process happens in the small intestine, and most of the nutrients get absorbed into the blood-stream.

The large intestine is responsible for the absorption of water, and then, for the excretion of the solid waste.

The toxins should not be allowed to accumulate in the large intestine for a longer duration. Otherwise, this results in gastritis, constipation, impure blood, weak intestine, and so on.

EARLY MORNING… Don’t leave your stomach empty much longer

(more than an hour after waking). Practice Ushahpaana and then practice yogasana after about 30 minutes.

If Ushahpaana is not performed, then consume lemon juice (with honey/crushed ginger/mint), or fruit juice without sugar, or warm milk with (honey/badam mixture), or ash gourd juice, or groundnut smoothie/milkshake.

Otherwise, if yogasana is scheduled much later (2 hours or later), then consume one glass of milk porridge. It can be prepared using corn / wheat flakes, jowar / millet flakes, muesli, puffed paddy (aralu), beaten rice (avalakki) etc.

EARLY MORNING… Alternatively – semolina (rave), oats, sago, finger

millet flour (raw/sprouted/fried), barley flour (raw/fried) can be used.

The first mentioned items can be directly mixed with diluted hot milk. The next mentioned items have to be boiled with milk. A little amount of jaggery / rock sugar / honey can be used for taste.

Instant porridge powder can be kept prepared as follows: Grind dried dates, almonds, cashew nuts & raisins together, and mix with rice flour, wheat flour & maize flour. Whenever required, pour 3 tsp of this powder into 1 glass of hot milk, with a little jaggery / rock sugar. Consume after 3 minutes.

How breakfast should be? Breakfast should be snigdha (soft fluid), and not shushka

(dry solid), so that the food can be easily digested, and the stools can be easily passed out.

Hence, reduce the intake of completely solid foods. Ensure that the food is soft enough, and at the same time, highly rich with fiber.

Don’t consume roasted dosa, idli, upma, rice bath, maidabread, puliyogare, and such dry items regularly. Whenever you consume them, drink sufficient amount of water later.

Whenever dosa/idli/rice item is prepared, it should be soft enough (e.g.: pongal, khichdi, neer dosa, dosa prepared of: soya bean & flax seed, ash/bottle gourd, multi-grain flour).

BREAKFAST… For breakfast, consume porridge / gruel prepared of –

red rice, organic rice, black rice, white rice with fenugreek (methi) and/or cumin seeds (jeera), brown rice with sesame seeds, rice with broken wheat, pearl millet (bajra), barley (raw or fried & powdered), boiled rice, red boiled rice, sorghum (jowar) with moong dal, red & organic rice mixture, and so on.

Soak the required grain in water overnight, and boil it in the morning, with water. Use coconut milk whenever required, for obtaining consistent and tasty porridge.

Consume different porridge each day, with very little salt, small amount of ghee/butter, and/or plain roasted papad. For making the porridge delicious, it can be boiled with coconut milk, a little jaggery, raisins, cashew nuts, almonds, crushed dates etc.

BREAKFAST continued… Curry of sprouted pulses [bengal gram (kadale), horse

gram (huruli), green gram (hesaru), groundnut (nelagadale) & soya bean] can be used, as optional.

Alternatively, chutney prepared of one or more of these items can be used: coriander leaves, brahmi, mint leaves, tomato, ridge gourd/bottle gourd covering, raw mango, coconut, Pashanabhedi (Doddapathre) etc.

IN THE EVENING… Don’t consume any junk food/fast food/snacks. Don’t bite on hard

sweet products. If you are hungry, consume one glass of milk porridge. Otherwise, consume panchamrtha (milk, curd, ghee, honey and rock sugar) or madhuparka (curd, honey and ghee).

Another alternative is herbal tea / kashaya / kesar milk (dissolve a little rock sugar in milk; add cardamom powder and a few threads of saffron; leave it for some time).

If your profession does not involve walking, then go for a brisk walk in the evening. During walking, if the atmosphere is clean, then perform any comfortable pranayama, counting the steps. If pranayama is not possible, then chant “OM” for each step.

Before supper, consume everyday, one tsp of Chyavanaprasha / Amalakee rasayana / Badami rasayana / Amrtha rasayana / Kesarikalpa / Brahmi rasayana / Ashwagandha rasayana, followed by a little amount of warm milk / warm water.

Madhuparka

CURD HONEY GHEE

Three parts Two parts One part

VAthanAshaka KaphanAshaka PiththanAshaka

Balavardhaka Agnivardhaka Buddhivardhaka

Rock sugar

Cardamom

Saffron

REGARDING LIQUOR - Any type of liquor is prepared by means of fermentation

and/or distillation of the rotten organic material.

Food is turned into alcohol (beer – barley, wine – grapes, fenny – cashew fruits, whiskey – wheat, brandy – apples, vodka – corn, gin – juniper berries, tequila – agave plant, rum – molasses, arrack – coconut toddy).

Liquor is a mild poison, and upon its consumption, more blood gets pumped towards the belly.

This causes reduced blood flow towards the brain, and thus causes intoxication.

After intoxication, due to the reduced conscious activity, the drunkard spells out the truth.

The addicts will use their brain lesser, which is totally against the purpose of evolution.

Don’t throw the rotten waste food.

Add some water and boil it rigorously.

Don’t allow the steam to escape; collect it.

After it cools, you have the liquor ready; go ahead!

If you go ahead, then you are not at all a human being.

How to make cheap liquor?

Obviously, there is no need to discuss the dirty habit of smoking.

The smokers are worse than any other animals, and more foolish than any other living creature. Hence, the smokers are unworthy of any mention here.

REGARDING MEAT EATING - Meat takes more time for digestion than vegetarian

foods, and hence meat consumes more prana.

The human blood is alkaline. Meat eating decreases the pH value of the blood and makes it acidic.

The human body is meant to be vegetarian; human body lacks the hunting claws and the killing teeth.

Humans want God to be kind on them; but they don’t show kindness on other lives. How is that?

Flesh of all types is all the same, just like your own. (Maamsah = maam + sah, means “mine is that”.)

Meat eating is against Ahimsa, and hence against yoga. How can a hypocrite expect to realize the self?

CONTINUED ...

Factor Herbivores Carnivores Frugivores

FoodGrass, leaves, vegetables

Herbivorous animals

Fruits, vegetables, nuts

Teeth Mostly molar Mostly canine Mostly molar

Tongue Longer, rough Longer, slender Shorter, rough

Saliva Alkaline Acidic Alkaline

Stomach Less acidic More acidic Less acidic

Fingers Hooves Claws Nails

Eating Grinding Biting Mostly grinding

Drinking Slurping Licking Slurping

Factor Herbivores Carnivores Frugivores

Perspiration Through skin Through tongue Through skin

Lifestyle Live in groups Live alone Live in groups

Habitat Open land Caves, hills Trees

Sleep Shorter Longer Shorter

Liver Moderate work Heavy work Moderate work

Colon Long & complex Short & simple Long & complex

Thirst Heavy Minimum Moderate

Mind Generally calm Generally cruel Generally calm

CONTINUED ...

WHAT ARE HUMANS?

Factor Herbivores Carnivores Frugivores

Jaw movement

Horizontal & vertical

Mostly verticalHorizontal & vertical

UrineModerately concentrated

Extremely concentrated

Moderately concentrated

Digestive tract

20 to 25 times that of the trunk

3 to 6 times that of the trunk

10 to 12 times that of the trunk

Opening of mouth

Smaller Bigger Moderate

After seeing blood

Feels dejected –does not go near

Gets delighted –smells and licks

Gets dejected –does not go near

The six enemies

Present in lesser quantity

Present in larger quantity

Present in much lesser quantity

The justifications of meat-eaters Plants also feel pain! No, plants have no brain. Plants when cut,

sprout again; your limbs don’t grow after cut. However, life is everywhere; even when you breathe out, you are killing life. But, the cellular life does not have any pain; however, they have fear.

Meat is required for the protein supply! No, there is enough protein in the nuts and seeds. The excessive amount of protein present in the eaten meat turns into amino acids, becomes nitrogenous, and burdens the kidneys.

Fat is required for the body’s growth! No, the fat in the milk is sufficient. The excess amount of fat present in the eaten meat becomes cholesterol, and affects the heart.

If we don’t kill them and eat them, their number in the world will increase. Excuse me, who is increasing their number? And, in addition, whose number is increasing?

Eggs can be consumed; they have no pain! No, eggs are meant for the creation of new bird life. Moreover, the aroma of eggs is not pleasant, and it does not cause salivation with humans.

During the production of meat, an enormous amount of natural resources is being wasted(food, water, land, labour).

Further more … Fish is not a vegetarian food! It is an animal born in water,

that’s all; still, if you want to eat fish, then eat worms, frogs, lizards, flies, cockroaches, and whatever that moves.

Milk is also of non-vegetarian origin! Yes, but it is the food which God created for you in your mother’s breast.

Bulls, horses, camels and elephants are much stronger than tigers, cheetahs, leopards and lions. Hence, strength and meat-eating are not related.

You can not eat raw meat like carnivores. It has to be cooked, baked, broiled, fried, and then decorated with sauces and spices, to suppress the raw taste. The raw meat directly eaten will cause vomiting; it is an indication that it is not for you.

Enough is enough. There are many who quote from the scriptures, for justifying their acts. Even a devil can quote from the Bible. Ultimately, it is your choice. You become what you eat. So eat whatever you want to become.

pH value chart(pH = Hydrogen ion concentration)

FOOD, FOOD, FOOD! Cooking is the greatest art form on earth. It involves the

activities of all the five sense organs.

Eating is the greatest utilization of this art. Hence, eating should be a highly satisfactory process.

Food should contain the 5 ingredients: Macro & Micronutrients: (Carbohydrates, proteins and fats) and (Vitamins and minerals).

Consume wholesome, natural, fibrous, traditional, regional, alkaline and fresh food materials.

Wash the herbs/vegetables/fruits in salt-water before use, to remove the toxicity of pesticides/insecticides.

Avoid processed (fried/baked/stored) food products.

GRAINS AND LEGUMES

FOOD CHART

Positive foods (pH > 7) : Herbs, roots/corms/bulbs, vegetables, fruits, sprouted seeds/pulses, green leafy vegetables

Neutral foods (pH = 7) : Unprocessed grains, dried fruits, spices, fresh nuts, fresh milk, honey

Negative foods (pH < 7) : Processed grains, pasteurized milk, jaggery, sugar, dried nuts, non-vegetarian foods, maida products, fats/oils, sweet products, processed foods and beverages

Recommended diet :

For healthy people (50% positive) + (50% neutral & negative)

For sick people (80% positive) + (20% neutral & negative)

For severely sick (100% positive)

NO Coffee, tea, soft drinks, alcohol, tobacco, betel nut, drugs Biscuits, chocolates, bakery products, frozen items Meat, eggs, maida flour, sugar, salt, green chilies Practicing of Yogasana shortly after waking up Drinking of plenty of water during meals

YES Herbal tea, kashaya, fruit juices, betel leaf Salads (fruit / vegetable), fruit cakes (eggless) Multi-grain flour, jaggery, rock sugar, rock salt Practice Yogasana after at least 3o minutes of waking Food should be 50% solid, 25% liquid; leave 25% space

REDUCEDried green peas, Dried long beans, Dried kidney beans, Potato, Field / Flat beans, Pumpkin, Brinjal, Onion, Black gram, Sweet and oily items, Cheese, Fried foods, Polished rice, Processed and/or cold food items and beverages

INCREASE

Carrots, Fresh green peas, Radish, Ash gourd, Bitter gourd, Snake gourd, Ridge gourd, Bottle gourd, Kohlrabi, Tindora, Ladies’ finger, Broad beans, Cluster beans, All green leafy vegetables (Agathi, Amaranthus, Coriander, Dill, Drumstick, Fenugreek, Malabar spinach, Mint etc.), All types of edible fruits/roots/corms/bulbs, Sprouted pulses, Organic rice, Brown rice, Millets (great - jolha, finger - raagi, pearl - sajje, foxtail - navane, little - saame, kodo - haaraka, proso -baragu, Barnyard - oodalu, amaranth, himalayan).

Note: All Red, Orange & Yellow fruits and vegetables, and dark Green leafy vegetables are rich in beta-carotene & antioxidants, and are helpful for optimum liver and gallbladder health.

The two silent workers

Kidney & Liver

A check on urine for 3 days COLOR: The color of the urine should be normally light yellow. If

the color is dark yellow, it means that the blood is being detoxified to combat the illness. If it is red, then there is some emergency cleansing happening, and hence, part of the blood is also going out. Darker colors indicate larger concentration, and hence more severity of the toxins inside the body. If it is like clear water, then it indicates the presence of excess water in the body.

ODOR: The urine should be normally odorless. If it is stinking, then it has lot of toxins, especially salt.

TEMPERATURE: If you have burning sensation during urination, then the urine is hot. This means that there is heavy cleansing activity going on inside, and hence the temperature is more.

Cure for all the problems: Consume lot of fluids and water (warm / cool depending on the conditions) for one full week.

STOOL

COLOR

MAINTAIN THE ORGANS For the mouth: Use herbal tooth powder / paste

For the bones: 1 glass of cow’s milk every day

For the stomach: Fiber rich breakfast & supper

For the intestine: 2 tea spoon of ghee every day

For the kidneys: 1 glass of water per hour (8 max.)

For the liver: Lemon juice with turmeric & honey

For the throat: 1 glass of herbal tea / kashaya

For the ears: Protect them against moisture / water

For the face: Gram flour + turmeric + milk + curd

For the appetite: Honey + lemon juice + warm water

For the teeth: Chew dried dates or sesame seeds

MAINTAIN THE SKIN Perform oil massage and then take bath (Thailabhyanga

snana along with Thailagandoosha) once in a week.

Use coconut oil for oily hair and castor oil for dry hair.

Use sesame oil for gargling & massaging the whole body.

Apply sesame oil to the entire skin, in between fingers, to the anus, and to the bottom of the feet as well.

Massage the face as well as the body well, and then take hot water bath; use herbal soaps; don’t use shampoos.

TO KEEP THE INTESTINES CLEAN… Pomegranate, Guava, Apple, Figs, Tender jackfruit, Tapioca,

Yam, Bamboo shoots, Edible mushrooms, Colocasia leaves, Plantain stem

TO KEEP THE KIDNEYS CLEAN… Barley water (with lemon / lime / orange), Sambar of mixed

herbs, Drumstick leaves / Coriander leaves / Brahmi juice, Coriander powder with tender coconut water, Almonds

Dinacharya… MORNING: Ushahpaana (with copper & lavancha/thulasi treated

water); walk for a few minutes & then perform bowel evacuation. Danthadhavana (slowly) with herbal tooth powder/paste; always

use a soft toothbrush; the tooth powder/paste must be astringent, pungent and / or bitter.

Dhyana and/or Yogasana, Snana, Upahara.

LUNCH: Conventional regional vegetarian food, as per choice. Take a small nap after lunch (15 minutes maximum). Consume one glass of buttermilk, after lunch, every day.

EVENING: Panchamrtha / Herbal tea / Kashaya / Kesar milk. Perform Pranayama after one hour of this consumption. If you have over-eaten / uneasy stomach / frequent flatus, then

evacuate your bowels once again, before supper.

SUPPER: Soups, salads (vegetables, soaked/sprouted pulses), millet/wheat dosa, steamed food, boiled legumes/corms, fruits.

Chew fennel, and later drink a little amount of water.

BUTTERMILK (for treating Agnimaandya)

Buttermilk can be flavored in one of the following ways:

1. Add crushed ginger, curry leaves and lemon juice.2. Add cumin seeds, crushed garlic and crushed onion.3. Temper with curry leaves, mustard seeds and dry chilies.

Garnish with coriander leaves. Don’t add any green chilies. If salt is required, use rock salt instead. For better results, use Asafetida of herbal origin.

For specific humors, consume buttermilk as follows –(Vatha, Piththa & Kapha: air, heat & cold respectively)

Vatha prakopa: buttermilk + saindhava lavanaPiththa prakopa: buttermilk + rock sugar Kapha prakopa: buttermilk + thrikatu choorna

Don’t consume curd or buttermilk when hungry; it gets increased. Similarly, don’t consume them after evening.

The great Indian medicines

The three pungents(Thrikatu)

Maricha

Ardraka

Pippalee

The three fruits (Thriphala)

The great Indian medicines

Hareethakee

Amalakee

Vibheethakee

Before going to sleep… For cough / indigestion, consume 1 tsp of Thrikatu choorna,

with honey / warm water. Reduce “Hurry - Worry - Curry”.

For acidity / constipation problems, swallow 1 tsp of Thriphala choorna / Neem powder / Bitter gourd powder,and drink warm water. One tsp of ghee / Isabgol mixed in one glass of milk can also be used as a mild laxative.

TIPS:

Have an early supper, before 8.00 PM.

Sleep at 10.00 PM and wake up at 5.00 AM.

Before going to sleep, urinate and floss compulsorily.

If you are of Vatha type - sleep on your back, if Pittha - sleep on your right side, if Kapha - sleep on your left side.

HERBAL TEA (without milk)

Cumin seeds – 50 gms, Coriander – 50 gms, Ginger – 10 gms, Cloves – 10 nos, Nutmeg (Jaayikaayi)– 2 nos, Black pepper – 5 gms, Saunf – 10 gms, Cardamom – 2 nos & Baje – 10 gms.

Crush all these items and make into a fine powder; boil ½ tsp of this powder with 1 glass of water, adding a little jaggery / rock sugar; after cooling, strain it and drink it.

The same powder can be used to chew with betel leaf. Spread honey on the leaf and pack a little amount of this powder inside the leaf; chew it slowly.

Optionally, betel leaf can be chewed with Gulkand also.

Cumin seeds – 25 gms, Coriander – 25 gms, Ginger – 5 gms, Cloves – 20 nos, Nutmeg (Jaayikaayi)– 1 no, Black pepper –5 gms, Saunf – 5 gms, Cardamom – 2 nos, Baje – 10 gms, Turmeric – 3 tsp, Fenugreek (Methi) – 5 gms, Carom seeds (Oma) – 5 gms, Cinnamon (Chakke) – 5 gms, & Poppy seeds (Gasagase) – 25 gms. A few garlic pods can also be added.

Crush all these items and make into a fine powder; use ½ tsp of this powder to boil with 1 glass of milk, along with jaggery / rock sugar. Strain the milk and drink it.

In addition, the following ingredients can also be added: Hippali, Jyeshtamadhu, Vayuvilanga, Thulasi, Brahmi, Ashwagandha, Saffron, Magali roots, Mint leaves, Curry leaves, Betel leaves, Guduchi leaves, Pashanabhedi leaves.

KASHAYA (with milk)

SPECIFIC HERBAL TEAS Vatha dosha Tea Recipe: Take 1/4 tsp each of freshly grated

ginger, ground cardamom, crushed cinnamon, and ajwain(Oma) seeds.

Piththa dosha Tea Recipe: Take 1/4 tsp each of cumin seeds, coriander, fennel, fresh cilantro (Koththambarisoppu), and fresh rose petals.

Kapha dosha Tea Recipe: Take 1/4 tsp each of dry ginger, dill seeds (Sabbasige beeja), fenugreek seeds, and 1 clove.

Method: Mix all of the required ingredients. Boil 1 cup of water and add the herbal mixture to it. Steep for about 5 minutes. Strain and then drink.

Name Rich sources are Deficiency results in

Vitamin A Milk, carrot, papaya, mango, spinach

Lack of immunity, Visionproblems

Vitamin B Whole cereals, green vegetables, soya bean

Nerve damage, Beriberi (excessive fatigue)

Vitamin C Citrus fruits, roots / corms / bulbs, onion

Anemia, Scurvy (lack of collagen)

Vitamin D Sunlight, butter, sweet potato, oats

Muscle weakness, Rickets (soft bones)

Vitamin E Edible nuts & seeds Skin problems, General weakness

VITAL AMINES

Note: Animals don’t know about balanced diet; but they are healthy.

1,03,680 beats per day !

3,78,43,200 beats per year !!

There are about 40 billion microscopic capillaries in the human body. If all the blood vessels are stretched out, they would be about 60,000 miles long. That's enough to go around the world twice.

ANGIOPLASTY

LDL BREAKERS: Lemon, Garlic, Onion, Ginger, Turmeric, Cloves, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Dry chilies, Curry leaves, Mustard seeds, Cabbage, Apple, Coriander, Guggul

HDL SOURCES: Almond, Walnut, Millets, Barley, Oats, Carrot, Beetroot, Coconut oil, Olive oil, Honey, Buttermilk, Flax seeds, Peanut, Cashew nut, Avocado, All types of beans, Moong dal

Perform Ekadashi vratha: Don’t remain completely starved. Stay on water and/or fresh fruit juices (without sugar). Don’t drink milk on that particular day.

When you are sick: Drink enough warm water and fluids. Don’t consume solid foods. Observe the body & understand the signals (aches, nausea, cough/cold, diarrhea, irritation, lack of taste/appetite). Consume herbal medicines.

CHOLESTEROL!

MicronutrientsIron and Calcium

DAY BREAKFAST (PORRIDGE - GANJI)

SUPPER (SOFT)

Monday Pearl millet (Sajje ganji),Red rice (Kempakki ganji)

Akki rotti,Neer dose

Tuesday White rice with fenugreek & cumin seeds, Finger millet flour porridge (Raagi ambali)

Raagi mudde,Godhi dose

Wednesday Black rice (Kappakki ganji),Great millet (Jolha) with moong dal

Jolhada mudde,Vegetable salad

Thursday Red boiled rice (Kochchige akki ganji),Little millet (Saame ganji)

Jolhada rotti, Pongal / Khichdi

Friday Barnyard millet (Oodalu ganji),Barley (Javegodhi ganji)

Chapaathi / phulka,Boiled Tapioca

Saturday Kodo millet (Haaraka ganji),White rice with grated coconut

Raagi rotti,Navane rice / ganji

Sunday Proso millet (Baragu ganji),Brown rice with sesame seeds

Sajje rotti / mudde,Boiled seeds

LEAST - FATS, SWEETS

LESS - PULSES AND NUTS

MODERATE - MILK PRODUCES

MORE - GRAINS AND CEREALS

MOST - FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

SIXTYINGREDIENTS

OFCHYAVANA-

PRASHA

Benefits of Chyavanaprasha

It is categorized under ‘Rasayana’, and is rich with

anti-oxidants, and rejuvenative herbs.

- Improves digestive power and immunity power.

- Is useful in cough, cold and chest infections.

- Improves intelligence and memory power.

- Improves nutritional levels of body tissues.

- Delays the aging of cells, and cures wrinkles.

- Improves skin luster & strength of sense organs.