Hello everyone, after Viruddha Aahar I am back with yet another topic “Satvik Aahar”.

In Ayurveda it has been explained about the three elementary pillars of human life which are Aahar (Wholesome Food), Nidra (Adequate Sleep) and Brahmacharya (Celibacy), which help us live longer and healthier life.

The first and primary aspect is wholesome food; now what kind of food should be consume, which will not only nourish our body but mind and soul…. This type of Aahar is called “Satvik Aahar”

Satvik Aahar is sometimes referred to as yogic diet in modern literature. It actually means "moderation in eating”, but it’s more than just moderation…Here I have tried to explain the benefits of Satvik diet on our mental health and how our behavior is affected by choosing this form of diet.
The blog is written by my own experience as how turning vegan and eating Satvik food has helped me and so many people in attaining a better health, a keener intellect & serenity of mind & heart.
Just eating Proper food is not sufficient to be healthy. The time, place, quantity and manner of food intake are also necessary. Food taken in proper manner helps in the proper growth of the body on contrary if taken in improper manner leads to various diseases.

The kind of food we intake reflects in our mental factor or conduct, we find these references in Ayurveda and Bhagavad Gita Puran too…

There are three natures of food which we eat and they are Satvik, Rajasik and Tamasik, this classification is based on the influence, this food it will have on our intellect…
 

 Food which is sweet in taste, stable and pleasant is considered as Satvik and it enhances the lifespan, Purity of Mind, Strength, & Health. On the contrary the Rajasik food leads to mental sickness like Sadness, unsatisfaction & Pain where as Tamasik food leads to Laziness, Delusion etc.

Satvik Aahar means the food which is pure and gets converted easily to vital strength which we call “Ojas”.
 

Tamasa foods are the opposite of Satvik; they break down the coordination between mind and body. They create destruction in our systems. Tamasik foods includes alcohol, garlic, onions, spicy food, red meat, leftovers, and packaged foods, which have little life force.
 

The true assessment of our foods comes when we meditate. All meditators know that there are two main problems while doing meditation, one is falling asleep (because of the Tamasik influence on the mind) & the other is an over active mind (which happens because of the Rajasik influence on the mind). If we want to be able to quiet our mind and maintain our alertness to explore our subtle nature, we need to follow the Satvik diet.
“When Satva predominates, the light of wisdom shines through every gate of the body.”
 

Following are some of the examples of Satvik food given in Ayurveda (Ashtanga Hridayam)

They are Ksheera (milk), Ghritha (ghee), Shashtika shali (a variety of rice which is harvested for 60 days), Amalaki (gooseberry), Godhuma (wheat), Yava(barley), Mridweeka (grapes) , Mudga (greengram), Sarkara (palm jaggery), Madhu (honey) ,Dadima (pomogranate), Saindhava lavan (rock salt),etc. These are considered as Hitahara (the one which is beneficial for the body to sustain) and are to be practiced on daily basis.
 

Satvik diet and life style, speaking the truth, practicing non-violence, living in harmony with the nature, following social ethics and conducts these things helps in the complete wellbeing of a person. Following these principles leads to formation of Ojas, a vital factor for health and immunity and the Satva Guna (The pure state of mind) get increased which leads towards spiritual journey.

Would love to know what you all think of this article…Please share your views, like & post comments your comments below …Thanks for reading...!!!

Dr Swapnali Dabholkar (B.A.M.S.)
Holistic Healer & Wellness Consultant

www.sampurnaahar.com