Hey Raw Yogis,
About a year ago I did yoga religiously, tons, and after 3 months I saw a massive improvement in flexibility and tone. I went through some tough financial and emotional times and fell off the wagon completely. I'm wanting to get back into it - but I've always wondered about the effects of diet on flexibility.
As for myself, I won't be a very good 'control' candidate - although I will note if I see gains in flexibility at a quicker rate.
Was anyone a yoga practitioner before transitioning? And did you see any differences in your practice?
(I know myself, back in the day, caffeine had a major effect on balance and control)
Replies
The meat consumed in the USA is poisonous. The animals live pitiful lives. The animals can tell that their death approaches. As a result, an increase of adrenalin enters their system. This adrenalin is stored in the fat and muscles. And when one consumes the meat, one may also be spoiling their system with adrenalin from the animal. The adrenalin creates tension in our own bodies. We take on the stresses that the animal faced during its life, appropriately. A vegan diet cleans our bodies so that we can release the tension, as a result, have increased flexibility. The fruitarian diet is ideal because it is the easiest diet on the digestive system and the cleanest diet. Our bodies spend less time digesting food and more time on recovering and rebuilding from asana practice. The mind becomes clearer, able to focus better, and our balance improves.
to 6 times a week. I have been 811 for 3 months. There are 2 postures that I modified before. The spinal
twist I did in a lying position and the back bend I had to keep my arms folded at my lower back instead of
outstretched above my head. Now I don't find I need to modify either. I have been doing Bikram on an off
for 8 yrs or more. My body is still in a cleaning and building stage so I still have a few weak places that I need
to be mindful of but it seems I listen better to my body.
Caffeine was also a big issue for me. Giving up cacao was major and still kind of is. And I think my green tea
lattes at Starbucks actually had led to my demise. But that led me to 811. Everything for a reason :-)
Thanks for the post! Happy yoga-ing!! :-)
I believe if you feed you fluids balance will come easier. problem is bannanas are not the food for your inner ear fluid balance, and so do not promote balance on that end, but do help meditative thought which is confusing. maybe it was lies I read but I cut down on my bannanas after reading that and watching Big boys gone Bannanas. I feel as though my balance is better but mostly in some poses others ill fall much faster. but its all about practice, good luck!
Hi Kirby789,
Before I started this lifestyle, I had been practising yoga for 5 years (to be honest, quite often, I had to make a BIG effort to encourage myself to systematic exercising - in order to make ANY progress). As you may see, it took me quite a lot of time to 'discover' HCLF. I do not have any recollection how, finally, I bumped into some videos about it on Youtube but now I see I could not have been luckier. Nowadays, my body just DEMANDS from me any form of stretching etc. During my yoga practition, I have a feeling that my muscles are soft - I mean very easy to cooperate with ;) - and simply flexible. With every passing day, I am improving my posture. Not to mention, being able to make 'deeper&more demanding' asanas. Today, I would describe my current body as one of those easy-to-bend crayons ;)
Good luck in your (hopefully) GREAT COMEBACK :)
P.
I am a 200 Hour Yoga Alliance Certified Teacher. It's always beautiful to get back into your yoga practice after a moderate break, and based on my experience, food and lifestyle makes a huge difference in regards to getting back to the place you once were so proud of. I have experimented with plant based diet's for 7 years, starting with vegetarianism, to veganism, raw vegan, and frutarian. Currently i am eating a high fruit, and high cooked starch based vegan foods such as legumes, rice, and potatoes. i am eating this way because i am in a bulking mass building phase right now, but when it comes to my asana (physical) yoga practice, my flexibility, balance, and lightness is best on a raw mainly fruit diet. I can get deeper into my twists, my focus is improved, and it is easier to get into arm balances due to the lightness.
There are some factors that make a huge difference.
1) Sodium- Salt retains water which makes us a bit puffy. It looks like fact, but really it is just water which holds more weight in our bodies, harder to practice yoga.
2)Protein- high protein diets will stiffen the muscles and joints
3) Carbs- high fruit based carbs gives us high energy but in light forms making our postures more vigorous and deeper in stretching, best of both worlds
Hope this helps you plunge back into the practice of yoga, contact me with any more questions.
Love and light,
Jackson
Do you have a fave online provider or yogi/ni you'll be following, or just randomize it each day?
My local studio offers online library of classes unlimited for 8.99/month. I may do that. Apparently there are always new classes added since I have been in the studio when they were filming :) My fave studio Redlands CA
I was studying under Triyoga but fell off as teacher was a bit far but the founder lives in Malibu and has frequent classes so now that I will be in LA I may go to see her more often. I have her DVDs and she has free online flows monthly. kaliji is a beautful person and her flow is like a dance Skip to 22 minutes and you can see her flow :)
I may need to do some research on youtube see what is good for free.
I may purchase DVD sets of Kate Potters program Namaste yoga.
I also really like Shiva Rea and Sri Dharma Mittra The yoga teacher I worked with in Costa Rica trained under him. He shines with radiance. He advocates veganism and says there is no way to reach enlightment without being a vegan. Kaliji also says same thing. I think they all have DVDs available.