Brought to you by Raja Ayurveda – Ayurveda for the Mind.
- Does Ayurveda say you should be vegetarian or vegan?
- What are the three parameters that Ayurveda uses in terms of nutrition?
- Ayurveda’s definition of Wholesome Food
- The truth is personal, contemporary and relative
- Who should be a vegetarian and who should be a vegan according to the Ayurvedic texts
- The meaning of Itadakimasu
- Can certain foods help you thrive?
- Consider the source
- Nutrition has history
- Ahimsa coming up next week
Resources
The Materia Medica of Ayurveda can be found here: https://amzn.to/2CBbh4j
Learn Ayurveda Online at: https://squareup.com/store/training-courses
Come meet us! https://spartanmindstrength.com/events/
Gear Mentioned or Used on our Videos and Podcasts
- Swanwick Blue-Light Blocking Sunglasses: https://amzn.to/2x34r75
- Lavalier Mic for iPhone and Smarphones: https://amzn.to/2IC5cJM
- Logitech Bluetooth Wireless Headset: https://amzn.to/2s1Iikx
Until next time much, much love from both of us!
And if you liked this, please hit the like button, share, and subscribe if you haven’t already.
Na’maste kala! Which in Greek means: May we all be well!
Audio Transcript
WEBVTT Kind: captions Language: en 00:00:08.960 --> 00:00:15.590 The Spartan mind strength podcast the podcast for mental grit and resilience 00:00:15.590 --> 00:00:20.900 hosted by Vie Binga and Tim Ganley 00:00:23.750 --> 00:00:29.250 hello everyone this is Tim and this is Vie and we welcome you to another episode of 00:00:29.250 --> 00:00:34.710 our Spartan mind strength podcast today's episode is going to be on yoga 00:00:34.710 --> 00:00:47.570 Ayurveda and vegetarianism we'll be right back stay tuned 00:00:47.570 --> 00:00:55.710 today we're going to be talking about ayurveda yoga vegetarianism 00:00:55.710 --> 00:00:59.910 mm-hmm we've been teaching now well we owned 00:00:59.910 --> 00:01:06.479 the studio for almost 20 years -- yeah -- and we've been teaching Yoga ayurveda for a 00:01:06.479 --> 00:01:13.380 very long time actually even before we owned the studio -- yes -- and every teacher 00:01:13.380 --> 00:01:19.200 training that we've gone through not gone through that we've done the question has 00:01:19.200 --> 00:01:25.890 always come up -- what does ayurveda say about nutrition what 00:01:25.890 --> 00:01:32.490 type of food does ayurveda advocate and we are going with ayurveda 00:01:32.490 --> 00:01:38.789 because ayurveda talks about nutrition more than yoga -- actually Yoga really 00:01:38.789 --> 00:01:46.590 doesn't Yoga pushes it off to ayurveda -- exactly yes -- so what does ayurveda say do 00:01:46.590 --> 00:01:53.759 I need to be a vegetarian or a vegan if I am practicing yoga and I'm following 00:01:53.759 --> 00:02:03.500 an ayurvedic lifestyle -- okay that that question has several paths -- good -- ayurveda says 00:02:03.500 --> 00:02:08.300 just so we are all on the same wavelength pun intended 00:02:08.300 --> 00:02:16.730 ayurveda says that there is no black and white everything is gray 00:02:16.730 --> 00:02:24.270 therefore ayurveda doesn't say you need to be a vegetarian you need to 00:02:24.270 --> 00:02:32.220 be a vegan you need to be a carnivore you need to be an omnivore -- what about keto -- yeah 00:02:32.220 --> 00:02:40.640 that would yeah that fits somewhere in there whole foods raw foods plant-based 00:02:40.640 --> 00:02:47.819 ketogenic all that stuff ayurveda unfortunately doesn't use fashionable 00:02:47.819 --> 00:02:53.160 terms like that and I say unfortunately because it would sell better if it was 00:02:53.160 --> 00:03:03.599 packaged prettier but I digress ayurveda says look at three parameters who 00:03:03.599 --> 00:03:13.650 the person is -- what's that mean -- in terms of physical mental emotional composition 00:03:13.650 --> 00:03:19.260 and activity do you have any diseases or do you have any tendency towards 00:03:19.260 --> 00:03:27.420 diseases how old are you what is your gender how mentally stable or deranged 00:03:27.420 --> 00:03:35.040 are you what are your emotional tendencies -- deranged -- yes yeah truly yeah 00:03:35.040 --> 00:03:41.760 what are your emotional tendencies what is your daily lifestyle what is your 00:03:41.760 --> 00:03:49.530 level of activity do you sit all day do you climb mountains all day are you a 00:03:49.530 --> 00:03:56.909 priest are you working in the garden stuff like that what -- your activities -- your 00:03:56.909 --> 00:04:02.160 activities yeah what does your day mostly consist of -- what does your work what 00:04:02.160 --> 00:04:11.099 does your play -- exactly yes and the very importantly what stage of your life are 00:04:11.099 --> 00:04:18.090 you that's very important are you a woman who's gonna have babies things 00:04:18.090 --> 00:04:28.110 like that then the second parameter is what food are you talking about how is 00:04:28.110 --> 00:04:32.610 the food prepared where is it coming from 00:04:32.610 --> 00:04:41.430 do you know the source of the food is it clean and when ayurveda was formulated 00:04:41.430 --> 00:04:49.320 clean was a lot simpler than it is today -- no term as organic -- exactly yeah 00:04:49.320 --> 00:04:54.630 they didn't have to everything was organic -- and also you had you didn't eat 00:04:54.630 --> 00:04:59.610 leftovers because they didn't have refrigerators -- exactly so that's what you 00:04:59.610 --> 00:05:08.840 look at is your food wholesome in terms of the source and the cleanliness 00:05:08.840 --> 00:05:12.919 -- so ayurveda doesn't -- and also how it's prepared --- so ayurveda doesn't say 00:05:12.919 --> 00:05:18.440 that you throw away your leftovers -- no -- because I've heard that many times that 00:05:18.440 --> 00:05:25.400 you should never eat leftovers -- no that's again that's based on 00:05:25.400 --> 00:05:32.600 superstition and folklore and arbitrary personal opinions -- okay -- so you think in terms 00:05:32.600 --> 00:05:43.090 of wholesome food in terms of did this food actually follow the path of least 00:05:43.090 --> 00:05:51.889 harm for the environment getting to your table and then the third parameter is 00:05:51.889 --> 00:05:59.750 what is the context in terms of what time of the year are we talking about 00:05:59.750 --> 00:06:06.410 what time of the day are we talking about what type of climate what type of 00:06:06.410 --> 00:06:13.520 weather you're gonna have different food when you are on a high altitude versus 00:06:13.520 --> 00:06:21.280 sea level -- okay so you shouldn't be eating raspberries every day for 365 days -- 00:06:21.280 --> 00:06:28.100 unless you are in a magical place that grows raspberries every day 365 days a 00:06:28.100 --> 00:06:32.000 year -- I would like to be in that magical place -- 00:06:32.080 --> 00:06:38.960 yeah absolutely -- so if you look at ayurveda says you look at the person you 00:06:38.960 --> 00:06:45.830 look at the food and you look at where you live -- yes the context -- okay -- in terms 00:06:45.830 --> 00:06:51.520 of time and space -- okay so now that you've said all that mm-hmm 00:06:51.520 --> 00:07:01.310 what does that mean -- that means that there is no one-size-fits-all the way I 00:07:01.310 --> 00:07:09.490 like to explain it the truth is personal contemporary and relative in terms of 00:07:09.490 --> 00:07:17.289 nutrition in terms of what you as the particular individual should eat you 00:07:17.289 --> 00:07:25.280 decide for yourself what every person eats is not going to be the same or what 00:07:25.280 --> 00:07:31.700 every person should ideally eat according to ayurveda is not going to be 00:07:31.700 --> 00:07:39.680 the same with another person you cannot have two people there is no chance on 00:07:39.680 --> 00:07:46.370 earth you cannot have two people that according to ayurveda should be 00:07:46.370 --> 00:07:53.410 following the same diet everyone is unique that's the beauty of ayurveda 00:07:53.410 --> 00:08:01.580 then when we get into being a vegetarian or vegan or a carnivore each person has 00:08:01.580 --> 00:08:06.620 to see how they feel under some of those circumstances so some people would do 00:08:06.620 --> 00:08:10.130 great -- yes -- some people will do terrible -- exactly -- so 00:08:10.130 --> 00:08:16.130 saying that you have to be vegetarian if you're an ayurvedic lifestyle would 00:08:16.130 --> 00:08:21.650 be actually hurting possibly a good percentage of people out there and it 00:08:21.650 --> 00:08:25.190 would be helping a good percentage of people out there because some people 00:08:25.190 --> 00:08:29.630 might be doing really good on that type of diet -- exactly it's like the South 00:08:29.630 --> 00:08:35.600 Beach diet or the Atkins diet or whatever -- Mediterranean -- Mediterranean diet 00:08:35.600 --> 00:08:44.090 -- which is completely different now -- yeah yeah yeah that's another podcast -- that's a long podcast -- so yes some people 00:08:44.090 --> 00:08:48.260 are gonna do great and some people are gonna suffer and that is so egotistical 00:08:48.260 --> 00:08:58.820 and that is so silly and that is that shows so much ignorance to say that you 00:08:58.820 --> 00:09:07.370 have to follow this it's nowhere on the texts the main Ayurvedic texts do not 00:09:07.370 --> 00:09:14.960 say anywhere to be a vegetarian or vegan and we are going with that because 00:09:14.960 --> 00:09:22.010 that's what most people believe -- so the end there is actually a book in the 00:09:22.010 --> 00:09:26.420 Ayurvedic Texts and it's called -- the materia medica of ayurveda -- say that again 00:09:26.420 --> 00:09:33.230 slower -- the materia medica of ayurveda -- and we'll put that in writing in the notes 00:09:33.230 --> 00:09:37.820 -- yes -- that actually talks about what -- that that talks about what 00:09:37.820 --> 00:09:48.010 type of meat to eat based on the seasons and the diseases or the health 00:09:48.010 --> 00:09:55.940 situations you are addressing and it goes into extreme detail it talks about 00:09:55.940 --> 00:10:05.630 types of animals and birds and fish that I haven't heard of -- and so we're not 00:10:05.630 --> 00:10:11.210 saying that you shouldn't be vegetarian -- no absolutely not -- but we're also not saying that you should 00:10:11.210 --> 00:10:16.070 not be or should be actually I should say that better you can be if it's good 00:10:16.070 --> 00:10:20.780 for you -- yes -- but you don't want to be if it's not good for you -- exactly exactly ayurveda 00:10:20.780 --> 00:10:28.490 says that Mother Nature gave us the animal kingdom the plant kingdom and the 00:10:28.490 --> 00:10:38.300 mineral kingdom and and then it's us the human Kingdom and eating food is all 00:10:38.300 --> 00:10:47.530 about energy exchange between the kingdoms as long as that energy exchange 00:10:47.530 --> 00:10:56.060 takes place with respect and with knowledge you're good -- and I like the 00:10:56.060 --> 00:11:03.140 term from Okinawa itadakimas -- yes -- and it basically gives thanks to 00:11:03.140 --> 00:11:09.700 everything that's on the plate believing that plants also have energy 00:11:09.700 --> 00:11:16.820 just like animals have energy -- life yes exactly yes yeah everything has life yes -- 00:11:16.820 --> 00:11:23.210 so saying that you're eating salad and you just cut it and put it on the plate 00:11:23.210 --> 00:11:33.020 is the same thing in this term as eating some other type an animal -- yes everything 00:11:33.020 --> 00:11:40.100 yeah -- everything has energy -- everything has energy everything has everything is 00:11:40.100 --> 00:11:48.520 life whether we realize it or not so so when we eat no 00:11:48.520 --> 00:11:54.370 matter what that comes from plant kingdom animal kingdom mineral kingdom 00:11:54.370 --> 00:12:01.150 no matter what we are causing an energy exchange you can call it harm breathing 00:12:01.150 --> 00:12:08.380 we are causing harm walking we are causing harm as long as you take the 00:12:08.380 --> 00:12:16.210 path of least harm and you do it with reverence -- okay I want to take a quick 00:12:16.210 --> 00:12:22.470 break and we'll be back in two seconds stay tuned 00:12:24.180 --> 00:12:29.200 -- do you like what you hear the Spartan mind strength podcast is available on 00:12:29.200 --> 00:12:34.930 Apple podcast and all other popular podcast destinations please subscribe 00:12:34.930 --> 00:12:39.550 today and consider leaving us a rrating and review it helps us spread the word 00:12:39.550 --> 00:12:44.860 and help others find our content don't forget to leave a comment and any 00:12:44.860 --> 00:12:53.270 questions you may have Tim and Vie would love to hear from you 00:12:53.830 --> 00:12:59.750 -- and we're back again we're talking about does ayurveda say 00:12:59.750 --> 00:13:04.610 that you should be vegetarian or vegan and you're saying no it's each person's 00:13:04.610 --> 00:13:10.400 own preference -- preference -- where do we take this for thriving then does 00:13:10.400 --> 00:13:19.360 thriving make you -- depend on being a vegetarian or vegan or is that what you're asking -- yes can you thrive 00:13:19.360 --> 00:13:28.340 with this or what does that mean -- okay thriving means having the best human 00:13:28.340 --> 00:13:35.540 experience according to your own choices -- okay -- because thriving for me may be different 00:13:35.540 --> 00:13:40.820 well it is different than for somebody else that's what ayurveda says in order 00:13:40.820 --> 00:13:51.080 to thrive you need to take in the energy that is best for you it's part of the 00:13:51.080 --> 00:13:59.150 economy of action right you need to take in the energy that is best for you for 00:13:59.150 --> 00:14:07.600 your own thriving goals that energy may be coming only from the plant kingdom 00:14:07.600 --> 00:14:15.710 which is perfect -- so if you're going and you're meditating and you --it depends it depends 00:14:15.710 --> 00:14:20.270 like we said it depends on the factors -- okay -- right it depends on your 00:14:20.270 --> 00:14:26.450 physical mental and emotional disposition activity level then can you 00:14:26.450 --> 00:14:32.960 get wholesome food from the plant kingdom -- and some people will say yes --and some 00:14:32.960 --> 00:14:39.190 people will say yes and some people will say no it depends and then is that 00:14:39.190 --> 00:14:46.850 within the context is that energy change going to be the best based on the 00:14:46.850 --> 00:14:56.150 economy of action for someone else that may not be the case so that's all -- what 00:14:56.150 --> 00:15:00.410 about and this is going to annoy probably a few people what about that 00:15:00.410 --> 00:15:08.600 person that says I am vegetarian and I am or I'm vegan and I'm 24 mm-hm 00:15:08.600 --> 00:15:13.880 and I am a bodybuilder or I am this and it's working perfect for me 00:15:13.880 --> 00:15:19.610 I don't need meat and you shouldn't have meat because you should follow what I'm 00:15:19.610 --> 00:15:28.339 doing -- and that is perfectly fine so you look at how old are you right now 00:15:28.339 --> 00:15:38.360 you are certainly not 24 -- I am 53 -- so how old are you is what you're doing anywhere close 00:15:38.360 --> 00:15:47.170 to what that person is doing and also where do they get their information from 00:15:47.170 --> 00:15:54.290 they say that it has worked for them that person that food that context is 00:15:54.290 --> 00:16:01.880 there any time-tested evidence is there any science like real science not fake 00:16:01.880 --> 00:16:07.010 science evidence where is that information coming from -- and history -- and 00:16:07.010 --> 00:16:12.380 history I like to say consider the source so 00:16:12.380 --> 00:16:18.050 who's telling you this because 24 is pretty young when you're comparing 24 to 00:16:18.050 --> 00:16:26.029 53 I hate to break bring that to you but so consider the 00:16:26.029 --> 00:16:34.670 source and also study what they say based on science and history like you 00:16:34.670 --> 00:16:42.160 said that is major we forget the aspect of history when it comes to nutrition 00:16:42.160 --> 00:16:50.150 it's not just for Wars and all statues and all that nutrition has 00:16:50.150 --> 00:16:56.930 history and that's the time-tested aspect -- and you want to look at the if 00:16:56.930 --> 00:17:02.810 you're wanting to thrive you want to look at cultures that thrived -- exactly and 00:17:02.810 --> 00:17:10.160 and also look at cultures that have thrived and look at the information is it 00:17:10.160 --> 00:17:15.329 true because unfortunately a lot of the information we receive 00:17:15.329 --> 00:17:22.980 today is false data the fact that it has been repeated from mouth to mouth from 00:17:22.980 --> 00:17:31.020 guru to student and guru to student and so on doesn't make it true -- but if you 00:17:31.020 --> 00:17:39.360 say it enough times -- yeah exactly if you if you say a lie enough times then 00:17:39.360 --> 00:17:47.730 unfortunately it may become truth that's propaganda actually I call that propaganda -- it doesn't become truth 00:17:47.730 --> 00:17:52.950 it makes people believe it's true -- yes exactly in people's minds 00:17:52.950 --> 00:17:59.940 yeah yep that's that's propaganda -- and we're going to be because we're trying 00:17:59.940 --> 00:18:03.720 to keep these at twenty minutes or less we're gonna be cutting this one now and 00:18:03.720 --> 00:18:14.510 I want to talk next week about the yogic aspect of-- ahimsa -- yes -- also known as 00:18:14.510 --> 00:18:20.370 non-violence -- and I want to get into the food aspect in that also because I've 00:18:20.370 --> 00:18:26.790 been told a lot of times that that vegan vegetarian is ahimsa and I want to 00:18:26.790 --> 00:18:29.940 actually go into that information with you also -- 00:18:29.940 --> 00:18:38.730 yep and see what part is false data and what is not -- exactly -- until next time much 00:18:38.730 --> 00:18:50.970 much love from both of us namaste kala may we all be well -- if you found today's 00:18:50.970 --> 00:18:56.160 show helpful please give us a rating a review or both and subscribe to the 00:18:56.160 --> 00:19:02.490 podcast and never miss an episode as always namaste kala which in greek 00:19:02.490 --> 00:19:08.370 means may we all be well this program copyright true fitness 00:19:08.370 --> 00:19:12.230 incorporated all rights reserved
Train With Us!
[email-subscribers namefield=”” desc=”Sign up for a first crack at videos, articles and special events!” group=”Public”]
