At the end of last year (2019), I started to practise Yoga because of a friend’s recommendation. Prior to that, I was having mobility and strength training with a personal trainer for more 4 years. Exercise is an important aspect of good health.
In the past, I naively thought that Yoga practice is all about flexibility and out of the world poses. I always wondered how they manage to hold those difficult poses for so long without breaking any sweat. However, as I started to understand more about Yoga, I realized that the focus of the practice is on our breathing and inner peace, keeping our mind calm and clear with every movement. This is the most important lesson that we need to understand and not so much about challenging poses and stretches. It is about HEALING your body with with the proper stretches and breathing through the exercises.
Inner peace is defined as a state of emotional and mental peace without disturbing thoughts, and recognizing our control over our moods and reactions. We are able to control our mind and actions because we are able to keep ourselves at peace. In this period of uncertainty, our emotions might be a little unstable at times, and we feel negative emotions more than usual. As such, the pursuit of inner peace is even more important in this time of uncertainty.
Why Is Inner Peace So Important?
1) Inner peace helps makes better decision. In today’s world where there are many distractions which cause us anxiety and worry, inner peace helps us focus our mind, focus on what is truly important to us. When we are clear of what’s important to us, our priorities, we are able to make better decisions.
2) Inner peace helps us show patience and tolerance, improving our relationship with others. Inner peace allows us to be patient and put ourselves in the shoes of others without the need for anger reactions or responses. It helps us understand situations better, be more tolerant and forgiving.
3) Inner peace helps us sleep better. I always believe that good diet, exercise and sleep are the steps to better health. Many of us do not get the proper amount of sleep either because we are overworked or our minds are overworked. Inner peace helps us cope with stresses and anxieties better, slow down our minds, thus enabling us to have a good night sleep.
While practicing at the yoga studio, I got to know a few teachers and students and to my surprise, a number of them are also vegetarians/vegans. They shared with me that Yoga actually encourages compassion and non-violence not only to ourselves but also to others. Most of us do yoga to calm our minds. The food we consume have the potential to either help us in the process or it can have an opposite effect and increase the waves of negative thoughts in our head. Thus, choosing to right kind of food will help us in our practice.
Plant Based Diet Can Complement Your Yoga Practise
As such, I started to think about how diet and yoga practise can actually complement each other. When Greendot first started, our aim was to attract non-vegetarians to give plant-based meals a try. Our menu items were more focused on flavours such as Laksa, Lion Mane Mushroom Rendang and Burgers. This was to let that more people have confidence that taste is not compromised even though the meal is made from plants.
As more and more people are more receptive of plant based diets, the focus of diet changes to the nutrition of the meal, using more premium natural ingredients and better cooking methods to provide a more balanced meals of taste and nutrition.
At Greendot, we believe in Eat Green and Feel Good. We believe that not only the taste is important, the after-meal effect is as important as well. We hope that people feel good not only during the meal (tastebuds) but also after our meals. Our meals will have to bring calmness and clarity to people. Such meals should consists of primarily fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, or food that grown in harmony with nature. We are what we eat. If we eat natural plant-based foods that are high in nutritional value and easily used by the body, the delicate internal balance can remain in check. If the body is happy, the mind will be light and peaceful.
Over the past few years, I have also noticed that many people are starting to take their health more seriously through a healthier diet and more regular exercises. As such, I started to work with the team to create a category of menu items ideal for meals after workouts, especially for the ladies. One of the items is the Mixed Herbs Lion Mane Mushroom Couscous Bowl with Orange Vinegairette Dressing. Using sunflower oil and and only pan-fried cooking method, this grain bowl is packed with tasty and premium lion mane mushrooms and nutritious greens with our homemade dressing. Many times, I try to find such plant-based meals after my workout, but their meatless mains options are quite limited. We hope that this can be another alternative for your meals after workout.
Good Health Is A Combination Of Diet, Exercise & Sleep
Lastly, I would talk about the last part of good health – sleep. Here is a yoga pose that I do at night before I sleep to help me sleep better at night. It’s called Legs-up-the-wall or “Viparita Karani”. This position calms and relaxes both your body and mind. It aids with anti-ageing and also enhances the blood flow to every part of the boy, helping relive any ailment in the body.
To do this yoga pose, lie on your back and put your legs together. Start moving your hips as close as possible to the wall and extend your legs up the wall. To ensure that you have the achieved the correct position, see if your body is in a “L” shaped position. Do for a 15-30mins before your sleep and it will help you have a better sleep.
Once again, I wish you a Happy International Yoga Day and may all us find the inner peace and happiness in whatever we do. Stay safe, stay healthy!