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I’m often asked this question – and honestly, it’s a tough one. In our experience, a regular hot yoga (or Bikram style) practice certainly seems to automagically “reset” your taste buds and food desires! So you might find that your body starts to crave cleaner and more easily-digested food – without even noticing it. I also get a lot of questions about “how do I get my mineral and electrolytes” and also “should I take supplements to help my yoga practice?”.
While I cannot be your adviser about exactly what YOU should eat/drink or supplement (and here comes the disclaimer: please see your physician or diet & nutrition specialist if you are making radical dietary changes), I can make some suggestions based on my own experience.
Eat plenty of raw, organic plant-based foods!
We are a vegetarian family and this suits us – and I will not press my values on others … BUT no matter whether you eat meat, fish or not, you definitely should make sure you have a sizeable amount of raw (and preferably green in color!) plant-based ingredients in your diet.
“But where do I get my protein?” Yes I know – we’ve all been “conditioned” to get scared by this question. Just think about this – do Giraffes, Hippopotamuses, Elephants worry about where they get their protein? Well, of course they don’t ‘worry’ but these biggest and strongest of land-going mammals ONLY eat a plant-based diet and they sure as heck are getting enough protein, wouldn’t you say? In fact, it’s fair to say they obviously get a LOT of it. So neither should you be worried. Everyone needs a balanced diet. You need to make good choices and my aim is to show you a few! But please read the disclaimer again above – if you feel like you have any kind of imbalance, then please see a physician or specialist and have your blood tested!
SALT!
Oh what a controversial topic … but for Hot Yoga or Bikram devotees, the most important electrolyte for you is … wait for it … salt. WARNING. NOT “table salt”. Throw out all your table salt now – or put it in the garage if you live in a cold area and use it only on your icy driveways! Natural, mineral-rich sea-salt (eg Himalayan or Celtic) is great. Chemically-produced and sanitized “table salt” is a chemical and is devoid of all minerals – trace or otherwise. Table salt is only comprised of sodium and chloride ions and some iodine.
I actually drink water with some sea-salt and lemon juice added – and besides adding a good amount of sea salt to my food, that’s my only “electrolyte replacement”. If you have a good plant-based diet then you don’t need to use electrolyte supplements. In my view, there may be times where you need some sea-salt in your water. Hunt around this website, click on the “Heat Survival” tab above and at the forum, and you’ll discover much useful information about staying safe in the hot room, electrolytes and hydration. OK, where were we? Oh, yes … Warning #2! Shameless plug coming up
Green Smoothies
Yes, “green smoothies” (basically any smoothie that has a base using green leafy vegetables – they can be sweet or savory) are an amazing and fast way to not only replenish your body’s essential minerals and vitamins in an efficient manner, but they are also incredibly healthy and delicious.
That’s why I wrote my book “Green Smoothie Magic“, containing over 132 tested recipes – because I love ’em! If you haven’t yet jumped aboard the growing popularity of green smoothies (they’ve been around a long time, but have recently been getting more mainstream appreciation!), then I highly recommend you try it out now. They are a sensational complement to your yoga practice. Did you know that some yoga studios actually serve green smoothies after class? What a fantastic idea!
In Green Smoothie Magic, you’ll find that I have NOT mandated the use of superfoods, nor focused on exotic ingredients that may not be available in YOUR area nor in your budget. Instead, every recipe is designed to combine easy-to-find ingredients into a delicious smoothie. I also include recommendations for adaptation, variety and substitution. So there’s no excuse! Available now on Amazon! (With some lovely reviews I might add 😉 and at a very lovely and small price!)
Click here to see Green Smoothie Magic on Amazon! NEWSFLASH! “Green Smoothie Magic” is also available in Paperback! >> http://amzn.com/0980531934 So, there you have it – some of my own recommendations for “what to eat and drink” if you are keen to look into the dietary side of your yoga practice. These are dietary practices I use personally, so if you have any questions or thoughts – feel free to leave them in the Comments section below!
Namaste,
Gabrielle
PS. Also on Amazon in the UK (and France, Germany, Italy and Spain): >> http://www.amazon.co.uk/Green-Smoothie-Magic-Delicious-ebook/dp/B00952UYLO
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