Hello Ganesh,

Fermented foods cause dampness in the body and should be avoided.  Fermented foods are also high in carbs and are basically sugar.  As for Soy products... the soy products used today are not the same as what was traditionally used in asian cooking, so the rule is to be very careful about these products and their claims and use them very moderately if at all, especially if you are trying to stay away from Tamasic or Rajasic foods.  You have to remember that Miso and Tempeh are used in cultures that rely on these products for protein and B6 and B12, they also don't eat these type foods on a regular basis, and their diets consists of mostly vegetables, grains, legumes, rice and plain tofu.  Soo, fermented foods would be a poor choice say for someone with a high Kapha and Vata dosha..Pitta people can handle these types of foods better because of their cooling effects, but even for this type dosha - everything in moderation.   It's much better to be Sattvic, but when you really have to eat away from home or with someone you are not used to their cooking, (on occasion) at least you have a good foundation. Think about how many people that don't even think about this and then look at their health problems and their future health problems that they are setting up for themselves by not paying attention. Hope that helps.

Cyndi - my husband calls me Laxmi:~)

Edited by Cyndi 2005-02-24 10:15 AM

Neel wrote:

Ayurvedic Diet is NOT an ideal diet for a yogi.

and Cyndi responds respectfully:

This is debatable.  Ayurvedic medicine emphasizes that a person must take an active role in his or her own healing process.  Natural remedies that harmonize with the body and promote the body's own healing abilities are central to the ancient practice of Ayurveda.  Having that said....MOST Americans that are practicing Yoga have not even begun to reflect upon this type of statement...in fact, they are still relying on the western influence of medical doctors (in some cases are okay) and have yet to discover the endless possibilities of how to eat properly and the reasons why.  I do believe there are some lineages that do reach certain levels as Yogis and Yoginis, and any types of medicine and even Ayurveda would no longer be necessary for them as they can control their mind to that level and is very rare.  In Tibet, they say there are Dakas and Dakinis that live on air alone. Most of us are still doing our karmic duties and depend on such maladies at this point.

One of the things I find very interesting is that the particular cookbook that I retreived my original post in the other thread about vegetarian vs. meat came from the Shiva Monastery's Cookbook in Kapaa, Hawaii under the direction of Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami.  In this book they use all Ayurvedic principals in their monastery and grow everything on their premesis.  In fact, they promote Ayurvedic principals.

Well, Thank you Star...I appreciate your comments...they are very welcomed:~)

First of all I would like to say that any time you change your diet to alter yourself, its better to be very knowlegeable about what you are doing first, that way you can't hurt yourself and you must be ready to accept the changes.  I say *ready* and *accept* - major key words here - because you will go through changes. 

Having that said, I believe that in order to do this you need to start with someone you can totally trust to guide you through the initial steps.  I chose a Traditional Chinese MD from Bejing to help me get started.  She was available to me all the time for my questions, she also would balance my body when those changes would take place and my body's reactions - sometimes it was good and sometimes it could be a little freaky.  I did it this way for over 5 years.  Then I moved on to another male Chinese MD that specializes in women's problems and my experience and body has gone much deeper.  As for the diet part, I have gotten to the point where I don't need much guidance in that department, I rely mostly on an TCMD for balance in the field of Acupunture and proper herbal formulas to take if I even need them at all - I mostly do Acupunture now like for when I took a posture too far and upset my balance.  I've been doing this type of lifestyle for over 10 years now and I am very pleased with my results.  I used common sense and I trusted the person guiding me through it.  That was very critical to my healing.  The other critical point here is that I did NOT mix western medicine with Chinese herbs.  You must discuss everything with the person you choose to help you.  If you choose someone to guide you through - you must use common sense and find someone with quality and knowledge and experience...not someone who is just learning ancient healing methods..like I would NEVER go to an American who is new to treating people using Eastern methods - check them out totally before you choose someone.  Always remember, its okay to fire someone if you don't like the results are uncomfortable with what is happening.

Now, my Yoga experience.  My TCMD loves Yoga.  He thinks what I am doing is very good for me.  He says my body has changed in the shape and I feel it too!  My entire body is toned up and I feel so much stronger now.  I got similar results with Tai Qi/Qi Gong, but not nearly the results from yoga.  It's a different thing. I do mostly the Bikram method - because I like it and the heat.  Last night I started to get a headache..well, after doing a few little things like standing in a hot shower, I fell asleep and no more headache.  3 yrs ago I could not say that when I was going through some difficult stressful times.  So it works.  I say stick with Yoga, it doesn't matter whether you are overweight or underweight, the results can be achieved no matter where you are and always remember - Yoga is a Process!!

Some good reading is "The Tao of Healthy Eating" by Bob Flaws and Healing with Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition by Paul Pitchford.  These 2 books can answer all your questions. 

Hope this helps and Best Wishes and Good Luck with your practice.  Feel free to ask me any questions you like..I'll be happy to share my experience...but the real work is all up to you.  Have a great day:~)