Yogacharya Dr Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani's special session on Yoga and the digestive system for members of the Rishiculture Gitananda Yoga Family. Disclaimer: Copyrights of images used in the presentation belong to the respective owners and Dr Ananda doesn't claim any IPR on them and has used them only for educational purposes with no malafide intentions.

3. Yoga & the
digestive
system
Yogacharya
Dr. ANANDA BALAYOGI BHAVANANI
MBBS, ADY, DSM, DPC, PGDFH, PGDY,
FIAY, MD (AM), DSc (Yoga) CIAYT
Chairman ICYER at Ananda Ashram & Director – CYTER Centre for Yoga
Education, Therapy and Research (CYTER), MGMC & RI, SBVU, Puducherry.

8. Sequence of Digestion
Ingestion
Digestion
Absorption
Assimilation
Elimination

9. 2nd part of the duodenum-the key to healthy
digestion (Jatharagni)

10. Cleaning up our act with shankaprakshalana

16. Digestive
System
Endocrine
System
Respiratory
System
Circulatory
System
Body
Immune System
Excretory
System
Food
Water Undigested food O2 CO2
Water
Salts
Wastes

32. Agni state Dosha Metabolism Symptoms Yogic
Vishama Vata Irregular
Constipation,
dysentery, gas
Kujeeranatvam
Teekshna Pitta Hyper
Burning sensation,
excess thirst,
acidity
Atijeeranatvam
Manda Kapha Hypo
Nausea, vomiting,
lassitude, phlegm
Ajeeranatvam
Sama
Tridosha
equilibrium
Balanced
Normal digestive
function and
assimilation
Samatvam

33. Mental and emotional imbalances and Agni :
• Vishamagni: nervousness, anxiety, fear,
loneliness and isolation.
• Teekshnagni: anger, hatred, jealousy, envy,
competitiveness, comparison & judgment.
• Mandagni: depression, attachment, grief,
greed, possessiveness.

34. General guidelines in managing agni
imbalance:
• Vishamagni: Vāta pacifying lifestyle and diet,
regularity of routine meals and dinacharyā.
• Teekshnagni: Pitta pacifying lifestyle and
diet; avoidance of over-stimulating activities.
• Mandagni: Kapha pacifying lifestyle and diet;
exertional physical activities to decrease
kapha. Eat more spicy and stimulating foods.

35. YOGIC ASPECTS OF DIET
• One should eat to live and not live to eat.
• Bhagavad Gita advises Mitahara or moderation in diet
• Guna based classification of food:
– Sattva - Fresh / uncooked Food
– Rajas - Spicy / stimulating items
– Tamas - old /processed food.
• Satvik Diet includes:
– Adequate hydration
– Freshly cooked food
– Uncooked – Salads, sprouts, fruits
– High fiber
– Nutritive – greens
– Soups and juices – mineral balance

36. Yogic Method of eating:
• A Yogic should fill their stomach with
– ½ stomach of food
– ¼ stomach of water and
– ¼ stomach for the divine (i.e.) (empty)
• Water required for efficient functioning of all cells and
tissues as well as the organs and systems of the body.
• Food consumed in anger /disturbed mind is potent Poison.
• Balanced diet with equal importance to all constituents.
• Good clean environment
• Eat according to hunger only and not for taste.
• Slow and adequate chewing with mindfullness.
• Eating in good company and sharing.

37. To pacify and balance Doshas
• Anti Vata
– warm , heavy, fruits ,avoid beans
• Anti Pitta
– cool, raw, fruits– avoid oils & spices
• Anti Kapha
– dry food, more of spices - avoid fruits

38. Swami Kuvalayananda, founder of
Kaivalyadhama, one of India’s oldest yoga
schools has given the following opinion on diet
• Lacto Vegetarian diet with cereals but less pulses.
• Egg – is high in protein – not good for Yoga.
• Low protein diet – as there is increased
sympathetic drive initially
• Low salt / salt free diet
• No stimulant / irritating items.
• Unwise to dogmatize: Eskimo: on veg. diet ?

39. Dr Swami Gitananda Giri, founder of Ananda Ashram,
Pondicherry, India has said that the yogic diet is
• Lacto vegetarian diet
• 40% raw, fresh foods, natural seasonal foods
• 60% cooked food -whole grain products
• Don’t overcook
• Save the water for sambar, soups and sources
• Skin of the Veg /fruits – alkaline
• Poly unsaturated oils
• Avoid refined , unnatural / produced items
• EAT to satisfy hunger and not psychological disturbance.
• Beware of bad habits – appetite
• Don’t misuse salt or spices
• Balance calorie needs with adequate vitamins & minerals

40. The power in a seed or for that matter in any
food can be described in four terms:
• Biogenic-sprouting of seeds grains, pulses, peas, beans
and lentils and many other fruit-pit items.
• Bioactive- life sustaining bioactive group of foods includes
all unprocessed fruits and vegetables.
• Biocidic- life and health destroying foods in the process of
rot and decay. Animal flesh, fish and fowl & by-products.
In modern times preservatives, chemical additives,
extenders, adulterants, coloring and flavors.
• Biostatic- All over cooked and long stored food including
all types of frozen and tinned foods and much so-called
dried or dehydrated food.

41. Yoga and Ayurveda categorize energies, behaviours and
foods into the ‘gunas.’
• Sattvic food : increases life, purity, strength, health, joy.
Generally fresh and simple, foods that supply energy.
• Rajasic food : bitter, sour, saline, excessively hot,
pungent, dry and burning. i.e complex, cooked food,
foods that can over stimulate.
• Tamasic food : stale, tasteless, putrid, rotten and
impure. i.e processed food lacking in nutrients, foods
that can create anger/impure thoughts.

42. Samana mudra

43. Eat only to satisfy your hunger and not
psychological disturbances.

44. Perform Vajra Asana
for a few minutes
after every meal to
help improve the
digestive and
eliminative process.

45. • Have adequate and restful sleep and avoid
naps in the afternoon that are longer than 45
minutes.
• Sleep on the left side with right side
dominant.

46. “dhautir-vastis-tatha netir, tratakam, nauli kapal-
bhatis-c-aitani, sat-karmani samacaret”-
Gherenda-Samhita
1. Dhauti- Cleanses the upper GIT up to stomach.
2. Basti – Cleanses lower GIT, especially the rectum.
3. Neti - Cleanses upper nasal tract
4. Trataka- Strengthens and tones the eyes
5. Nauli- Cleanses abdominal organs, strengthens
and tones abdominal muscles.
6. Kapalabhati - Refreshes, activates brain cells

47. Agnisara

48. • Performance of three or six rounds of the
Surya Namaskar helps to normalize
metabolism.
• Also benefits HPA axis
• General health +

50. ASANAS

57. PRANAYAMAS
• Vibhaga, Pranava and Bhastrika Pranayama
• Perform 27 rounds of Surya Nadi Pranayama three
or four times a day
• Sheetali, Sitkari and Sadanta to reduce appetite
• Savitri in Shavasana for relaxation

59. • Kriyas:
–Kunjal, Nauli, Kapalabhati, Agnisara,
Shanka Prakshalana
• Relaxation:
–Shava Asana
–Makara and
–Kaya Kriya

60. Makara Asana
Shava Asana
Kaya Kriya
Shava Asana

61. Mandala Dharana
on all Chakras
with emphasis on
Manipura and
the sound of
RAM (RUNG)

62. "Yoga is the science and art
of right-useness of the body,
emotions and mind”
-
Yogamaharishi
Dr Swami Gitananda Giri

63. SRI BALAJI VIDYAPEETH
(Deemed University Accredited with
“A” Grade by NAAC and Ranked 88 in NIRF 2020 )
www.sbvu.ac.in/cyter

72. SRI BALAJI VIDYAPEETH
(Deemed University Accredited with
“A” Grade by NAAC and Ranked 88 in NIRF 2020 )
www.sbvu.ac.in/cyter