Sadhguru's 13 tips on right food habits that promote health and longevity

"We are what we eat” — a timeless truth we’ve all heard before. It’s a reminder of how vital it is to be mindful of what we nourish our bodies with. Going beyond just food choices, Sadhguru offers powerful insights on what to eat, how to eat, and when to eat — helping us align our meals with health and inner balance. He has shared an insight on the official website titled "Tips for Eating Healthy – How, When and What to Eat." As he wisely puts it: “The content of food definitely has a big impact, but how you consume it is equally important.” Scroll down to read about 13 tips and learn how simple changes in eating habits can lead to a healthier, more conscious life.

He says that eating should not be a routine. One must observe the needs of the body and then eat.

He also says, "One must eat, but we must eat, relishing the nourishment of what the food offers and with gratitude of what it means to our life. As per Sadhguru, the true joy of eating is that you are conscious of some other life willing to merge with your own life and become you.

Referring to yogic culture, Sadhguru says that sitting cross-legged on floor and eating is a way to make sure that energy must always come to you from the highest possibility that you can receive.

As per him, when you do not touch the food, you do not know what it is. If food is not good enough to be touched, I do not know how it is good enough to be eaten! He also says that when you feel it, you know what to eat and what not to eat. And with a fork and spoon, you do not know who has used it, how they have used it, and for what. All they have to do is wipe it with a tissue and it looks clean.

As per Sadhguru, "If you chew twenty-four times, the information of that food gets established in your system and every cell in your body will be able to start judging as to what is right and not right for you – not in terms of the tongue but about what is appropriate for the whole system."

He says that to enjoy the food, it is important to eat quietly. He adds, "When children want to eat and talk at the same time, the first thing we teach them is, "Shh, no talking when you are eating." Because this speech has to come out, food has to go in – how can you do both at the same time? "

As per Sadhguru, "When the digestive process is happening in the stomach bag, the purification of the body on the cellular level almost shuts down. So if you keep eating through the day, the cells retain impurities for a longer period, which creates various problems over a period of time." Hence it is suggested to consume two meals a day and practice no snacking in between. As per him, in the Yogic system, we say there must be a minimum of six to eight hours between one meal and the next. If that is not possible, at least a five-hour gap is a must. Less than that means you are causing trouble to yourself.

There must be three hours after the evening meal, before you go to bed. If this includes at least 20 to 30 minutes of light physical activity – such as simple walking – your system will largely be healthy, suggests Sadhguru.

He suggests, "We have identified certain days of the lunar month when digestion is not at its best. On these two days in the month, known as Ekadashi, which is the eleventh day after the full and new moons, it is best to have only light food or to fast entirely."

Talking about eating fresh food, he says, "If you are interested in your wellbeing and that of your children, you must ensure that the food you eat is fresh. In the Yogic culture, we always consume cooked food within 1.5 hours after it comes off the stove."

He also suggests consuming a plant-based diet. He says, "When we cook food, we destroy the life in it. Eating food after this process of destruction does not give the same amount of life energy to the system."

Talking about fruit diet, he says digestion means jatharagni – the digestive fires. If these fires have to burn most effectively, fruit is definitely the best thing."

As per his post, one of the reasons Indians are heading towards diabetes is that people are on a single-cereal diet. People are eating either only rice or only wheat. This can definitely cause health problems. It is important to bring in a multigrain diet in one’s life.

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