International Yoga Day: How nutritional and mindful eating complement yoga

That gut feelingEdamame brown rice risottoThe starting point for holistic health is a good gut believes Mansi Bajaj founder The Yoga House in Bandra And so food according to her is an integral part of yoga mdash an alignment of mind body and soul The brain behind the yoga shalacumcafeacute says the idea was to bring a yoga ashram to urban dwellers Offering a combination of yoga and food under one roof made sense she adds Guided by the yogic principles of sattva purity and shaucha hygiene the cafeacute tables a modern Continental menu wrapped in homestyle fusionThink khichdi salads porridge sandwiches and more with a side of affirmative messaging ldquoWersquore not hung up on calories or micro or macro nutrients because food is more than that mdash itrsquos also about joy and a sense of togetherness which is why we have mattress seating games and a libraryrdquo informs Bajaj For those looking to try yoga folk dining at the eatery also ignites a sense of curiosity ldquoDiners peek into the shala before going up to the cafeacute It does in some way influence people to try yoga outrdquoAt Nargis Villa Shirley Rajan Road Carter Road Bandra WestLog on to theyogahousemumbaiAhimsa on the tableSpectacolarAt Yogisattva asanas can be followed by a nourishing plate of tacos or a guiltfree dessert thanks to yoga classes and a thriving plantbased restaurant Founder and chef Raveena Taurani notes that healthy food plays a huge role in attracting yoga enthusiasts as post a class the body craves a nutritious satisfying meal ldquoFoodmeetsyoga ties in with the idea of mindbody wellness on a 360degree scaleYoga enthusiasts appreciate having clean and healthy food offered as a combination dealrdquo she explains The eatery whips up a host of plantbased cakes tacos quiches pancakes mezzes gyozas and much more ldquoOur food is entirely farm to fork vegan glutenfree and refined sugarfree which adopts the yogic philosophy of ahimsa mdash eating food that doesnrsquot harm the body the environment or any being in its preparation and eating closer to naturerdquo Taurani elaboratesAt Pinnacle House 15th Khar Pali RoadLog on to iamayogisattvaYoga meets nutritionThere are four pillars of health mdash yoga meditation breathing techniques and nutrition shares Shraddha Joshi nutritionist at Sarva The yoga platform offers nutrition guidance to practitioners who sign up on the app It also hosts workshops on eating habits and food that complement yoga ldquoWe encourage people to be mindful while eating and enjoy all kinds of food in moderationrdquo She reiterates that yoga and nutrition go hand in hand which is why their trainers and nutritionists work together to create meal plansLog on to sarvayogastudiosBalance is keyTiming moderation and understanding onersquos digestive system is at the core of the eating advice that Kavita Dipin Sutar founder of Yogasadhana shares with her students ldquoDuring my classes I speak about when to eat how to eat why to eat and what is the quantityrdquo says the yoga therapist At Sai Krupa Building Veera Desai Road Andheri WestLog on to yogawithkavitaAwareness of bodyWith a cafe yoga studio and a coworking space rolled into one The Moon Village is the newest platform in Mumbai to embrace the foodmeetslifestyle approach ldquoWe think this works because when yoursquore practising yoga and movement you get a lot of awareness about your body and its food requirements mdash both in terms of taste as well as quantityrdquo point out cofounders Samiksha Shetty and Aditya Damani This approach guides them while designing the menu mdash a healthy take on South Indian fare On offer are ragi idiyappam khao suey Sri Lankan egg hoppers with mushroom xacuti truffle mushroom baked shakshuka with neer dosa tangy tofu akuri and moreAt Building no 36B 19th Road KharLog on to themoonvillage_