
Welcome to this course! And welcome to the beginning of your own journey towards a mindful and healthy diet!
In this video I present an overview of the entire course.
If you think I speak too fast - or too slow - please note that you can change the speed of the video. This way you can adapt the course to your needs.
At the beginning of most of the lessons I pose a question for thought - a mini assignment for you. Please press PAUSE on the video to think through and answer the question. You are more than welcome to share your thoughts in the Q&A area. And - please put the lesson title in the title of your post!
Every video (except this introductory video) has a corresponding pdf file. I encourage you to download these for further reference.
Again - welcome! All the best from Gunn Helene
In this first lesson we will dive into the yoga sutras written by the philosopher Patanjali. We will look at the structure of the text, when it was written, and take a look at the Eight limbs of yoga.
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Good luck!
In this lesson we look more closely at the Yamas as stated by Patanjali, and specifically Ahimsa. What is this, and how is it affecting our choice of foods?
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In this lesson we study the different kinds of vegetarian diets – from flexitarianism to veganism. We also look at the positive health effects a green(er) diet may have.
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Jivamukti yoga is one of the younger Western yogic traditions. The founders, David Life and Sharon Gannon, have embraced veganism. We take a look at how this is manifested.
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Ayurveda is a traditional medical system form India, often used to complement yoga. In this lesson we take a look at the principles for this medical system.
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Depending on a variety of factors, we all fit into three main categories of body types. Here we take a look at the three main body types (constitutions) and how you determine what your constitution is. We also look at the principles behind balancing it.
Make sure to download the pfd, and take the QUIZ.
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In this lesson we take a look at what a Vata balancing diet should consist of according to Ayurvedic principles. We also take a look at foods to avoid and how the food should be prepared.
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In this lesson we take a look at what a Pitta balancing diet should consist of according to Ayurvedic principles. We also take a look at foods to avoid and how the food should be prepared.
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In this lesson we take a look at what a Kapha balancing diet should consist of according to Ayurvedic principles. We also take a look at foods to avoid and how the food should be prepared.
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Foods can also be divided into Sattvic, Rajasic, and Tamasic according to Ayurveda. We take a closer look at why the Sattvic diet often is said to be the goal for a guru.
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This lovely and easy recipe yields 30 sweet delights suitable for all three body mind types.
In this lesson we take a look at the Chakra system and the main 7 Chakras. We also dive into the field of balancing or opening the Chakra energies with food.
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What are the foods associated with the root Chakra, and what do they symbolise? We take a look at the red foods.
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What are the foods associated with the Sacral chakra, and what do they symbolise? We take a look at the orange foods.
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What are the foods associated with the solar plexus Chakra, and what do they symbolise? We take a look at the yellow foods.
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What are the foods associated with the heart Chakra, and what do they symbolise? We take a look at the green foods.
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What are the foods associated with the throat Chakra, and what do they symbolise? We take a look at the blue foods.
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What are the foods associated with the third eye Chakra, and what do they symbolise? We take a look at the purple and indigo foods.
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This Chakra is usually associated with fasting and detox. We look at the reasons why.
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In this lesson we take a look at how a regular yoga practice attunes us to the subtle messages from our bodies. When do we feel heavy after a meal? When do we feel light after a meal? What foods sits well with us? And what is the definition of intuitive eating?
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You cannot change your diet and expect all else to be the same. In this lesson we explore how this works and why this is both beneficial and useful to know.
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Being honest is a key yogic virtue according to Patanjali. It also means being honest when it comes to listening to your body’s signals regarding the fuel it needs. Not what you “should” eat, but what you really need to sustain yourself at this stage in your life.
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Mindful eating is a bit different from intuitive eating, but as a yogi you will have encountered both. Here we look at what the Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh says regarding how, what, and why we eat.
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How come we feel an emotional hunger, and try to soothe it by eating? In this BONUS lesson we look at dirrefent types of hunger.
Change entails intention and consistent effort. Consistency doesn’t mean perfection. It means trying over and over again, and learning something from every setback to create meaningful internal change. Here you find some helpful ideas for managing your change, now that you have all the knowledge.
Use these simple guidelines for introducing yoga off the mat to your students.
Find out more about the subjects you have met in this course by reading these recommended books.
Enjoy a slow and easy yoga sequence for digestive health. First learn about how yoga can support our digestion, then dive into the sequence itself. Extend your holds in the poses as you wish. No props needed.
Get the tools you need to connect your yoga practice on your mat with the food you eat off the mat. Create your own path the mindful way.
After completing this course you will
Renew your relationship with foods of all kinds – guilt free
Feel connected with your food and how you eat in a new way
See how yoga practice can lead to dietary changes
Know where in the ancient yoga texts we find knowledge about foods
Be able to use Ayurvedic knowledge when choosing foods
Think openly around other people’s food choices
Enjoy using Chakra foods for special purposes in your daily life
The course and its modules:
1 Introduction
Is there a known connection between my yoga practice on the mat, and our dietary choices off the mat? Meaning – is there a dietary change embodied in the yoga practice, and if so, where does it come from?
2 Nutrition and Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras
This module gives you a basic understanding of how nutrition, diet, and yoga is interconnected. After completing the lessons you will know how the ancient yoga texts address food and diet, and how this manifests itself today in various vegetarian diets and yoga traditions. Subjects: Vegetarian diets today, Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, Ahimsa, Hatha Yoga Pradipika, and more.
3 Ayurveda and the Sattvic diet
This module gives you a basic understanding of the Ayurvedic principles of food and diet. After completing the lessons you will know how to apply them to your body type. Subjects: Find your Dosha, the Ayurvedic principles, diets for Vata, Pitta, and Kapha Dosha, the Sattvic diet, and more.
4 Chakra foods
This module gives you a basic understanding of how we can use food to balance our Chakras. When you have completed the lessons you will have a multitude of foods to choose from for each chakra. Subjects: The Chakra system, Tantra, foods for each Chakra, nutritional and healing properties of foods, and more.
5 Mindful and intuitive eating
This module gives you a basic understanding of why mindful and intuitive eating comes naturally to a yogi, and how we can use honesty as a guideline. Subjects: Why Veganism isn’t for everyone, Mindful eating, Intuitive eating, vibrational energy of foods, Thich Nhat Hanh on eating, and more.
6 Apply your knowledge
In this module you get the resources you need to transform new knowledge into heartfelt action. Subjects: Apply the knowledge for yourself, apply the knowledge for your students, further reading.
What previous course participants say:
"Gunn Helene is a skilled and committed teacher, she has a lot of knowledge and gives a lot of herself in the classes. It's always a pleasure to partake in her courses. Highly recommended!»
- Serena Veslemøy Frati
Reviews of Yoga and Diet: the Mindful Connection (the book this course is based on):
This is an easy-to-read, yet multifaceted book on eating, food and yoga philosophy, written with a nutritionist's in-depth knowledge of food and nutrients, as well as with a yogi's open mind and acceptance that we are all different and have our own journey, even when it comes to food. The book is spiced with links for further reading and exciting recipes to try out.
- Janne Vinje Martinsen, yoga teacher
“An easy to read, yet informative book which explains what other books have missed: the deeper connection between yoga and its philosophy around food. What does it mean, what are the ayurvedic recommendations for different persons/qualities and how do you apply these to your personal practice? Gunn Helene’s background as a Registered Dietitian makes the book even more valuable as it gives you the extra input on nutritional content of recommended foods and the scientific evidence around certain aspects of the recommendations. I wish this book was on the curriculum of my Teacher Trainings! A must read for all yogis interested in food, Ayurveda and health in a modern context.”
- Runa Spilling, yoga teacher and nutritionist