You are what you eat. It follows the simple rule of garbage in, garbage out; and not just physically. What you consume affects your mood, feelings, dreams and your entire life. The process of digestion begins when the brain receives its first signal from the eyes, as you look at your plate of food.

Here are some easy hacks to help you to eat like a yogi.

· Cook with love

You may have tasted numerous delectable delights around the world, but have you ever noticed that home-made/mommy-made food always left you the most content? Here’s the secret ingredient she adds – L.O.V.E! Show yourself some kindness by adding a dash of love, a squeeze of respect, a garnish of gentleness into the food that you prepare. It’s rather magical how a simple recipe can turn into an elixir of life just by thinking positive thoughts.

· Eat with intent

Just as we set an intention before yoga practice it is very important to have positive thoughts that will invariably shape your reality. The food we put in our body is not just fuel but a life force - it contributes to our prana shakti. In many cultures a short prayer is offered before a meal, to thank the farmers for their hard work and toil, the breadwinner of the family for bringing the food home and the cook for turning the raw materials into a thing of beauty. Having food on the table is not to be taken for granted for a lot of humankind. A little bit of gratitude goes a long way in adding to a good karmic balance.

· Apply the elements of design to nutrition

Think about the classic elements of design – namely – line, color, form, texture, mass, space to organize an attractive, nourishing and fulfilling meal. This can be considered an easy way to incorporate all food groups ensuring you have different colors and textures and consistencies on your plate, not just to improve palatability but also to present a nourishing wholesome meal. Your plate should only have a small quantity of dessert and larger portion of protein and veggies- this is where you will use the mass and white space concept from elements of design; don’t crowd your plate. It is said that the amount of food you can hold in your two palms is the exact amount that your stomach can effectively process at a time and that your body needs to be healthy.

· Take note of the season

While planning your meal, always be cognizant of the current season. Our bodies react differently to different foodstuff in different times of the year. In earlier days, only those fruits/vegetables/grains were available which could grow in a particular season. In this way, what we put in our bodies was regulated by nature. It was not possible to eat mangoes in winter because they just would not be ripe at the time. Now with technology and revolutionized farming, we may have skirted past nature’s plan but it’s not exactly in our best interest.

· Start with the starter

This portion of your meal is one of the most important ones, as it sets the tone of your entire experience. Pick an item that you can hold with your fingers and pop in your mouth. Your brain receives its first physical cue that a meal is about to commence when your fingers touch that first piece of grub, and activates the digestive enzymes. Don’t add an ice cold beverage to your meal as it kills the digestive fire (agni) and slows down the body’s ability to digest food. Instead take a sip of warm water with a hint of lime to suggest to your digestive system to fire up the churner.

Bon Appetit!