Yogi Organic Gardening

While most Yogis and Yoga enthusiasts practice vegetarian or vegan lifestyles, in efforts to maintain a healthy lifestyle, and respect the Yama of Ahimsa (non Harming to all living things), it is always amazing to have the veggies fresh from your own garden. Having your own garden helps you appreciate your food, share with neighbors, and have fresh non GMO foods literally in your own backyard. A diet rich in vegetables provides ample vitamins and minerals that help in cellular functions of the body. Veggies are generally rich in water and oxygen which are the primary necessities of our bodies organs and blood. In my case, growing up my parents always had the most amazing vegetable garden, so almost everything was organic on our table. Over the years my daddy has made adjustments to his garden, as the size has gotten smaller, but he never lost his green thumb. This year our plentiful harvest has been beautiful cherry tomatoes, delicious cucumbers, Bitter Melon (Pavikya), Tomatoes, Green Peppers, and Amaranthus (Cheera). Bitter Melon and Amaranthus are both common to Indian taste buds. Bitter Melon is exactly as it is called, BITTER, it looks almost like a dinosaur, and it is an excellent food to improve iron and also decrease insulin levels. Amaranthus is part of the spinach family, rich in vitamins and minerals and also an excellent source of iron. Cucumbers are a refreshing cool veggie that is a wonderful food for those in the Pitta Dosha Type. Cherry Tomatoes and Tomatoes are an excellent source of Lycopene, while Bell Peppers are a terrific source of Vitamin C. Depending on where you live you can have a beautiful garden for many months of the year. Nowadays people are building rooftop gardens, in door gardens or even just using a few pots for herbs and common veggie staples to the dinner table. If you haven't gotten your knees in the dirt yet, try it out. While my thumb is more turquoise than green like my daddy's, I still enjoy the watering, picking and eating of the veggies....so it's teamwork. It is a wonderful way to connect with nature and you can eat some delicious food after all your efforts.