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in

Yogic Diet, Trigunas and Mental Health: Implications for Research

V. Suresh*, B. Srilakshmidevi** & Dr. V. Suresh***

Abstract

A guna is one’s quality or tendency. Yoga Science and Ayurvedic Medicine have classified

gunas into three: rajas, tamas and sattwa; each with its own characteristics. In any person,

though all the three are found, one of them is dominant. The data collected through the senses

that pass through the mind and intellect is modified according to the dominant guna. Thus,

guna is the final step which influences the personality of a person. The type of food one takes

influences the dominant guna. Yoga Science enumerates the food items that promote a

particular guna. Thus, diet has implications for understanding a person’s psychological

functioning. Implications for mental health and counseling are discussed.

Keywords: Yogic diet, gunas, trigunas, mental health

* Assistant Professor in Yoga, Department of Education, Annamalai University

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The concept of guna, in the philosophical context, refers to addressing quality,

substance, tendency and property. A guna, in a human being, thus refers to her/his quality or

tendency. The body is composed of five elements that influence any change, whether it is

physical, mental, or psychological, that occurs in a human being. Through the five physical

senses, these five elements are perceived in the body. The data collected through the senses

that pass through the mind and intellect is modified according to the dominant guna. Thus,

guna is the final step which influences the personality of a person (Srivastava, 2012; Lele,

2012).

Three gunas or qualities, known as trigunas, are recognized in Yoga. The concept of

Triguna has embedded the development of consciousness. In the modern era too, personality

is explained with the notion of triguna. According to yoga science and ayurvedic medicine

the three gunas are classifications of quality of energy in all things. The three gunas are rajas,

tamas and sattwa, and are associated with different kinds of temperaments. Each guna has its

own nature of thinking, feeling and acting. The trigunas describe our behavior, mindset,

health, and diet.

Rajas is characterized by feelings of excitement, being energized and full of activity. There is

also often a certain degree of restlessness and mental agitation. The Bhagavad Gita portrays

Rajasguna as the “active quality”. Rajas is a guna that is associated with passion and desire,

and is found to be the source ofgreediness, undertaking activity, restlessness, and desire. A

person who has a rajas guna as dominant is longings for fruits of his/her deeds and is full of

attachment. The self-interest which is the dominant trait gives the intellect, a distorted picture

of what is right and wrong. This guna cannot foster renunciation and detachment rather its

attributes are more towards activity, enthusiasm and interest.

Tamas is associated with feelings of lethargy, heaviness, and inertia. This guna runs on the

principle of intertia, and hope and illusion are the basis of this guna. Tamas produces

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ambiguity, idleness, fantasy, and persistence. Individual’s who have a dominant tamasguna

are usually thoughtful, anxious, and relentless. The cynicism, perseverance, fantasy and

ambiguity are some of the qualities of this guna

The third quality, sattwa is characterized by feelings of expansiveness, joyfulness, lightness,

and being the witness to one’s life. Sattwa guna comprises the “spiritual quality”. Individuals

who have this guna as dominant, possesses an inherent quality of being good and caring.

There is a resolute constancy of the mind and the senses. When sattva is dominant, wisdom is

predominant in the individual. The wisdom in Sattvic person helps the individual distinguish

between the desirable and undesirable, the dutiful and undutiful actions. Divine and

spirituality are some of the values inculcated in Sattvic people. (Rama, 1985).

In its model of a development of human potential the Bhagawat Gita decribes

the three gunas. The Gita asserts that a person is a combination of varying degrees of the

three gunas and cannot be completely of one type. The three gunas are responsible for the

different kinds of temperament and are influenced by the physiological and psychological

parameters. The trigunas are the central aspects of personality in the Yoga philosophy. Yoga

is helps to “to master all the senses, including stabilizing the mind” (Shankar et al., 2017).

Yoga is a way of life. According to Yoga philosophy a disciplined pure and focused, mind

can help succeed in any field, be it education, worldly affairs, or self-awareness (Taneja,

2014). Yoga aids in a healthy lifestyle for harmony, peace and happiness.

A satisfied mind helps to think calmly, cleanly, and creatively, and to solve life’s

problems effectively. The properties of the traits are needed to make these solutions work,

and the tamas to put an end to the activities when the problem is actually solved. Imbalance

between the three gunas lead to somatic and body-mind imbalances (Bagus, 2020) is

responsible Thus, the gunas have implications for physical and mental health.

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The three gunas guard the five sheaths or the Pancha Koshas. Food and diet play a significant

role in the formation Pancha Koshas especially the Annamaya Kosha or the food sheath.

(Dalal & Misra, 2010). Nurturing the physical body, and also has an impact on levels of

energy, mind, intelligence, emotions, and spirit. Changes in diet, in addition to sedentary

lifestyles, mental illness, stress, pollution, smoking, and alcohol consumption, have led to the

development of non-communicable diseases over the past 10 decades (Singh et al., 2011). We

face a huge challenge with cheap, easily accessible, unhealthy food and on the other, hand

there are some modern medical nutrition policies which are inaccessible to the poor.

Understanding different food groups and their nutrient content, as well as incorporating them

into daily eating habits, seems difficult to calculate caloric requirements, and this requires

expert guidance. So, it seems a practical and simple solution to mix a yogic diet and a

balanced diet of nutrition to achieve a holistic diet.

The yogic diet has five principles of yoga. Eating right will improve one’s health and

help the person cleanse himself and feel fit. A yogic diet accompanied by yoga practice helps

in keeping the mind and body fit. (The Yoga Mandala, 2020).

Classification of Food

Our physical and mental health are, to a significant extent, influenced by the food we

eat. Mind is formed out of the refined portion of food. The way a food is prepared influences

the guna it promotes. Usually fresh vegetarian food promotes sattvic nature. Adding chillies,

over cooking or frying makes it rajasic. It becomes tamasic when it is cooked and kept for

too long. Foods that increase the energy of the body are rajasic and those that decrease the

energy of the body are tamasic (Tarlton, 2020).

Sattvic Food

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This food nourishes and keeps the body calm. It helps purify the mind, allowing it to

function to its fullest capacity. Sattivic food also enhances our awareness, inspires us to take

up positive actions, meditate more deeply and release our hidden potential and creativity

(Shankar et al., 2017).

Cereals, whole grain bread, fresh fruits and vegetables, pure fruit juices, milk, butter

and cheese, legumes, nuts, seeds, sprouted seeds, honey and herbal tea are some of the Sattvic

food.

Rajasic Food

These are also called stimulant foods. Hot, bitter, acidic, dry or salty foods are

included in the category of rajasic diet. They disturb the mind-body balance. By feeding the

body with rajasic food will overstimulate the body,stimulate passions, leaving the mind

restless and uncontainable. This food is not completely beneficial. However, they are not

harmful.Spices or strong herbs, and stimulants such as coffee and tea, fish, spicy foods, eggs,

salt and chocolates are included in rajasic food.

Tamasic Food

This is otherwise called sedative or static food. A Tamasic diet is neither beneficial to

the mind nor the body. This kind of diet, withdraws the Prana or energy, mitigates the power

of reasoning and induces inertia. Tamasic food reduces the body’s resistance to disease. It

fills the mind with emotions like anger and greed. They are helpful during times of physical

stress and pain. They dull the pain and lower consciousness. Over eating too is considered

tamasic.

Meat, alcohol, tobacco, onions, garlic, fermented foods such as vinegar, stale overripe

substances and the like are included in Tamasic food.

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Discussion

Ayurveda, is a parallel science to yoga, according to Ayurveda health is a state of

balance between the body, mind, and the consciousness. In the ancient days, food also

consumed as a medicine. People understood the principles of healthy eating and the healing

properties of food. (3HO Foundation, 2020).An Ayurvedic proverb states “when diet is

wrong, medicine is of no use. When diet is right, there is no need for medicine”.This points to

the idea that diet can impact not only the body but also one’s psychological functioning.

Mental health is characterized by realizing one’s potential, coping with normal

stresses of life, working productively and making contribution to society. Mental health

comprises of the emotional, behavioural and cognitive well-being; hence it defines how one

thinks, feels, and behaves. Mental health also determines one’s capability to handle stress,

using problem solving skills and making decisions and make choices(MentalHealth.gov,

2020). These characteristics correspond to Sattvaguna. Tamasic food affects reasoning and

promotes dark emotions like anger. Rajasic food interferes with the mind-body balance

making one uncontrollable and restless. Hence, we could infer that these two foods affect the

mental health of a person. Sattvic food nourishes both body and mind, keeping them in a

balanced state. This food aids in increasing positive actions, meditating more deeply and

releasing our hidden potential and creativity. Thus, this food is likely to enhance the mental

health.

Imbalance in the body-mind relationship can lead to mental disturbance. Hence, it

could be assumed that a certain type of food like rajasic or tamasic can promote certain

mental disturbances.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a childhood disorder, characterized by

persistent overactivity, impulsivity and difficulties in sustaining attention. Probably rajasic

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food may strengthen this condition. Hence a change in the diet can to be explored. A

Sattvicdiet that includes fruits and vegetables, whole grains, unsaturated fats, and protein can

reduce the hyperactive symptoms. Balancing healthy eating with plenty of physical activity

could reduce the symptoms (Harvard Health Publishing, 2009).

Anxiety disorders are functional in nature in which anxiety is the main symptom or is

experienced when the person attempts to control certain maladaptive behaviours. There are

four types of symptoms of anxiety. One is physiological arousal like racing heart, perspiring,

and tensed muscles. The second is cognitive symptoms like selective attention, threat-

oriented cognition etc. The third symptom is behavioural like avoidance and the fourth is

emotional symptom like dread (Smith et al., 2003). These tendencies may be prompted by

rajasic or tamasic foods. Sattvic food keeps it in a peaceful state, calms and cleanses the

mind, allowing it to function to its full capacity. Hence, the effect of sattvic food on the

symptoms of anxiety could be studied. According to Francis etal. (2019) there was an

improvement both anxiety and depression when dietary changes are made.

Another most prevalent disorder is depression. This disorder affects the bodily functions,

behaviours, thoughts and emotions. Research shows that eating a healthy diet, which is low in

processed food and includes fruits and vegetables can help reduce symptoms of depression. A

study by Francis et al. (2019) found that brief dietary intervention can decrease the symptoms

of depression in young adults. Adhering to diet has an impact on symptoms of depression,

mood, self-efficacy and memory.

While the impact of diet on the gunas is interesting, diet alone is not a contributing

factor. It has to be studied whether diet is a mediating factor or a cause. Also it would be

interesting to study if introducing rajasic food, like an anti-depressant, would help in

counseling a depressed person. The overall improvement of diet and nutrition is necessary for

a good physical and psychological health.

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Conclusion

The concept of triguna helps understand the nature of personality. Sattvaguna can

promote mental health while rajas and tamas can influence mental disturbance. The

dominant guna influences one’s cognitive, emotional and social functioning. The way a food

is prepared influences the guna it promotes. Fresh vegetarian food promotes sattvic nature

while adding chilies, over cooking or frying makes it rajasic. When it is cooked and kept for

too long, it becomes tamasic. Foods that increase the energy of the body are rajasic and those

that decrease the energy of the body are tamasic. While it could be stated that the type of

food influences a guna, how much the type of food alone contributes to psychological factors

like cognition, thinking, emotion etc. needs to be explored in depth. The physiological

mechanisms of how diet can improve symptoms of anxiety, depression etc. also needs in-

depth study.

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