NCERT Textbook: Yoga for Healthy Living | Health and Physical Education for Class 10 PDF Download

 Page 1


Adolescents in different situations experience a wide range 
of emotions that could vary from positive to negative, such 
as, happiness, satisfaction, sadness, anger, frustration, etc.  
They have high expectations from themselves that may be 
further reinforced by people and environment around them. 
This may cause stress in them. There are many occasions 
when they may get stressed or feel angry or frustrated.  
It is natural for adolescents to experience both positive 
and negative emotions. It is also necessary to express their 
feelings and emotions. There are positive and negative ways 
of expressing the emotions. It is pointed out that negative 
emotions and their expression in negative ways may be 
caused by certain stresses experienced by the adolescents.
In today’s life, stress is becoming a major cause of many 
health-related problems. It is a known fact that chronic stress 
negatively affects health. Hypertension, diabetes mellitus, 
cardiac problems, depression, anxiety attacks, road-rage, 
etc., have become common now-a-days. The most common 
emotion faced by all of us during this COVID-19 pandemic 
is fear. It has also made us panicky and anxious to deal with 
such issues. Yoga can help us in dealing with stress and 
mental health issue during this time. In the management of 
stress, lifestyle plays an important role. A healthy lifestyle 
reduces stress and promotes one’s health.
Here, it is important to recognise that stress can be 
tackled and definitely decreased. Many times, we may not 
necessarily be in control of the situations but we can control 
our over-all response to such situations.
What is s tress ?
Stress can be understood as a state of physiological and 
psychological imbalance resulting from demanding or 
difficult situations which the person is not able to cope with.
Yoga for HealtHY 
l iving Chap-8_New.indd   133 8/24/2020   11:42:31 AM
Page 2


Adolescents in different situations experience a wide range 
of emotions that could vary from positive to negative, such 
as, happiness, satisfaction, sadness, anger, frustration, etc.  
They have high expectations from themselves that may be 
further reinforced by people and environment around them. 
This may cause stress in them. There are many occasions 
when they may get stressed or feel angry or frustrated.  
It is natural for adolescents to experience both positive 
and negative emotions. It is also necessary to express their 
feelings and emotions. There are positive and negative ways 
of expressing the emotions. It is pointed out that negative 
emotions and their expression in negative ways may be 
caused by certain stresses experienced by the adolescents.
In today’s life, stress is becoming a major cause of many 
health-related problems. It is a known fact that chronic stress 
negatively affects health. Hypertension, diabetes mellitus, 
cardiac problems, depression, anxiety attacks, road-rage, 
etc., have become common now-a-days. The most common 
emotion faced by all of us during this COVID-19 pandemic 
is fear. It has also made us panicky and anxious to deal with 
such issues. Yoga can help us in dealing with stress and 
mental health issue during this time. In the management of 
stress, lifestyle plays an important role. A healthy lifestyle 
reduces stress and promotes one’s health.
Here, it is important to recognise that stress can be 
tackled and definitely decreased. Many times, we may not 
necessarily be in control of the situations but we can control 
our over-all response to such situations.
What is s tress ?
Stress can be understood as a state of physiological and 
psychological imbalance resulting from demanding or 
difficult situations which the person is not able to cope with.
Yoga for HealtHY 
l iving Chap-8_New.indd   133 8/24/2020   11:42:31 AM
Healt H and PHysical e ducation - c lass X
In day-to-day life, a person faces many situations.  
Some situations are easy to handle; while some are difficult. 
As a result, the body starts responding at physiological and 
psychological levels. At the physiological level, there may be 
changes in heart rate, pulse rate, blood pressure, secretions 
of hormones, etc. At the psychological level, there may be 
changes in attention, concentration, memory and alertness 
and also in the emotional state (like anger, fear, hate, 
sadness, etc.).
Stress generally occurs as a result of major events in 
life, such as, tough competitions, getting low scores in an 
examination, recent break-up in friendship, not getting a good 
job, a fight with others, and so on. There are several  other 
factors which may cause stress in a person, like, diseases, 
poor living conditions, poverty, problems in relationship, 
challenges of adolescence, wrong habits, high aspirations, 
unrealistic goals, death of a close relative, discrimination, 
fast changing life and many others. However, sometimes it 
may also occur due to minor issues, such as, not getting up 
early, not getting ready on time, reaching school late, not 
getting the desired food, arguments with a friend, not getting 
permission from parents for attending a late night party, and 
so on. 
Intensity of stress varies from person to person and 
generally depends on perception of a particular situation by 
that person. A situation may be easy to handle for one person, 
while it may pose a big challenge to another. For example, 
examination may cause stress in one student, while it may 
not affect another student. 
Stress which motivates us to perform better and learn new 
skills is beneficial. For example, getting admission in a new 
course, preparing for an examination or getting promotion 
may cause stress but this stress is beneficial as it finally 
contributes towards growth and development. Stress may be 
harmful also. When stress is severe and chronic it reduces 
efficiency of a person. This kind of stress may adversely affect 
our ability to feel, think and act.
During severe stress, people may become restless and 
worried. They may not remember the things properly. Even 
small things may make them angry. You also might have 
observed that when you are in tension you become restless. 
You may not be able to focus on your studies and small 
things may cause irritation. 
Chronic and severe stress reduces our body’s ability 
to fight diseases. It can lead to various psychosomatic 
diseases, such as, peptic ulcer, migraine, diabetes 
mellitus, high blood pressure, etc. It could even result in 
heart attack, brain stroke and death. Several psychological 
disorders, such as, anxiety attacks and depression may 
Activity 8.1
Think and discuss the 
following with your 
friends:
Questions
 • Have you ever 
experienced stress?
 • What was the cause 
of it?
 • How did you manage 
it?
 • Can you think any 
other way by which 
you could have better 
managed it? 
Chap-8_New.indd   134 8/24/2020   11:42:31 AM
Page 3


Adolescents in different situations experience a wide range 
of emotions that could vary from positive to negative, such 
as, happiness, satisfaction, sadness, anger, frustration, etc.  
They have high expectations from themselves that may be 
further reinforced by people and environment around them. 
This may cause stress in them. There are many occasions 
when they may get stressed or feel angry or frustrated.  
It is natural for adolescents to experience both positive 
and negative emotions. It is also necessary to express their 
feelings and emotions. There are positive and negative ways 
of expressing the emotions. It is pointed out that negative 
emotions and their expression in negative ways may be 
caused by certain stresses experienced by the adolescents.
In today’s life, stress is becoming a major cause of many 
health-related problems. It is a known fact that chronic stress 
negatively affects health. Hypertension, diabetes mellitus, 
cardiac problems, depression, anxiety attacks, road-rage, 
etc., have become common now-a-days. The most common 
emotion faced by all of us during this COVID-19 pandemic 
is fear. It has also made us panicky and anxious to deal with 
such issues. Yoga can help us in dealing with stress and 
mental health issue during this time. In the management of 
stress, lifestyle plays an important role. A healthy lifestyle 
reduces stress and promotes one’s health.
Here, it is important to recognise that stress can be 
tackled and definitely decreased. Many times, we may not 
necessarily be in control of the situations but we can control 
our over-all response to such situations.
What is s tress ?
Stress can be understood as a state of physiological and 
psychological imbalance resulting from demanding or 
difficult situations which the person is not able to cope with.
Yoga for HealtHY 
l iving Chap-8_New.indd   133 8/24/2020   11:42:31 AM
Healt H and PHysical e ducation - c lass X
In day-to-day life, a person faces many situations.  
Some situations are easy to handle; while some are difficult. 
As a result, the body starts responding at physiological and 
psychological levels. At the physiological level, there may be 
changes in heart rate, pulse rate, blood pressure, secretions 
of hormones, etc. At the psychological level, there may be 
changes in attention, concentration, memory and alertness 
and also in the emotional state (like anger, fear, hate, 
sadness, etc.).
Stress generally occurs as a result of major events in 
life, such as, tough competitions, getting low scores in an 
examination, recent break-up in friendship, not getting a good 
job, a fight with others, and so on. There are several  other 
factors which may cause stress in a person, like, diseases, 
poor living conditions, poverty, problems in relationship, 
challenges of adolescence, wrong habits, high aspirations, 
unrealistic goals, death of a close relative, discrimination, 
fast changing life and many others. However, sometimes it 
may also occur due to minor issues, such as, not getting up 
early, not getting ready on time, reaching school late, not 
getting the desired food, arguments with a friend, not getting 
permission from parents for attending a late night party, and 
so on. 
Intensity of stress varies from person to person and 
generally depends on perception of a particular situation by 
that person. A situation may be easy to handle for one person, 
while it may pose a big challenge to another. For example, 
examination may cause stress in one student, while it may 
not affect another student. 
Stress which motivates us to perform better and learn new 
skills is beneficial. For example, getting admission in a new 
course, preparing for an examination or getting promotion 
may cause stress but this stress is beneficial as it finally 
contributes towards growth and development. Stress may be 
harmful also. When stress is severe and chronic it reduces 
efficiency of a person. This kind of stress may adversely affect 
our ability to feel, think and act.
During severe stress, people may become restless and 
worried. They may not remember the things properly. Even 
small things may make them angry. You also might have 
observed that when you are in tension you become restless. 
You may not be able to focus on your studies and small 
things may cause irritation. 
Chronic and severe stress reduces our body’s ability 
to fight diseases. It can lead to various psychosomatic 
diseases, such as, peptic ulcer, migraine, diabetes 
mellitus, high blood pressure, etc. It could even result in 
heart attack, brain stroke and death. Several psychological 
disorders, such as, anxiety attacks and depression may 
Activity 8.1
Think and discuss the 
following with your 
friends:
Questions
 • Have you ever 
experienced stress?
 • What was the cause 
of it?
 • How did you manage 
it?
 • Can you think any 
other way by which 
you could have better 
managed it? 
Chap-8_New.indd   134 8/24/2020   11:42:31 AM
Yoga for Healt HY l iving also result from chronic and severe stress. However, the 
fact is — we cannot avoid stress. Therefore, management 
of stress is necessary 
Yoga as a Wa Y of Life for s tress   
Manage Ment Yoga has been considered a panacea for managing the stress. 
In this context, we will discuss the role of  yoga in developing 
a healthy lifestyle by which stress can be managed. Yoga 
practices when become a way of life, play an important role 
in stress management.
You have learnt about asana, pranayama, kriya, mudra, 
bandha and meditation in Class IX. However, yoga is not 
limited to the physical postures, breathing techniques or 
meditation for a few minutes only. Rather yoga is a way of 
life also. It propounds several principles and practices, such 
as, asana, pranayama, kriya, mudra, bandha and meditation 
which are relevant to healthy living. Yogic principles and 
practices of healthy living can be adopted by all, irrespective 
of age, gender, profession or place. As a way of life, yoga gives 
direction about food, eating habits, thinking, recreational 
means and conduct. Yogic way of life, if adopted in true 
sense, empowers us to deal with stress and promote physical 
and mental health.
The components of yogic way of life are —
 • Ahara (Food)
 • Vihara (Relaxation) 
 • Achara (Conduct)
 • Vichara (Thinking)
 • Vyavahara (Behaviour or actions)
Ahara
The principles of ahara are related to food consumption. 
Yoga emphasises on mitahara, which is related to quality 
and quantity of food and also the state of mind during the 
intake of food. 
As for the quality, the concept of mitahara implies that 
food should be freshly cooked, nutritious, nourishing and 
in the natural form. Regarding quantity of food, mitahara 
mentions that two quarters of the stomach should be 
filled with food, one quarter with liquid and the remaining 
quarter (one-fourth) should be left empty for free flow of air. 
This implies that quantity of food may vary from person to 
person depending upon the individual requirements. It is 
very natural that a sportsperson will require more food as 
compared to a person who is doing desk job. Mitahara also 
advocates that the food should be eaten with positive state of 
Chap-8_New.indd   135 8/24/2020   11:42:31 AM
Page 4


Adolescents in different situations experience a wide range 
of emotions that could vary from positive to negative, such 
as, happiness, satisfaction, sadness, anger, frustration, etc.  
They have high expectations from themselves that may be 
further reinforced by people and environment around them. 
This may cause stress in them. There are many occasions 
when they may get stressed or feel angry or frustrated.  
It is natural for adolescents to experience both positive 
and negative emotions. It is also necessary to express their 
feelings and emotions. There are positive and negative ways 
of expressing the emotions. It is pointed out that negative 
emotions and their expression in negative ways may be 
caused by certain stresses experienced by the adolescents.
In today’s life, stress is becoming a major cause of many 
health-related problems. It is a known fact that chronic stress 
negatively affects health. Hypertension, diabetes mellitus, 
cardiac problems, depression, anxiety attacks, road-rage, 
etc., have become common now-a-days. The most common 
emotion faced by all of us during this COVID-19 pandemic 
is fear. It has also made us panicky and anxious to deal with 
such issues. Yoga can help us in dealing with stress and 
mental health issue during this time. In the management of 
stress, lifestyle plays an important role. A healthy lifestyle 
reduces stress and promotes one’s health.
Here, it is important to recognise that stress can be 
tackled and definitely decreased. Many times, we may not 
necessarily be in control of the situations but we can control 
our over-all response to such situations.
What is s tress ?
Stress can be understood as a state of physiological and 
psychological imbalance resulting from demanding or 
difficult situations which the person is not able to cope with.
Yoga for HealtHY 
l iving Chap-8_New.indd   133 8/24/2020   11:42:31 AM
Healt H and PHysical e ducation - c lass X
In day-to-day life, a person faces many situations.  
Some situations are easy to handle; while some are difficult. 
As a result, the body starts responding at physiological and 
psychological levels. At the physiological level, there may be 
changes in heart rate, pulse rate, blood pressure, secretions 
of hormones, etc. At the psychological level, there may be 
changes in attention, concentration, memory and alertness 
and also in the emotional state (like anger, fear, hate, 
sadness, etc.).
Stress generally occurs as a result of major events in 
life, such as, tough competitions, getting low scores in an 
examination, recent break-up in friendship, not getting a good 
job, a fight with others, and so on. There are several  other 
factors which may cause stress in a person, like, diseases, 
poor living conditions, poverty, problems in relationship, 
challenges of adolescence, wrong habits, high aspirations, 
unrealistic goals, death of a close relative, discrimination, 
fast changing life and many others. However, sometimes it 
may also occur due to minor issues, such as, not getting up 
early, not getting ready on time, reaching school late, not 
getting the desired food, arguments with a friend, not getting 
permission from parents for attending a late night party, and 
so on. 
Intensity of stress varies from person to person and 
generally depends on perception of a particular situation by 
that person. A situation may be easy to handle for one person, 
while it may pose a big challenge to another. For example, 
examination may cause stress in one student, while it may 
not affect another student. 
Stress which motivates us to perform better and learn new 
skills is beneficial. For example, getting admission in a new 
course, preparing for an examination or getting promotion 
may cause stress but this stress is beneficial as it finally 
contributes towards growth and development. Stress may be 
harmful also. When stress is severe and chronic it reduces 
efficiency of a person. This kind of stress may adversely affect 
our ability to feel, think and act.
During severe stress, people may become restless and 
worried. They may not remember the things properly. Even 
small things may make them angry. You also might have 
observed that when you are in tension you become restless. 
You may not be able to focus on your studies and small 
things may cause irritation. 
Chronic and severe stress reduces our body’s ability 
to fight diseases. It can lead to various psychosomatic 
diseases, such as, peptic ulcer, migraine, diabetes 
mellitus, high blood pressure, etc. It could even result in 
heart attack, brain stroke and death. Several psychological 
disorders, such as, anxiety attacks and depression may 
Activity 8.1
Think and discuss the 
following with your 
friends:
Questions
 • Have you ever 
experienced stress?
 • What was the cause 
of it?
 • How did you manage 
it?
 • Can you think any 
other way by which 
you could have better 
managed it? 
Chap-8_New.indd   134 8/24/2020   11:42:31 AM
Yoga for Healt HY l iving also result from chronic and severe stress. However, the 
fact is — we cannot avoid stress. Therefore, management 
of stress is necessary 
Yoga as a Wa Y of Life for s tress   
Manage Ment Yoga has been considered a panacea for managing the stress. 
In this context, we will discuss the role of  yoga in developing 
a healthy lifestyle by which stress can be managed. Yoga 
practices when become a way of life, play an important role 
in stress management.
You have learnt about asana, pranayama, kriya, mudra, 
bandha and meditation in Class IX. However, yoga is not 
limited to the physical postures, breathing techniques or 
meditation for a few minutes only. Rather yoga is a way of 
life also. It propounds several principles and practices, such 
as, asana, pranayama, kriya, mudra, bandha and meditation 
which are relevant to healthy living. Yogic principles and 
practices of healthy living can be adopted by all, irrespective 
of age, gender, profession or place. As a way of life, yoga gives 
direction about food, eating habits, thinking, recreational 
means and conduct. Yogic way of life, if adopted in true 
sense, empowers us to deal with stress and promote physical 
and mental health.
The components of yogic way of life are —
 • Ahara (Food)
 • Vihara (Relaxation) 
 • Achara (Conduct)
 • Vichara (Thinking)
 • Vyavahara (Behaviour or actions)
Ahara
The principles of ahara are related to food consumption. 
Yoga emphasises on mitahara, which is related to quality 
and quantity of food and also the state of mind during the 
intake of food. 
As for the quality, the concept of mitahara implies that 
food should be freshly cooked, nutritious, nourishing and 
in the natural form. Regarding quantity of food, mitahara 
mentions that two quarters of the stomach should be 
filled with food, one quarter with liquid and the remaining 
quarter (one-fourth) should be left empty for free flow of air. 
This implies that quantity of food may vary from person to 
person depending upon the individual requirements. It is 
very natural that a sportsperson will require more food as 
compared to a person who is doing desk job. Mitahara also 
advocates that the food should be eaten with positive state of 
Chap-8_New.indd   135 8/24/2020   11:42:31 AM
Healt H and PHysical e ducation - c lass X
mind with utmost concentration. You might have observed 
if someone eats while watching the television or in an angry 
mood or when the person’s attention is somewhere else, then 
they tend to just gulp down the food without enjoying it. So, 
the state of mind is also very important while eating. Thus, 
mitahara emphasises that right quality and quantity of food 
should be eaten in a positive state of mind.
Activity 8.2
In Column I, put a list of food items that you like eating and in Column II put the food items 
that you consider good for your health.
Column I
Food items that you like eating
Column II
Food items that you consider good for health
Questions
 • Compare the items of both the columns. Do the items in Column I tally with those in 
Column II? 
 • Do you think that you need to change your food habits? Make a separate list indicating 
which food items from the list (Column I) you want to change.
Vihara 
Vihara means relaxation, which can be brought about 
by activities, such as, exercise, recreational and creative 
activities like drawing, painting, singing, etc. These activities 
help to regulate and channelise our emotions and bring us 
joy and happiness. Yogic practices of asana, pranayama and 
meditation relax body and mind. In addition to this, relaxation 
can be attained in good company also. Sound sleep is also 
important for relaxation. It is, therefore, important that we 
should regularly follow a timetable that provides adequate 
time for yogic and creative activities which are relaxing.
Activity 8.3
Prepare a timetable that allots some leisure time to pursue your hobbies and 
creative activities, exercise and sufficient time for sleep.
Time allocated Activities
 • 5.30 to 6.30 pm
 • _________________________
 • _________________________
 • Yogasana
 • _________________________
 • _________________________
Chap-8_New.indd   136 8/24/2020   11:42:31 AM
Page 5


Adolescents in different situations experience a wide range 
of emotions that could vary from positive to negative, such 
as, happiness, satisfaction, sadness, anger, frustration, etc.  
They have high expectations from themselves that may be 
further reinforced by people and environment around them. 
This may cause stress in them. There are many occasions 
when they may get stressed or feel angry or frustrated.  
It is natural for adolescents to experience both positive 
and negative emotions. It is also necessary to express their 
feelings and emotions. There are positive and negative ways 
of expressing the emotions. It is pointed out that negative 
emotions and their expression in negative ways may be 
caused by certain stresses experienced by the adolescents.
In today’s life, stress is becoming a major cause of many 
health-related problems. It is a known fact that chronic stress 
negatively affects health. Hypertension, diabetes mellitus, 
cardiac problems, depression, anxiety attacks, road-rage, 
etc., have become common now-a-days. The most common 
emotion faced by all of us during this COVID-19 pandemic 
is fear. It has also made us panicky and anxious to deal with 
such issues. Yoga can help us in dealing with stress and 
mental health issue during this time. In the management of 
stress, lifestyle plays an important role. A healthy lifestyle 
reduces stress and promotes one’s health.
Here, it is important to recognise that stress can be 
tackled and definitely decreased. Many times, we may not 
necessarily be in control of the situations but we can control 
our over-all response to such situations.
What is s tress ?
Stress can be understood as a state of physiological and 
psychological imbalance resulting from demanding or 
difficult situations which the person is not able to cope with.
Yoga for HealtHY 
l iving Chap-8_New.indd   133 8/24/2020   11:42:31 AM
Healt H and PHysical e ducation - c lass X
In day-to-day life, a person faces many situations.  
Some situations are easy to handle; while some are difficult. 
As a result, the body starts responding at physiological and 
psychological levels. At the physiological level, there may be 
changes in heart rate, pulse rate, blood pressure, secretions 
of hormones, etc. At the psychological level, there may be 
changes in attention, concentration, memory and alertness 
and also in the emotional state (like anger, fear, hate, 
sadness, etc.).
Stress generally occurs as a result of major events in 
life, such as, tough competitions, getting low scores in an 
examination, recent break-up in friendship, not getting a good 
job, a fight with others, and so on. There are several  other 
factors which may cause stress in a person, like, diseases, 
poor living conditions, poverty, problems in relationship, 
challenges of adolescence, wrong habits, high aspirations, 
unrealistic goals, death of a close relative, discrimination, 
fast changing life and many others. However, sometimes it 
may also occur due to minor issues, such as, not getting up 
early, not getting ready on time, reaching school late, not 
getting the desired food, arguments with a friend, not getting 
permission from parents for attending a late night party, and 
so on. 
Intensity of stress varies from person to person and 
generally depends on perception of a particular situation by 
that person. A situation may be easy to handle for one person, 
while it may pose a big challenge to another. For example, 
examination may cause stress in one student, while it may 
not affect another student. 
Stress which motivates us to perform better and learn new 
skills is beneficial. For example, getting admission in a new 
course, preparing for an examination or getting promotion 
may cause stress but this stress is beneficial as it finally 
contributes towards growth and development. Stress may be 
harmful also. When stress is severe and chronic it reduces 
efficiency of a person. This kind of stress may adversely affect 
our ability to feel, think and act.
During severe stress, people may become restless and 
worried. They may not remember the things properly. Even 
small things may make them angry. You also might have 
observed that when you are in tension you become restless. 
You may not be able to focus on your studies and small 
things may cause irritation. 
Chronic and severe stress reduces our body’s ability 
to fight diseases. It can lead to various psychosomatic 
diseases, such as, peptic ulcer, migraine, diabetes 
mellitus, high blood pressure, etc. It could even result in 
heart attack, brain stroke and death. Several psychological 
disorders, such as, anxiety attacks and depression may 
Activity 8.1
Think and discuss the 
following with your 
friends:
Questions
 • Have you ever 
experienced stress?
 • What was the cause 
of it?
 • How did you manage 
it?
 • Can you think any 
other way by which 
you could have better 
managed it? 
Chap-8_New.indd   134 8/24/2020   11:42:31 AM
Yoga for Healt HY l iving also result from chronic and severe stress. However, the 
fact is — we cannot avoid stress. Therefore, management 
of stress is necessary 
Yoga as a Wa Y of Life for s tress   
Manage Ment Yoga has been considered a panacea for managing the stress. 
In this context, we will discuss the role of  yoga in developing 
a healthy lifestyle by which stress can be managed. Yoga 
practices when become a way of life, play an important role 
in stress management.
You have learnt about asana, pranayama, kriya, mudra, 
bandha and meditation in Class IX. However, yoga is not 
limited to the physical postures, breathing techniques or 
meditation for a few minutes only. Rather yoga is a way of 
life also. It propounds several principles and practices, such 
as, asana, pranayama, kriya, mudra, bandha and meditation 
which are relevant to healthy living. Yogic principles and 
practices of healthy living can be adopted by all, irrespective 
of age, gender, profession or place. As a way of life, yoga gives 
direction about food, eating habits, thinking, recreational 
means and conduct. Yogic way of life, if adopted in true 
sense, empowers us to deal with stress and promote physical 
and mental health.
The components of yogic way of life are —
 • Ahara (Food)
 • Vihara (Relaxation) 
 • Achara (Conduct)
 • Vichara (Thinking)
 • Vyavahara (Behaviour or actions)
Ahara
The principles of ahara are related to food consumption. 
Yoga emphasises on mitahara, which is related to quality 
and quantity of food and also the state of mind during the 
intake of food. 
As for the quality, the concept of mitahara implies that 
food should be freshly cooked, nutritious, nourishing and 
in the natural form. Regarding quantity of food, mitahara 
mentions that two quarters of the stomach should be 
filled with food, one quarter with liquid and the remaining 
quarter (one-fourth) should be left empty for free flow of air. 
This implies that quantity of food may vary from person to 
person depending upon the individual requirements. It is 
very natural that a sportsperson will require more food as 
compared to a person who is doing desk job. Mitahara also 
advocates that the food should be eaten with positive state of 
Chap-8_New.indd   135 8/24/2020   11:42:31 AM
Healt H and PHysical e ducation - c lass X
mind with utmost concentration. You might have observed 
if someone eats while watching the television or in an angry 
mood or when the person’s attention is somewhere else, then 
they tend to just gulp down the food without enjoying it. So, 
the state of mind is also very important while eating. Thus, 
mitahara emphasises that right quality and quantity of food 
should be eaten in a positive state of mind.
Activity 8.2
In Column I, put a list of food items that you like eating and in Column II put the food items 
that you consider good for your health.
Column I
Food items that you like eating
Column II
Food items that you consider good for health
Questions
 • Compare the items of both the columns. Do the items in Column I tally with those in 
Column II? 
 • Do you think that you need to change your food habits? Make a separate list indicating 
which food items from the list (Column I) you want to change.
Vihara 
Vihara means relaxation, which can be brought about 
by activities, such as, exercise, recreational and creative 
activities like drawing, painting, singing, etc. These activities 
help to regulate and channelise our emotions and bring us 
joy and happiness. Yogic practices of asana, pranayama and 
meditation relax body and mind. In addition to this, relaxation 
can be attained in good company also. Sound sleep is also 
important for relaxation. It is, therefore, important that we 
should regularly follow a timetable that provides adequate 
time for yogic and creative activities which are relaxing.
Activity 8.3
Prepare a timetable that allots some leisure time to pursue your hobbies and 
creative activities, exercise and sufficient time for sleep.
Time allocated Activities
 • 5.30 to 6.30 pm
 • _________________________
 • _________________________
 • Yogasana
 • _________________________
 • _________________________
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Yoga for Healt HY l iving Achara 
Achara means conduct that includes emotions, attitudes, 
desires, instincts and habits. Right conduct is essential for 
a stress-free life. Positive emotions and positive attitudes, 
good habits and control on desires help in making us strong, 
both, individually and socially. The right conduct protects us 
from unnecessary stress caused by negative emotions and 
attitudes like hate, jealousy, fear, etc.
Therefore, we should have control on our desires, instincts, 
emotions, habits and attitudes. Here, yoga is important as 
it encourages good conduct in our personal and social life. 
Yoga advocates for positive emotions and positive attitude 
towards self and other persons.
In this context yogic principles of Yama (restraint) and 
Niyama (observance) help to develop control on our desires 
and emotions and bring about peace and harmony.
Yama (Restraint) and Niyama (Observance)
Yamas (restraints) and Niyamas (observances) are sets of the 
dos and the don’ts. They can be considered as the universal 
codes of conduct that help us in following high standards in 
our personal and social life. Yamas are concerned with one’s 
social life; while the niyamas are concerned with one’s personal 
life. Yama and Niyama are part of Ashtanga Yoga that has been 
propagated by Patanjali.
The five yamas are ahimsa (non-violence), satya 
(truthfulness), asteya (non stealing), brahmcharya (celibacy) 
and aparigraha (non possessiveness). 
The five niyamas are: Shaucha (cleanliness), Santosha 
(contentment), Tapas (austerity), Swadhyaya (self study) and 
Ishwarpranidhana (surrender to god).
Vichara
We know that thoughts are very important as our behaviour 
is guided by the kind of thoughts we have. Our thinking 
should be positive.
Positive thoughts bring pleasure to our life; while negative 
thoughts can make us unhappy. Right thinking guides us 
towards appropriate behaviour. It helps in prevention and 
management of stress-related health problems.
Yoga prescribes that one should have positive thoughts. 
Positive thoughts give us strength to bear the sorrows of 
life. Yogic practices like yama, niyama, pratyahara, dhyana 
(meditation), study of good literature, etc., help us in 
controlling our thoughts and thereby promoting optimism  
in life.
Activity 8.4
Ramesh and his friends 
are planning to skip 
their classes and go for a 
movie instead. Ramesh is 
worried as he feels that 
it is not right to skip the 
class without informing 
his parents. But at the 
same time, he does not 
want to be seen as a 
spoilsport by his friends. 
Finally, he succumbed to 
the peer pressure. Now, 
he is disturbed to think 
what would happen if his 
parents come to know of it.
Questions
 • Why was Ramesh 
worried?
 • Was his conduct 
appropriate? Explain 
your answer.
 • Can you suggest some 
ways to get out of this 
conflicting situation?
 • What would you do, if 
you were in Ramesh’s 
place?
 • Do you think the yogic 
principles of Yama 
(restraint) and Niyama 
(observance) help to 
develop control on our 
desires and emotions 
and lessen our stress?
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