Understanding the secrets to a satvic life with 'The Satvic Revolution'

The Satvic Revolution is an ultimate guide by Subah and Harshvardhan Saraf, focused on adopting a natural, plant-based diet to heal the body and mind. It emphasizes clean, raw foods to restore health, prevent disease, and promote overall well-being. The book advocates for a satvic (pure) lifestyle, rooted in ancient Indian wisdom, to achieve mental clarity and spiritual growth.It offers practical tips, recipes, and inspiration for those seeking a holistic approach to living healthier. In a conversation with Etimes Lifestyle, the duo highlight the cores of the book and its learnings.
Tell us how's your lifestyle?
Our lifestyle is centered around our powerful yet mindful routine that begins early in the morning, typically around 5 a.m. We follow what we call the "three M's" as the foundation of our mornings: movement, meditation, and mastery.
First, movement is any physical activity that energizes the body. For me, this usually involves yoga and boxing, while Harsh prefers strength training alongside yoga. We spend at least an hour outside in fresh air and sunlight, focusing on movement. We believe that movement should never be seen as an obligation, a punishment, or merely a way to burn off calories. Rather, it’s a celebration of our body’s aliveness. We believe that movement, aka exercise should be a joyful expression of being alive, celebrating our fully functioning body.
The second M is meditation, which connects us spiritually and grounds us for the day ahead. Our meditation practice often includes mantra meditation, where we chant sacred mantras to connect with the higher power. I also practice Kirtan, chanting the holy names of God, which brings a deep sense of peace to me every morning, and helps me reconnect with the Divine.
Lastly, mastery involves nurturing ourselves intellectually by continually learning and honing our skills. As a health educator, I dedicate one to two hours each morning to study and further master my subject. This helps me continuously expand my well of knowledge.
By taking care of the first few hours of our day with these practices, the rest of the day naturally takes care of itself. That’s why we say that early waking is the mother of all habits, and a core component of our lifestyle.
We typically begin work around 9:30 a.m. and wind down by 7 p.m., spending time with family.
Our diet is another cornerstone of our lifestyle. We follow a fully plant-based, satvic diet, rich in life-giving foods like vegetables, fruits, grains, pulses, nuts, and seeds.

Share a few tips for parents on how they can include healthy food in their kid's diet?
Be a role model, not a critic. Children absorb what they see far more than what they hear. If you're constantly eating chips, namkeen, chocolates, or binging on ice cream, your kids are bound to imitate that behavior.
However, if they see you relishing fruits, wholesome delicious meals, they will naturally gravitate toward those choices. You don’t even need to tell them—just show them how it’s done. The biggest impact comes from leading by example, not lecturing them! When you embody the behavior, your kids will follow without much effort.
Replace, don’t remove. Taking away their favorite treats won't make them happy. It’ll make them annoyed. Instead, make them healthier, cleaner versions of the foods they love. If they love chocolate, blend cacao powder with dates and frozen bananas to make a rich chocolate smoothie bowl.
For those who love laddoos, create nut and seed laddoos that still taste great but are packed with nutrients.
If they enjoy cakes, bake a healthier version at home. The trick is to make them feel like they’re not missing out while ensuring the food is nourishing.

Throw out the junk. If junk food is readily available in your pantry, it’s nearly impossible for kids to resist. Remove all packaged snacks, chips, candies, and anything else that’s not contributing to their health. Out of sight, out of mind. It’s that simple. When unhealthy foods aren't an option, your kids—and you—will be more inclined to choose the healthier options available. By simply changing your environment, you're helping your child develop habits that will last a lifetime.

What do you think is the path towards spirituality?
In my view, there isn't just one path to spirituality—there are many. However, the one that resonates most deeply with me is Bhakti Yoga, which is the path of connecting with God through loving devotional service. One of the most profound ways to practice Bhakti Yoga is through chanting, which I personally engage in by chanting the divine names.
Even within chanting, there are different approaches, but the one that absorbs me the most is chanting through melodious rhythms, known as Kirtan or mantra chanting. When I chant the name of God out loud—knowing that God's name and God are one and the same—I feel the deepest connection.
For me, this is the essence of spirituality. It’s in those moments of chanting that I experience the highest level of union with the divine.

Any tips on how to make tasty and healthy food?
When it comes to making healthy food taste good, the secret lies in striking the perfect balance of flavors and textures. There's a simple formula that chefs often use, and it's something I learned during culinary school: using all the five essential tastes in a dish—Sweet, Sour, Salty, Bitter, and Pungent (SSSBP). This combination is what makes food truly satisfying, and finger-licking good.
Let’s break it down with an example like a coconut curry.
The sweetness naturally comes from coconut milk, which balances out the other flavors.
For sourness, you can add lemon, tamarind, or even tomatoes.
The salty element usually comes from sea salt, but vegetables like spinach can also add a hint of natural saltiness.
Bitterness doesn’t mean you have to use something extreme like bitter gourd; instead, spices such as cumin, they provide that mild bitterness that balances the dish.
Lastly, the pungency comes from fresh green chilies, ginger, or pepper, which add a kick that brings everything together.
This balancing act between flavors is important in making dishes feel complete and well-rounded.
How can food impact mood severely?
All foods have a direct impact on our mood and energy levels. There's an ancient saying, "Jaisa ann, waisa mann", which means "as is your food, so is your mind."
For example, food that is rajasik—meaning highly stimulating, extremely spicy, hot, dry, or pungent—will leave you feeling restless or uneasy. After eating a very spicy meal, you may feel thirsty or even slightly restless. This is because such foods stimulate the nervous system, leaving you feeling overly stimulated rather than calm.
On the other hand, tamasik foods, which are heavy and too oily, will make you feel sluggish and tired. Think about eating a rich dish like chola bhatura. After eating it, you're likely to feel sleepy and lazy. You’ll feel like taking a nap rather than being active. These foods weigh down your digestion, resulting in a sluggish mind and a sluggish body.
In contrast, satvic foods—those full of life energy like fresh fruits and vegetables—have the opposite effect. Eating a big plate of fresh fruits leaves you feeling light and energized. These foods hydrate the body. They make your mind feel clear like a crystal, and your body light like a feather.
An example many can relate to is coffee. Initially, coffee gives you a burst of energy, making you feel alert and awake. However, after a few hours, a "crash" sets in, leaving you tired and low on energy, and then, you need another cup, and then another. This constant up and down, ultimately causes mood swings. It destabilizes both your energy levels and emotional state.

Any tips for women’s health?
There’s really nothing special or different that women need to do for their health compared to men. The key to great health, regardless of gender, lies in adopting a Satvic lifestyle, which we share about in our videos, books, and workshops. The Satvic lifestyle is rooted in principles of simple food, early waking, yoga, loving relationships, service attitude and living in harmony with nature. These practices are universal, and when followed consistently, they naturally lead to peak health.What’s important to understand is that this lifestyle doesn’t distinguish between men and women. It’s designed to nourish the body, mind, and soul equally, for everyone.