Food And Personal Health

If the thought revolution, a requirement for the transformation of the era, could be applied to our body, a positive transformation could be seen immediately in our current state of health. The reason for all illness is irregular lifestyle and lack of self-restraint. The suffering caused by disease and weakness is a punishment for failing to follow the commands of nature. Similar to governmental laws, nature too has its laws. Just as those who break the state laws have to endure a jail term, those who do not follow the laws of nature have to suffer from diseases and remain weak and feeble all their lives. Sometimes those who live in an austere manner have to suffer from physical discomfort due to the karmas of past lives, natural disasters, epidemics, accidents and other special situations, but the main reasons behind 90% of our physical ailments are our bad habits and irregular lifestyles.

1. TWO MEALS A DAY

Meals should be taken only twice, in the mid-morning and in the evening. It is sufficient to take milk or any other light liquids in the morning. One should break the habit of eating frequently.

2. FOOD SHOULD BE CHEWED PROPERLY

Food should be chewed so well that it can be swallowed easily.

3. FOOD SHOULD NOT BE EATEN IN EXCESS

Only half of the stomach should be filled with food. One fourth should be filled with water and one fourth should remain empty for easy breathing. In short, one should stop eating when one is half full.

4. HABIT OF EATING FOR TASTE SHOULD BE ELIMINATED

Eating pickles, jam, vinegar, spicy food and overly sour and sweet foods results in upsetting the stomach and creating impurities in the blood. Only a small amount of salt and, if required, a small amount of coriander or cumin should be added for flavour, but other spices should not be used. The amount of salt and sugar required by the body is naturally present in cereals and vegetables. Whatever we add is only for enhancing taste. We should stop eating for taste. For practice, salt and sugar should be completely left out of food for a period of time. Once we get used to this, a little bit of salt, lemon juice, Amla (Indian gooseberry), ginger, green coriander, mint leaves, etc. can be added for flavor. Dry spice powders should be considered an enemy of health. Sweets should be eaten as little as possible. Honey can be used if required.

5. INCREASE THE USE OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

Vegetarianism should practiced. Half or one third of the meal can be made up of cereals, but the rest should be vegetables, fruits, milk, buttermilk, etc. Seasonal fruits are inexpensive and also good for health. If eaten after sprouting, wheat, gram and other grains and beans can be very nutritious. If they are difficult to digest raw, they can be boiled. Skins of cereals, vegetables and fruits contain essential vitamins and nutrients. Therefore except for fruits like mango, banana and papaya which require peeling, fruits should be consumed in their skins.

6. STAY AWAY FROM HARMFUL SUBSTANCES

One should stay away from foods like meat, fish, eggs, fried foods and sweets. Habit-forming beverages like tea, coffee and alcohol should be considered the enemies of good health. Habits like chewing, drinking and inhaling tobacco, chewing betel leaves, etc. are harmful both physically and financially. People should also always avoid eating stale and unhygienically prepared food.

7. STEAM COOKING AND HAND GRINDING

Lentils and vegetables should be prepared in a pressure cooker. If the food is cooked in an open utensil over a high flame, it looses 80% of its vitality. Whole wheat flour should be ground in a hand operated mill as machine ground wheat looses its vitality.

8. HYGIENE IS NECESSARY FOR GOOD HEALTH

Cleanliness should be emphasized in every area. The body should be scrubbed properly while bathing. Clothes that come in contact with the body should be washed daily. Linens should be washed frequently. Whenever possible, clothes should be dried in the sun. Houses should be kept very clean so that pests do not invade. Toilets should also be kept clean. Eatables should always be kept covered. One should never cover his or her face while sleeping. Houses should have lots of windows so that they can be well ventilated and get lots of natural light. All utensils and their storage places should be kept clean. Walls and floors should be painted and washed frequently. Rinsing the mouth after every meal, brushing teeth before bedtime, and avoiding food that is either too cold or too hot is essential for healthy teeth. 

9. EARLY TO BED AND EARLY TO RISE

The habit of sleeping early and getting up early should be cultivated. This is good for health and one will succeed in any activity for which the early morning hours are used. Every aspirant should take a thorough bath after walking, exercise, and massage in the morning. Those who exercise and go for a morning walk in the open air will not fall ill. Those who cannot go for a morning walk should use a manual grinder or do some other work that causes them to break a sweat.

10. OBSERVANCE OF CELIBACY

Celibacy should be observed. Both married and unmarried people should pursue this goal. The stricter a person is in this regard, the healthier he will be. This is even more essential for intellectuals and students because the unrestrained use of the senses produces mental weakness and creates hurdles in achieving their goals

Source: www.awgp.org