Eating is a natural course of dietary intake which, invariably, includes all edible solids, drinks and liquids, and solid foods etc. In our country it is a way to proper hygienic method. Let us not lose sight of the fact that our ascetics and religious guides had advised certain rules (even if by implication) in this regard. Those rules
still hold good. Western world modified our dietary rules in a different way. Following suggestive points may be borne in mind so that necessary benefits are derived to fullest advantage:
Do no suppress natural excretions of the body. Cultivate the habit of passing urine and stools in time, at least before taking meals. All the undesirable toxins must be expelled from the body, in order to render the body light and also to create proper vacuum in the body to store edibles.
Make sure that you wash your hands properly, rinse mouth, wash face and feet. Splash water onto your eyes. In winter, lukewarm water may be used, but eyes should never be washed with hot water.
Keep your nails well cut so that they do not prove as vehicles to carry infection into your body. Nails, if uncut, are doorways to let in infection. Children should be guided properly about hygienic value of clean and clipped nails. Most of the infections, find their way into human body by means of unclean hands and nails. Before going in and coming out after work, make sure that hands are washed with soap.
Eat only when you are tension free. While taking meals, always feel easy and relaxed. No food be ever taken under stress and strain. While eating, fully concentrate on your meals, relish the meals and never gulp down food into stomach. Masticate and chew each morsel many a time before ingesting it. Eat very slowly and let the saliva mix up with each morsel.
Make sure that your seat is quite comfortable and airy, there is no congestion and lack of fresh air, and the persons, if sitting with or around you, are cheerful, receptive. Do not talk or discuss any problem while eating. Your meals should never be disturbed by anyone. Never leave your meals mid-way or attend to telephone calls or watch T.V. or listen to the Radio/Audios. Devote complete and unhindered attention exclusively to your meals. Any deviation will divert your attention, causing digestive problems. If you are mentally upset, you will neither enjoy nor relish your food and your mind will, thus, be preoccupied and disturbed with undue cares, worries and problems.
Raw fruits and vegetables should not be mixed with your normal meals because they require different types of enzymes and natural juices to be digested. If that can’t be avoided, then, it is advised that part of each edible variety is taken with first four or five morsels so that the body is readied for releasing requisite quantity of juices and digestive enzymes to digest the various food items.
It is better not to take any water, at least an hour before taking meals or for two hours or so, after taking meals. Taking water before during and after meals is said to disturb emergence of digestive juices and enzymes, thus delaying and inhibiting the digestive process. Those, who take too much of water, turn out to be obese and bulky. Mixture of saliva, juices and enzymes is a natural process in helping the digestion of food. If water is taken with the meals, then saliva is not formed properly in the mouth. This situation should be avoided, if not totally ruled out, at all costs.
After taking meals never go to sleep. Have some rest (not sleep) after lunch and sustainable walk after dinner, as has been well said that ‘After lunch rest a while, and after dinner walk a mile.’
After finishing meals, it is always better to urinate. A friend had once advocated and opined that, if one cultivates the habit of voiding urinary bladder after meals, he has far less chances of having kidney stones and diabetes. Another pointed out that if one visits the closet for urinating, (when the last morsel is still in his mouth) he will have no diabetes and urinary stones.
‘Vajrasana’ is the only asana which can be performed after taking meals. If Vajrasana is performed, after 30-45 minutes of taking meals, it will expel flatus, help in digesting the food. It is also beneficial in relieving pains in joints, especially knees, feet and ankles. Persons with damaged cartilages and reduced spaces between the joints should perform Vajrasana only after their cases have been cleared by their doctors, otherwise not.
In order to keep digestive system fortified and in good condition, you should lie on your left side and thus you will have your food quickly digested, wind will also get expelled and, above all, you will feel light and cheerful.
After finishing meals, always wash your hands with soap. Rinse your mouth properly before and after taking meals.
Never drink cold drinks after hot foods or vice versa.
Any food item taken should be fresh, tasty, nourishing, palatable and well-balanced.
What not to eat
This is a vast topic. There are certain food items that cause illnesses to healthy persons. Wise men always go in for the foods which are an aid to their health. This can happen only when they are aware of suitability of a particular edible food. But, certain food items are taken per chance, under circumstantial compulsions (as in travel) or due to paucity thereof. All ‘Do and Don’t’s’ do not apply to all persons alike. Here the point, under consideration, is that foods which are generally regarded to harm each and every person, should be avoided. Following hints many drive home the emphasis which is desired to be conveyed.
Food has already been blamed for various diseased conditions of the human body and food allergy is one of the chief factors which precipitate many skin, digestive, respiratory, urinary and cardiac problems, apart from gout, rheumatism, cancer, diabetes etc. Problem arises when one insists on and persists with a particular edible item, knowing fully well that he will be inviting health problems only, by ingestion of such harmful eatables. In such a state of affairs, when a person is hell bent upon spoiling his health by resorting to intake of wrong foods, nobody can help. You can advise only an ignorant person, but not a well informed and intelligent person. By preaching we cannot reform anybody but, by persuasion and sincere advice even, the ‘stickers’ could be, at least, motivated to change their food habits. Regional food bias, and priorities, play an important sincerely aware and conscious about upkeep of his health, no effort is needed to motivate and persuade him while others should be better left, to their fate, to relish the sad outcome of their wrong food habits.
Never use any food item which is not fresh, stale, foul smelling, deshaped and withered. No cut, exposed and ready-made foods/fruits/juices etc. should ever be taken. It is always better to avoid such foods.
Strong and pungent spices should not be used in any preparation, especially those known to cause health problems. For such matters, fried food, fast food, highly seasoned and cooked vegetables and meats, chats, soups, jaljeeras, sonth etc. are advised to be better avoided. Persons, who often easily fall prey to stomatitis, bad throat, tonsillitis, laryngitis, burning sensation after eating, sour and acid eructations, burning in urine, should, as a rule, prefer bland diet instead of heavily spiced hot, pungent foods.
Meat diets, poultry food, dairy products should be avoided by all diabetics, instead they should shift over to the habit of vegetarian diet only.
Blood Pressure (High), heart problems, sticky and clammy stools owe their origin due to saturated fats which, in turn, raise cholesterol level in the blood. Not only the patients but even the normally healthy persons, should cut down quantity of fat intake. Vegetable ghee, red meats, milk, butter, clarified butter, khoya (condensed milk) and all sweetmeats have enough of fat content in them. Hence, they should always be avoided and substituted by low fat oils (unsaturated) like soyabean oil, corn oil, ground nut oil and til oil.
Sugar is a main source of carbohydrates which provides energy to the body. But excessive intake of this essential nutrient is the cause of diseases like diabetes and obesity. Right from the age of 40, start tapering down gradually sugar intake, particularly crystal (white) sugar. Honey, jaggery are considered better substitutes for white refined sugar. Obese, diabetic, sedentary persons, having aversion to physical activity and exercise, lose their right to use of sugar.
Similarly protein-rich foods (like pulses, fish, cheese, nuts, beans, especially soyabeans) should be avoided by the gouty persons, as they tend to raise serum uric acid which is the chief monster in causing gouty conditions. This does not apply to diabetics who require high protein but low carbohydrate diet.
Never eat any vegetable or fruit which is canned or cold storaged or off seasonal, for the simple reason that they are bereft of any nutritional value and are also costlier.
While attending parties, functions and celebrations, feasts never forget that your palate and taste should remain under your control. Eat only what suits you and not what others say. Always be guided by your own needs and never overeat.
Avoid tea, coffee, chocolates, cocoa, sweets, cold drinks, unhygienic fruit or vegetable juices, cane juice. If, however, juices are desired, it is always better to have them extracted at home.
Drinking, smoking or use of tobacco, in any form, is harmful for health. Occasional use of such thing is not objectionable, but proper and timely restraint is a watchword for better living.
Avoid too cold or too hot drinks. Care should be taken to make sure that cold drink is not taken immediately after the hot and vice versa. Similarly, too hot or too cold foods also are harmful for health.
Try to be your own master and determine, follow and stick to your dietary pattern, keeping in view the aforesaid points.
FASTING
Fasting purifies not only body but also the mind. Process of fasting was, infact, devised to divest the body of its toxins which have accumulated in the body due to some wrong done to body through dietary deviations, relaxations or indiscretions. When we fast, we allow sufficient time to our body to relax, purge out toxic matters and give a new, rather renewed, lease of life to all the body organs. Fasting has been correlated with religious tenets also because being God-fearing, nobody would flout tenets and directives of religion and holy books. Sanskrit synonym for fasting is ‘Vrat’ which in turn implies determination. Let us agree on one point that a person with weak mind and determination first of all will rarely take to fasting. If, at all he begins to take to fast, he will not allow to let it reach its culmination for the simple reason that he lacks in determination. To sum up the above equation let us conclude that only a determined person can keep himself on fast.
In order to have a successful and complete fast, ‘will’ to do must be backed by strong determination. In our daily life dietary and food habits play an important part. There is sometimes a desire for one object but aversion to the other and vice versa. This chain of desires and aversions, with particular reference to our likes (weakness) and dislikes (aversions) forms the very basis of our food habits with the result that, in order to satiate our taste buds balance amongst various essential elements is unbalanced and disturbed. When certain unbalances occur, certain disorders take place in our physical system which are termed as diseases. Fasting process removes such unbalances, helps to restore proper and requisite balance amongst various elements in the body.
Points raised above need further elaboration. For instance, a person who habitually takes too much of sodium chloride is exposed to greater risk of hypertension. Others, who take too much of sugar or sugar-based foods and too heavy intake of carbohydrates, can happen to be obese, or still worse as prospective diabetics. Those, who take too much of fats, run the risk of raised serum cholesterol levels, often resulting in coronary heart disease, arteriosclerosis, high blood pressure, embolism, palpitation etc. Persons, taking high-protein foods, are more exposed to gouty diseases and kidney problems. Too much use of red chillies, spices, condiments are liable to create digestive problems. Strong spirituous drinks, use of tobacco in any form, excessive intake of oral iron tonics can create various hepatic upsets.
Fasting does not and must not ever mean to lead to starvation. During seven days of the week, abstain from use of one essential element (say sugar, protein, salt, fruits, saturated oils, spices, chillies, cereals, carbohydrates, drinking and smoking.) During the year, a day each be allotted to fast exclusively on fruits or fruit juice(s) or milk, or why, or curd/yoghurt for milk, whey or curd (yoghurt). In certain cases it has been observed that fasting is used as an excuse for overeating or eating in plenty one’s most favourite food items. This is no way, not in the least wiser way to observe a fast. Those who subscribe to the said habit, are warned and advised never to take retort to such a type of fasting. For instance, if a person abstains from salt on one day, it does not mean that the aspirant should consume salt in excess or else take sweets or sweetish edibles or drinks in excess of his normal daily requirement.
Fasting is a healthy and natural way to purge, disinfect and deodorize the body from almost all the toxins, foreign matter, deposits and filth from body system. When the body is free from undesirable elements, as detailed above, mind will also be in a state of ecstasy and happiness. Fasting thus provides an upbeat mood to body, mind and intellect, there is hardly any other substitute to maintain balance and harmony among these three important components.
Guidelines for initiating, maintaining and ending fast
Fasting should not mean giving up foods which are taken daily, instead, a food item should be given up for a day. For instance, on each fasting day give up taking one food item (salt, sugar, cereals, fats, fried foods, spices, drinks, even smoking, meat foods, poultry and dairy products etc.) Giving up a particular food should not construe that there is abstention from all other food items. It will help to break the habit of dependence on one particular food item, though for a day only in a week.
Children in growth period, pregnant women, weak, undernourished, underweight persons, weak elderly persons, hypo diabetics (that is, only those who suffer from low sugar content in the body), persons having low blood pressure, labourers, who have to shell out and expend plenty of energy, should not take to fasting, as otherwise their various physical disorders will aggravate and worsen.
On the day of fasting a teaspoonful (5 ml) of honey, mixed with lemon water should be taken with water, 3-4 times in the day so that the body retains its natural vitality, there is no accumulation of gas, or else water of coconut may be taken in lieu thereof.
The aspirants can live merely on milk and seasonal fruits or only fruits on the day of fasting, apart from use of honey and lemon juice. It will keep you agile, trim, tidy and light.
Fasting helps in a smooth change-over to other foods but excessive intake must be avoided, at all occasions.
Banana and milk diet is a well-balanced, nutritive and healthy combination, apart from taking lemon juice and honey.
Self-imposed dietary regimen is another way of fasting. Take a normal breakfast of milk with some agreeable seasonal fruit, skip over your lunch and have your near-normal dinner. A gap of 12 hours or so, between breakfast and dinner is, in itself, an ideal way to semi-starvation or moderate fasting. Care should be taken that dinner menu is not loaded with fats, sugars, salt, and spices, though there is no harm in their moderate use, simply to satiate your taste buds.
It must be ensured during fasting periods that the body excretes normally, as heretofore, its natural secretions like urine, faeces and sweat. During summer, water must be taken, otherwise body may not be able to withstand ravages of summer heat. Similarly, during other seasons water-sodium balance should never get unbalanced and disturbed. If foreign matters fail to get eliminated from the body, there is a graver danger of their forming more toxins which may even spill over to blood stream. Elimination process of the body must not be allowed to suffer, otherwise there may be serious consequential health upsets and hazards.
Persons suffering from T.B, Epilepsy, ulcers, cancers should never resort to fasting.
Juices of fruits and vegetables are excellent diets for fasting. Vegetable, if boiled but not fried or cooked, retain all the essential nutrients to let the body perform its normal and usual functions.
Do not extend your fasting beyond two or three days a week. Fasting should a regular weekly, bi-weekly or, at the most, a tri-weekly practice and never, casual or occasional or else resorting to the same only in cases of extreme emergent situations. Fasting should never be taken on successive days. There must be a gap of at least a day or so in-between each fast.
Let us learn a lesson from animals who never eat during the period of illness but we, the humans, are led by the taste of the palate. Either we overeat, when not needed or undereat when needed. Animals are led by their in-built intuition whereas man, unlike animals, is driven by avarice and indiscretion. Most of the diseases are cured by the animals by abstaining from food, they lick their wounds with their saliva and thus allow the nature to have its way.
Our tongue is an indicator of our health condition. If, after fasting, all the natural excretions are excreted normally, when the tongue is neat, clean and not mapped, then one could feel rest assured that there is hardly any reason to be anxious about health. If, however, there is any odd symptom, then fast should never be stretched for any further time. Fasting is meant to provide better health and not create new problems on health front. Moreover, a fasting person should ensure that he attends to his daily chores, as usual and there should not be any slackened efforts in normal discharge of one’s duties.
A word about diet during fasting period. Fruit and vegetable diet is considered to be the best diet. Milk follows the said diet very closely. Meat diet should be avoided, as far as possible.
