Beware of what you eat! diet and health are inter-related
There is a very close relationship between diet and health. In Indian scriptures the human body is called Annamayakosha. Anna refers to food, annamaya means that which is made of food and kosha means covering. This means the human soul is encased in the physical body, which is made of food. If a person goes on starving his body starts withering away and even die. Food is next in importance only to air and water for survival. Hence man should be careful in his eating habits if he wants to be healthy. There is some truth in the saying “You are what you eat”. A proverb in an Indian language says that a person who knows what to eat does not suffer from illness, which shows how important the relationship between diet and health is. Based on eating habits animals are broadly classified as herbivorous, carnivorous and omnivorous. Nature has as excellent recycling mechanism and waste management system. Imagine what would happen if all animals ate only vegetarian food.
Lower animals do not have a free will and they behave in a programmed manner. They eat what suits them even without understanding the relationship between diet and health. There are herbivorous animals, which never eat meat and these are eaten by carnivorous animals. There are certain features, which distinguish herbivorous from carnivorous animals. Carnivorous animals have powerful canine teeth to tear flesh from the bones. The length of intestines is also different in the two. Herbivores have longer small intestine. Omnivorous animals have some characteristics of both. Considering these features man is naturally suited to be a herbivorous animal. Vegetarian food is the most suitable for him. Several studies have proved that non-vegetarians are more prone to suffer from several diseases like heart disease, hypertension, certain types of cancers and degenerative diseases. For more interesting information please visit this site. However man abuses his free will and eats all sorts of food and ruins his health even though he is intelligent and can comprehend the relationship between diet and health. Of particular concern is the increased consumption of junk food, which contains a lot of fat and sweetened beverages, which give only calories. This habit is contributing to obesity. Man requires carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins (water soluble vitamins and fat soluble vitamins) minerals and trace elements in right proportion. Proteins: Proteins are needed for construction of tissues. They are made up of small units called amino acids. Proteins can be either of animal origin- meat, eggs and milk or vegetable origin-pulses, cereals and nuts. Though animal proteins are supposed to be superior to vegetable protein, combined vegetable proteins-cereals and pulses provide proteins, which are as good as animal proteins. This is no excuse for being a non-vegetarian! Carbohydrates: Provide energy for all activities of the body. Fats: Fats are concentrated sources of energy. They are also needed for the integrity of cell membranes and for the synthesis of certain hormones. Vitamins and minerals: These are known as protective foods and are necessary for various metabolic processes.
Modern science is yet to unravel all the mysteries of creation. Every door that is opened leads to ten closed doors. It has revealed the relationship between diet and health of the human body. Yogis in India believe that the thoughts of the person who is preparing the food can affect the food and thus influence the mind of the persons who consume that food. It is a fact that thoughts can produce vibrations. Perhaps there vibrations can produce subtle changes is the food which in turn affect the mind. Many people who are very serious about their spiritual progress never consume food prepared by those who are not following the same kind of life.
Today eating outside has become a fashion. Some women think it is foolish to cook food when it can be bought for money. While I do not advocate the extreme of not eating outside at all which is not practicable in today’s world for majority of people they can try to reduce it as much as possible. A woman gives not only food but also her love to all family members.
Some people in India keep reciting devotional songs or hymns while cooking. While it may not be possible to prove scientifically that food does influence the mind there may be some association between indiscriminate eating and increasing crime rate and accidents as a result of mental agitation especially in cities. This aspect of diet and health of mind needs more research.
“Food that is grown with love, picked with love, prepared with love, and eaten with love has a different quality than food that goes through those stages with a different consciousness relating to it.” - Gabriel Cousens, MD from his book Spiritual Nutrition. It is also believed that consumption of non-vegetarian food causes aggressive behavior. The sense of extreme fear, which animals experience at the time of killing does cause certain biochemical changes in the blood, which in turn can affect the meat. Deficiency of vitamins and minerals is also suspected to cause unruly behavior. The Indian Scriptures classify food as follows which reveals the relationship between diet and health. Sattvic: Sattvic foods include cereals, whole wheat bread, fresh fruits and vegetables, pure fruit juices, milk, butter and cheese, legumes, nuts, seeds, sprouted seeds, honey, and herb teas. Sattwic foods keep the body healthy and the mind calm. Rajasic: Rajasic foods include excessively spicy food, stimulants like coffee and tea, fish, eggs, and chocolate. Rajasic foods cause mental restlessness. Tamasic: Tamasic items include meat, alcohol, tobacco, onions, garlic, fermented foods and stale or overripe substances. These foods cause dullness of mind. Practical advice regarding diet and health
Soybeans are very rich source of protein. Adding a few teaspoonfuls of soy flour to various dishes greatly improves the nutritive value of the diet.
Avoid late night meals and reduce eating outside as much as possible. Do not eat fried foods frequently. Do not eat very spicy food as it can cause gastric irritation. Avoid excessive use of foods containing additives and preservatives, as some additives are known to cause behavioral problems. Artificial Food Additives Linked to Behavioral Problems It is important to chew food well before swallowing. There should be no quarreling at the dining table but a good atmosphere. Ideally all the members of the family should sit together for food at least once a day. Be regular in your eating habits. Avoid eating food in hurry and when you are upset mentally. Mental disturbances can cause digestive problems. Milk is the only ideal food during the first six months of life. From then up to one year it continues to be the major source of all nutrients. After one year of life the requirement of milk comes down. Over eating has become common today. Many people eat simply because so many varieties of dishes are available and they can afford to spend money. Man is perhaps the only animal who eats when he is not hungry. This should be resisted. It is better to stop eating when one still feels like eating a little more. It has been said that half of the stomach should be filled with food, one quarter with water and one quarter should be empty. Over eating causes digestive disturbance and causes apathy. We should eat to live but not live to eat. It is recommended to observe fasting regularly. Older people should cultivate the habit of taking fruits and raw vegetables at night and avoid cooked food or reduce it to the maximum extent. Always keep the relationship between diet and health in mind while eating. Return from diet and health to good family life
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Vegetarian food is the best for human beings. If you cannot completely give up non-vegetarian food reduce the consumption of meat. Diet should consist of combination of cereals and pulses-for example rice or wheat and grams. 
Vegetables are classified as green leaves, roots and tubers and others. It is advisable to eat plenty of vegetables of all three types everyday. Include raw vegetable salads particularly for dinner. Consume some fruits daily and nuts occasionally.
