First Principle for a Disease free life

 

- Chandrashekhar Sangoi

Twitter: @simplewords48

A few months ago, I got an opportunity to visit my friend at his house. On visiting him I was pleased to know that once a week, all the members of the family would observe fast collectively. The next day to the day I visited, the same fast was scheduled. That night all of his family members had dinner a bit late than usual so that they don’t feel hungry early the next day. With my understanding of fast, I assumed that they will not eat anything the next day. However, I was taken aback by what I saw!

In the early morning itself, different dishes were prepared for the fast. Fruits were purchased, potato wafers, sago khichdi were made and even sweets were arranged! The schedule for eating each dish was fixed. I was surprised and wondered whether is this what fasting is all about?

I observed around a few months and found that this situation is prevalent in society. Only the menu of food changes in the name of fasting and the central idea of quitting food for a day is totally ignored.

Recently, on May 26th, a famed saint from Gujarat Shri Prahlada Jani, better known as Chunri Baba Ji, died after having lived without eating for nearly 70 years (not because of starvation). When Saint Sri Prahlada Jani came into the limelight, a team of about 300 senior doctors kept him under observation for consecutive ten days. During those days, he was monitored 24*7 and it was verified that he did not eat or drink anything, nor he defecated even once. The observation was repeated a few more times and the same was confirmed again. That saint gave proof that it is not physically impossible to live without food. Of course, proper training and practice (Saadhna) are required.

Lord Krishna has also said about food in the famous Hindu text ‘Shrimad Bhagwad Gita’. He says: 

 

        Natyashtastu Yogosti Na Chekantamanthan || Shrimad Bhagwad Gita, verse- 6.16

       नात्यश्नतस्तु योगोऽस्ति न चैकान्तमनश्नतः । श्रीमद्भागवतगीता।6.16

Meaning:

Oh, Arjun! This yoga is achieved neither by overeaters nor by those who barely eat anything.

Lord Buddha also used to recommend his monks to have only one meal a day so that they don’t lose their energy. It also ensured that their eating habits do not become an obstacle to their goal of seeking divinity.

So, is this less eating useful only for monks and ascetics? Most of us are neither disciples of Lord Krishna or Buddha nor are we seeking divinity. So, why should we care?

There is a popular saying that “we should eat to live and not live to eat”. In contrast, in current times a person’s routine seems to be entirely scheduled around food. Wherever you look, there are only discussions of food, thoughts of food, ideas about food, marketing of food, preparation of food, and so on. Hence, it is not incorrect to say that we are totally obsessed by food round the clock. While it is a fact that our body cannot survive without food but it is also inappropriate to make food as a central idea of life. Eating, in essence, is not sinful as it is impossible for normal humans (some saints like Shri Prahlad Jani have proved the feasibility) to live longer without eating. Food is the fuel of the body and is the third most important requirement after air and water. But it is very important to know what quantity of food is useful for the body. I believe that we are unknowingly exploiting our digestive capacity and hence are weakening ourselves by overeating.

There is another famous Sanskrit verse- "Ati Sarvatha Varjayet", which means that 'one should always avoid doing excess'. The result of an excess of anything and everything is always detrimental, in one way or another. The same is true in the case of eating too.

It is not difficult to understand that if a vehicle or a machine is used continuously without rest and maintenance it will breakdown eventually. Our body in essence is also a machine- a machine with assembled parts we call organs. It also needs rest and maintenance. That’s why it is imperative for us to sleep so that the body can rejuvenate. While sleeping, the physical movement is stopped and hence our bones and muscles get repaired. However, the digestive system remains functional and doesn’t get to rest.

Generally, hunger is considered detrimental to our health and we tend to eat as soon as we feel even a little of it. However, Physiology researchers have a different view. Their understanding is that an empty stomach is essential for self-rejuvenation of our bodily systems, especially digestion. They also recommend that we should not eat anything unless we feel strong hunger. The snacks we munch on while giving it up to our cravings disturb the digestion process severely.

Our body also has a self-healing property which we call immunity. It is due to this immunity that we are able to beat many diseases on our own, without even falling sick. The body has specific techniques to cure its diseases. But for immunity to function properly, it is necessary to periodically empty stomach for at least a few hours. Otherwise, our body will always be busy digesting food, and the growth and ability to fight diseases will decrease. Asymmetrical eating habits not only harm our body but also reduce our work efficiency by causing mental stress. Ignoring unhealthy diet habits increases the risks of diseases like diabetes, hypertension, obesity, heart disease, cancer, etc.

There are three ways in which we can include the practice of rejuvenation through food:

• Keeping a day-long fast: You can quit food for a day. This will give rest to the digestive system. It is also one of the most effective methods of body detox.
• Skipping a meal once in two or three days: If it is difficult for you to keep a day-long fast then you can try skipping your lunch or dinner once every few days. This also can help in the detox process.
• Reduced diet: Another alternative is to eat a bit lesser than a stomach-full meal. This is also very effective and not that difficult to follow. By reducing, I don’t mean that you should go on crash dieting. You can reduce food intake by say, one or half chapati, or a little amount of rice or any other item (without replacing it by overeating the other!). In fact, this if practiced regularly is also helpful in the spiritual quest, if you are inclined towards that.

I have a friend who is always energetic. He works continuously for 12 to 15 hours a day consecutively without getting tired. I asked him “what is the secret of your energy level?”

He told me that he regularly reduces his diet or fast every few days. It revitalizes him physically and inner joy is also increased. He further told me that his practice ensures that food does not become a hindrance in any of his spiritual or non-spiritual goals and that he is able to carry out his work with extra energy and zest. I was surprised to know that a few days ago, he had only one glass of curd each morning and evening for 8 consecutive days, without falling sick or feeling low.

So, in conclusion, I want to say that whatever your goals are, it is necessary that your eating habits are supporting you and are in accordance with spiritual or at least physiology principles…