Punjabis’ diet
A variety of diets prevail in India. The Punjabis’ diet is considered the best. Their stature and strength are sufficient proofs. Diet also will disclose the character of a person. The man’s endurance could be estimated. One who feeds on undesirable stuff would exhibit tendencies undesired by society. Nothing else is to be expected from him. One who feeds on low protein diet will certanily be weak. Deficiency diseases are growing by leaps and bounds. For these there is no cure through medicines. Only when protective foods are taken health will be restored. This miracle happens by the supply of the vitamins, minerals and salts, which had been absent.
Researches at Coonoor
Researches have been conducted into the contents and quality of various food stuffs. Our benign Sircar (Government) has woken up lately. Some action is being taken in the matter of food survey and food analysis. The most important of these has been carried out at Coonoor. Analysis has brought out the protein, starch, carbohydrate, vitamin and other contents of various Indian food articles. The results have been published in the form of a booklet. Some useful hints are available for a balanced diet. This publication would be referred to frequently while discussing this subject. Persons of various ages have been given a variety of diet—treatment and the results have been observed and tabulated.
Calories of the Food
It is necessary to understand how the food taken in is used by the human system. Ignorance has been the cause for varied, sometimes quixotic, notions in this regard. The food taken does not certainly go to hang as flesh in the limbs and stick to the bones as bonematter straight away. To produce flesh, blood, nerve and bone, the food taken in undergoes innumerable chemical and physical changes. Various movements and various juices bring about these results, within the body. To produce energy to meet the labour of the body, the glycogen in the foodstuffs finally get burnt. Out of this combustion heat is generated. A definite quantity of a particular food, has been calculated to produce so many calories of heat, heat-energy. Some articles give higher units of heat energy in proportion to their weight. Energy needs of the body in the matter of food are determined as so many calories of heat requirements.
Multifarious nourishment
Life to be sustained requires protein, starch, fat or carbohydrates, vitamins, salts and minerals etc. It is possible to lead a healthy existence even with a small income. Removal of defects from diet and balancing it properly will bring about this result. Food needed by the body is really not costly. There is no need to waste money. Nature has been very kind. It has not been partial. The rich and the poor alike can choose. One must take a slight trouble in ordering his or her daily diet and just forget degrading tastes sponsored by modern civilization.
Our Ancestors’ knowledge of materia medica
Thousands of years ago, our great ancestors in India had discovered the components of various articles available for eating in India. Great lores like the Ayurveda contain surprisingly advanced analysis, qualitative and quantitative of the important elements which work for health and vitality. Then terminology and language are different. But the science adumberated has been tested by experience and found true. The chief qualifications given by them are (Jadam) lowest quality, windy, heating, coldish, bilious, satvic, phlemy (Sleshmam) and so on. These are the characteristic reactions on the human body of the foodstuffs. ()ne need not go hunting after basic foundations for the ancient analysis.
Their regulation and prescription will certainly disclose that the savants were fully aware of the vitamin-quality and other quality producing agents in the food and their necessity for the proper functioning of the body. They were ardent followers of Nature. Naturopathy came natural to them. There was no necessity to dub it with a big name and then run after neglected nature in half hearted ways. They knew what articles should be consumed and what should be omitted in a particular condition of the body. The different kinds of diseases, whether they pertained to digestion, circulation or respiration, they could easily distinguish, by simply feeling the pulse.
To the moderns, pulse is there simply to hold a watch and count the beats. But our people delicately determined the direction and strength of the beats. Experience had taught them how they would beat in particular disorders. After finding out the class or category, they would go into details and find out the organs affected. Each disease had a particular prescription of diet. By diet mostly they could control and eradicate many disorders. There is a proverb that by dieting they would melt even the big palmyra fruit. Dutiful worshippers of the ancients that we are, we have cleanly forgotten this science! Not even the terms are familiar. But the ‘gaudy’ civilisation of the West has taught us to disregard and disrespect everything ancient and useful.
The Lore stands neglected. The west began to develop the objective science. Now slowly we are scratching our heads, Perhaps the forgotten lore may have some useful truths! It is a pity. Our slavish mentality has known no limit. Everything foreign seems so good and grand! It is easy to join the majority and cast a fling at the so called dead and ridiculous stuff. Let us turn the wheel and go back to our Shastras. This would really mean going forward to Health and the ancient vitality.
Our position is ridiculous! Foreigners have to teach us and foreign journals have to boost our perception regarding buttermilk and its uses. We, at least the Hindus, worship the cow as the divine Kamdhenu, the giver of all health and joy. To these we have now to teach the value of milk! Those who offered from time immemorial the whole cooked, conji-retained rice as sacramant, to them we have to teach the method of cooking rice! One cannot help feeling ashamed at such degeneration!
Structure of the human body
The human body is a wonder mechanism. There is no organ in it which is superfluous. It is not given to man to know the entire secret of nature. Ignorance cannot be allowed to dictate the neglect of one part as against the rest of the body. Physiologists well know these truths. Size gives no indication of the importance of any organ. There is the pitutary body-a small ductless gland. It is no bigger than a nut. It is embedded in the brain. If this functions defectively or loses balance, the results to the body will be terrifying.
Each organ and gland in the body requires its own special ingredient. Nature has also created various plants, creepers, roots, vegetables, fruits and grains. One may imagine, Dame Nature has forgotten her reason and created in unnecessary multiplicity. But modern research sees reason in creation and snubs those who snub Nature. Each plant life has got its own protective purpose for some living organism and its maintenance. Nature follows Dharma, the Law. It does not care to undergo un-necessary pains. A student of Nature will easily understand that each sprout has got its purpose in the economy of life. We may not be able to understand this truth.
Mixed diet
The human body is made up of flesh, fat, bone, blood, tendon, nerve, glands, etc. These are to be found mixed up in various proportion in the various parts, organs, and glands of the body. Each type in the body requires a particular nutrition and combination of elements. Life cannot exist with only flesh, blood, bone, nerve or gland. Similarly, any particular or set of food articles capable of maintaining only a particular component of the body will not be sufficient.
All these must get their sustenance and growth from the food taken in. The diet has therefore to be a mixed one capable of furnishing all the material needed by the body as a whole. They must be also balanced in the needed proportion. Eating rice alone will hardly serve the purpose. Vegetable, and fruits only will not keep the flesh fit and growing. Still worse will be the results if drinks solely constitute the daily diet. One must use sense, mix these in the menu in proper proportion and consume them in the most natural way.
Diet and Digestion
Research tells us what each organ and part of the body requires to keep it fit and working. For the flesh is needed protein and fat: for the bone, calcium and salts; for the brain matter, starch; for the thyroid, iodine component, differently in different scales. The foodstuffs are also naturally divided and sub-divided into protein, starch, fat, salts, vitamin, etc., to furnish the substance contained in these differing varieties.
It will be clear now that diet requires consideration and planning. When these are absent, reform must be introduced to protect life and maintain health.
Need not employ the scales
This does not mean that one should employ weighing the scales in daily cooking. You are not asked to weigh in ounces each of the different varieties of elements needed to make up the daily diet. This is not possible. The reform must commence in small instalments every time it is possible to carry it out. Many people do take articles which contain these ingredients. But there is no balance or proportion. While cooking, the qualities are also destroyed. The tongue can be made a friendly and unerring guide. Nature has given this organ to act really as the friend of the body. Fashion-civilisation and malpractices are allowed to corrupt this most useful member. That gets enslaved to certain titilations and courses. People in their turn capitulate and become slaves to these. There is no greater enemy to human life and happiness than a degenerate tongue.