Food for thought
By K. C. Anand

FOOD is one of the most significant aspects of human life. Who continue to be indifferent about its judicious intake or violate the rules of eating fall a prey to acute and chronic diseases, disabilities and even premature death. Shifting the blame to fate or doctors outside their control amounts to saying as Shakespeare stated, "fault; dear Brutus is not in stars but in ourselves."

Vedic thought regards food as Brahman, worthy of admiration and respect. For the seers, people come into existence and are sustained by food. It ensures long life to the wise but poison to the ignorant. Character, temperament, behaviour, longevity and mind are all affected by food. It is a medicine par excellence and even aids self-realisation. For Sushrat, the renowned Ayurveda physician, a hundred powerful medicines are useless without dietic righteousness. Hippocrates considered food as medicine in curing diseases and in preventing the onset of ailments. Modern physicians of different systems also lay stress on consumption of quality food for warding of diseases and maintaining well-being. Naturally, what to eat; how much, when, how and the problem of eating in combination or separately is vital.

What to eat is the most crucial. Consciously or unconsciously, man grabs all natural or man-made substances alive or dead for his biological and energy needs. Researchers have bound carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and water in the constituents of food substances. From any source of food, none is completely available. So, deficiency or disturbed proporation of any constituent for a long time can cause a life-threatening situation. Since man is what he eats, it is reasonably asserted. "Tell me what you eat, and I’ll tell you what you are." A French proverb is equally relevant — "Destiny of nations depends on what they eat: so, whatever is the father of disease, an ill diet is its mother. A Chinese proverb too echoes the same emphatically. "He who takes medicines and neglects his diet,wastes the skill of his doctors."

As far as how much and when to eat goes, the fundamental rule about quantity is, "Eat to live and not live to eat". Overeating, lunching and munching without reason or rhyme and eating without appetite are not faults but crimes. "Appetite is the best sauce. To lengthen life, lessen thy meals", says Benjamin Franklin. An Italian proverb emphasises that he who eats but one dish, never needs a physician. To subdue reckless eating with pleasure, one should stop eating when he is enjoying it most, according to a German saying. So, it is appropriate to feed oneself with measure and avoid the physician.

Drink solids and eat liquids is a scientific principle that must be followed. It is invariably violated. Since stomach has no teeth, solid substances must be chewed and masticated. The time for all eatables is when one is physically comfortable, mentally calm and cheerful. A tired person needs rest and not food. Work and digestion go ill together. If one eats in a state of worry, brooding, impatience and fault-finding, natural defence forces of body recoil on man with vengeance. Nature has no favourites. To ensure that eatables retain their inherent value, precautions have to be taken in washing, peeling, cutting, cooking, baking, boiling and serving as the season demands, otherwise the kitchen sink and waste basket will become the best fed in the house.