DRK’S NEWS LETTER Issue 036

DRK’s News Letter

Issue No: 36 August, 2020

Email: [email protected] FOOD AS MEDICINE….. Website: www.goodgovernance.in www.lifepositive.com

“When diet is wrong, medicine is of no use. When diet is correct, medicine is of no need” - Ayurvedic Proverb “Living creatures are nourished by food, and food is nourished by rain; rain itself is the water of life, which comes from selfless worship and service.” -Bhagavad Gita “The wise man should consider that health is the greatest of human blessings. Let food be thy medicine, thy medicine shall be thy food.” – Hippocrates “The aim of medicine is to prevent disease and prolong life, the ideal of medicine is to eliminate the need of a physician.” - - William J Mayo

Food is Medicine is a term which was originally coined by Hippocrates, the father of Western medicine; it was his belief that eating wholesome food is the basis for good health. Hippocrates said almost 2500 years ago “Leave your drugs in the chemist's pot if you can heal the patient with food.". Message from Sadhguru Shri Jaggi Vasudev, ISHA

DRK’S NEWS LETTER | Issue 036 2

Ambulance Service GVK-EMRI 108 Dr GVK Reddy. I wrote one newsletter after my participation in an ISRO event delivering the Dr. Abdul Kalam Memorial Oration and staying in their campus for a couple of days at ISRO HQ at Bangalore. The Chairman of ISRO appreciated that letter on functioning of ISRO and circulated it to several thousands of ISRO employees. With Hon'ble President of Shri Ramnath Kovind Mr Ganesh Mathur, a very senior Using food as medicine starts by changing functionary in the World Bank, your approach to food from that of Washington informed me “I find your restriction to introduction—of an newsletter of immense value. So I have abundance of the right foods. Take on the forwarded the same to the role of a scientist and become an expert on – World Bank– IMF India Club, the UN the study of your own body and find out Worldwide India Club and has reached what makes it tick. over 3870 Senior Officers around the Most of us are conditioned to think that Globe.” taking a pill out of a bottle will make us feel Many informed me that they have shared better. We don't generally think that fresh the contents with their colleagues, vegetables and fruit count toward healing. associates, students and employees. But it's true, food is the most powerful drug Encouraged by such positive response, I we have. continue the practice of sharing my Why these periodic long newsletters? experiences, though the newsletters can be lengthy at times depending on the subject It all started with my writing brief letters to matter. my daughter Kanchana living in Melbourne, who desired to know about my So far 35 Newsletters have gone out on constant travels and activities. various themes of relevance and interests. Now they reach several thousands around Encouraged by her response, the letters the World! became longer and reached more and more well-wishers. So why the subject "Food As Medicine"? I was further encouraged by receiving Today I can claim to be totally cured of 30 complimentary comments from different years of diabetes. With only Food As walks of life, including celebrities like Medicine, besides regular walking in the Sadhguru Shri Jaggi Vasudev, the Hon’ble Vice President of India Shri Venkaiah Naidu, former Prime Minister Dr. , eminent Agro Scientist Prof. M S Swaminathan, Iconic entrepreneur Dr. , eminent Industrialist Dr Venu Srinivasan, Universally respected health expert Dr BM Hegde, Chairman of the most successful and fastest growing Star Health Insurance company Mr V Jagannathan and the Chairman of the world’s largest Emergency With Hon'ble Shri DRK’S NEWS LETTER | Issue 036 3

century in the TADA courts. All this stress resulted in my being diagnosed as having diabetes, by the time we filed the charge sheet against the accused in the TADA court. That was three decades ago. Even thereafter I had to handle two full time jobs in the CBI- Central Bureau of Investigation and the CRPF-Central Reserve Police Force, the largest paramilitary organisation in the World fighting insurgency, terrorism, naxalism and ensuring internal security. With Hon'ble Vice President of India Shri Venkaiah Naidu and Governor of Hon’ble Shri Banwarilal Purohit Even otherwise I had not had a smooth sailing in my life. I have gone through sun, and Nano Curcumin of turmeric, tragedies in my family. Many challenges in plenty of citrus and other fruits, and my hectic official life being entrusted with vegetables in addition to regular practice of more than one full time job most of the yogasanas learnt from great masters, time. and meditation learnt over the years from various established systems. I was on medication of all sorts including insulin for a long period. I did however try It is a long story known to many, how I was to keep up , gym, swimming and persuaded to agree to the request from the walking, though not very regularly in view highest levels of to of constant travel commitments and heavy take up the Rajiv Gandhi Assassination responsibilities. Investigation which was thought insolvable by most at that time, and that came with In the last couple of years, I am totally free unprecedented challenges and enormous off any allopathic medicines and insulin, security risks. taking only herbal supplements twice a day. I had to work 20 hours a day, 7 days a week, I attribute it totally to my regulated life all the whole 12 months without any style of yogasanas, increased pranayama breaks. Tremendous stress and tension and meditation and more than anything was caused by several factors. There were else by treating Food as Medicine-eating hundreds of legal issues to be handled day the right food at the right time and in right to day in higher courts. We had to save the quantities. investigation and trial from the In the last few months I have further manipulations of the accused, their improved my health and never felt better. supporters and, and many busy bodies including politicians of various hues. I remained undeterred by constant threats to my life by the most deadly terrorist organisation in the world at that time. There was constant travel between Chennai, , Delhi dealing with two high powered Commissions of enquiry. Also the preparation of thousands of objects of evidence and several thousands of pages of documents for the trial of the With Hon'ble Minister for Ayush Shri Shripad Naik DRK’S NEWS LETTER | Issue 036 4

Modern research both in the west and the east also have come out confirming the validity of the ancient traditions and teachings of value of food as medicine.

Using food as medicine starts by changing our approach to food from that of restriction to introduction—of an abundance of the right foods. Take on the role of a scientist and become an expert on the study of our own body and find out what At the Vipassana Meditation makes it tick. Centre, Hyderabad, 1992 “Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you Recently during the lockdown, I have been what you are." The words of the 18th following Breath Mindful Meditation-Aana century French epicure Jean Anthelme Pana a vital component of Vipassana, Brillat-Savarin hold true even today in with which Lord Buddha attained more ways than we can imagine. Enlightenment. goes a step further to say “You My breakfast consists of sprout and salad-a are what you digest, If digestion is strong, normal simple vegetarian lunch of millets, we can turn poison into nectar, but if greens, vegetables and pulses-and for digestion is weak, we can turn nectar into dinner I have only fruits including banana poison.” and mango. We will learn how to eat simply in I feel naturally pleasantly surprised when accordance with the right time and nature even high functionaries and many support to maximize our health and well participants in the ongoing countless being. Daily habits and patterns will give us webinars compliment me that I look calm, enormous long-term benefits along with healthy and 10 to 20 years younger than my short term tangible gains. The body is actual age of 80+! intelligent and self regulating and healing if we support and not hinder its functioning. We are all aware that impermanence is the It is also essential to remember we are a only reality – truth. Everyone born on the composite of body, mind, emotions and planet has to go one day. Otherwise there consciousness, all layers affect and will be no place for the new arrivals. influence each other. Why wouldn’t we give ourselves the best chance to thrive rather The idea is not at all to prolong one’s life - than just survive? but to lead a healthy life as long as we are destined to live and to be happy and useful. To a large extent it is in our own hands. We create our own health and destiny! So I thought why not I share with all that food alone can act as medicine, both preventive as well as curative. Hence this humble effort! Ancient scriptures and books from India and many parts of the world contain enormous material on the various aspects of good health. DRK’S NEWS LETTER | Issue 036 5

who eats it, becomes part of the body of a woman, a man, or a cow. So, do not make food some kind of a religion. If it is a question of survival, eat what is available. But when survival is taken care of, there is a choice. When you have a choice, you must eat sensibly, what is best for your system. The ideal fuel for your body is what leaves you alert, agile, and active. You could experiment. One day, just eat fruits; another day, just eat With Gurudev Sri Sri at AOL , Bangalore raw vegetables; yet another day, you cook the vegetables. If you are interested in Food is Life your wellbeing and that of your children, you must ensure that the food you eat is Gurudev Sri Sri fresh. With what kind of food you are Awardee experiencing maximum levels of energy (www.artofliving.org) and alertness, please eat that, and you will be healthy. Food is one of the main sources from which we gain energy. Not only that, the kind of Brahmarishi Patriji food we have influences our mind, Founder, Pyramid Spiritual Societies thoughts and behavior. There is an ancient Movement saying in India - “as is the food, so is the Promoter of Aana Pana Sati Meditation mind”. (www.pssmovement.org)

The debate on 'why it is good to be a • Human physical bodies are meant vegetarian' has long been settled. People all only for “plant-based food”. Humans are over the world have started understanding herbivorous animals, not carnivorous. that human physiology is made for a vegetarian diet. The internet is full of • Again, in the process of cooking, information on why eating meat is not good MICROWAVE should never be used! When for both one's own health or the you use MICROWAVE, the vibrations in environment. There is plenty of very foods are killed, and it is as if you are disturbing footage also available on what ingesting energetically “DEAD FOOD”. treatment animals are subjected to in • And FOOD should always be cooked slaughterhouses, like the documentary just before the time of eating. Only freshly 'Meet your Meat'. cooked food should be ingested. Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev Padma Vibhushan Awardee (www.ishafoundation.org)

Your body is just an accumulation of the food that you have eaten, after it has been transformed and assimilated. There is a certain intelligence, memory, and genetic code in the body that determines what the food that you eat is converted into. For example, the same apple, depending on With Sadhguru Shri Jaggi Vasudev at ISHA DRK’S NEWS LETTER | Issue 036 6

Right food habit is the secret of our Health and the PLANET. Dr B M Hegde, Padma Bhushan Awardee, Universally Respected Health Expert (www.bmhegde.com) As Ayurveda rightly says "Hitha, Mitha, Aahaara Sevi" - food has to be both good With Brahmarishi Shri Patriji at Great Pyramid, Cairo, Egypt and pleasing. One must enjoy eating food when hungry. Eating food when not hungry Refrigerators are not meant for storing is an important cause of disease. Periodic cooked foods but only to preserve intermittent fasting is good for health. That Vegetables/Fruits. can be included in our routine food habits. For example, one can finish the last meal of • FRUITS are really the best possible the day in the early evening and then fast foods – spiritual foods – medicinal foods! overnight before breakfast giving oneself RAW VEGETABLES and FRESH more than 12 hours of fasting daily and the VEGETABLE JUICES and FRUIT JUICES food must be full of varieties of fresh detoxify the otherwise toxified human vegetables and fruits. bodies. Dr HR Nagendra, Padma Shri Awardee, • We have toxified our respective Chancellor, SVYASA Vivekananda physical systems by having toxic foods and University, (www.svyasa.edu.in) we are here to reverse the process by ingesting only detoxifying foods by eating Food is ‘life’ of all living beings. The only FRUITS/VEGETABLE SALADS. traditional texts say that the food that supports life should combine right ‘FOOD AS MEDICINE’ Dr. GBK Rao, Pragati Green Meadow (www.pragatiresorts.com)

FOOD HABITS & THE ENVIRONMENT: • Healthy thoughts – Healthy food habits • Healthy food habits – Healthy farming • Healthy farming – Healthy Environment • Healthy environment - Healthy five elements • Healthy five elements – Healthy living beings • Healthy living beings – Healthy ecology • Healthy ecology – Wealthy living • – Wealthy living Happy living With Dr GBK Rao at Pragati Meadows, Hyderabad • Happy living – Peaceful living DRK’S NEWS LETTER | Issue 036 7

(sleep hygiene, abstinence from addictive substances, screen and/or work addiction) (c) regular exercise and (d) freedom from stresses. Today, there is enough scientific evidence for the role of proper Aahaara that has all these components of , rasa, gandha, sparsha as described in traditional Indian texts, for prevention and management of lifestyle diseases, both communicable and non- communicable, With Dr BM Hegde where medicines and formulations can only be supportive or emergency therapies. quantities of color (varna), smell (gandha), taste (rasa) and touch (sparsha), pleasing Dr S V Balasubramaniam, Progressive to one’s mind and prepared and /or Agriculturist, Industrialist, Educationist processed in a proper way with love. (www.bannari.com) Therefore Aahaara itself is called Praana or • “People are fed by the food industry, life. which pays no attention to the health, Aahaara is also considered to be the best and are treated by the health industry medicine (Mahaa-Bhaishajya). Many life which pays no attention to food”. The style disorders and diseases occur due to famous quote by Wendell Berry seems faulty dietary habits which may be to be appropriate in describing a picture prevented by proper Aahaara and eating of our current lifestyle and the role of habits. food in it. • The right food will shape our physical, in Bhagavad Gita (most popular mental, and emotional well-being. A Yogic text) says, Saatvika Aahaara (freshly poor diet has been a singular reason for cooked, juicy, wholesome, vegetarian diet stress-induced hypertension, obesity, that has moderation in spices, variety, and diabetes mellitus. We have a quantity and frequency) when consumed tradition where food was eaten like will bring about clarity of mind (Sattva medicine, but now we are taking ). When the mind is clear and is medicine like food. free of blemishes, the memory power • In order to reduce the risk of human, (smriti) increases, emotions are under animal, and environmental issues, the control and cognitive efficiency improves. adoption of organic farming is a crying Aacharya Charaka gives a beautiful need to improve soil fertility, soil concept about Aahaara. Aahaara not only structure, biodiversity, conserve water, nourishes this body but also contributes to several diseases; If wholesome food (Hita Aahaara) is responsible for Sukha (happiness, health), the unwholesome food (Ahita Aahaara) causes Duhkha (misery, disease). He also says that Aahaara or food is the best component of lifestyle that sustains life. After 5 decades of research, modern medical science has clearly recognized the need for lifestyle change that has four major components: (a) personalized wholesome regime of diet (b) good habits With Dr H R Nagendra DRK’S NEWS LETTER | Issue 036 8

K Ramasamy, Chairman RK Nature Cure Home, Industrialist, Agriculturist (www.rknature.com) Even according to the famous Tamil Classic Thirukkural written over 2000 years ago by the saint Thiruvalluvar, Food is Medicine. He says there is no need for medicine if one eats only after making sure that what has been eaten is digested fully. Only suitable food is to be eaten that too after experiencing good hunger. Further He explains, those who eat less will enjoy good health and those who indulge in too much food will always be unhealthy. With Dr S V Balasubramaniam 80% of the health problems are due to food, reduce soil erosion, and balancing ie., overeating, eating improper food, ecology untimely food, eating too frequently. • Excessive use of pesticides kills insects Therefore, 80% of the diseases can be and makes lands barren. Even grass, a either avoided or cured simply by food. fodder, turns poisonous to domestic animals. Pesticides have proved to be By fasting, we can heal many diseases. The more harmful than pests as those fundamental principle of Naturopathy is, destroy the nutrition sources which our body has the ability to heal itself. We finally disrupt the food chain and only have to provide conditions for it to significantly devastate the agrarian heal itself. The disease is mostly due to economy of the nation. toxins getting deposited in the body. To dislodge the toxins, fasting is the main • The application of chemical fertilizers method. If we do fast, all energy required and pesticides on the soil and plants gets into food. Therefore, we must first heal the agricultural land • Excessive use of chemical pesticides resulted in residues of chemicals in the agricultural products, which will end up in the consumer’s plate • Therefore, Bio-safety is an important concern in the production of food products. The only way to achieve Bio- safety is to practice organic farming for crop production using organic fertilizers and pesticides • As compared to a longer time conventionally grown food, organic food is much richer in nutrients. The nutritional value of a food item is determined by its mineral and vitamin content. Organic farming enhances the nutrients of the soil which is passed on With Shri K Ramasamy to the plants and animals. DRK’S NEWS LETTER | Issue 036 9

impure. These are relished by people of Tamasic temperament. There is another Sloka No.18 in Chapter 6 which emphasises the need for moderation in food and food habits. Bhagavat Gita does not proscribe non- vegetarian food but our heritage is “Ahimsa paramodharma” meaning, non-injury is the highest form of righteousness. If we have to adhere to the principles of Ahimsa, one has to be a strict vegetarian so that no With Dr E Sreedharan injury is caused to a living being. for digestion is diverted towards the Dr Salila Tiwari, Naturopath, removal of the toxins. Once the toxins are Champion of holistic health removed, health returns. (www.drsalilanaturopath.com) There is a saying, those who eat three times Ayurveda says, “There is no medicine like – a day is ROHI means diseased, those who diet. It is only through regulation of diet eat two times a day is BOHI- means that human beings can be healthy forever”. overindulge and those who eat one time a day is . Many kinds of disease can be supported and or treated by diet because the main – Dr E Sreedharan Padma Vibhushan, cause of disease is malnutrition in the popularly known as Metro Man body, which in turn leads to certain (www.delhimetrorail.com) deficiencies and hence diseases. Bhagwat Gita is an administrative gospel The reasons behind this malnutrition could enjoining right values in life. It categorises be wrong diet, excessive diet or unnatural food and food habits into three. diet – due to which many vitamins and 1. Sattvik (Righteous type) minerals deficiency surface in our body; proper removal of foreign matter gets 2. Rajasic ((Belligerent nature) affected and our immunity power starts diminishing. The Pranashakti or Vital 3. Tamasic (Devilish) These are described in Slokas 8 to 10 of Chapter 17 of Bhagwat Gita. Food items that are delicious, soothing, sustaining and pleasing to the heart are said to be Sattvik. They enhance longevity, spiritual strength, health, happiness and contentment. Rajasic food items are extensively bitter, sour, saline, extremely hot, pungent, dry and burning. They cause suffering, grief and disease. Tamasic food items are those cooked unduly earlier, tasteless, stinking, stale, leftover by someone after eating and Dr Salila Tiwari DRK’S NEWS LETTER | Issue 036 10

important, especially in the problems of high blood pressure, heart disease, high cholesterol, obesity, joints pain etc. An element called 'allicin' in garlic keeps the blood thinner. All the grains can be sprouted and taken daily, like grams, mung beans, Alfalfa etc. Dry fruits like figs, dates, apricots, raisins, and all the nuts and seeds like almonds, walnuts, cashewnuts, pistachio, chestnuts, Dr O P Tiwari and seeds like sesame, sunflower pumpkin, melon ,cucumber seeds should be soaked Force of the body is deprived of proper to make them live and more potent .They energy to execute the functions of the are great source and bounty of countless physical body and all its components, on minerals and cure many Diseases and great one hand, and functioning of the endocrine food. glands, on the other. Due to this, all other functions of the body get disturbed and Dr O P Tiwari, Director Kaivalyadhama, finally, weakened. Repair, rejuvenation Oldest Yoga Research Centre and enhancement of the body come to a (www.kdham.com) halt, leading us to fall sick. The food should be not only nutritious but In case of chronic ailment, one can bounce tasty also & 1/4 of the space in stomach back to health with the help of largely should be left empty for liquids & gases. alkaline fruits, greens and vegetables, their Further, food must be taken after giving juices and sprouts. Regular consumption of thanks to provider & eaten with peaceful such vegetables and fruits with some mind. special properties, like lemon, amla, The satvik food gives peace to the mind & alfalfa, carrots, orange, barley, wheat, keeps other body functions in control onion, ginger, garlic, turmeric etc., have (Like: BP& cardiac conditions under immense medicinal properties. These control) i. e. why they have recommended carry the potency to cure all diseases. A good grains (Like: wheat, rice, barely & predominantly alkaline fruit-vegetable sastika (a special variety of rice), cows juice intake can cure even a most incurable ghee, milk, sugar candy, honey, dry ginger, disease like cancer. the patolaka fruit (paravara - a kind of Bitter gourd juice is good for diabetic cucumber) the five leafy vegetable, green patients. They can really be benefitted by gram & rain - water collected when sun is in taking sprouts of alfalfa along with lemon, magha (the 10th lunar mansion) etc., are gooseberry juice, raw turmeric etc. considered to be wholesome food. Further, Drumsticks and their leaves are considered It is advised the food should not be heated superfood. Ragi also benefits a lot. Sprouted fenugreek is particularly beneficial in diabetes and joints pain. Berries, guava, papaya also distribute benefits of their special properties. Omega-3 available in flaxseed and soyabean is very beneficial. Similarly, for cancer patients, wheat grass juice, carrot juice and grape juice have special benefits. Raw garlic is very DRK’S NEWS LETTER | Issue 036 11

living which includes sufficient time for rest, exercise, work, family time, and reading keeps the different in the body in optimum harmony for good health. Meditation and feeling our oneness with the Divine Source of all creation calms and expands our consciousness so that we are not subject to debilitating negative thoughts, worries, and fears. Regular meditation also helps us to be more responsive to the healing power of God. Radiant health is much more of a choice than most people realize and can be put under our conscious control. With Nayaswami Jyotish and Devi and Shri Rajnikanth Dr. Jacob Vadakkanchery, Naturopath, again & again. Excess of salt & sour should (www.naturelifeinternational.com) be avoided. Further, in short they say food The best way to stay clear of disease is not should be healthy, tasty, nutritious which having exotic health insurance policies or supports tridhatus & a person must like it regular hospital visits for check-ups but i.e. in brief is recommended by minding your bites: making the right (Hathapradipika). choice of food is the safe, sure and cheapest Nayaswami Jyotish, Spiritual Director, way to health and happiness. Ananda Sangha Worldwide, USA In simpler words, disease is the symptom (www.anandasangha.org) felt as a result of the inability of the organs to function properly. Paramhansa Yogananda said, “Health does not mean mere existence. Keeping out of The fact that a single cell can grow into an the hospital is not health. To be able to adult with trillions of cells are awe- resist disease, to bear strain, to stimulate inspiring. Everyday around 50 to 70 billion mental vitality, and to feel the body as a cells die in an average adult body. This luxury, as a child does, is health.” creates a necessity for the body to make Here are some keys that he suggested to help achieve this: Right Diet including lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains draws into the body. Fasting one day a week also cleanses the system and eliminates toxins. Regular exercise is important. This can be as vigorous or gentle as you are able, but one should try to break into a sweat so that the heart rate is accelerated. Sun-bathing in which you consciously draw the ultraviolet rays of the sun into your body facilitates healing and protects the body from disease. Balanced Dr Jacob Vadakkancherry DRK’S NEWS LETTER | Issue 036 12

in the following times to get maximum digestion, absorption and elimination from food. Dinner should be taken between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. It is very important to have a gap of at least two or three hours between a meal and going to sleep. Reason for that is if we go to sleep before that at the same time our sleep will block our digestion process and our digestion will block our sleep process. So the result will be big drainage of energy from our body. Our body naturally knows how much food is necessary and will bring energy, health and pleasence. Excess food will consume a big amount of enzymes which will put stress on our organs which produce those With Sunyogi Umasankar enzymes and will drain our energy and new cells. In addition to this, regular create lethargy. If we take with awareness metabolic activities must take place to keep we will feel content with the amount we the body from decaying. For this, the body have eaten and the body will feel light and requires a constant supply of food. Thus, it ready to continue our work. is evident that the food is a raw material If we can do proper meditation, we will find and the body is a product. Therefore, a different kind of inner satisfaction disease is nothing but the poor product replacing that derived from our bad eating quality. For this the raw materials must be habits; it will be easier to drop the old of good standard, and the production habit, effortlessly. Sun Meditation can equipment and method must be correct. bring the best out of taste and experiences Diseases that are not inborn, that is the by giving the best of nectar from within. In acquired diseases, develop due to the poor this way, we will be less attracted to our bad quality of raw materials, which results in a habits and thus will be able easily to avoid faulty product. In other words, the them, and so the change will happen unfortunate consequences of unhealthy naturally. food appear as ill health of the consumer. Sunyogi Umashankar, Universal Peace Foundation, Lachipur, WB (www.sunyogainda.org) Food is one of the basic elements that sustain our life. Normally we take food a few times a day and it builds our body, gives us energy, health and pleasantness. Sometimes it happens that after taking food our body weakens, energy is drained, and we feel tired. This situation we can say that food acted as poison. Medicine we can not take every day but proper taking food every day will act as a medicine.

Our meals should be taken following the With Dr Hansa Yogendra body organ clock. We should fix our meals DRK’S NEWS LETTER | Issue 036 13

Kanchana, Yoga and Reset teacher, Melbourne ([email protected]) How we eat is perhaps the most important act and choice we make on a daily basis. Not only does it determine our well-being, vitality and immunity but our choices reflect how we support the wider community, the planet and many others involved in the process of bringing food to our table. Kanchana Ranjit with HH Dalai Lama and parents When every act we do should be adding to Dr. Hansa Yogendra, our evolution, intelligence and well-being it Director The Yoga Institute, Santacruz - may require changing patterns. oldest organized centre of Yoga in the world (www.theyogainstitute.org) When we choose Seasonal Organic Unprocessed Life (SOUL) foods we are It has been scientifically proved that food halfway there. where the mind is present, gets assimilated and absorbed quickly. So ensure that you The next step is to introduce is an earlier put all your awareness into your food and lighter dinner and having the biggest meal abstain from talking while eating. Because at lunch. Keeping clear gaps between meals if the food is not digested and converted and sipping warm water are also highlights into energy properly, all the storage to feeling energetic. Not letting any diseases take place, for example, processed foods and sugary treats into the cholesterol and obesity. house avoids us reaching for them too easily. Instead we can reach for a fruit or a Learn to listen to your body and fine-tune herbal tea till it's meal time and truly yourself to it. If your body feels hungry or delight in our hunger and satiation. thirsty, only then eat or drink. Try not to sit at the table, just because the clock says, Simplicity is the key! we do not need to ‘meal-time.’ make food complicated as the digestive system does not enjoy this. We are best We should consider ourselves to be lucky eating what our ancestors have been that we access to all the Indian spices and accustomed to and keeping each meal herbs right from our kitchen. Spices have simple but with live foods, cooked freshly been used for generations by humans as as possible with spices and herbs to aid food and to treat ailments. The turmeric digestion, cleansing greens and the many that we use in our everyday cooking can increase the antioxidant capacity of the body. Cloves have anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. That’s why it has been recommended to keep a piece of clove in your mouth if you have any toothache. Cinnamon is diabetes friendly and can help to reduce the symptoms of insulin resistance. Cumin helps to control blood pressure. All the spices have some or the medicinal properties that help to improve our overall health. Kanchana Ranjit and children with President Dr Kalam DRK’S NEWS LETTER | Issue 036 14

Flowers always make people

better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine for the soul. - Luther Burbank, Botanist Plant Breeder (to whom Paramahans

bountiful nourishing gifts of nature's Yogananda dedicated his wholefoods. book Autobiography of A The whole act of procurement, preparation Yogi) and ingesting of food is the most physical aspect of the world that we make part of A merry heart doeth good like ourselves. Hence it can be called a daily sadhana (spiritual act) or mindful ritual. medicine. - King Solomon

When we cook with awareness and love, sit Conscience - man's moral

to eat calmly and quietly keeping good medicine chest. - Mark Twain company and good thoughts, there is no doubt that this very human daily experience can be elevated and uplifting. Prayer is the best medicine. God is the best doctor.

“Just like your body and lifestyle -Unknown can be healthy or unhealthy, the same is true with your beliefs. Forgiveness is the medicine Your beliefs can be your that heals a broken heart. medicine or your poison.” - - Unknown Steve Maraboli A popular Ayurvedic We live in a strange world where expression states, “If the poor walk miles to get food, and the rich walk miles to digest digestion is strong, we can food. - Mufti Ismail Menk, turn poison into nectar, but if Global Islamic Scholar digestion is weak, we can turn More die in the United States of nectar into poison.” too much food than of too little. The material I have collected and the - expert opinions I have received can We live in a strange world where easily form a bulky book. The credit the poor walk miles to get food, for summing it up in the form of this

and the rich walk miles to digest newsletter goes to my Melbourne food. - Mufti Ismail Menk, based daughter Kanchana who is in Global Islamic Scholar the field of holistic well-being.