Sugar and salt, if consumed in excess can damage the functioning of the vital organs of the body. If this simple fact is seriously taken into account and amends are made to our diet, by adding more of vegetables, fruits and adhering to a herbalife, our health condition will improve for the better. We have to be wary of this important fact while planning our diet. Its better we get to know about the two diet indices namely Low Glycemic Index (LG) and High Glycemic Index (HG) with respect to carbohydrates. While proteins act as the building blocks of the body, carbohydrates provide the necessary energy.

A diet comprising LG index foods are beneficial, compared to foods that contain HG index. Glycemic response is the speed at which the sugar consumed by a person is converted into Glucose and this implies that foods with a high Glycemic index are converted into glucose at a faster rate causing the body to raise sugar to dangerous levels. Sonoma diet comprises eatables with a Low Glycemic Index, which is one important reason for its efficiency in diet planning. Whole grains are examples of LG carbohydrates. Glycemic Index with a value 55 is considered to be low; 56 to 69 is medium and anything above 70 is considered high. This information may help diabetics to exercise caution and may also give some hints on the subject. Information on nutrition and health derived due to herbs/vegetables not only adds years to life, but adds life to years. But how many of us lend our ears to develop healthy eating habits? Mostly we fall prey to the taste buds.

The entry to body is the mouth. The tongue guards the entry. The owner which is the soul had instructed the guard to allow only things that does good to him. Defying the owner’s orders, the tongue allows things that are tasty to his buds and puts the owner in a state of sluggishness. This is what happens, when we eat things as we like, ignoring the health aspect and satisfying only the taste buds- finally putting the life force into stake. Even Adam ate Apple, which is a testifying example that fruit diet was predominant in the dietary pattern since ancient days. Though meat eating is very common, enough caution needs to be exercised as far as the consumption of fat content in animal fat is concerned. Fruits such as Dates, Grapes, and Pomegranates were considered to have their origin from heaven and were even offered to gods as a mark of respect. The more the consumption of carbohydrates and fats, the more the secretion of ‘neuro-peptides, which further trigger the desire to consume more of these items. This conveys the fact that, when the consumption of these items is gradually reduced, the secretion of neuro-peptides reduces thereby reducing the chain reaction.

Which is the room you like most?

Mushrooms neither belong to the herbal kingdom nor the animal kingdom, belongs to the group ‘fungi’ and interestingly they are devoid of the green matter present in plants. The umbrella shaped organic mushrooms grow on decaying organic materials. Beware some of the mushrooms are edible and some are poisonous. The Agaricus bisporus or the button mushroom is a cultivated type that is edible and grown in India. Agaricus bitorquis; Pleurotus spp is also an edible mushroom which is otherwise known as Oyster mushroom. Black ear mushroom:Shitake;Milky mushrooms and Paddy Straw mushrooms are other types of mushrooms. If people who are fat want to give a tough challenge to the fat, consuming mushrooms may be one of the answers.

If there is a cultivable type, there is a wild type too. The Morchellaa spp mostly found in the hills of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal regions in India are exported to European countries. Because of its low fat content, mushrooms are said to aid in shedding off unnecessary flab as also maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system. The Kerala Agricultural College in India has reportedly proved that besides enhancing strength it also regulates hypertension. As far as nutrition is concerned, they are rich in proteins, low in fats, high in fibre, Vitamin B12 and folic acid. Along with diets such as Sonoma, mushrooms may be benificial in addition to list of high protein foods. May be, you may now say that the room, which you like most is 'mushroom'.

Note: Get to know in detail and buy mushrooms. The details are a general guideline.

Yours fatfully

Fats are necessary to a certain extent and not something to be loathed. People with fat in alarming quantities should bear in mind that the term obesity is a cause of concern for them.If there is something that the body itself cannot produce on its own it’s the Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids, which fall in the category of essential fatty acids (EFA). Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids are better for health than mono unsaturated ones and interestingly the Omega 3 and Omega 6 are required for the production of Prostoglandins, which helps regulate blood clotting, body temperature, blood pressure, reproduction and immune function. Figuratively, western diets have an Omega 3 to Omega 6 ratio of 1:10, but for purposes of nutrition the recommended ratio is 1:3 according to nutritionists, which means there is an over intake of Omega 6 variety. Though Omega 3 and Omega 6 contribute to the brain neurons, getting Omega 6 in excess is considered to prevent the body from the effective metabolism of Omega 3 fatty acids. A US study links a high intake of Omega 6 to the growth of Prostate cancer in men. Another UK survey conducted on pregnant women of 14,500 families who consumed less of Omega 3 and more of Omega 6 were found to have an increased risk of depression.

The first Sonoma wave will last for 10 days comprising yummy breakfasts, lunches and dinners made out of healthy whole foods. The second wave which forms the major part of the diet will continue to be with you until the targeted weight is achieved. This second wave is about variety and you can couple it with doses of wine – preferably one glass a day for women and 2 glasses a day for women. Wave 2 can be viewed as the dieting phase of the plan and may run for several months as one gradually loses weight.

Once you reach the targeted weight, you’ll be more than happy that the eatables would include Olive oil, tomatoes, fresh garlic, even limited servings of red meat and vegetables, fish and chicken. Sonoma dieters can eat bread and pasta provided its whole wheat. But wine comes with a rider. It’s allowed only in wave 2, since the wave 1 focuses on calorie reduction.

Wave 3 sets in with specifications on plate sizes apportioned with respect to nutritional values such as carbohydrates, proteins and vegetables in the ascending order. This is a general description as an eye-opener on Sonoma diet. Websites are available dime a dozen on this specific diet pattern and online enrolments are also available to achieve targeted weights. Check out for few good sites and sign up for customized Sonoma diet pattern for a trim waistline.

Lassen’s health food refers to Lassen’s natural foods and Vitamins, a family store at Thousand Oakes California, which offers wide range of natural products.

As far as herbalife health nutrition is concerned, herbs are playing a predominant role as an alternative to conventional medicine. Herbs provide us with safe chances of recovery even from chronic diseases and in this regard, if herbs are used as part of diet in our day to day lives, many a disease can be prevented from snowballing into the system. Herbal life or life lived with herbs fro external and internal applications can be rejuvenating to the system. Several hundreds of herbs are available for the benefit of mankind. The Indian herbal life is synonymous to herbal living as this is the birth place of Ayurveda and Siddha practices, where herbs are quintessential for preparation of medicines. Pertinently, India has been the abode of sages and Siddhas or seers who had formulated various preparations and listed remedies even for chronic diseases. The efficacy of these medicines, especially Ayurveda is deeply penetrating even US markets and lot of patients and tourists are making a beeline to India for Ayurvedic retreats.

Gymnoma Sylvestrae, Androgrophis Paniculata and Withania Somnifera are only some of the few herbs that are highly beneficial to our health and which are used in the preparation of medicines.

Sonoma Diet

Sonoma diet is a unique diet system, which has been the darling of the people in the Mediterranean region. The Sonoma diet pattern developed by renowned top dietician Dr.Connie Gutterson has success rates accelerating in leaps and bounds. One may wonder the name Sonoma and for the origin - it owes its name to the lush green Sonoma valley in California rightfully symbolizing the greenery required in the diet, at a time when most of the people go in for processed and fast foods. If you feel that the heart which fits into the fist shouldn’t slip out of your hands, embrace the Sonoma diet, for its heart healthy and a traditional diet which testifies its success with live examples – especially from the Mediterranean region Crete, Greece, Italy or any other country on the Mediterranean coast. They have been found to have a very low risk of heart disease and interestingly the Sonoma diet even allows wine in limited doses. In general, the mantra is to get your waistline trimmed by eating proper food in the right proportion and not to fall into mislead notions like fasting to the core. People with excess fat are blissfully unaware of the other side of food constituents such as high protein foods subject to daily limited consumption. Any systematic and established dieting procedure coupled with physical activity bids adieu to obesity and ill-health. The Sonoma diet pattern allows even limited servings of red meat, but gives importance to whole grains cereals, nuts and fish as part of diet regimen. Unlike conventional dietary procedures, this doesn’t advocate any fasting practices to shed off those extra pounds of flesh. The main aim is to stop eating for taste and belly stuffing as also to develop an awareness to herbal life and associated health nutrition. In fact, the Sonoma diet allows you to go in for a variety of things such as lean meat and other varieties of tastes that satisfy the yearning of the taste buds. Satisfying the latter alone would just result in eating and stuffing the belly. If it was the French women's diet that was popular last year, it is the Sonoma's turn now. Tsunami waves are dangerous, not the Sonoma waves. On the contrary, Sonoma waves give the best of health. What are these Sonoma waves?

When in a country like India where human resources is considered as an investment, the nutrition statistics seem to be far from satisfactory. A recent study concludes that about 50 % to 58% of men, women and children suffer from malnutrition due to insufficient consumption of micronutrients such as Iron, Folic acid, Vitamin A and Riboflavin. This may be due to the proclivity to consuming more of cereals and sugar, rather than consuming more of fruits& vegetables and carbohydrates. Lack of awareness to healthy style of diets Viz:Sonoma Diet and knowledge about food pyramid, Lassen's Health food of Natural fruits and Vitamins can go a long way in preserving the health. Another study may be an eye-opener for youngsters who go in for fast foods in an unwanted spree. This only creates more fat people. Eating to fill the belly and stuffing them with junk foods will only add fat. For people with flab already, though herbal life weight loss products are available aplenty in the market, please watch out for the efficacy of the products. Magical cure is miles away from truth. This study conducted on 18 Delhi schools found that 16 out of every 100 students were overweight. A group of three of more factors such as Insulin resistance resulting in high sugar levels, raised levels of triglycerides or bad cholesterol and low levels of HDL (High Density Lipoprotein) – the good cholesterol, abdominal obesity contributing to a BMI (Body Mass Index) >23 and high blood pressure - is termed as Syndrome X. 33% of those surveyed were eating fast-foods atleast thrice a week with a sedentary lifestyle, which is a double whammy. Also 70% of students reported that they didn’t participate in any physical activity.

Another study in US also confirmed that consumption of soda by young students was the prime reason for obesity and therefore it was also suggested that parents encourage their children to have their food in home, so that their nutrition and dietary factors are taken care of by the parents. Parents can elaborate about diet patterns such as Sonoma diet and Lassen's health food to keep the youngsters abreast with the changing trends in diet. An awareness about the list of high protein products, urge to be fat free are essential and above all herbal values are not to be treated obsolete. After all, parents not only serve food, but they mix love and care as a potential combination with food. The high salt content used in preservation of junk food such as chips is also believed to play havoc in the health of children. Young buddies, got the message right. I hope parents also take a cue out of these stats.

Food for thought: Which cholesterol is bad for health?

What is BMI? How is it calculated?

In ancient India, Rishis or sages of yore had maintained sound health and exuded a vibrancy and aura around their persona. One of the main reasons for their health and longevity is attributed to their food habits, which was principally a vegetarian style and reflected herbalife that they followed. The herbalife and herbal health nutrition was automatically a part of their diet regimen as they consumed fresh vegetables, tubers and fruits, which were naturally available in the jungle habitats. It would be interesting to observe that they had followed the sonoma pattern of diet excluding the composition of meat and wine and their diet pattern more or less followed a food pyramid, which is being discussed in the present days. Though issues like meat spin was not known and scientific dietary procedures such as Lassen's health food were exlusively not tailor made several thousands of centuries ago, the foresight of the seers regarding dietary procedures was simply exemplary.

Scriptures proclaim that they had lived several hundreds of years with a vegetarian diet. Though their spiritual exercises might have contributed to their well-being partially, it’s of significance to note that the diet was purely vegetarian and which was uncooked. This goes to explain that not only the vegetarian diet kept them in good health, but also it enabled them to keep their passions under control. Though the conventional practice is to use cooked vegetables for our longing taste buds, it’s definitely advisable to eat fresh vegetables daily. This practice promotes fine health and introduces lot of ‘fibers’ to the body. Thus herbal life helps us in maintaining the required intake of natural inputs to the body providing health nutrition. Later on we would be seeing the beneficial effects of fibers in detail, which would certainly make a person to ponder to turning towards vegetarianism. Theory has it that, the acidity of the food increases when eatables are fried. Therefore it becomes essential to weigh the pros and cons of eating habit and make amends accordingly. Coming back to the nutritional part of it, let’s understand that vegetables are rich in fibers, which possess lot of beneficial effects for the functioning of our body. The nutritional values that is being offered by Lassen's health food of Lassen group of stores and other herbalife masters in the present era were derived by the sages down the ages. Of course, the scientific role in explaining to the people, are being effectively done by Lassen's group and other such professional businesses engaged in the food industry.

Basically, there are two types of fibers, which can be classified as ‘soluble fibers’ and ‘insoluble fibres’.While ‘pectin’ is a soluble fibre, Cellulose, Hemi cellulose and Lignin are insoluble fibers. Both these fibers have a role to play in the functioning of our body. These fibers reduce the assimilation of cholesterol from the food we take. Fibres also regulate blood sugar level and hence keep diabetes under control. Insoluble fibers fill thee stomach giving us filed feeling and therefore we don’t feel hungry for a minimum of 4Hrs.This results in the reduced intake of food thereby balancing the body weight. They also prevent constipation in the body and prevent internal ulcers, cancer of the large intestine and piles. The Sonoma diet and food pyramid exactly consists of significant fibre content levels in their formations.

Statistics reveal that vegetarians have the least chances of hosting cancer of large intestine. Though meat and herb or vegetables can go together for a spin of the taste buds, its advisable to limit red meat for improved health conditions. Stuffing the stomach with vegetables, fruits and herbalife health diets more compared to meat diets is one sure way to stay healthy. This doesn't preclude meat diet absolutely from one's diet. One of the Sonoma diet conditions is the restricted consumption of meat. The risk of getting lung cancer, prostate cancer and pancreatic cancer is very low for vegetarians. A look at some beneficial vegetables and grains are enumerated below:-

Radish:-
This is rich in vitamin A. Its juice has a detrimental effect on the stomach worms. The presence of Zinc in Radish, gives sheen to the skin and therefore skin infections can be kept at bay. When a mixture of Radish and White onion is crumbled and mixed with buttermilk and taken, it would be a cure for piles. It is also said that Radish promotes good sleep. Why not try a glass of fresh Radish juice then?
Coriander leaves:-
This is not only used to add aroma to the food. It is famous for its rich nutrition in that, Vitamins A, B1, B2, C1, Calcium and Iron are found in these pleasant smelling leaves. It’s a good remedy for ‘Night Blindness’.

Stem and Flower of Banana tree:-
The regular consumption of stem juice of Banana tree drives away Kidney stones and the addition of cooked flower of the same tree gives immense benefits to the body. Curry made out of the stem is also regular recipe of the Indian households.

Onion:-
In 100gms of Onion, 1.3gms protein, 10 gms carbohydrate and 0.4 gms fat is available. O other constituents like Calcium, Sodium, Potassium, Phosphorus and Sulphur are also available. Onion is rich in fiber and controls diabetes and blood pressure. If mixed with curd and taken, it will reduce fats in the body.

Cauliflower:-
This has cancer preventing properties and contains in build composition, which goes into the body to secrete ’Phase II’ compound that is produced in the body , having natural cancer fighting properties.

Bitter Gourd:-
The soup of this gourd is to be taken in empty stomach, which would strengthen the joints and also a panacea for sugar patients.

Fenugreek Seeds:-
It promotes cooling effect to the body and contains about 45% fiber content. Fenugreek powder is a good medicine for sugar patients. This has properties that reduce the harmful LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein)

Soya beans:-
A Japanese study reveals that consumption of Soya beans the chance of breast cancer in women by 60 %. It is high in protein value and can substitute protein of Non-vegetarian food to a greater extent.
The aforesaid benefits are only a few and lot more can be said about in support of vegetarianism. It’s up to the takers to decide when they are going to switch over to the regimen and derive the benefits accordingly. A herbal life in the daily routine curbs many a problem.

A healthy question?

Have you decided to enter the food pyramid?

Do you understand the importance of Sonoma diet?

The passion for Indian food in Britain is an established fact as there are thousands of Indian restaurants serving the taste buds of Britons for good. If Hyderabadi Biryani could attract 28,000 meals a day in the recently concluded Congress session in Hyderabad, the impact of this particular Indian cuisine can be imagined. Each day eleven quintals of Mutton Biryani and 10 quintals of Chicken Biryani were estimated to be prepared for the session. The Interesting information is that each Indian goat or sheep gives 10 kgs of meat and conservative estimates reveal that 350 sheep or goat had to be slaughtered to please the tongues of politicos in three days. Better hold your breath to know the rough expenditure, which was to the tune of 8.4 million rupees gobbled in the form of mutton and chicken. When globally, herbal health nutrition is being debated, consumption of flesh in such huge quantities keeps one surprised. Fat is not fun and people would be happy if they would burn the calories by earnestly toiling for some social cause. If this is the slant towards meat diet at Hyderabad in India, over the seas, fresh fruits and vegetables seem to come to the fore. Though list of high protein foods may be available as a general diet specific diets such as Sonoma diet and a unique geometrical structure, the food pyramid is gaining popularity among other diet patterns such as Atkin's Diet. A study by nutritionists in US establishes that immigrants provide a clue to healthy living in that the latter were consuming 2.5 more servings of fruits and vegetables a day – according to Harvard School of Public Health Study. This has probably invigorated the Dominicans to place a demand to provide fruits and vegetables of their native land. Food stores such as Lassen's health food provide many a natural health recipes for people who desire to make amends to their non-vegetarian consumption. Hope their desire becomes ‘fruitful’.

‘B’ Group: People in this blood group can consume milk and milk related products. Fruits and vegetables suit this group. They should refrain from Sesame, wheat and Groundnuts, as these items will increase the weight. Tomato will create stomach related problems.

‘AB’ group: Persons of AB blood group can consume milk and milk related products. But they may reduce the intake of any type of meat since digestion problem may arise. It is found by research that they have to refrain from wheat products too. Groundnuts and grams can be consumed in limited quantities.

‘O’ group: Studies reveal that people in ‘O’ group can consume meat, as acidity is naturally present in this group. They can consume fish, meat and eggs, which are free from chemical mixture. It is advisable to control intake of wheat, since ‘Gluten’ present in wheat can increase the weight. Cabbage, Cauliflower and seafoods are to be avoided in this case.

The people of their respective blood groups can do introspection and the pattern of food can be changed accordingly to see whether the studies match the theory. If it benefits, the diet can be changed to maintain good health and live to prove the adage, ‘A sound mind in a sound body’.

All said and done, it’s up to the takers to decide whether to satisfy their taste buds and give into gluttony or to limit their calories for a hale and healthy life.

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When dieting, a person adopts certain procedures to reduce the flab in the body and improve the waistline. It doesn’t mean starving to the core. It requires an understanding of the calories needed by the body and planning accordingly. A Physiological calorie is the amount of heat necessary to raise the temperature of one kg of water by one degree centigrade. One gram of fat yields nine calories while the same quantity of alcohol yields seven. An Apple provides about 20 calories and a Mango about 122 Calories. For instance, a woman in the process of dieting may aim to achieve 1500 calories, which may prove detrimental if the caloric intake goes further down resulting in the loss of health. On the other hand, high total caloric intake may also cause ill health. Interestingly, people who are obese don’t necessarily consume more, than people who are of normal weight. This can be due to their lack of necessary fat reducing agents. There are about eight such agents like Vitamin B6 and Pancreatic acid that burn the fats in the body. It is said that if foods with these constituents are added to our body, the unwanted body fats can be removed.

While these are the basics of good diet, there is another remote area of diet, which has a close relevance to the diet we take. This is the domain of blood group and researchers have evolved these studies of which the details are as follows:

‘A’ Group: Vegetarian food is best suited for people who are in this blood group. Vegetables such as beans are very good for their health. Research reveals that persons belonging to ‘A’ group may be prone to cardiac related problems and diabetes. Milk and its products don’t suit their bodies since digestion will be a problem. Certain chemicals in potato, Tomato and cabbage may create stomach related problems.

Read between the lines: What is the definition of a Calorie?

How many Calories does an Apple provide?

What is Sonoma Diet?

What is a Food Pyramid?

It is also important to note that hot water should be drunk after eating Ice creams and sweets to avoid accumulation of fats due to consumption of these foods. Drinking hot water not only melts the fat, but also neutralises the effect of chilly ice cream and prevents soar throat and common cold problems.

While discussing water we cannot rule out the therapy of water called ‘water therapy’. Even generally, for the sake of our health, a minimum of 1.5 litres of water should be consumed in the morning on an empty stomach. This has an excellent effect in that the toxins piled up in the body are washed away and the body gets hydrated which is important for general health.

Nowadays, consumption of Alcohol is on the increase, be it for a happy occasion or a sad event. Though Alcohol need not be eliminated from our lives, it is of interest to note that it is devoid any nutritional value and can be turned into fat, adding flab to the body. If the consumption goes unchecked, the level of triglycerides increases.

It has been a practice in most households in India to observe ‘Fasting’ once a week or at least once in a fortnight. This is advantageous to the body, in that, the load on the ‘stomach workshop’, which works all the day grinding and digesting the food, is reduced. This is akin to a ‘Preventive maintenance’ of a machine.

Read between the lines: Is increase in level of triglycerides good for health?

Fibre-rich foods tend to be low in fat and less in calories. High fibre foods minimise the risk of constipation, colon and rectal cancer, hiatus hernia, heart disease and obesity. A study reveals that colon cancer is the second largest cancer in the United States after Lung cancer. The estimation says that out of 1,50,000 people affected, nearly 57,000 died in the year 2003. This underscores the importance of a diet rich in fibres to get rid of the aforesaid diseases. It may be incredible to believe that Al Beckles of Britain achieved the distinction of becoming Mr. Universe with a Lacto-vegetarian diet. But it is true and the misconception that a diet with flesh and meat alone can make a person strong was proved wrong.

As far as consumption of a balanced diet, the least consumption should be Oils, Butter, Ghee and Sugar. Foods that should be consumed in limited quantity are Dals, dried seeds, Milk, Curd, Cheese, Fish, Eggs and chicken. The varieties that should be consumed more would be vegetables, fruits, Wheat and bread. The taste buds are to be tamed for a better health inasmuch as prevention is always better than cure and will it not be wise to refrain from diets that make us more vulnerable to different forms of cancer and serious problems? Fats are an essential part of the regular diet albeit; the wrong choice may cause a bad spell for the health. Refrigerating the fat diets until the fat rises to the top of the container and slicing it off can do elimination of fat. Saturated fat raises blood cholesterol, while polyunsaturated fat lowers blood cholesterol. Foods that enhance HDL (High Density Lipoprotiens) which are beneficial to the health are to be consumed and those with LDL (Low Density Lipoproteins) – the bad cholesterol function are to be kept away. Using monounsaturated oils like Olive oil, Canola and Groundnut oil and polyunsaturated oils like Sunflower oil, oils of corn, soyabean, Mustard, Gingely would be a better substitute for other oils. Nowadays it has become mandatory for the manufacturers of edible oils to declare the composition and grading of the oils they manufacture. One can find the wordings PUFA (Poly Unsaturated Fatty Acids) etc. so that the consumer may know what sort of nutrition he is resorting to.

Read between the lines: Which is bad cholesterol?

What PUFA stands for?

Scientific Discoveries

Health experts feel that breakfast should be rich, since more energy is required to be spent during the whole day. Lunch must be less than breakfast and dinner should be minimal compared to breakfast and lunch.

Scientists opine that two to three teaspoons of oil are sufficient for our daily needs. They also recommend that, instead of using the same type of oil, it's better to use different ones, like sesame, sunflower, groundnut, olive or soya for a balanced nutrition.

Junk food and eating while watching television should be discouraged for good health. This is because while watching television a person consumes more due to his involvement in the TV Program. People involved in dieting should have weight loss as their prime goal.

Moreover, regular intake of beef, mutton, ghee, butter, cream, cocounut and biscuits provides more saturated fatty acids, which are harmful to health. Crabs and prawns contain more cholesterol too. It is pertinent to mention that as per medical recommendations care should be taken to see that intake of animal products does not exceed 240 gms per day to limit cholesterol levels. Consumption of fat at different times causes less increase of cholesterol than a large amount of fat teken at one time. It has been studied that a blood cholesterol level over 240mg/dl (Mgs/decilitre of blood) approximately doubles the risk of coronary heart disease.

Welcome to the site, which will discuss the impact of diet and other food related information. This will include food news such as Sonoma Diet and structures like food pyramids that would interest you in every possible way - and I trust you will relish the information in terms of the food being taken at present, the modifications you may like to do in the future and an absorption of any relevant information on food and various cuisines cutting across geographical borders.

I am the author of the the article titled Indian's View of Diet - How food habits can make or break a person which was published in 'The Positive Health' magazine published from Portsmouth U.K. It was published in its issue 101 - July 04. I thought it would be nice to start with a published article of mine, which was received well by the esteemed readers of the magazine. I would be gradually posting the contents of the article and as soon as it ends, I would finish it with a --------. Please Hold On! It's just the beginning. After the end of the article, this would further continue with loads of food news. Wish you a Happy reading on food.

Indian's View of Diet- How Food Habits Can Make or Break A Person

There is an Indian saying, which says,

‘A fellow eating once a day is a Yogi’
‘A fellow eating twice a day is a Bogi’
‘A fellow eating thrice a day is a Rogi’

Well, the terms Yogi, Bogi and Rogi may cause confusion, which is explained as follows:
A yogi is a person who leads a calm life with balanced composure in pleasures and adversities. A Bogi is a person who enjoys his life in pursuit of sensual pleasures. A Rogi is a patient who deceives and abuses his body by eating three times a day. Lord Shri Krishna in the divine text Bhagawat Gita says,

Katv-amla-lavanaty-ushna
Tikshna-ruksha-vidhahinah
Ahara rajasyeshta
Dukha-shokamaya-pradah

This means foods that are too bitter, too sour, salty, hot, pungent, dry and burning are dear to those in the mode of passion. Such foods cause distress, misery and disease.

This can explain as to how the food habits can make or break a person. This doesn’t certainly mean that one shouldn’t consume food three times a day. At least, the diet can be planned and regularized so that a balanced diet is followed to keep one’s health as fit as a fiddle. Traditional medicine advocates that a light dinner bestows good health since one’s digestive power is strong at the beginning of the day and minimal in the night. The Indian religious system holds ‘Pancha Bhutas’ or the five elements of nature namely Fire, Water, Earth, Gas and Space in high esteem. In fact, these five elements are revered as Gods in the name of Agni, Varuna, Prithvi, Vayu and Akash respectively. All the existence in this world is viewed as the combination of these five elements and food is not an exception to that. In essence, the food what we supply to the body should comprise these elements to have a balanced nutrition. Significantly, the Ayurvedic system of medicine suggests that a disturbance between the Vata (gas), Pitta (bile) and Kapha (Phlegm) is the root cause for the problems arising in the body. Therefore, it’s important that the consumption of food should have spices, juices, minerals, air and space respectively. The space literally means the availability of empty space in the stomach, which implies that food should be consumed in limited quantity and space should be left to balance the aspect of the five elements of the nature.