THE SCIENCE OF EATING AND GOOD HEALTH
India is the
home not only of vegetarian cooking, but also of the science of healthful
living. The scripture known as the Ayur-veda, is the oldest known work on
biology, hygiene, medicine, and nutrition. This branch of the Vedas was
revealed thousands of years ago by Sri Bhagavan Dhanvantari, an incarnation of
Krishna. "Old", is not the same as "primitive", however,
and some of the instructions of the Ayur-veda will remind today's reader of
modern nutritional teachings or just plain common sense. Other instructions may
seem less familiar, but they will bear themselves out if given the chance.
We shouldn't be
surprised to see bodily health discussed in spiritual writings. The Vedas
consider the human body a divine gift, a chance for the imprisoned soul to escape
from the cycle of birth and death. The importance of healthful living in
spiritual life is also mentioned by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita
(6.16-17), "There is no possibility of becoming a yogi, O Arjuna, if one
eats too much or eats too little, sleeps too much or does not sleep enough. One
who is temperate in his habits of eating, sleeping, working, and recreation can
mitigate all material pains by practicing the yoga system."
Proper eating
has a double importance. Besides its role in bodily health-over-eating, eating
in a disturbed or anxious state of mind, or eating unclean foods causes
indigestion, "the parent of all diseases"-proper eating can help the
aspiring transcendentalist attain mastery over his senses. "Of all the senses,
the tongue is the most difficult to control," says the prasada-sevaya, a
song composed by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, one of the spiritual predecessors
of Srila Prabhupada, "but Krishna has kindly given us this nice prasada to
help us control the tongue."
Here are a few
guidelines for good eating taken from the Ayur-veda and other scriptures.
Spiritualize your eating
The
Bhagavad-gita (17.8-10) divides foods into three classes: those of the quality
of goodness, those of the quality of passion, and those of the quality of
ignorance. The most healthful are the foods of goodness. "Foods of the
quality of goodness [milk products, grains, fruits, and vegetables] increase
the duration of life; purify one's existence; and give strength, health,
happiness, and satisfaction. Such foods are sweet, juicy, fatty, and
palatable."
Foods that are
too bitter, sour, salty, pungent, dry or hot, are of the quality of passion and
cause distress. But foods of the quality of ignorance, such as meat, fish, and
fowl, described as "putrid, decomposed, and unclean," produce only
pain, disease, and bad karma. In other words, what you eat affects the quality
of your life. There is much needless suffering in the world today, because most
people have no other criterion for choosing food than price and sensual desire.
The purpose of
food, however, is not only to increase longevity and bodily strength, but also
to purify the mind and consciousness. Therefore the spiritualist offers his
food to the Lord before eating. Such offered food clears the way for spiritual
progress. There are millions of people in India and around the world who would
not consider eating unless their food was offered first to Lord Krishna.
Eat at fixed times
As far as
possible, take your main meal at the SOLAR MIDDAY(have your food before
sunset), when the sun is highest, because that's when your digestive power is
strongest. Wait at least three hours after a light meal and five after a heavy
meal before eating again. Eating at fixed times without snacking between meals
helps make the mind and tongue peaceful.
Eat in a pleasant atmosphere
A cheerful mood
helps digestion; a spiritual mood, even more. Eat in pleasant surroundings and
center the conversation around spiritual topics. According to the
Ksema-kuntuhala, a Vedic cookbook from the 2nd century A.D., a pleasant
atmosphere and a good mood are as important to proper digestion as the quality
of the food. Look upon your food as Krishna's mercy. Food is a divine gift, so
cook it, server it, and eat it in a spirit of joyful reverence.
Combine foods wisely
Foods should be
combined for taste, and for efficient digestion and assimilation of nutrients.
Rice and other grains go well with vegetables. Milk products such as cheese,
yogurt and buttermilk go well with grains and vegetables, but fresh milk does
not go well with vegetables. The typical Vedic lunch of rice, split-lentil
soup, vegetables, and chapatis is a perfect balanced meal. Avoid combining
vegetables with raw fruits. (Fruits are best eaten as a separate meal or with
hot milk.) Also avoid mixing acidic fruits with alkaline fruits, or milk with
fermented milk products.
Share prasada with others
Srila Rupa
Gosvami explains in the Upadesamrita a five-hundred year-old classic about
devotional service, "One of the ways for devotees to express love is to
offer prasada and accept prasada from one another." A gift from God is too
good a thing to keep to oneself, so the scriptures recommend sharing prasada
with others, be they friends or strangers. In ancient India-and many still
follow the practice-householder would open his door at mealtime and call out,
"Prasada! prasada! prasada! If anyone is hungry, let him come and
eat!" After welcoming his guests and offering them all the comforts at his
disposal, he would feed them to their full satisfaction before taking his own
meal. Even if you can't follow this practice, look for occasions to offer
prasada to others, and you will appreciate prasada more yourself.
Be clean
Vedic culture
places great emphasis on cleanliness, both internal and external. For internal
cleanliness, we can cleanse the mind and heart of material contamination by
chanting Vedic mantras, particularly the Hare Krishna mantra. External
cleanliness includes keeping a high standard of cleanliness when cooking and
eating. Naturally this includes the usual good habits of washing the hands
before eating, and the hands and mouth after.
Eat moderately
Vitality and
strength depend not on how much we eat, but on how much we are able to digest
and absorb into our system. The stomach needs working space, so instead of
filling it completely, fill it just halfway, by eating only half as much as you
think you can, and leave a fourth of the space for liquids and the other fourth
for air. You'll help your digestion and get more pleasure from eating. Moderate
eating will also give satisfaction to your mind and harmony to your body.
Overeating makes the mind agitated or dull and the body heavy and tired.
Don't pour water on the fire of digestion
Visible flames
and invisible combustion are two aspects of what we call "fire."
Digestion certainly involves combustion. We often speak of "burning
up" fat or calories, and the word "calorie" itself refers to the
heat released when food is burned. The Vedas inform us that our food is
digested by a fire called Jatharagni (the Fire in the Belly). Therefore,
because we often drink with our meals, the effect of liquid on fire becomes an
important consideration in the art of eating. Drinking before the meal tempers
the appetite and, consequently, the urge to overeat. Drinking moderately while
eating helps the stomach do its job, but drinking afterwards dilutes the
gastric juices nad reduces the fire of digestion. Wait at least an hour after
eating before drinking again, and, if need be, you can drink every hour after
that until the next meal.
Don't waste food
The scriptures
tell us that for every bit of food wasted in times of plenty, an equal amount
will be lacking in times of need. Put on your plate only as much as you can
eat, and save any leftovers for the next meal. (To reheat food it is usually
necessary to add liquid and simmer in a covered pan. Stir well and frequently.)
If for some reason prasada had to be discarded, then feed it to animals, bury
it, or put it in a body of water. Prasada is sacred and should never be put in
the garbage. Whether cooking or eating, be careful about not wasting food.
Try an occasional fast
It may seem
unusual for a cookbook to recommend fasting, but according to the Ayur-veda,
fasting strengthens both will power and bodily health. An occasional fast gives
the digestive system a rest and refreshes the senses, mind, and consciousness.
In most cases,
the Ayur-veda recommends a water fast. Juice fasting is popular in the West
because Western methods encourage long fasts. In Ayur-vedic treatment, however,
most fasts are short-one to three days. While fasting, one should not drink
more water than needed to quench one's thirst. Jatharagni, the fire of
digestion, being freed from the task of digesting food, is busy incinerating
the accumulated wastes in the body, and too much water inhibits the process.
Devotees of
Krishna observe another kind of fast on Ekadasi, the eleventh day after the
full moon and the eleventh day after the new moon, by abstaining from grains,
peas, and beans. The Brahma-vaivarta scripture says, "One who observes
Ekadasi is freed from all kinds of reactions to sinful activities, and thereby
advances in pious life."
Compiled by: P. L. JAIN
AHIMSA FOUNDATION
ahimsa@jainsamaj.org
pljain@sancharnet.in