As pictures of him, along with some of his best quotes start circulating on social networking sites, we thought of digging in a bit deeper. We thought of getting to know the Mahatma’s secret to good health. It’s hard to deny that M.K.Gandhi, is spite of his lean frame, was an active and healthy man despite the rigorous walking and working that he indulged himself in, as the Indian freedom movement gained prominence each passing day.
In his book titled “Keys to Health”, he presents his views about maintaining health. He expresses displeasure on usage of modern medicine to perpetuate bad habits. For example, vomiting, at times is the body’s way of cleansing and telling you that what you ate didn’t suit your body. But often, what we pop in medicines to counter that vomiting sensation, thereby ruining the natural cleansing system of the body. Of course, continuous vomiting might lead to dehydration and then it becomes necessary to consult a doctor.
Gandhi believed that the human body is made up of five elements namely- air, water, earth, light and vacancy and the good working of the body depends upon the harmonious existence of all five elements. For this, he suggests breathing exercises, cleaning the nostrils and sleeping under the open sky.
Scientifically, these elements are essential for the body. Clean water is a necessity in order to stay away from water-borne diseases. Similarly, light is important for the body to provide the essential vitamin D. What about earth, you ask? Mud is one of the best cure for many ailments, right from insect stings, ordinary boils to constipation and sunburns. It cools the body and regularizes body heat.
Gandhi believed in the Brahmacharya way of living. A strict vegetarian, he considered a vegetarian diet to be better than a mixed or non-vegetarian diet. This could be because of the fact that in order to eat non-veg, one has to kill which is ‘himsa’ (violence), a path that Gandhiji refused to follow, even when the Britishers seemed unmoving from India at the beginning of his non-violent , non- cooperation movement.
Picture Credits: www.greenstyle.it |
For those with a sweet tooth, Gandhi swore by jaggery rather than any other form of sweetener because it is a better option rather than processed sugar as it is slower in raising the sugar levels in the body as compared to the latter.
Picture credits: www.curejoy.com |
Running around searching for apples at the height of summer? Quit that, now. Go for ripe mangoes instead. Not only would they be cheaper but they would give you a range of options to choose from. Give an opportunity for your taste buds to revel in the taste of seasonal fruits rather than sticking to one fruit that you can’t seem to stop eating. You will be surprised with the variety and the amazing benefits of those fruits. Another added benefit is that sugar from fruits is better than artificial ones. Go grab a fruit to aid weight-loss!
We did tell you about a wonder liquid, made up of lemon juice, sometime back. Forgot? Here you go- Wonder liquid, every morning
Lemon helps heart patients and also provides vitamin B and C and minerals like calcium, phosphorous, magnesium. It is called an anti-ageing remedy because of its anti-oxidant properties.
This is a tough thing in the world that we live in. For ease of usage and comfort and to make life hassle-free, we go for ready-to-make packs that usually contain highly processed ingredients. Not only are the nutrients lost but they lack the freshness that natural foods provide. So, we suggest that the next time you head over to make noodles, instead of adding the ‘masala’ provided in the pack, add healthy vegetables to it and salt as per requirement.
Drinking tea/coffee is comparatively is not a necessity of life. But given the pressures at work, we do realize how important and god-like it feels to see a cup of brimming hot tea/coffee. Maybe we could limit the intake rather than completely quitting it one fine day. And if possible, slowly try to let go of that habit!
So, according to Gandhi, boiling water should be poured on tea leaves rather than letting them boil in the water and the brew should have the color of hay rather than red.
Last but not the least, “The key to health lies in being at peace,” according to Mr. Gandhi. While you get busy in the grind of life, take out a moment to let go of uncertainties and instead, smile and think of the good days that went by and the many that lie ahead. After all, we have so much going on for us that we are often unaware of it. Be aware, live life!
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Disclaimer: “Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint,” said Mark Twain. Similarly, when suffering from health disorders, do not hesitate to visit a physician. Drag yourself there because often, no web-search is as useful as a physician’s advice!
