Part 3 on Control of mind-Role of Dietary Regimen.

[Guest guest]

Dear Bhagavtas:

Presented below is Part 3 on Control of mind-Role of Dietary Regimen.

Dasoham

Anbil Ramaswamy

============================================================

CONTROL OF MIND: ROLE OF DIETARY REGIMEN

PART 3

 

Let us now consider the effect of Tamoguna on the mind of a person. He becomes

sinful, sluggish, stupid, sullen, dull, depraved, degenerate, devoid of any

sense of responsibilities, inert -- eating whatever and whenever he gets (even

putrified food) sleeping wherever and whenever he can, and dies when his time

comes - He is so lazy that even for putting food into his mouth, he would need

someone to help. The only way to retrieve him to normality would be force and

flog him into incessant activity.

 

Our Sages and Seers have laid down the Do's and Dont's to help us avoid

Tamoguna completely, regulate Rajoguna on desirable lines and promote

Satvaguna. That food habits regulate the bodyclock and insure against disease

and deterioration has been proclaimed by our ancestors but has been accepted

by modern research only now:

 

For long, it had been fashionable for the Westernized Indians themselves to

decry Indian Vegetarian foods of grains and cereals like rice and wheat which

they said were 'stupid' and merely 'belly filling Carbo hydrates' without any

nutritional value. They plumped in for disproportionate doses of vegetables

and fruits with a liberal allowance of meat, poultry, fish, eggs.

 

Leading nutrition organizations and prominent food trade councils have now

endorsed the US department of Agriculture's selection of `food -- guide --

pyramid' as the graphics to convey the types and amounts of food that should

be consumed daily. JUDY DODD, President of the American dietic association and

BARBARA SHANNON, President of the society for nutrition education advocate

"consumption of grains, cereals and rice as the staff of life followed by

fruits and vegetables to make calorie intake more manageable, putting serving

sizes in perspective, reducing fats and oil while increasing milk, yogurt and

cheese group to ensure a `balanced diet' - as a valuable source of energizing

complex carbohydrates while giving a sense of fulness and satisfaction"(Vide

the 'Food Pyramid' recommended by them and accepted by the US Department of

Agriculture which is printed on the covers of bread packets.)

 

It will be seen therefrom that the much maligned rice group has now regained

its pride of place with over 40% of the total intake since the 'stupid and

belly filling Carbohydrates' has not at all been stupid but highly sensible,

since it has been recognized as an important source of energy with the fruits

and vegetables group ranked only secondary to the rice group while the much

trumpeted meat and fat group has plummeted to a new low, if not wholly

eliminated. Now, the nutrition experts say that such a balanced diet should

consist of 'heavy breakfast, light lunch and a lighter dinner'- precisely the

reverse of what most people do in the USA.

(To Continue)

=============================================================