How our Food defines us

FOOD: (FOOD SHOULD MAKE YOU HEALTHY)

We will focus on first element of health called “FOOD”.

Everyone has a doctor in him or her. We just have to help it in its job by eating healthy food.

"Our food should be our medicine and our medicine should be our food."
-Hippocrates

ONE STEP FORWARD (+1) OR 2 STEPS BACK (-2) THEORY

The food you eat either makes you healthier or less healthy. There is no neutral food. Every single thing you put in your mouth is either making you healthy or less healthy. There is always an opportunity /cost of what you put on your plate. If you put junk food on your plate, that’s 2 steps going minus because if had you put healthy food, you could have gone one step forward. We must choose food by following good food standards. The foods must satisfy all 4 criteria.

GOOD FOOD STANDARD

1. It must promote a healthy psychological response.

2. It must promote a healthy hormonal response.

3. It must support healthy gut.

4. It must support immune function and minimize inflammation.

Universally, there is one food that meets all the 4 standards which is called “SATVIK FOOD”. We also call it “GOD’S KITCHEN”. It comes directly from nature to our plates.

Example:-

Fruits, vegetable, nuts and seeds.

What is Satvik food?

The simple, healthy, natural goodness of plants, lovingly rolled into bite-sized nature balls of deliciousness. Lord krishna, in the Bhagavad Gita, stated that we all are under the control of 3 modes of nature.The business or work we do, the activities we perform, the people we meet, and the food we eat can all be classified as satvik, rajasik or tamasik. Whole day we float within these modes.

Our food can also be divided as Satvik, Rajasik or Tamasik.

In Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna has explained what is Satvik , Rajasik and Tamasik food.

"ayuh-sattva-balarogya-sukha-priti-vivardhanah rasyahsnigdhahsthiraharidaaharahsattvika-priyah"

Food in the mode of goodness, increase the duration of life, purify one’s existence and give strength, health, happiness and satisfaction. Such foods are juicy, fatty, wholesome, and pleasing to the heart.

"Katv-amla-lavanaty-usna-tiksna-ruksa-vidaahinah
Ahararajasayestanduhkha-sokamaya-pradah"

Foods that are too bitter, too sour, salty, pungent, dry and hot, are liked by people in the modes of passion. Such foods cause pain, distress, and disease.

"Yata-yamangata-rasamputiparyusitamcayat Ucchistamapicamedhyambhojanamtamasa-priyam"

Food cooked more than three hours before being eaten, which is tasteless, stale, putrid, decomposed and unclean, is food liked by people in the mode of ignorance.

Food cooked more than three hours before being eaten, which is tasteless, stale, putrid, decomposed, and unclean, is food liked by people in the mode of ignorance. We are what we consume.