Episode 3: Food - The fuel for the machine called Human Body

What will happen if you pump diesel into a petrol car? It may still run, but not at its optimum level! Same goes for the human body. We can eat garbage & still survive, but we’d be denying the enormous potential that we have as a human being. So, to make the most out of our body, it’s really really important to give it the right fuel!

Almost a month ago, I did a lot of research & realised that I was having terrible food habits. Though it was difficult initially, I changed my diet completely & the results are amazing. Today I feel a lot more energetic, focused & most importantly, happy. So what did I change? Well, a lot of things!

1. I started eating 50% food in the raw form - In the yogic culture, the kitchen is considered a factory of “destroyed food". The moment your food is cooked, 40-50% of its nutrients are gone! So I added a lot of fruits, nuts, sprouts & dry fruits into my diet.
2. I quit meat - Let’s compare the alimentary canals of herbivores, carnivores & human beings (the so called “omnivores”).

• All Carnivores have large & sharp canine teeth for cutting & tearing meat. What do we have? Just like herbivores, we have flat molars & premolars to grind up fruits & vegetables.
• Real carnivores’ jaws move only up and down, enabling them to tear chunks of flesh from their prey. Humans can move their jaws up and down and from side to side, like herbivores, to chew their food.
• Carnivores have short intestinal tracts that allow meat to pass quickly through their digestive system. Humans’ intestinal tracts are much longer, like those of plant-eaters. This gives the body more time to break down fiber & absorb the nutrients from plant-based foods.
• Everything in human beings suggests that we are naturally a herbivore. Our ancestors (early humans) consumed meat just for the sake for survival, but the tragedy is that we made this our food culture. So calling ourselves omnivore shouldn’t be an excuse to eat meat. Quit it & see the difference for yourself!

1. I started Fasting on Ekadashi - No, I don’t fast for the long life of my wife, my parents or my children. I do it for the long life of my own digestive system. I don’t need to boast about the benefits of fasting here. Just Google “Benefits of fasting” & see it for yourself!

But why specifically on Ekadashi? Just like Earth, the human body too is 80% water & thus, it's always under the influence of the moon. On Ekadashi (11th day of lunar cycle), the moon forms a trine with Earth or Sun. From this day the moon's influence on liquids in our body starts rising & causes some complications. To avoid this, it’s important to clean our digestive system on Ekadashi.

So fasting helps clean our digestive system & adjusts itself for the next 10 days of lunar influence. Ekadashi is also considered to be a very good day for spiritual practices like meditation. If you can’t fast, it is suggested to be on Phalahar (fruit diet) that day.

This body is nothing but a heap of food that we consume. So if you want this machine to work optimally, give it the right fuel. But if you just want to live somehow & go, you can eat whatever you want. The choice is yours.

Feel free to drop your views in the comments section. See you in my next one!