It is very famously said that “We are what we eat”.  Modern world is full of enticing options for satisfaction of the tongue.  Unfortunately, we swing on extremes – too much indulgence or too health conscious to the point of obsessing on the Dos and Donts of eating.  Human beings are the only species on this planet to have conscience and the power of choice.  They are the only ones bestowed with the unique understanding of religion and God.  So it is imperative for us to understand the meaning and objective of food and health.  Else, we will end up taking over-the-counter health foods to offset the damage to our health and lifestyle…it’s a vicious cycle that we’ll get stuck in.

First of all it is important for us to understand the purpose of food.  Srila Prabhupada says, “It is to increase the duration of life, purify the mind and aid bodily strength. This is its only purpose.”

Our body is the most amazing, living machine and the most crucial resource that we have and we should invest in it, just as much as required to obtain maximum dividends.  Here is the best and most authentic user manual, with care instructions, ever written on this machine called body – courtesy and mercy of Srila Prabhupada.

• “Pathyam means just suitable for your health. Such kind of foodstuff, you should eat. That is essential for maintaining the body. But if you eat everything, whatever you like, then you cannot keep good health.”  (SP Lectures : SB 6.1.12 — Los Angeles, June 25, 1975)
• Fulfillment of the belly with food and drink is the cause of sustenance, and the metabolism of the food and drink replaces the waste of the bodily energies. Therefore, the body’s health is dependent on healthy actions of the intestines and the arteries.” (SB 2.10.29 purport)
• “Human being must have discretion – “what kind of food will be just suitable for my health, for my intelligence, for my brain.” So these things are prescribed. If we eat things which are in goodness… They are prescribed in the Vedic literature that wheat, rice, sugar, milk product, vegetables, fruits, these things are in goodness. So if you want to increase your quality of goodness, then that is required for God realization…You can accept foodstuff within this group and become healthy and good brain, good conscience.”  (SP Lecture at Harvard University — Boston, December 24, 1969)
• AYURVEDIC LAW:  According to yogic principle, you should not eat stomach full. “You should eat half. And one fourth you shall fill up with water, and one fourth you should leave vacant so that there may be ventilation, your digestion will be easily done. This is Āyurvedic law. Then there will be no disease. It is hygienic principle.” (SP Lecture London, August 26, 1973)
• Great authorities selected those foods that best aid health and increase life’s duration, such as milk products, sugar, rice, wheat, fruits and vegetables. These foods are very dear to those in the mode of goodness.
• Milk and salt should never be mixed.  It is improper and will cause leprosy.  But salt can be mixed with yogurt.dahi
• Some other foods, such as baked corn and molasses, while not very palatable in themselves, can be made pleasant when mixed with milk or other foods. They are then in the mode of goodness. All these foods are pure by nature. They are quite distinct from untouchable things like meat and liquor.
• Fatty foods, have no connection with animal fat obtained by slaughter. Animal fat is available in the form of milk, which is the most wonderful of all foods. Milk, butter, cheese and similar products give animal fat in a form which rules out any need for the killing of innocent creatures. It is only through brute mentality that this killing goes on. The civilized method of obtaining needed fat is by milk. Slaughter is the way of subhumans. Protein is amply available through split peas, dhall, whole wheat, etc.
• Foods in the mode of passion, which are bitter, too salty, or too hot or overly mixed with red pepper, cause misery by producing mucous in the stomach, leading to disease.
• Foods in the mode of ignorance or darkness are essentially those that are not fresh. Any food cooked more than three hours before it is eaten (except prasadam, food offered to the Lord) is considered to be in the mode of darkness. Because they are decomposing, such foods give a bad odor, which often attracts people in this mode but repulses those in the mode of goodness.
• Make your food disinfected from material contaminations by offering it to the Lord first.  Remnants of food may be eaten only when they are part of a meal that was first offered to the Supreme Lord or first eaten by saintly persons, especially the spiritual master.
• Two compulsory fasting days in a month, if not more (austerity). Even from the economic point of view, such two fasting days in a month in the state will save tons of food, and the system will also act very favorably on the general health of the citizens. (SB 1.17.38 purport)

Inspite of so many warnings, people do get attracted to bad foods and bad habits.  Why? Pramattaḥ. and vikarma.  Even though people know something is not good for health, they still do it because they are mad after sense gratification and because of this madness they indulge in forbidden activities. Srila Prabhupada says, “kurute vikarma. Although it is forbidden, he’s still taking advantage of it.” Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami’s Appearance Day — Vrndavana, October 19, 1972

Many people ask why things like meat, cod liver, onions and garlic cannot be taken if it is good for health.  Srila Prabhupada says that if by not taking it you are sure to die immediately, as a life saver you can have it.  But he also quotes a Vaishnava, a devotee’s perspective off such situation.  A devotee thinks, “Death is sure today or tomorrow, so why shall I change my principles? Death will take place even if I live for ten years more, and what is the benefit? Why shall I change my principles? It is not that by taking that medicine or liver extract I shall be ‘amara’ immortal.” (SP Room conversation Dec 13, 1970 Indore)

If we can use this machine diligently with proper care and maintenance while focusing on our endeavor to become perfectly Krishna Conscious, our life will be 100% successful.

By Divya Rupa Devi dasi