A symposium on Diet, Health & Religion, second in a series was held at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan on 5th September, 2012. The Chief Guest was Shri J Veeraraghavan, Chairman, Bhavan’s KM Munshi Institute of Educational Leadership and Management.
Welcoming the gathering, Shri Ashok Pradhan, Director, BVB said that the purpose of this symposium was to examine the relation between what we eat, how it affects our health and how all religions look at this aspect. Nature is also related to our health. Nature tells us what to eat. For example, summer vegetables have a high content of water. Speaking on fasting, he observed that not eating on certain days cleanses our body.
Prof Sunil Kumar, Member, Managing Committee, Ramakrishna Mission, spoke on how Hinduism regards food and diet.
- Hinduism recognizes that people are different because of their ‘ahaara’, which means not just diet or food we eat, but everything that our mind intakes through our 5 sense organs!
- We are nothing but the food we eat. The subtlest part of the food that we eat goes to form the mind, and therefore the purity and quality of all ahaara not just food is important.
- Hinduism classifies all foods as satvik, rajasic and tamasic. The Satvik prefer not to eat meat.
- Purity of food is directly linked to purity of mind.
- Hinduism gives one the freedom to follow your culture.
- Austerity and self control along with Satvik food, which is fresh, simple and wholesome, is recommended.
- Gur or jaggery is preferred to white sugar.
- We say no to refined flour.
- Salt should be taken in moderation.
- Brown rice and seasonal and locally grown fruits and vegetables should be preferred.
- Hinduism does not restrict eating eggs. Milk is considered a satvik food.
- Hinduism does not prohibit use of alcohol, but it recognizes the harmful effects of alcohol.
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