PANAJI
Eating raw, half-cooked, boiled or freshly cooked food is said to be always better than ultra-processed factory-made food items that need too much of the body's energy to digest and also bring lethargy. Nature has offered so much to eat and enjoy. But it’s not enough, feel hungry, greedy human beings who always want more. Our diet should be our medicine and not vice versa, like in today’s times.
“Following nature and naturopathy should be our motto if we wish to remain fit and healthy throughout our lives,” recommends Dr A P Bandodkar, a naturopath from Margao.
Pointing out that naturopathy is the most scientific treatment, in which no drugs or medicines are administered, Dr Bandodkar mentions the natural ways of getting healed, like mud therapy, hydrotherapy, massage therapy, sunbath, exercises, yoga, pranayama and asanas along with various types of natural foods that bring vigour and vitality to the body.
“Treat your foods as your medicines,” advises Dr Bandodkar, defining health and illness. Violation of nature’s laws is the main cause of illness, he feels. “The otherwise kind and generous nature award us illnesses in the form of punishment when we violate her laws. Mother Earth provides us with whole, real food to make our lives real and wholesome. She also offers us pure water and pure air for our survival, but we have polluted and poisoned these elements, inviting various strange illnesses, and diseases that have no cure in today’s modern medicine. Polluting the elements of nature paves the way for all types of acute and chronic ailments,” says Dr Bandodkar.
According to Naturopathy, the main cause of diseases is the overconsumption of negative foods, carbs, proteins and oily foods. Chronic disease is nothing but ‘dead foods’ disease, and for an energetic, healthy one needs over 70 per cent of the foods consumed in their natural form “ fruits, nuts, vegetables, seeds, honey, coconut water, homemade juices, vegetable soups.
As age progresses, the body becomes feeble. Ageing is a natural process of progressive deterioration of body and health, and slowing down of functions of every system in the body. Arteries play a major role in the quality of one’s health, and also determines the quality of our blood. “Pure, clean blood represents pure health. You are as old as your arteries. The walls of the arteries supply all nutrients and oxygen to every cell, tissue, and organ. As we age our arteries start hardening and contracting, thereby hampering the blood supply. We must take the necessary diet to keep our arteries as healthy as possible,” advises Dr Bandodkar.
As we age, our digestive fire gets weaker so we must eat foods that are easily digested. Plenty of fruits keeps one energised and healthy. Take a sufficient quantity of green, leafy vegetables, carrot, beetroot, pumpkin, bottle gourd and fruits like avocado, eat grains for proteins, have sprouts of moong, millets, green peas. Eat chia seeds. Keep your body hydrated with coconut water. Avoid meat, sweets and ultra-processed foods. Citrus fruits with vitamin C will strengthen blood vessels. Walking strengthens leg muscles, which allows smooth circulation. Sit in the sun for 10-15 minutes daily, he says.
Overconsumption of refined carbs, industrially refined vegetable oil and trans-fat loaded foods, all meats, animal proteins, sugar, ultra-processed foods, hotel foods, junk and dead foods, lowers immunity and causes hyperacidity. These foods produce many health-destroying acids, such as uric acid, nitric acid, sulphuric acid, phosphoric acid, HCL, H2Co3.
All acids are irritating and inflammatory in nature and can develop what is called a cytokine storm, so also sepsis. These two conditions play the main role in Covid deaths. Simultaneously, such foods produce a high number of free radicals, which damage the cells. These foods promote low-grade chronic inflammation and cause diseases like obesity, heart diseases, hypertension, respiratory tract disorder, liver-kidney issues etc which is comorbidity. “It has been confirmed that comorbid people are most likely to succumb to covid-19,” claims Dr Bandodkar, suggesting to eat foods that make the body alkaline.
