These are excerpts taken from a
discourse given by Baba at the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher
Learning in July 1996 ( the excerpts are taken from the book Sai
Prescriptions, published by the Sri Sathya Sai Health and
Education Trust, Sri Sathya Sai General Hospital Hospital in
Whitefield, Bangalore).
Food for Healthy Body and Mind
"Right food must essentially
contain Sathwic food. It means that the food must not contain
mutton, fish, onions and the like. In your hostel, there is of
course no mutton and fish! But, onions are used extensively. This
is because it does not get spoilt. It also has its advantages. It
improves your digestion power.
There is a popular saying in Telugu, "the good done by the onion (ulli) is not done by your own mother (thalli)!'' You must also
take care to avoid excess of spice, chilli and salt. May people
think that Sathwic food means fruits and milk. These can also be
thamasic! For example, eating two bananas is correct. If you eat
four bananas, it becomes thamasic. Do not take a cup of thick
milk. Comparatively, it is hence said " One cup of wine is better
than a cup of milk."Thick milk contains plenty of fat and calcium.
It is also liberally laced with glucose. When the blood is
saturated with too much of glucose, it turns the residual glucose
into acid. The result is that you develop boils. This acid and the
blood combines to form stones in the gall bladder.
Ensure that you take at least seven to eight cups of water daily.
Water cleanses your internals. This also ensures that stones do
not form inside your kidneys because water goes to the kidneys and
constantly keeps itflushed.Eat rice and vegetables well. Green
leafy vegetables are the best of the lot. This is because under
the skin lies a very light secondary layer, It is this layer that
protects the skin. Green leaves strengthen this layer, apart from
having other benefits. It is very good for heart patients too
because green vegetables are totally free of oils. Vegetables
contribute to some extent to the cholesterol. What must you do
when you have excess cholesterol? Cholesterol is essential to some
extent. The limit prescribed is about 10%. But if it crosses 20%
or 30% your nerves and veins will harden like rusted pipes. This
consequently thickens the blood making the heart pump less and
less blood. The heart pumps the blood and sends it to the lungs
which purifies the blood and distributes it to the entire body.
When the heart pumps less, more and more cholesterol accumulates
there, which is dangerous for the heart. Hence it is advisable to
take a white onion daily.
Garlic pills can also be taken daily, a daily intake of one pill
after lunch will get rid of the cholesterol problem. Green leafy
vegetables and drumsticks are very healthy for the body.
Drumsticks are good for the brain. Do not take too much of
potatoes. Potatoes contain 80 % starch that will only make you
slightly fat, but also give you very little in terms of
health.Tomatoes are also good. The seeds of the tomatoes may be
removed and a curry made of the tomato. This is because the seeds
of the tomato do not get digested easily. They remain in the
digestive canal and gradually become stones, when they combine
with glucose. These stones go down to the stomach and remain a
mass, giving frequent trouble.
We must also ensure that eating must always be in a limited
quantity. You must be able to get up from your plate with the
same ease and lightness with which you sat down to eat. This is
the correct limit. You come quite easily to eat. But when you get
up you need a support ! Many people develop a paunch like that.
Proportion is very important as it confers health to the body.
Never take meat, cigarettes, or other intoxicants and drugs.
Habitual cigarette smokers develop cancer. You can perform this
test on smokers. Take a white cloth and put it across the mouth
after the person has smoked. You will see bright red dots on the
cloth. When the external cloth has itself been so noticeably
spoilt, you can well imagine how much destruction it is causing to
the veins and lungs. The two fingers that hold the cigarette will
develop a yellow colouration. White spots develop on the lips. The
skin around the lips turn dark. You must avoid taking curds. It is
better to take the two cups of buttermilk. Curds have too much of
protein."
Source:
http://www.geocities.com/saicenter_us/snl/snl_081601.htm