Mind Nutrition ‘Backwardness’ Connection

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Mind Nutrition `Backwardness' Connection

(surmil2000 )  26th May,2006

 

By Subodh Kumar

According to Vedanta The food solids and liquids one eats nourishes

the body in different ways. The gross part, constituting roughage is

rejected by the body as waste products. The less gross but finer

parts go to build our physical body system constituting blood, bones,

flesh etc. The finest part goes to build our mind and manifests in

our faculties of speech and actions.  It is also explained that the

three constituents making up this system are spoken of as being

represented by Earth, Water and Fire. The earth part represents the

gross body, the water part the vital life force PRANA, The fire part

constitutes our mental make up which motivates our actions in life

and `fires' our speech. (Chandogya Upanishad Chapter6.4 and 6.5.)

It further says  in Chandogya6.4.5 that  this was common knowledge

obtained from Vedas and known to all the wise people & those who

learned it and practiced it. When certain sections of our society

chose to confine all `knowledge' and access to that  knowledge to 

their own  families and clans only, a large part of our society

suffered  not only  in social skills from this  segregation but among

other things  deprivation of knowledge  relating to nutritional

aspects directly impacted on the intellectual vitality,  physical

health and disease resistance of the body.

 

This analysis is now being fully supported  by modern scientific 

researches .

The  Mental Health foundation in UK has in its reports shown specific

linkage of the following  behavioral conditions as traceable to

specific deficiency of fresh green vegetables, dairy products, nuts

and oils in the diets

1.      Anxiety

2.      Poor concentration and lack of attention

3.      Poor memory

4.      Irritability

5.      Stress

6.      Confusion

7.      Insomnia

8.      Blank mind

9.      Loss of appetite

10.      Lack of motivation

All these represent the class of problems faced by us, more in our

predominantly poor and most of the rural school children.

Eating left over and stale food is also considered undesirable.

It is well recognized in the academic world that Long term `poverty'

affects mental health and social behavior of the children. (Even

children from `rich ` families suffer from malnutrition but of a

different nature which is caused by `Junk' food.)

 

The traditional Indian food comprised of lots of green leafy and raw

vegetables and fresh dairy products, and nuts and kernels from

pumpkins melons almonds seeds. In addition there was the tradition of

consuming lot of fermented and preserved vegetables, cereals and

dairy products, The modern science now gives them names like

Probiotics and Microbial Nutrition. It was also an Indian tradition

to avoid stale food as far as possible. Which again is fully endorsed

by modern nutrition experts.

Need is appreciated to make affirmative interventions on eating

habits, awareness about the food mind linkage and availability of

locally grown fresh cheap green leafy vegetables and dairy products.

At International levels role of `School kitchen Gardens' and

involvement of parents in the midday meal schemes of their children

in the schools is well recognized.

It is suggested that our NGOs operating particularly in our rural

areas may like to consider the possibilities of initiating such

programmes.  Lack of open land space and irrigation water

availability in schools, have been very competently dealt with by

introducing HYDROPONICS vegetables growing. This is a very

interesting and innovative strategy. The children find this a very

interesting skill but it also opens up better farming skill

opportunities for the masses.

Promotion of rural cattle up gradation is also a very cost effective

and sustainable activity for this nutritional initiative.