Food

To keep your body in good humour, food is the most important factor. Truly speaking, 'we are what we eat1 or 'our food habits mould our mental faculties also'. You can live without water for a few hours, without air for some moments and without food also you can survive, but merely survive. When body is not'nurtured and nourished with suitable foods, our body gives in, giving way to many health problems. If body is not in a healthy state, mind also has to bear the brunt thereof, because a healthy mind lives in a


healthy body. A lot has been written and spoken about food, proper food, food fads, fast foods, prohibited and acceptable and suitable foods. But, the fact remains that all foods do not and cannot suit all human beings as food allergies and reactions have a lengthy list of disorders. Naturopathy believes that most of our disorders stem from our wrong food habits and, vegetable and non-vegetable diets, are both the culprits in this respect.

Following points on food intake may be of help to the readers, (with particular reference to fasting under naturopahtic norms).

1. Take foods that suit you and, that too, at a particular time.If you have skipped a meal, there is no harm but overatingor making up for the diet that you have missed is neitherwise nor advisable.

2. Avoid all diets which abound in or contribute to formationof toxins, because once the body is ridden with poisonouselements, your entire energy would be expanded in gettingrid of them.

3. Avoid white sugar but the same may be substituted withjaggery and sugar-cane juice.

4. Water of tender coconut will help to mollify acidity, restorenormally to impacted bowels.

5. Milk curd, cheese and whey also help the body to purgeout toxins from the body and also serve as mild and gentlelaxatives.

6. Milk, curd, cheese and whey also help the body to purgeout toxins from the body and also serve as mild and gentlelaxatives.

7. Any food taken should not retard and impede the processof elimination which includes excretion of urine, faeces,phlegm, wind and perspiration.

Massage

Massage is a simple and effective method to attain and maintain ideal health. Therapeutic massage has been a well known method

(that still exists in various cultures and civilizations dating back to thousands of years) profusely and frequently employed to promote general well-being. Self esteem, to boost immune and circulatory systems, to normalise blood pressure, remove extra fat content from the body, regulate respiration, improve digestion, muscle tone and skin tone. Different massage techniques have been successfully employed, developed and integrated into various therapies.