As you eat treat the source not symptom

As you eat treat the source not symptom

There is something to be said in favour of traditional healing systems anywhere in the world that seek to treat the source of the malady rather than address symptoms. For instance, headaches, muscle pain, fever, obesity, low energy are all symptoms of a deeper malaise, but we rush to suppress or obliterate the symptom instead of going to the root cause. This is true of both physical and mental illnesses, for what we see is not what needs to be treated; the cause lies elsewhere; symptoms are warning signals begging us to investigate and apply remedies to the disease.

Among the most effective and harmless methods of achieving holistic wellness is to eat right. By adopting the right diet, one can arrest progress of many diseases and natural health-enhancing foods tend to maintain good energy levels, and are not associated with bad side-effects unless of course for example, one is prone to allergies to specific nuts and spices.

According to Ayurveda, health science is divided into eight specialised branches: general medicine, pediatrics, psychiatry plus psychosomatic diseases, diseases related to ENT plus head and eyes, general surgery, toxicology, rejuvenation therapy and aphrodisiac therapy. Every living and non-living being is a combination of the five basic eternal elements, the panchamahabhootas – earth, water, fire, air and ether. The additional input in the human body is chetna, consciousness, the life spark, spirit or soul.

The five elements manifest in the body as tridosha, the three basic principles, subtle energies – vata, pitta and kapha. Air and ether combine as vata; fire makes up pitta, and the earth and water elements combine in kapha. These three basic principles govern all biological, physiological and physio-pathological factors of body, mind and consciousness.

At the Kerala Travel Mart 2022 held in Kochi recently, several stalls displayed Ayurvedic products and locally grown spices while others showcased spas, wellness resorts and Ayurvedic hospitals designed as healing getaways, complete with trained doctors, nurses, treatments and therapies.

‘Annam Vrittikaraanaam Shreshthaha’ – wholesome food enhances our vitality and strength and makes the body sturdy – advised a board in Sanskrit, displayed at the food court, at the Somatheeram Ayurvedic foodstall that offered delicious preparations conforming to ayurvedic principles. All parts of the banana tree were transformed into delectable dishes like banana flower cutlets that melt in your mouth; a pinkish water drink made with herb and root infusions that serve as a pick-me-up; dried ginger coffee; flattened red rice mixed with palm sugar, moringa (drumstick) soup, millet chapatis and more. Says Somatheeram founder and president of KTM, Baby Mathew, “The 260 dishes compiled based on this ancient science include soups, salads, juices and regular meal items. Soma was a juice consumed for eternity by the gods and theeram means sandy beach – it’s a great combination to heal mind, body and soul.”

A combination of yoga, meditation, health-promoting food and salubrious surroundings can create the perfect balance that keeps mind, body and soul together. A Chinese proverb says, “You are what you eat.” This brings to mind the popular nursery rhyme: “It’s a very odd thing /As odd as can be – /That whatever Miss T eats, /Turns into Miss T!”