Baba
Popular food, but toxic
Namaskar,
At our various Ananda Marga gatherings - camps, RDS, seminars, and retreats etc - the common custom is to serve and eat deep fried foods. Most like to eat fried foods.
Guru Shrii Shrii Anandamurti ji’s guideline is to eat according to the dictates of pramitahara, as that is ideal food for sadhakas. And He differentiates between pramitáhára and parimitáhára. More about this is explained further down in this letter.
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Harmful effects of fried food
It is prevalent in India and around the globe for margiis to gather and eat fried food. Yet so many studies have proven that frying food in oil / fat / butter has a disastrous effect on one’s health and well-being. Due to high heat, that oil / fat / butter, or any fat, becomes toxic and carcinogenic, leading to cancer, a heart attack / heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, obesity, and premature death.
One of the common techniques - especially in India - is to burn oil / fat in the bottom of the cookpot and then add spices and vegetables. That has a similarly harmful effect as deep frying. Because the oil has been heated, burned, and turned into a toxic element.
So there should not be any confusion - there are three ways that cooking with oil is harmful to health:
(a) Deep fry in batter until fully cooked;
(b) Half-cook vegetables in boiling oil and then finish cooking using water;
(c) Cook spices and vegetables in oil - initial frying - and then add water to complete cooking the vegetables.
All three of these cooking styles are very disastrous for health.
In addition, oil should not be added to dishes that are very watery like soups and sauces, as water and oil do not mix well. The oil just floats to the top. So the mixture is very difficult to digest. But if one has a very strong stomach then under duress it may get digested. But mixing oil into watery foods should be avoided if one's digestive power is weak.
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How carbohydrates become toxic
Here is an important point related with oil that is not commonly known. Basically whenever carbohydrates - and there are thousands of them such as potatoes, pasta, wheat, and corn products etc - are cooked in oil then a byproduct that results is acrylamide. And this acrylamide is a toxic poison that causes cancer. Whenever carbohydrate is deep fried, cooked in oil, or baked in the oven with oil then the toxin acrylamide is created in that food.
If oil is not used when heating carbohydrates then it is safe. But remember, almost all prepackaged, company products like store-bought bread etc contain oil. That oil is used as a preservative to maintain freshness. That means if anyone toasts or cooks that bread - and does not add any oil to it - even then that toxin acrylamide is created because already there is oil in the bread. So it becomes a very tricky affair. It means that all those baked or fried salty snack foods like chips etc are filled with high levels of acrylamide. Same is the case with roasted nuts, and that is why they are also toxic.
Now let’s apply our knowledge and examine a few pieces of toast. And remember, no extra oil or butter was put on the bread before toasting it. But since the bread is made with oil then when heated it will become toxic and carcinogenic. Similarly, carbohydrates like fried potatoes etc - as well as any roasted nuts - contain acrylamide to varying degrees, depending upon the amount of oil and the temperature at which it was cooked.
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Good & bad oil
(a) The best fats are considered to be unsaturated fats, including monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. These fats have numerous health benefits.
(b) Never eat: (1) hydrogenated fat, (2) trans fat, or (3) saturated fat.
(c) Fat should be no more than 25% of your daily caloric intake.
(d) Fats are to be strictly avoided if you are overweight according to the BMI (body mass index) scale.
(e) Oil that is old, rancid, and highly processed is very bad.
(f) Remember that all oil has a shelf life. Some oil goes bad in 15 days and some gets rotten after a few months. Whatever may be, rancid oil is toxic.
(g) As far as possible, try to use organic, cold-pressed, unrefined, unfiltered oil. That is ideal.
(h) Never heat the oil. Rather it should be applied to food that is already cooked and out of the cookpot.
(i) Eat oil when feeling strong hunger - either a spoon of oil can be taken in isolation or added to their food.
Bear in mind that when eating oil one should only eat about 40% of the amount of their regular sized meal. Then it will be easily digested.
Another way to get important / healthy fats and oils into the diet is by taking seed oils and eating nuts. The best approach is to soak those raw oil seeds (sesame seeds or flax seeds etc) and raw nuts (peanut, ground nut etc) for 12 - 24 hrs and, if possible change and discard the water used for soaking, then blend that into a saucy mixture. Eating those blended nuts and seeds will fulfill the requisite amount of oil / fat intake for the body.
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Eating when travelling
Travelling plays a big role in the life of most Wts - and many margiis as well. However, when travelling, one should not compromise on the point of food and healthy eating habits. One should not start eating red chillies, fried foods, or foods cooked in heated and burned oil. Eating oil is okay but it should not be cooked.
So the best way is to try and convince those whom one is visiting about the health benefits of not eating food cooked in oil. It is a basic point of health, and most will be receptive to this idea. Just they need to understand why it is important and how they can alternatively prepare their food. Cooking oil in a pot is toxic so no food or spices should be prepared in this way. Spices cooked in water are fine - so long as those spices are not adulterated. Thus the two chief things to avoid are red chillies and any cooked oil.
Whenever traveling from place to place, it is best to always educate those whom one is staying with about these points. The great benefit is that they can improve their health dramatically, plus when staying there in the future the food situation will be very good. Most probably, the traveller will be able to convince many in this regard. One final travel tip, remember to eat raw leafy vegetables - if other cooked vegetables are not available.
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Fundamental eating rules for sadhakas
Pramitáhára: Take a nutritionally-balanced diet, with stomach 50% food, 25% water, and 25% air. Food should be: (a) sáttvika; (b) of least developed ‘I’-feeling; (c) from cruelty-free production; and, (d) purchased with pure money. Avoid food: (a) from a mean-minded cook; (b) in a támasika environment; (c) at a death ceremony; or, (d) at a feast given for show.
Difference between pramitáhára & parimitáhára
Ananda Marga ideology states, “Pramitáhára – there is a difference between pramitáhára and parimitáhára. Parimitáhára means “[limited] diet”, and pramitáhára means “balanced diet”. The body should have a balanced diet. [Limitation] alone will not do. Just to [limit] the quantity of food will not do – one will have to take a balanced diet, to make the body and mind strong. Food should be substantial, though moderate in quantity. This is pramitáhára.” (1)
Some Indian dogmatic ascetics do not care about food and just eat a very little quantity of grass, leaves, or boiled vegetables. Here the main aim is to eat as little as possible. But Baba critiques this approach as one has to eat a balanced and nutritious diet - and at the same time eat a moderate amount of food. The stomach should never be more than 50% full of food, as 25% should be reserved for water and 25% for air.
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And here is another important point to bear in mind. Baba guides us that we should exercise restraint and use our vivek when considering what food to eat.
Ananda Marga ideology states, “On food. This all-round restraint is indeed necessary. It will not do to simply eat what you get or do what you desire. When you eat you must consider if it is sentient, mutative or static. While eating you must think carefully as to what influence it will have over your body and your mind. You are not a goat or a camel that you will eat whatever you get. You have to think when you act.” (2)
Conclusion
Diet and food choices are key components of human health. As Ananda Margiis and adherents of yogic way of living, it is important that we practice proper eating habits in our day to day life. That means not using oil at high heat and being keenly aware of food products containing acrylamide.
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Namaskar,
in Him
Vasudeva
~ In-depth study ~
Food must not be taken indiscriminately
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "Cells generally grow out of light, air, water and the food we eat. The nature of food and drink has its effect upon the cells, and consequently also influences the human mind. Obviously each and every sádhaka, or spiritual aspirant, should be very cautious in selecting food. Suppose a person takes támasika, or static, food. The result will be that after a certain period, static cells will grow and exercise a static influence on the aspirant's mind. Human beings must select sáttvika, or sentient, or rájasika, or mutative, food according to time, place and person. This will lead to the birth of sentient cells, which in turn will produce a love for spiritual practice and help in attaining psychic equilibrium and equipoise, leading to immense spiritual elevation." (3)
Sadguru Baba says, "If cells are affected by food and water, and if the nature of the cells affects the nature of the human mind, obviously human beings should eat the correct diet, because food and mind are closely related to each other. Any food item, whether good or bad, must not be taken indiscriminately because it may lead to mental degeneration. Sincere spiritual aspirants must follow the dictum: Áhárashuddhao sattvashudhih [“A sentient diet produces a sentient body”]. Only food which is helpful in keeping the body and mind sentient should be eaten." (4)
Food affects your cells & mind
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "The human body is constituted of innumerable living cells. These cells develop and grow with the help of similar living entities. The nature of your living cells will be formed in accordance with the type of food you take. Ultimately all these together will affect your mind to some extent. If the cells of the human body grow on rotten and bad-smelling food, or on the fresh flesh of animals in which mean tendencies predominate, it is but natural that the mind will have a tendency of meanness. The policy of eating, without due consideration, whatever is available cannot be supported in any case, even though there may not be any question of hiḿsá or ahiḿsá. It should not be your policy to do what you wish. You must perform actions after due thought. For continued subsistence a policy will have to be adopted for taking food." (5)
Ananda Marga ideology states, "“Śaśt́haiṋca pramit́áháro”: one must have a balanced diet. “Whatever I get, that I will eat” – this must not be the policy of a sane being. This human body is a composite of protoplasmic cells, and these protoplasmic cells are made of the food we take in. If the food and drink is defective, then the protoplasmic cells will also become defective, and the human mind, which is the collective mind of so many protoplasmic minds, will also become defective. That is why támasik or static food has a negative influence on the human mind." (6)
This first below piece contains a harmful and bad degree - i.e. relatively lower amount of the carcinogenic acrylamide - because it is less cooked. See the light brown potato fries below.
This first below piece contains the most amount of acrylamide because it is the most cooked. See the light brown, dark brown, and even black charred sections on this below piece of toast.
Now let’s see these two below pieces of toast as a comparison. The slice below on the right is mostly brown so it will also have high levels of the toxin acrylamide. Whereas the piece of toast on the left is very lightly cooked so it will have comparatively lower levels of acrylamide.
Thus, all the above carbohydrates - as well as any roasted nuts - contain acrylamide to varying degrees, depending upon the amount of oil and the temperature at which it was cooked.
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 23, The Dialogues of Shiva and Párvatii – 3
2. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 9, The Primary Causes of Success
3. Yoga Psychology, Food, Cells, Physical and Mental Development
4. Yoga Psychology, Food, Cells, Physical and Mental Development
5. A Guide to Human Conduct, Ahimsa
6. Subhasita Samgraha - 18, Physical Propulsion, Psychic Propensities and Spiritual Attainment
* * *
The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stand on their own as points of interest.
* * *
== Section 2: Prabhat Samgiita ==
“Svarńa shatadal pulake jhalamala, aruńa áloy tumi dharáy esechile…” (Prabhat Samgiita #3083)
Purport:
Parama Purusa, You have taken advent on this earth in this glorious crimson dawn. You are seated on the hundred-petaled golden lotus, glittering in bliss. You have set afloat the fragrant floral aroma on the gentle, spring, ocean breeze. In a blink of an eye, with Your sweet love, You have beautifully captivated everyone’s mind and heart.
Parama Purusa, Baba, You remain ever-awake age after age, and stay by everyone’s bedside with Your ota yoga. You saturate one and all with sweet love, affection, mine-ness during their pains and pleasures, and through the whole gamut of their emotions. You are new and still newer in meditation everyday. Supreme Entity, You are ever-new. Swaying in their mind, You blessed everyone to lose themselves in deep meditation.
Baba, Your ahaetuki karuńá (causeless karun’a’) cannot ever be forgotten. You go on floating in the rhythm of life with green and fresh beauty, and with Your exquisite charm. Baba, You exist, so I exist. I am dancing and centering around Your lotus feet. By pouring the sweetness of my heart in each gesture and movement of my dance, I surrender at Your altar always…
== Section 3: Important Teaching ==
Ananda Marga ideology guides, "Our social code provides clear guidelines on how members will adapt to this modern, rapidly changing world. There have been more changes in the past 200 years than in the 800 years prior to that. In education, culture, dress and food habits major changes have taken place. Old, outdated wooden shoes, turbans, etc. have been replaced by modern shoes, hats and clothes made from scientific fabrics with contemporary designs. Primitive bullock carts, horse-drawn carriages, hackney coaches, etc., have been replaced with fast-moving cars, trains, and aeroplanes. In the past, people used to travel by elephant, but now they can travel to other planets by rocket. There should be a proper adjustment between the body and the mind to keep pace with the fast speed of the development in the world. For this reason, Ananda Marga spiritual practices place much importance on ásanas, práńáyáma, etc.” (1)
Reference
1. Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell - 4, Our Social Treatise
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Ananda Marga philosophy says, “The third health-determining element is kapha, or the liquid, viscous portion of the body. Excess kapha creates spontaneous heat within the body which manifests externally as fever...Ginger is the enemy of kapha, the destroyer of kapha. Thus one name of ginger in ayurveda is kapha’ri. Similarly, arum or elephant root is the destroyer of arsha [piles] so arum in Sanskrit is called arsha’ri or arshaghnii.” (1)
Note: The first two health determining elements are va’yu and pitta.
Reference
1. Shabda Cayanika - 3, Kakubh to Kavaśńa (Discourse 17)
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Current affairs: for those who left one group and joined an inferior group
(Baba warns that their situation will be worst.)
This below quote is for those Hindus who got frustrated with Hinduism and joined in Islam, or H group margiis or Wts who got frustrated with H group and joined B group. To save themselves from jackals they jumped into the fire.
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “Due to the many shortcomings in one religion and its exploitation of so-called lower caste people, many of these so-called low caste people left that religion and accepted another. When people leave their religion for no significant reason and accept another religion which suffers from ideological vacuum or is even inferior to the religion which they previously followed, they develop hysterical behaviour. They start excessively doing those things which were once prohibited to them by their previous religion. So we find that the person who has converted to another religion takes more beef than a normal member of that religion. This type of behaviour cannot be found in those who had ideologically accepted that religion.” (1)
References
1. Prout in a Nutshell - 15, The Existential Value of Ideology
== Section 4: Links ==
