PRIYA BHAGAVAT BADNDUVAULLARA!VOICE OF THE RISHIS: 1COURTESY SHRI RAPARLA JANARADHANA RAO"HITAM BHUNJAA NMITHAM BHMJYAT"This ancient saying ordains that we should eat pleasant things andeat moderately too. Two aspects of our dietary system have beenthus defined. The food that we partake should be palatable (hitam)and the quantity should be neither too high nor too small (mitam)The type of food which is most suitable to a mental worker or thethinking class of people is the `Satvic' or the first type of food.Juicy fruits, nutritious substances like honey, milk, cereals etcare advocated. Pungent, too sour, too hot, too salty are the itemsof second type of Rajasic food. And the smelly, sleep inducing,left overs form the last type that is the third type Tamasic itemsof food.The food we eat should be pleasant to taste, pleasing to the eye.This is what the term `hitam' conveys.`Mitam' is the moderation in quantity suggested. Three fourths ofstomach with food and water and one fourth for air to act aspressure is indicated in Yoga.Light dinner is also insisted upon in yoga texts. Jains do not takefood after sunset. So early night diet also is conducive tohealth. Gandhiji too used to have his dinner before sunset. Ourhealth, our longevity, our success in life depends much upon thetype, and quantity of food and also the manner and the time ofeating.
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