Steps to a Happy Life

(First part)

Protect Complete Health.

Enjoy Prosperity at all times.

Dr. Manthena Satyanarayana Raju

https://www.manthena.org

Dedication

Dr. V.V.Ramaraju

Naturopathy Physician

Sri Chode Apparao Naturopathy Treatment Center, Kakinada–3

To the revered, kind-hearted, and respected teacher who breathed life into my journey and shaped me into a physician whose path serves the welfare of society; who laid a gentle, jasmine-like path for the spirit of service within me; and who blessed me with unforgettable love and affection — to the lotus feet of Dr. V. V. Ramaraju, the jewel among physicians and a master of yoga, this book is dedicated.

With reverence and obedience,

Dr. Manthena Satyanarayana Raju

Index

Foreword

Submission

1. Health Is the Greatest Fortune

2. Nature Cure — Its Necessity

3. Fasting

4. Enema

5. Comfortable Bowel Movement Brings Comfort

6. Water — Its Story

7. The Danger Caused by Salt

8. Food Is Health — Food Is Medicine

9. The Marvel of the Human Machine

10. Therefore, Be Careful! Be Careful!

11. Sprouted Grains — Nutritional Values

12. Misconceptions — Truths

13. Concluding Benediction

Foreword

Doing what is said is the most difficult thing in this world. Those who actually practice what they speak are very rare. Dr. Manthena Satyanarayana Raju is one among such rare individuals.

A true Indian possesses four qualities:

1. Studying the scriptures and systems of knowledge.

2. Teaching those teachings to others.

3. Practicing in daily life what has been studied.

4. Sharing with the world the experiences gained through that practice.

Those who possess all these four qualities are called true Indians. Dr. Satyanarayana Raju belongs to this noble category.

He has studied the system of Nature Cure. He ensures that many others also learn this science. Whatever he has studied, he practices it meticulously — down to the smallest detail — in his daily life. Through such practice, he openly shares all the experiences he has gained with the world.

This is a very rare quality. To live like this, one must have unwavering faith in the principles one believes in. Such principles must also be expressed fearlessly before others. There are many direct and visible examples that prove our doctor possesses all these noble virtues.

So far, he has provided medical treatment and medical advice to thousands of people. In offering this service, he makes no distinctions based on age, status, or background. The world is filled with people of many kinds, but whether the person before him is poor or wealthy makes no difference to him at all.

To those who approach him with genuine need, he explains the matters they ask about with great humility. When it comes to explaining the science of Nature Cure, he shows neither tiredness nor hesitation. Most admirable of all is the way he carries out his work selflessly, without expecting anything in return from others.

Having the good fortune to know Dr. Satyanarayana Raju, a man endowed with so many noble qualities, is not only my blessing but also the fortune of all the people of the Konaseema region. That he offers his services continuously — from 3 o’clock in the early hours of the morning until 11 o’clock at night — filled me with wonder.

I have never seen weariness on his face, only a gentle smile at all times. For six months, he stayed in Amalapuram and restored health to countless patients through nature-based treatment. The fact that I am one among those who regained health in this way gives me great joy.

Not only I, but many of my fellow physicians also received treatment from him and came to understand the true value of nature cure. If we wish to repay even a small part of the debt we owe him, we too must practice life as he practiced it. I therefore pray to God to grant us the strength needed to live and act in the same way.

During the time he stayed in Amalapuram, the doctor delivered clear and meaningful lectures on the system of nature-based healing. Everyone who listened to those lectures felt that such valuable talks should be brought out in the form of a book, so that they could be useful to many more people.

When this opinion was shared with the doctor, he accepted it with warmth and goodwill. As a result, all his lectures have now taken the form of this small book. I express my sincere gratitude to him for accepting the request of the listeners and making this book available to us.

With the hope that Dr. Satyanarayana Raju will continue to work tirelessly in the same manner and spread the principles of nature cure far and wide, I offer my respectful tribute and take leave.

With obedience and respect,

Dr. G. Vivekananda Varma, M.B.B.S., M.S.

Amalapuram

Submission

This is not a book of stories. It is a book that speaks about human suffering and the ways to overcome it. It explains why human beings experience suffering and which path they can follow to free themselves from it.

In this book, nature-based healing is examined not merely as a medical system, but as a law of nature itself. Many delicate and sensitive matters are discussed here — sometimes in subtle detail, and sometimes in a broader and more direct manner.

Why do I call these matters sensitive? Every human being lives in this world seeking happiness, yet remains constantly immersed in sorrow. If happiness is what one seeks, why does sorrow arise? It is because human beings fail to strictly follow what they ought to practice in life. The intellect wishes to follow principles of health, but the mind stands in the way. Humans fall prey to the temptations created by the mind.

Even while knowing what is right, they knowingly step onto harmful paths. They adopt medicines they do not truly need. They pursue unnecessary luxury and display. They know that smoking damages the lungs. They know that drinking coffee suppresses hunger. They know that alcohol destroys judgment. They know that consuming intoxicating substances turns a human into something less than human. Yet, despite knowing all this, people find themselves unable to live without these habits. This itself is astonishing.

Let us set aside the common man for a moment — he may not be well educated. But what about the educated? Why go that far — if even doctors, whose duty is to restore health to others, become slaves to addictions, is there any greater irony than this?

Because I have discussed such sensitive matters in this book, I know I will face criticism. Yet, despite knowing this, I cannot hold back my anguish from being placed before the world. What I say here may hurt your feelings. When told not to drink coffee, one may feel angry. When asked to drink more water, one may feel irritated. When told not to eat meat, one may say, “Then do not speak to me at all.” When advised to fast, one may dismiss it as superstition. When asked to ensure smooth bowel movements, one may feel uncomfortable or offended.

But these are the truths as they are. Truth is always harsh. Falsehood is always pleasant. Just because falsehood sounds pleasant, I cannot lie to you. Even if harsh words are thrown at me, I choose to speak only the truth.

Everything explained in this book is based on the laws of nature — not on my imagination. Imagination has never guided my work. You may ask one question: “Do you yourself practice these laws of nature?” Even if the answer sounds strong, I will state the truth. I follow, one hundred percent, the health principles described in this book. I continuously experience what perfect health truly feels like. I know deeply how much joy health brings to a human being.

That is why I am sharing my experiences with you. I offer them to you with the hope that sharing them will bring me inner satisfaction — and that they will bring benefit to you as well.

Everything contained in this book has been presented along with my own experience. It is often said that experience comes first, and theory follows later. Goals arise first, and their signs appear afterward. In the same way, our sages practiced what brought happiness to human life, experienced it deeply, and realized its truth. They then offered those experiences to the world. This is the tradition of the sages, and it is our duty to respect that tradition.

For this reason, I have not burdened you with the weight of technical or scriptural references in this book. I have tried to present the subject in a way that is acceptable and understandable to everyone — from the most ordinary person to the most exceptional one.

Many books explaining nature-based healing have already been published. You may ask why there is a need for this book again. Taste differs from person to person. This small book is simply an attempt to share with you the taste that I myself have experienced.

This book is the written form of a chain of thoughts that has been moving and evolving within me for a long time. I believe it is not wrong to hope that, at every step in this book, you will hear a gentle appeal urging you to protect your health.

Even if, while reading this book, you feel that certain points have been expressed rather strongly, it does not matter. What truly matters is that you understand the message in the right spirit, practice it, become healthy yourself, and then help bring health to others. If that happens, my life itself will feel fulfilled. My effort will have succeeded. My heartfelt wish will have been realized.

In this effort, I express my heartfelt gratitude to Mr. B. V. Narasimha Raju, who especially encouraged me and extended his full support.

Printing a book is itself a sacred undertaking, much like a ritual. Many dedicated individuals took part in this effort. I also convey my thanks to Suraj Printers & Packagers, who printed this book beautifully, free from errors, and delivered it on time.

May all be well.

With respect to the wise,

Dr. Manthena Satyanarayana Raju

1. Health Is the Greatest Fortune

- Even if one possesses great wealth, health alone stands above all — life without health is nothing but a zero.

- Choose what is good in tradition — apply it wisely to modern life.

- Do not become weak by attraction — do not drain the strength of the nation.

- Be an example — offer an example to others.

- Education is that which offers ideals — a life without ideals is an illusion.

- Exercise woven into daily routines — a lifetime filled with health.

- A household without harmony is filled with sorrow — a body that avoids effort is burdened with disease.

- Idle hands invite harmful habits — work throughout the day and give up wrongdoing.

- Eat according to your effort — work according to what you eat.

- When food intake increases, money suffers — when weight increases, the body suffers.

- Understand the difference between needs and desires — and learn to live with awareness.

- Break the circle of endless desires — increase the value of meaningful goals.

- Surrender yourself — experience the presence of the divine.

- Practice throughout life — live with complete and perfect health.

“Health is the greatest fortune,” said the elders. They did not merely say it — they practiced it and became examples for all of us. While property and wealth are often called fortune, health alone was described as the greatest fortune. Why? Because its value is beyond measure.

It is impossible to fully express how fortunate a healthy person is in this world. In the same way, there is no one more unfortunate than a person who is unhealthy. Even if an unhealthy person possesses great wealth, it becomes useless to him — like moonlight shining in a forest, beautiful yet of no use.

There was a wealthy man who owned a sugar factory. Every day, tons of sugar from his factory were exported across the country. Yet, he himself could not put even a single spoon of sugar into his mouth, because he suffered from diabetes. Another man owned several luxury cars. At the snap of his fingers, hundreds would stand before him with folded hands. And yet, what was the use? He suffered from severe joint disease and could not even move properly. He could not get into his car. Though he owned a ten-storey building, he could not truly enjoy it in a manner befitting his status.

Such people are called unfortunate. This does not mean they lack fortune itself — it means they lack the ability to experience and enjoy their fortune. Do you see? What is the use of having great wealth? One must be able to eat heartily and with satisfaction. One must have the strength to digest what is eaten.

A person with wealth but without health lives in constant poverty. A person with health but without wealth lives in great fortune. In other words, the unhealthy person has everything yet possesses nothing, while the healthy person may have nothing yet possesses everything.

A healthy person does not suffer from mental weakness. An unhealthy person falls into mental stress over even the smallest matters. As a result, he invites conditions such as high blood pressure, stomach ulcers, and heart diseases into his life. The root cause of all this is simple — a person does not pay attention to his health, does not practice valuable principles of health, and does not live with awareness and wisdom.

Earlier times were not like the present day. People of the past treated principles of health as an integral part of daily life and practiced them regularly, thereby remaining healthy. In these matters, the difference between them and us is vast — like the difference between something precious and something worthless.

Not only in matters of health, but in every aspect of life, our ancestors thought carefully and acted with restraint. The practices they followed in matters of marriage were also of great value. They did not chase after dowry, nor did they place excessive importance on physical beauty.

Instead, they gave greater importance to the traditions of both families, their way of life, and the character and conduct of the bride and the groom. They would not finalize a marriage without thoroughly examining everything — from the behavior of the bride’s maternal uncles to the history of her grandfather and great-grandfather.

In the same way, the bride’s family would gather complete information about the groom’s family. Only after examining the history of at least three or four generations would both sides agree to a marriage. They would not make a decision lightly.

Today, however, times are very different. These are days when one goes alone to the marketplace and returns as a pair. If there is property and wealth, nothing else seems to matter — even chronic illness is ignored. If the girl is physically attractive, inner beauty is not considered. Even if the girl suffers from asthma, it does not matter, as long as the expected gains are received. Such is the nature of present-day society.

How can such couples give rise to healthy and worthy offspring? From the weak, only the weak are born. Both the seed and the soil are important. When a good seed falls on fertile soil, it yields rich results. It can grow into a tree that gives lasting wealth across generations. When healthy offspring are born, the entire lineage is uplifted.

That is why care was taken to ensure that the family lineages did not overlap. But today, those who think seriously about healthy progeny have become rare.

If you do not take this as mockery, I will say one thing. When we want good calves to be born to a cow in our backyard, we choose a strong and healthy bull. The same principle is followed when breeding horses meant for racing. When it comes to animals, humans show such careful attention — yet when it comes to themselves, they behave in the exact opposite way.

In other words, attention is not given where it truly should be. That is why the strength of the entire community has been weakened.

Even after children are born, are they being raised properly? Sadly, the answer is no. Parents are failing to provide children with the nourishing food they truly need. In earlier times, children were given plenty of milk and fruits. They were fed foods that would help them remain healthy for a long time. Mothers would lovingly care for their own children and nourish them fully.

Where is that tradition today? Many mothers now fall into the shallow belief that breastfeeding their own child will harm their physical appearance. Such thinking has become common in these times. The situation with fathers is no different. There are fathers who feel proud simply because they buy the most expensive ice cream for their child.

A child grows according to the behavior of the parents. If a father falls into bad habits, the child’s mind naturally runs in the same direction. If we behave well, the child too will behave well. But how many fathers today live in such a way?

In today’s world, even when a family has four members, all four walk different paths. Each person follows only his or her own habits. No one has the right to question another. Life goes on amid constant noise and chaos, like a fish market. Where can such a life possibly lead?

As if this were not enough, some so-called intellectuals now suggest that teaching children about sexual life from a very young age is a good thing. They believe that if these matters are explained early, children will gain awareness and eventually stop thinking about them.

This approach is like pouring clarified butter on one side while trying to put out the fire on the other.

Because of this kind of education, such indecent subjects leave permanent impressions on the minds of young children. Can a child who studies such lessons come home from school and truly experience the warmth and affection of resting in a mother’s lap?

One simple question arises. Which animals study manuals on sexuality before giving birth to their young? And we — after studying everything — what kind of children are we bringing into this world? An animal, without knowing anything, gives birth to offspring that are useful to life and nature. We, despite knowing so much, give birth to children who often become burdens to society.

Therefore, what we need is not this kind of education. What we need is education that can give birth to great souls like Vivekananda. In other words, we need education that leads to self-control and mastery over the senses. Those who attained such education were sages. Living beyond desire, they brought forth worthy offspring only when necessary, thus supporting the natural order of creation.

Because many such sages lived in this land of India, our country attained such purity and greatness. But today, a large section of society is caught and struggling in the whirlpool of so-called modernity.

All these troubles have a single root cause — the absence of the thought that we should live as ourselves. Even when there is no need, we blindly imitate others.

There is hardly any need to speak separately about today’s young men and women. In present-day television and cinema, even ten percent of the content cannot be said to be educational or morally uplifting. Wherever one looks, there are wall posters filled with half-clothed images. These stir animal instincts within human beings.

Because of constantly seeing such things, the backbone of the youth — who should stand as the strength of the nation — is breaking. Filled with petty and base thoughts, today’s youth are becoming completely weakened. As a result, young men and women in their twenties are experiencing the weaknesses of sixty-year-olds.

Today, children are not truly learning — they are buying education. Real education is slipping away from them. Education and mere schooling are not the same. Elders defined education as learning a way of living that does not cause harm to others. In earlier times, greater importance was given to education than to formal studies. Children learned such education in the lap of nature. During those times, their minds were as vast as the sky.

Those who understood the value of such education established places like Shantiniketan. Today’s youth do not have such opportunities. Modern education increases literacy, but it does not increase human values.

We must also speak a little about women. There is a saying that one should judge a household by looking at the woman of the house. This itself shows the importance our people once gave to the homemaker. It was said that where women are respected, all good things flourish, and where women are insulted, darkness prevails.

In earlier times, the homemaker stood beside her husband in fulfilling the aims of life — duty, prosperity, and fulfillment. The honor and reputation of an entire family rested on her conduct. Such was the ideal life she lived. When the homemaker was healthy, the entire household was healthy.

From the moment she woke before dawn until she went to bed at night, she performed all household duties with patience and skill. This itself was the reason for her good health. Through constant activity, her body rarely fell ill. Health principles were naturally woven into every daily task she performed.

At dawn, she would sweep the house and the courtyard. In those days, courtyards were spacious, and sweeping them itself served as good physical exercise. When lighting the stove, fire was kindled by blowing through a pipe, which provided excellent exercise for the lungs. Floors were coated with natural paste, preventing insects and germs from entering the house.

Cooking was done outdoors on traditional stoves using earthen pots. While cooking, women wore tightly secured clothing, preventing accidents. Another important point was that wearing slightly damp clothing helped conserve bodily energy. As a result, even after cooking for many people, women did not feel exhausted.

Meals were eaten while sitting on the floor. Serving food itself was a good form of exercise. Women in earlier times also bore more children. Caring for many children helped develop a balanced and broad-minded outlook. Through this, mental expansiveness developed naturally.

Applying natural cosmetics to the eyes, a mark on the forehead, and protective substances to the feet all contributed to good health. Applying protective paste to the feet prevented bacteria from entering the body and also prevented cracked heels during winter.

Another important practice was singing devotional songs while cooking. This transformed food from mere nourishment into something sacred. Drawing water from wells, growing plants, washing clothes on stones — all these activities strengthened the body.

During free time, women attended spiritual discourses and traditional storytelling at temples. Because of all this, they remained healthy both mentally and physically. The saying “Work itself is worship” finds clear expression in all these practices.

It was for this reason that it was said women need not separately study sacred texts. Such texts explain the principles that bring peace and happiness to human life. Women practiced these principles effortlessly through their daily routines. Therefore, it was said that they did not need separate instruction — they were already living those truths.

The situation of men in earlier times was no different. They would rise in the early hours of dawn and walk to the fields, breathing in the pure, divine air that flows during those early moments of the morning. Through this, they inhaled fresh, unpolluted air in abundance.

By constantly looking at green crops and open fields, they rarely suffered from eye ailments. Activities such as twisting ropes for calves, caring for cattle, cutting green fodder, pulling grass bundles, harvesting coconuts, and irrigating fields provided excellent physical exercise for the body.

After working in the fields throughout the day, they would return home in the evening and take a bath in warm water. This washed away all the physical fatigue accumulated during the day. After eating, deep sleep would overtake them. From that sound sleep, they would naturally wake again around three in the early morning.

Because both men and women remained constantly engaged in meaningful work at fixed times, there was no room to criticize others or to entertain negative thoughts about anyone. Without realizing it, the discipline of inner balance and self-control became part of their lives. For this reason, there was no need for separate practices such as breathing exercises or other formal disciplines.

They generally wore simple white handwoven clothes. Meals were taken while there was still daylight. In the mornings, they ate leftover rice prepared the previous night. They wore simple protective footwear for their feet. All these practices were meant solely to preserve and protect good health.

In today’s society, such a healthy environment is nowhere to be seen. Neither men nor women get any real physical exercise. Our lives have become confined to small rented houses with just a few rooms. No matter how much we move around, it is all within those narrow walls.

There is no need to draw water from wells anymore — overhead tanks have arrived. There is no need to wash clothes — washing machines are ready. There is no need to work with firewood stoves — gas flames burn in every home. There is no need to sit on the floor for meals — dining tables have taken over. There is no need to sweep or mop the house — vacuum cleaners have appeared.

Our connection with grinding stones, hand-pounders, mortars, and pestles has been completely cut off. In their place, electric grinders now run endlessly. Even the toilet has become an extension of the house, fitted indoors. Foreign-style commodes have arrived, where there is no need even to squat. Bathrooms now have shower systems.

And what about men? For them, sunrise is at seven in the morning. As soon as they wake up, their eyes go straight to the newspaper. Then come hurried routines, followed by office work, returning home in the evening or attending informal gatherings at clubs for food and entertainment. If the day’s fortune is good, they eat on time. As if this were not enough, there are air conditioners and coolers.

There is no need to even speak about children. If, by luck, the first child is a boy, that itself is considered enough. All attention is focused on him alone. If he sneezes or coughs, parents feel their very lives are at risk. Along with the child, the parents themselves develop childish fears.

As for the house — no more lime coating, no turmeric at the doorstep. Everything is handed over to commercial paint companies. This is the nature of the present generation.

During leisure time, people sit comfortably on sofas for hours, sipping coffee and remaining glued to the television screen. In such a daily routine, is there even the slightest physical effort for the body? Is there any peace for the mind?

Then how can fatigue, joint pains, headaches, and heart diseases not occur? If they did not occur, that would be surprising. When they do occur, what is there to be surprised about?

To make matters worse, the air is polluted, food is adulterated, and in the end, even human beings have become adulterated. People have fallen to the lowest possible level — and then fallen even further.

Because of being trapped in this poisonous circle of so-called modern living, human beings are losing opportunities for physical effort, and the body is becoming bulky and overweight. Some people become so heavy that they are unable to carry their own weight.

The elders used to say that debt is not wealth, and swelling is not strength. How can fat be called strength? In the effort to reduce excess weight, people go through endless struggles and adopt many harmful practices.

Many believe that if they eat less food, their weight will decrease. But this does not reduce fat — instead, it drains a person’s energy. A person who does no physical work becomes overweight even with little food, while a person who works continuously remains strong and steady.

For someone who eats to live, the body never grows excessively. But for those who live to eat, the body not only becomes bulky, it turns into a burden. People no longer understand when to eat, how much to eat, or why to eat.

Do you see how this happens? The more happiness a person seeks, the more suffering he experiences. The more luxury he desires, the more hardship he invites. All these troubles arise because one fails to understand the value of simplicity.

There is another important point to notice here. Whether a person is lean or overweight, the heart, lungs, and kidneys remain the same. They do not increase in size just because the body becomes heavier. Their capacity remains unchanged.

As more water is added, buttermilk becomes thinner. In the same way, as body weight increases, the burden on the body’s organs increases. They are forced to work many times harder than they were meant to. As a result, a body that should serve for a hundred years becomes exhausted in fifty.

Again and again, this body-machine cries out, “I can no longer pull this load.” Yet, the human being fails to listen to that cry. Just as ten people sitting on a vehicle meant for two would cause damage, excessive body weight brings similar harm.

All these troubles arise because humans have abandoned physical effort. Seeking happiness, they end up purchasing sorrow. In other words, by accumulating more than what is necessary, desires increase — and with them, endless damage follows.

The modern human being is unable to understand the difference between needs and desires. A human being has only three basic needs:

1. A handful of food to sustain the body.

2. A small shelter to rest and take refuge.

3. Clothing to cover the body.

These alone are true needs. In other words, whatever threatens human survival in its absence can be called a need. These three are sufficient for a person to live.

Then is the modern lifestyle that has spread everywhere in the world really a necessity for human beings? Certainly not. All these are nothing but desires constantly bubbling up in the human mind. A person can live even without television, radio, or expensive decorations.

Yet, fearing that life may become difficult without them, people convert desires into needs and rush to the marketplace, buying everything that shines before their eyes. In earlier times, people lived happily without any of these things. They spread happiness to those around them and did not fall into moral decline under any circumstances.

Today, human beings are steadily losing moral values. Imitating others has become second nature to us. If the neighbor buys a scooter, or the house next door buys a television, or the one behind buys a refrigerator, it becomes unbearable. Whether we truly need them or not, we borrow money and buy them anyway.

Through this single attitude of unhealthy competition, human beings bring countless troubles upon themselves. The mind must turn away from all this. In truth, we have deliberately attached ourselves to many things we never really needed.

Now, slowly and calmly, without disturbing the mind, we must begin to let go — one by one — of the unnecessary things we have attached to ourselves. We must regain the health that we have lost due to many reasons.

To regain health in this way, we must choose a healthy and appropriate system of treatment. Relying on one single method for every problem — as though one solution fits everything — is foolishness. One must think carefully about which system of treatment is suitable for the stage and nature of one’s illness. This is where, without exception, most of us make mistakes.

If we wish to live for our full lifespan with a strong body, free from suffering and anxiety, we should turn to Ayurveda. Ayurveda nourishes the body tissues, purifies the blood, and prevents the body from deteriorating, keeping a person youthful for a long time.

For mental weakness and emotional imbalance, homeopathy is highly beneficial. Homeopathic treatment removes mental disturbances and helps restore complete health.

When a person’s life itself is in danger, it is allopathy that rescues him from that critical state and brings him back to safety. When surgery becomes unavoidable for treating a disease, allopathic medicine must be relied upon without hesitation.

Through nature-based healing, the accumulated impurities in the body are cleansed through fasting and cleansing practices. After this, by making appropriate changes in diet and consuming foods that increase the body’s resistance to disease, the body can be strengthened to a remarkable degree.

In this way, there are many systems of treatment in the world that strengthen the human body. All of them have come into existence by divine grace for the welfare of humanity. Together, these systems form the great tree of medical science. Each system of medicine is like a branch of this tree.

To argue that one branch alone is superior is ignorance. When people claim, “My branch is greater than yours,” and enter into conflict, it shows a lack of balance and breadth of understanding. Each medical system has its own value and its own role. No single system is complete by itself. They are not separate rivals — they complement one another.

The same is true of the human body. No single part is complete on its own. One eye alone is not enough — there must be a mind to see through it. A mind alone is not enough — it needs the five senses as its instruments. Human beings are the sum total of all these parts, not any one part alone.

When we develop the ability to see life as an integrated whole, we can achieve anything. Therefore, when illness arises, it is always wiser to follow not the treatment we merely like, but the treatment that we truly need.

Finally, one last word. Even after knowing all these things and choosing a suitable system of treatment with complete faith, there are times when full recovery does not come. What is needed then is the grace of a teacher. Divine grace reaches us through the teacher. To receive such grace, one must have complete surrender toward that teacher. When such surrender is present, illness within us disappears, regardless of the system of treatment used.

But how many of us truly possess such surrender? Therefore, we can reach our goal through disciplined practice of yoga. Waking up during the early hours of the morning, practicing breathing exercises in a calm and cool atmosphere, serving God with devotion and sincerity, expressing complete faith in the teacher, reading uplifting texts whenever possible, participating in gatherings of the virtuous, selflessly helping those in distress, serving elders with humility, visiting sacred places, and bathing in holy rivers — when all these are practiced with purity of thought, word, and action, human beings rise to the level of sages.

Hence, if we wish to regain the health we have lost — knowingly or unknowingly — we must practice these disciplines throughout our lives. What is required for this is devotion, sincerity, and faith. When these are fully present within us, we can achieve anything.

Let us all strive together, attain this state, and live in perfect health.

May all be well.

2. Nature Cure — Its Necessity

- Follow the laws of nature — live a healthy and exemplary life.

- Excess eating leads to illness — eating according to hunger leads to health.

- Waste accumulated in the body — is purified through nature.

- Algae does not cling to flowing water — a body that works hard does not fall prey to disease.

- Waste accumulated in the intestines — is the resting place of all diseases.

- It is true that taste is the cause of disease — proper diet is the real medicine.

- To remove disease, remove its cause — nature cure alone is the refuge.

- Medicines do not increase life force — accepting natural food is the wise path.

- The body is made of five elements — treatment too must be based on the same five elements.

- Follow the ways of nature — lead a life of virtue and well-being.

Nature is made up of the five elements — earth, water, fire, air, and space. These are known as the five elements. The human body is also composed of these same five elements. That is why elders said that whatever happens in the vast universe also takes place within this small universe called the human body.

This shows how sacred nature is — and how sacred our body is as well, since it is born from nature, grows within nature, and ultimately merges back into nature. Therefore, there is no separation between nature and human beings — they are one and the same. Those who understood this truth were the sages. They learned to revere the powers and intelligence of nature and to live in harmony with it. Unfortunately, in the present age, this understanding has almost disappeared.

All living beings in creation — said to be countless in number — are composed of the five elements. That is why they naturally consume food provided by nature, live in a natural way, and remain healthy throughout their lifespan. Only human beings have gone astray and fallen prey to temptations.

The rest of the living world lives naturally, without studying anything, and without falling ill. What doctors, medicines, or hospitals keep them healthy? None. They remain happy and healthy simply by following the laws of nature, thereby becoming examples for us.

If we observe the way they live, we see that they eat natural food only when they are hungry, and they eat until their hunger is satisfied. They perform physical effort to obtain their food and take rest appropriate to that effort. As a result, they enjoy good health.

Human beings, however, act in complete opposition to natural law. Humans alone have the ability to eat without hunger. Humans alone have the ability to avoid physical effort as much as possible. How, then, can illness not arise?

Respect for the laws of nature is absent in humans — precisely because humans consider themselves intelligent. There is another point worth noticing. Animals and birds that live freely in nature do not suffer from diseases. But animals and birds raised by humans do fall ill. This happens because they eat the food given by humans, which leads them to hospitals.

The chickens and dogs we raise develop various diseases, just like humans, simply because they eat the same unnatural food that we provide.

As a result, seventy-five percent of the foods and tastes that humans consume end up sustaining doctors, while only twenty-five percent truly nourishes the body. In earlier times, our elders lived healthy lives for as long as they lived, free from disease. This was because they engaged in sufficient physical labor and ate only as much food as was needed to restore that energy.

In today’s times, both these are missing. Physical effort has reduced, while food intake has increased. God has gifted human beings with a fine intellect — and for what purpose? So that we may live in good health. Yet, modern humans have lost the ability to think in this way.

By consuming excessive varieties of tastes beyond what is necessary, people are making their bodies vulnerable to disease from childhood itself. Today, humans think about health only after falling ill — like trying to hold leaves after the hands have already been burned. Our ancestors, on the other hand, thought about health in advance, so that disease would never arise.

Modern humans lack such healthy foresight. As a result, they spend their entire lives living with illness and suffering, passing time like living corpses rather than truly living.

When this body, made of the five elements, falls ill, it is greatly beneficial to turn to treatments that arise naturally from nature. Nature cure is not, in truth, a separate or special system of medicine. It is the law of nature itself. Nature cure is the science that helps completely remove diseases from the body and also prevents them from returning. It also teaches what must be done so that diseases do not arise in the first place.

Every day, we clean the dust that settles on the outside of vehicles such as scooters. If there is any damage to the internal parts, we remove those parts and, if necessary, replace them with new ones. In the same way, we cleanse the outer parts of our body every morning and evening by bathing.

This cleans only the outer body. But we are unable to wash away the odors and impurities that arise from within. The method of cleansing the inner body in this manner is what is known as nature cure.

By adding lime to well water, we remove the pollution present in it. In the same way, through nature cure, we can remove the pollution that accumulates within the human body.

The waste materials formed in our body through food turn into disease when they are not properly expelled through the organs of elimination. In agriculture, a field has one channel through which fresh water flows in, and another channel through which dirty water flows out. In the same way, the human body has one channel for intake, but five channels for elimination.

If dirty water does not flow out through the drainage channel in a field, it stagnates there. Fresh water that comes in from outside then mixes with this stagnant dirty water, further polluting the field. All this damage occurs because the waste is not allowed to flow out.

Algae does not form in flowing water. But stagnant water becomes a breeding ground for germs. In the same way, when a person consumes food that goes against the laws of nature — that is, when various tastes such as sweet, sour, spicy, salty, ghee, oil, and heavy seasonings are sent into the body through a single channel — even though the waste produced by them is expelled through the five organs of elimination, impurities still remain inside the body.

What does this show? It clearly shows that the organs of elimination are not functioning properly. For them to work efficiently, the body requires adequate physical effort and sufficient intake of water.

Today, we are all living in an age of speed. Most of the physical work that we are meant to do is now being done by machines. As a result, there is very little physical effort left for us. But objects that are not used eventually rust — and the same happens to the human body.

A body that is used — that is, a body that works and exerts effort — remains active and warm. When there is no use, the organs of elimination begin to clog. Just as a drainage channel gets blocked if it is not cleaned every year, the organs of elimination within us also get blocked.

Those who do not engage in physical labor do not sweat. As a result, the impurities that should leave the body through sweat do not get expelled. People who do not sweat also feel less thirst. Because they drink less water, the kidneys fail to flush out impurities through urine.

A person who does not work physically does not feel true hunger. Therefore, he cannot eat much. And whatever little food he eats is consumed mainly for taste, not nourishment. As a result, bowel movements are not smooth. The waste that should leave the body through stool remains accumulated in the intestines, where it becomes a breeding ground for disease.

The fourth factor is the lungs. In people who do not engage in sufficient physical activity, the lungs do not function properly. Due to polluted air, prolonged sitting after eating, and excessive body weight, phlegm accumulates in the lungs and air circulation becomes restricted. As a result, the body does not receive sufficient life energy, and the blood is not purified regularly. When impure blood increases, it gradually damages the entire body.

The fifth organ is the liver. When impurities that should be expelled through the four organs of elimination mentioned earlier remain inside the body, the entire burden falls upon the liver. When this excessive load rests on the liver, it is no longer able to function with full strength. That is when conditions such as jaundice arise.

If the body is not given rest even after such a warning in the form of jaundice, the human being, driven by craving, continues to consume more harmful substances and pushes them into the digestive system. To prevent this — because allowing it would endanger life — the body brings about this illness as a means of protection.

In this way, by forcing rest upon the body, the liver cleanses not only itself but the entire system. Do you see how this works? No matter how foolishly we behave, the body continuously tries to protect us.

If a child bites the mother’s breast while drinking milk, does the mother stop feeding the child? No. With love, she offers the other breast. That is the nature of a mother’s love. In the same way, our life force protects us with the same depth of care.

Yet, as much as possible, we behave with ingratitude toward it. Such ingratitude is found only in human beings — not in any other living creature. If you give a dog even a small piece of bread, it remains loyal to you for a lifetime. What can we say about a human being who fails to understand even this simple truth?

It has become clear that disease can be cured only by following a system of treatment through which the disease-causing matter is expelled from the body. Such a wholesome system of treatment is nature cure. Nature cure identifies the root cause from which disease arises and works to remove that very cause.

This system of treatment causes no harm to the body. Not only that, it is capable of maintaining balance in the body for the entire span of life. On the other hand, there is no benefit in eating foods for taste on one side and taking medicines on the other. That is why discipline in diet is essential.

Nature’s science asks a simple question — when discipline in diet is practiced, why are medicines needed at all? Nature cure states that disease can be removed by making proper changes in food and lifestyle.

Modern systems of medicine advise reducing salt when blood pressure rises, avoiding sweets when diabetes appears, cutting down spices and sour foods when stomach ulcers occur, avoiding oily foods when fat increases, and reducing spices when gas trouble arises. All these problems arise because people are unable to control the tongue and continue eating for taste.

Doctors do advise giving up such tastes, but there is a difference. They do so hesitantly, and only after disease has already appeared. If they insist firmly on complete restraint, patients may stop coming to them. Therefore, medicines are prescribed on one side, while such advice is given on the other.

A practitioner of nature cure, however, speaks firmly and clearly — tastes must be given up completely. That alone is the law of nature. In fact, a truly genuine physician is one who first follows these principles personally and only then becomes worthy of advising patients.

If a doctor himself develops a craving for taste, he loses the moral authority to guide others. Today, because such principled physicians are rare, the general public no longer values medical advice.

One does not become a true doctor merely by education alone. Only a person who is perfectly healthy can be called a true physician. Such a person alone works for the welfare of the world. That is why such physicians were revered as embodiments of the divine — “The physician is divine itself.” (Vaidyo Narayano Harihi)

Nature cure is not something newly born or newly discovered. It has always existed as part of nature itself. Yet, because of our attachment to taste and indulgence, we reject this system of healing. The day we truly understand that nature cure is the ultimate refuge for human beings, we will gain immense benefit.

Many people are unable to practice nature cure properly because of certain misconceptions about it. Some believe that nature cure is meant only for reducing obesity and body weight. Others feel that thin people or unmarried youth should not follow nature cure. Still others think that this is the age to enjoy tastes freely, and wonder why they should restrain the tongue now.

At a superficial level, these arguments may appear reasonable. But when examined closely, they are nothing more than excuses made by those who lack the courage to control the tongue. Do diseases come based on age, obesity, or thinness? The truth is — they do. Therefore, the real issue is not whether one is overweight or thin. The real issue is whether disease is present or not.

It is only because the body lacks sufficient disease-fighting power that the life force is unable to expel impurities from within. This resistance to disease cannot be increased through medicines. It can be strengthened only by consuming natural food. When we do so, we show respect for the laws of nature.

Just as the ocean throws out what does not belong within it, a body endowed with strong resistance throws diseases out of itself.

That is why fasting, dietary discipline, proper intake of water, and renouncing indulgent tastes have all become essential parts of nature cure. Each of these will be explained in detail in the coming chapters. For now, I will briefly explain the most important treatments based on the five elements that form the core of nature cure.

Treatments Based on the Five Elements

1. Earth Therapy: In this therapy, the application of mud packs and treatments related to dietary discipline are of primary importance. By applying mud packs to the skin, toxic waste materials that have accumulated in the tissues beneath the skin are drawn out and removed. In this way, substances that need to be expelled through the skin are effectively eliminated.

The dietary practices associated with this therapy help in curing disease and also in preventing the recurrence of illness.

2. Water Therapy: This therapy includes hot-water baths, cold-water baths, foot baths, tub baths, and continuous water-flow treatments. By allowing water to flow continuously over the specific part of the body that requires treatment, blood circulation in that area can be regulated and improved.

Drinking water internally is also a part of this therapy. Water plays a vital role in flushing out waste materials that have accumulated in the body. For this reason, water therapy holds great importance in nature cure.

3. Sun Therapy: In today’s world, people rarely have the opportunity to work under the sun. As a result, they do not sweat enough, and the impurities within the body are unable to come out. To induce sweating, sun therapy is used.

In this therapy, a person is made to sit inside a specially designed enclosure with colored glass and is placed under the sun. Due to the heat rays coming from the sun, the person inside begins to sweat profusely. Through this process, the impurities present in the body are washed out. This is known as a sun bath. It is also referred to as the Aditya enclosure bath.

4. Air Therapy: Air therapy is the method of supplying the body with vital life energy through breathing practices. The greater the amount of oxygen present in the body, the greater the energy one possesses. Through these breathing practices, impurities that should be expelled through the lungs are removed from the body.

5. Space Therapy: In this therapy, fasting is prescribed to give rest to the body. In fact, nature cure begins with fasting itself. By observing a fast, movement is stimulated in the waste materials accumulated in all the organs of elimination.

On roads, traffic flow is sometimes disrupted due to obstacles. When those obstacles are removed, traffic begins to move smoothly again. In the same way, space therapy provides an opportunity to remove blockages present in body tissues, blood circulation, and the organs of elimination, thereby restoring normal flow and function.

So far, we have explained the system of nature cure and the benefits it offers to humanity. Considering the great value of this system of healing, I believe it is not wrong to hope that you will adopt it and safeguard your health.

3. Fasting

- Observing a fast on Ekadashi — is a shield of protection for health, like divine grace.

- Fasting is a double-edged sword — yet it is a great opportunity for health.

- One who overeats knows nothing of the taste of parched rice — one who overeats knows nothing of the taste of fasting.

- Put fasting into practice — push waste materials out of the body.

- Squeeze lemon into honeyed water — on a fasting stomach, health ripens.

- Through fasting, readiness is gained — life energy then fights disease.

- Sweep the house and make it clean — fasting cleanses the body.

It must be said that from the beginning, people have not practiced fasting in the proper manner. In fact, fasting was introduced for a specific purpose. What was that purpose? Once every fifteen days, if one could skip a meal or fast for the entire day while taking lemon juice mixed with honey seven or eight times, it would be ideal.

By doing so, heat is generated in the digestive system, and the harmful germs present in the stomach are destroyed. As a result, a person becomes healthy without needing to take any medicines. This was the original reason fasting was prescribed.

However, if fasting is suggested purely for improving health, people are generally unwilling to do it. Since humans rarely act without some perceived benefit, elders thoughtfully connected fasting with religious merit. They said that fasting in the name of God would bring spiritual merit. Thus, people began fasting for merit rather than for health.

Over time, it was believed that stricter fasting — without even drinking water — would bring greater merit. Gradually, fasting moved from once every fortnight to once a week. Some even began observing strict fasts on days of their own choosing, such as Tuesday, Saturday, or Sunday.

With such waterless fasting, not only does health fail to improve, but even existing health is ruined. This self-inflicted starvation leads to weakness, nerve fatigue, headaches, and emotional disturbances. New problems enter the body instead of old ones leaving.

Some others remain hungry throughout the morning and then, instead of eating a proper meal in the evening, consume heavy snacks made from flour and jaggery. This weakens digestive power even further.

To escape all these harmful outcomes, it is essential to fully understand the correct method of fasting before practicing it. Fasting should not be done with the belief that hunger alone can erase sins.

In reality, sins are committed by the mind, while punishment is borne by the physical body. The five senses function under the control of the mind. They do only what the mind directs them to do. They have no independent power of action. Therefore, punishing the body for the faults of the mind is like striking one place to cure pain in another.

When we torment an innocent stomach for mistakes we have made, sin only increases — it does not decrease. Hence, if we clearly remember that fasting is for our own well-being and for our health, and practice it with this understanding, we can obtain the desired results.

Practicing such fasting — either skipping one meal per week or fasting one full day every fortnight — is very beneficial for health.

Apart from this, fasting prescribed as part of nature cure treatment is different. In such cases, the method of fasting depends on the patient’s physical condition and mental state. It must be done only under the guidance of a doctor, with regular consultation. Only then can treatment proceed smoothly, without unnecessary complications.

The principle of fasting exists naturally in creation itself — we simply fail to notice it. When a newborn child does not have a bowel movement, the child refuses to drink milk from the mother. Even if forced, the child will not drink. In truth, except for human beings, all living creatures in creation observe fasting as a natural rule.

Look at animals. When cattle develop fever, they do not eat grass or drink gruel — they drink only water. Look at a dog. When it feels unwell, it eats fresh grass and vomits. Only human beings crave rich food even when they are not hungry. Even when suffering from fever, humans become tempted by tastes.

Another point is this. Animals eat clean grass available in nature. Therefore, harmful waste does not accumulate in their bodies. Human beings, however, consume foods that produce waste. As a result, more impurities remain stored in the human body.

In fact, disease does not suddenly appear overnight. Several days before illness fully manifests, warning signs appear in the body. Even after noticing them, we secretly hesitate to stop eating. That is why there are so many diseases and so much suffering.

To free ourselves from these diseases, we must learn to give rest to the body. Consider how we travel long distances by car. We stop at a resting place in between, allow the engine to cool down, and then continue the journey. If we give rest to the engine, should we not give rest to the body as well?

Similarly, in summer, farmers plough the field and leave it exposed to the sun. That rest allows the soil to recover, and later, during the rains, crops grow well. In the same way, when disease arises, we must give rest to the body. That is what fasting truly means.

Even when illness arises, if a person ignores it, swallows some pill, and continues with daily work as usual, the life force within observes this behavior repeatedly and finally decides that there is no use correcting such a person gently. To discipline him, it brings about an illness in the form of jaundice.

Once that disease appears, there is no escape — one is forced to remain on fasting and bed rest for nearly three months. Before matters reach such a stage, it is far better to be cautious and practice fasting voluntarily.

This is the true secret behind why our elders insisted on observing a fast at least once every fortnight. This, in fact, is the fundamental principle of health.

There is no process greater than fasting for expelling the waste materials that have accumulated within the body. There is no quicker or more effective remedy than this. During fasting, the digestive system is given complete rest.

A person sleeps for at least six hours at night. During just those six hours of rest, the eyes gather discharge by morning, oil appears on the skin, and waste is expelled through bowel movements and urination. This clearly shows how much impurity the body releases during rest.

If so much waste is expelled during a single night’s rest, imagine how much waste is driven out when fasting is observed for several days. Therefore, fasting brings immense benefit.

Fasting can be done for one or two days without taking any food. If it is continued beyond that, the body’s essential tissues may begin to break down, because glucose is no longer available. Therefore, during fasting, liquids may be taken.

These liquids should be such that they mix quickly into the bloodstream without requiring much digestive effort, provide energy, and help expel waste from the body. Honey is especially useful for this purpose. Honey is highly beneficial.

As soon as honey enters the body, it is quickly converted into energy. It also generates warmth in the muscles and produces the strength needed for the body to push disease out. Honey strengthens the body’s resistance to illness.

Another important point is that the energy produced from honey is burned within two hours, whether the body uses it actively or not. Whether a person works or remains at rest, about 800 calories of energy per day are essential for the brain and other vital tissues.

During fasting, honey alone is capable of providing such energy. When honey is diluted with water and taken, there is no problem — it is immediately converted into energy. If honey is taken by itself, it is thick in nature, and for some people it may not digest properly, leading to loose motions.

Adding lemon juice to honey is even more beneficial. Vitamin C is necessary for driving disease out of the body, and this is supplied by lemon juice. Vitamin C greatly strengthens the body’s resistance to illness. Another advantage is that the sourness of lemon reduces the craving for food.

Honey and lemon juice should be mixed in plain drinking water and consumed. For any waste material to be expelled from the body, water is extremely important. Harmful substances dissolve in water and leave the body through urine and sweat.

Because honey, lemon juice, and water each have these beneficial qualities, it is very good to combine all three and drink the mixture once every two hours. Mix one glass of water with two spoonfuls of honey and the juice of one lemon. In this way, honey water can be taken seven or eight times a day. This does not cause weakness.

With a doctor’s guidance, this can be continued for as many days as required. During the first two days of starting such fasting, the body may feel slightly uncomfortable. This is because, for many years, the body has been accustomed to receiving food at fixed times. Now that this routine is disturbed, the body takes two or three days to adjust to fasting.

Therefore, there is no need to panic upon seeing this temporary discomfort. Mild weakness may be felt at first, but by the second day, even that begins to settle down.

Let us now see what happens inside the body during fasting. Before fasting, food enters the stomach at fixed times every day. When this happens, digestive juices are secreted in the stomach and work continuously to digest the food. When a person eats excessively, these digestive processes are forced to work much harder.

Of the blood circulating in the body, about twenty percent is supplied to the brain, another twenty percent to the kidneys, and the remaining blood is distributed to the rest of the body. However, when we overeat, most of the blood rushes to the digestive system to provide the energy required for digestion. This means that the life force becomes concentrated in one place, while the rest of the body is left comparatively deprived.

That is why, after eating heavily, we cannot avoid resting for at least an hour. The body feels dull, movement feels difficult, and there is a sense of heaviness.

During fasting, the situation is completely different. The digestive system is given complete rest. As a result, the life force is freed and flows to wherever disease is present in the body, attempting to drive it out. In other words, wherever impurity or illness exists, the life force moves there and engages in a direct struggle with the disease.

Through this process, disease is completely removed. Therefore, proper fasting brings great benefit to human beings. We must all understand what can truly be achieved through fasting alone.

From all this, what we must understand is that food should be taken in moderation and with wisdom. We should not turn our stomach into a municipal garbage bin. Likewise, dinner should be finished as early as possible — at least by seven in the evening.

By doing so, the food we eat gets digested by the time we go to bed, and the digestive system receives proper rest. As a result, a person feels light and refreshed in the morning. On the other hand, if one eats a heavy meal late at night and goes to sleep, the food takes almost the entire night to digest — and by then, health too is exhausted.

Knowing this well, our grandparents and great-grandparents ate their meals before sunset. They ate satisfying meals that included all tastes, yet they never suffered from such problems. Why? Because their physical labor was substantial. Even if waste accumulated in the body, it was expelled through sweat.

Today, we have no such physical effort. We rarely go out into the sun. We hardly get the opportunity to breathe fresh air. Therefore, we must be extremely careful about our health in these times.

In conclusion, fasting is like adding lime to the well in our backyard — it cleanses the entire body. Understand this truth and practice it whenever possible. Attain good health. Having attained it, be of service to others. By being useful, make your life truly meaningful.

4. Enema

- Keep an enema kit at home — and who needs a doctor then!

- Remove waste through enema — eliminate disease completely.

In earlier times, if an enema kit was present in a household, it was considered as good as having a doctor at home. Some people fear that if an enema is taken daily during fasting, it may become a habit. This is a mistaken belief.

Enemas are used on days of fasting because no food is being consumed. Once fasting is stopped, the use of enemas is also stopped. This is because, after fasting, the food we take gets digested properly, and bowel movements occur naturally and smoothly.

An enema is used again only if, at some later time, there is difficulty in bowel movement. Therefore, there is no need to take an enema every day. When it comes to relieving constipation, using an enema is better than taking medicines. Medicines not only force bowel movement but also destroy beneficial microorganisms in the body. An enema does not carry this risk.

When a person falls ill, food intake is often reduced or stopped. During such times, because there is no weight pressing down on the stool present in the large intestine, bowel movement does not occur smoothly. In such situations, to reduce strain on the body and to help the stool pass out, an enema may be taken. This is a natural method.

In this process, Ayurvedic practitioners use castor oil or herbal preparations, while allopathic practitioners use medicines or glycerin. When medicines or herbs are used to induce bowel movement, there is often repeated evacuation. In such cases, substances that are useful to the body are also lost along with the stool. This makes the person even weaker. Instead of reducing strain on the body, we end up causing unnecessary exhaustion.

For these reasons, an enema is beneficial in every way.

When about one liter of lukewarm water is introduced into the large intestine through the rectum, the pressure of the water causes the stool to move, and all the loosened waste is expelled completely. Since only the water that is introduced goes out along with the stool, the body does not become weak.

Soap should never be mixed in the water used for an enema. Doing so can damage the delicate tissues of the intestines.

Fasting begins with an enema. Fasting is, after all, a state of rest. If the waste that causes strain on the body is not removed, how can the body truly rest? Without this cleansing, it cannot really be called fasting.

When the intestines are filled with waste, the blood is forced to work on the large intestine to push that impurity out. When we perform an enema and remove this waste, the blood that was concentrated there is freed to work on other areas of the body where disease is present.

Because the enema is so beneficial, it should be done every day during the period of fasting. Fasting and enema must continue together until all the accumulated waste in the intestines is cleared.

It is for this great usefulness that the enema kit was compared to a doctor. However, just because it is useful does not mean it should be used continuously for years. The body should always be maintained in its natural state, and unnatural methods should not be imposed on it unnecessarily.

5. Comfortable Bowel Movement Brings Comfort

- “Oh no! Why this heaviness?” — The reason: constipation.

“Oh! What a sense of ease!” — The reason: a comfortable bowel movement.

- Stored stool is disease waiting in silence.

- Focus on comfortable bowel movement — it gives satisfaction throughout the day.

- Comfortable bowel movement is the first step to health — pay attention to it at least now.

- Consume fiber-rich foods — remove constipation.

- Stagnant stool — becomes a breeding ground for germs.

- Understand the key and apply it — the real secret lies in comfortable bowel movement.

We often say that for anything to succeed, the right time must come. But how can the “right time” come for bowel movement? Is there one magic formula that works for everything? Regular bowel movement does not depend on time alone — it is in our own hands.

When bowel movement happens smoothly every morning, the mind feels light and relaxed. Just as a person drenched in sweat feels great relief when a cool breeze blows, the mind of one whose bowels clear smoothly every day runs with cheer and enthusiasm. This is something everyone knows.

Yet, despite knowing this so well, it is surprising that people do not give it the attention it deserves. Still, we must admit that people are careless in this matter. Why? Because nine out of ten people do not have a proper bowel movement in the morning.

To make it happen, they drink coffee twice, slap their stomach a few times, walk around the house, and struggle in many ways. Even after all this effort, if bowel movement does not occur, they burst out in anger at those around them. Finding some excuse, they cry out as though they alone have been wronged by the entire world.

Do you see what happens? When we fail to practice what is required for smooth bowel movement, that negligence itself turns into constipation and creates all this trouble. Our own laziness clings to the stool, turns into constipation, and does not allow the person any peace.

So what should be done if we want peace? We must follow the principles of health. We must value the words spoken by elders. We must act with intelligence. Yet, strangely, the so-called intelligent human being behaves in exactly the opposite way. Why is this so? Because hardly anyone truly thinks, “I want to remain healthy.” If people truly thought this way and practiced it, why would there be so much trouble?

Let me reveal a secret here — it may make you uncomfortable. But since it is a bare truth, I will present it plainly. There is nothing wrong in safely storing valuable possessions. There is nothing wrong in wanting them to last for a long time. But does it make any sense to store useless waste like stool?

People are, in effect, storing something disgusting. This does not mean they are consciously storing it — it means they are failing to give it proper attention. Look at animals and birds. The moment waste is formed, they immediately expel it. Another important point is that animals that eat plant-based food expel waste as many times as they eat. That is why they live happily and without illness throughout their lifespan.

Humans, who possess greater intelligence than animals, are willingly losing this opportunity. As soon as they wake up in the morning, their attention does not go toward bowel movement. The moment they get up, they wash their face, drink coffee, and immediately sit down with the newspaper. They focus their mind on news and stories. Even if the urge for bowel movement arises in the meantime, they do not pay attention to it. Somehow, they suppress it and finish reading the paper.

By then, it is time to leave for the office. They drink another coffee and then try to force bowel movement, even if the body is not ready. Sometimes it happens, sometimes it does not. Even when it happens, there is no satisfaction. They rush off to work, and the entire day passes in irritation.

The root cause of all this is the lack of attention to comfortable bowel movement. A person does nothing unless he sees some benefit in it. But how can one ask, “What benefit is there in bowel movement?”

In earlier times, people did not have toilets inside their homes. Early in the morning, they would walk nearly a mile carrying a pot. This walking, along with focused attention, resulted in smooth bowel movement. They would go twice a day — once before dawn and once after dusk — for this purpose.

Today, toilets are conveniently located inside the house. Because of this convenience, people become careless, thinking, “This is in my house anyway, I can go anytime.” The same thing happens with a book. If someone buys a book and brings it home, they think, “It’s my book, I can read it anytime,” and neglect it. But if they borrow a book, worried about returning it, they make time to read it even if they are busy.

The same applies here. In earlier times, due to lack of facilities, people would go out in the dark and give full attention to the act. That attention is now missing.

There is another widespread misconception — that a healthy person should have bowel movement only once a day, and that going multiple times indicates poor health or weakness. But look at animals. They pass stool many times a day because they do not store waste. Only humans have developed the ability to retain stool. That is precisely why human waste smells so foul. Animal waste does not smell as bad. Even pigs, which eat human waste, do not produce such foul-smelling excreta.

All this damage is caused by retaining waste. Please do not feel offended that so much has been said about bowel movement. The reason for explaining it in such detail is this — Ayurveda states that all diseases arise from constipation, and experience has proven this to be true.

There is nothing that gives a human being as much comfort as smooth bowel movement — this is not an exaggeration. No matter how much wealth one has, no matter how prestigious one’s job is, if constipation is present, true happiness cannot be experienced. Such a person has everything, yet has nothing.

Therefore, what must be understood is this: comfortable bowel movement is the first step toward health. It is wise to calmly understand the truth in this statement and make a sincere effort to practice it.

Comfortable bowel movement means that once you sit on the toilet, evacuation should be completed within four or five seconds, without any strain. Only after the bowel movement is complete should urination take place. That alone is the sign of a truly comfortable bowel movement.

Generally, in nine out of ten people, urination happens first, and only after repeated effort does bowel movement occur. Because of this, diseases increase, and as a result, hospitals multiply.

Now let us turn to the question of what efforts we must make to achieve such comfortable bowel movement.

Bowel movement is formed because of fiber. This fiber is found in large quantities in vegetables and fruits. There is no fiber at all in meat. That is why people who eat meat do not have smooth bowel movement.

From the food we eat, whatever is useful to the body is absorbed into the blood through the small intestine. The undigested fiber becomes waste material. It absorbs the water present in the intestines, swells up, collects useless sticky substances and dead cells present there, and is finally expelled from the body. This is what we call stool.

The large intestine is about one and a half meters long, and it remains filled with stool. What we expel in one bowel movement is only the portion of stool that is present just above the rectum. The remaining stool, which lies further up in the long large intestine, stays behind.

Because we do not drink enough water to set this retained stool in motion, because we do not eat enough fiber, and above all because we do not keep our attention on bowel movement, this stool remains lodged in the large intestine for a long time. As it remains there, the intestinal walls absorb the water from it, making the stool dry and hard like lumps of dung.

When such hardened stool is expelled with force, pressure increases on the delicate intestinal walls. This causes cracks in the walls, damages the tissues, and leads to bleeding. As a result, conditions like piles and fistula develop.

Due to lack of water pressure and the absence of sufficient mucus from the intestinal lining, the stool dries up and does not come out easily through the rectum. That is why, even after fasting for twenty days and taking enemas twice a day, foul-smelling black stool, like wet soil, continues to come out.

As long as such waste remains inside, where will appetite come from? Only when the stomach is emptied is there room to take food again. What goes in depends on what comes out. Therefore, if we want smooth bowel movement, we must follow certain natural rules.

In earlier times, our elders ate hand-pounded rice. They ate plenty of leafy greens and vegetables. These foods contained abundant fiber. In addition, they drank plenty of water and kept their attention on bowel movement. As a result, they had smooth bowel movement without any difficulty.

Today, we eat polished white rice that shines like pearls. By thickening vegetable dishes with heavy spices, we are unable to eat them in sufficient quantity. Very little fiber enters the body. In this way, we are deliberately inviting illness.

In other words, our intelligence has increased, but our quality of living has decreased. Animals, because they have less intellect, enjoy more comfort. They follow nature, and therefore nature protects them. We go against nature, and that is why we bring so much trouble upon ourselves.

Now let us think for a moment about the harm caused to human beings by constipation. When stool remains stored in the intestines, the number of harmful microorganisms increases. At the same time, there are many beneficial microorganisms in the intestines that are essential for our well-being. These helpful organisms neutralize toxic substances present in the food we eat.

However, when stool is retained for long periods, these beneficial microorganisms are expelled along with it. As a result, we lose our disease-resisting power. What greater damage can there be than this? A person who loses immunity becomes a magnet for all the diseases present in the world.

Retained stool must be understood as a storehouse of toxins. One simple observation makes this clear. Batter left standing for a few hours turns sour. If left longer, worms begin to appear. In the same way, worms are generated in stagnant stool.

Just as soil absorbs water, the intestines absorb the water present in stool. Because of this, toxins from the stool spread into different parts of the body. That is when a person becomes diseased.

Because bowel movement does not occur, the abdomen feels heavy. Even when food is not taken, some gas naturally forms in the intestines. Due to this gas pressure, stool gets some movement. But when the intestines are tightly packed with stool, gas has no outlet and is forced backward and upward. This leads to breathlessness, and as the diaphragm is pressed by the gas, pain begins in the chest and heart region.

Mistaking this for heart disease, a person may panic — and such fear can even lead to real heart problems and death. All these harmful effects disappear the moment bowel movement becomes regular. But due to ignorance — an inability to understand the root cause — people unnecessarily take medicines and invite new diseases.

Flies and mosquitoes gather around filth. If we pour disinfectant over that filth, the insects will stay away only as long as the disinfectant remains effective. Once its power fades, they return. But if the filth itself is completely removed, the problem disappears permanently.

Likewise, it is far better to eliminate the root waste itself. Digestive troubles, bad breath, burning sensations in the stomach, high blood pressure, headaches — all these ailments originate from constipation. Removing constipation is therefore of great benefit to human beings.

The final truth that emerges is this: all diseases arise from constipation, and when bowel movement becomes smooth and natural, diseases disappear on their own. Therefore, if these health principles — acceptable to all humanity — are followed, one can enjoy the great fortune of health for a long and balanced life.

6. Water — Its Story

- Do not run after tastes — do not cross the boundaries of health.

- Pure water taken at the right time — is the very first step toward healing.

- Pure water absorbs infectious diseases within itself — yet the so-called intelligent person abandons it.

- Why use an axe for what can be done with a stick? — why use medicines for a disease that water can remove?

- Understand the value of water — reshape the path of your life.

- Water cures all diseases — and removes worry and mental distress.

- Water for external cleanliness is bathing — water for inner cleanliness is drinking.

If we observe one truth present in creation, the value of water becomes clear to us. We know that the earth consists of three parts water and one part land. In the same way, the human body is made up of about sixty-five percent water, with the rest being solid matter. Therefore, drinking more pure water benefits a person — it does not cause harm.

Generally, depending on the climate, about two liters of water are used up by the body every day. If we count the water present in the vegetables we eat and the water we drink during meals, it already amounts to more than two liters. So you may wonder why it is necessary to drink additional plain water.

You may also ask, “When the body needs water, does it not ask for it on its own? Why drink water when there is no need?” Here, we must understand one important point. Human beings no longer eat just to survive — they eat for taste. These are times when people run after tastes because they cannot restrain the tongue. If food were taken only for survival, there would be no need for so many varieties of taste.

While eating meals with all six tastes, we drink water in large quantities whenever the tongue feels a burning sensation. But is the body really asking for that water? Or is it the restlessness of the tongue that is asking for it? Because of this, we introduce water into the body at unnecessary times. This leads to an expanded belly but does not give true strength.

Because of excessive indulgence in tastes, many waste materials accumulate in the body. To flush out these wastes, two liters of water are not sufficient. What exactly does the water we drink do in the body? It enters the blood vessels, attracts the waste materials lodged there, and expels them through urine.

To remove the waste that accumulates due to eating for taste, at least five liters of water need to be consumed. But we do not drink that much. Why? Because water has no taste. Even though drinking water brings great benefit, the human mind is not drawn toward it because it lacks taste.

It is truly unfortunate that the mind does not turn toward that which gives health and long-lasting happiness. Our ancestors used to keep a large copper vessel filled with water near their bed at night. As soon as they woke up at dawn, they would drink that water before attending to their morning routines. Where is that practice today? We consider it old-fashioned.

Likewise, our elders did not drink water while eating meals. This is a very good practice. As soon as food enters the stomach, digestive juices are secreted from the stomach walls and begin digesting the food. If we drink water during meals, these juices become diluted and lose their digestive power. That loss is ours alone.

Because of this, many valuable nutrients remain undigested and are wasted through stool. That is why human excreta becomes food for other creatures. Have you ever seen one animal eating the waste of another? Why does this not happen? Because animals do not drink water while eating. They drink water only during rest, when the stomach is empty.

It is strange that a supposedly intelligent human being does not understand the health principles that animals naturally follow. Or rather, humans do understand them — yet still commit mistakes knowingly. Why? Because humans possess intellect. Animals do not. Therefore, animals do not violate natural laws. And because they follow nature’s laws, Mother Nature continuously protects animals and birds.

There are a few more points that need to be mentioned in this context. To make vegetables tasty, we add a lot of oil, tamarind, spices, and salt to our cooking. But oil, salt, tamarind, and such ingredients do not digest easily. To digest them, the body requires a larger quantity of water. That is why we feel very thirsty during meals.

Another point is this. The moment such taste-rich food enters the mouth, because of the effect of spice, salt, and sourness, saliva flows excessively and automatically. As a result, the food slips into the stomach without proper chewing. On the other hand, if we put simple boiled vegetable pieces into the mouth, saliva does not flow excessively. That is why food must be chewed well until it becomes almost liquid.

When food is eaten in this manner, there is no need to drink water during the meal. After finishing the meal, it is essential to drink at least three glasses of water after one and a half to two hours. This helps the digested food mix well with water and enter the bloodstream. It is also very useful in pushing waste material into the intestines.

Another harmful effect of not drinking sufficient water can be explained with an example. Generally, during the rainy season and winter, people suffer from colds, sneezing, increased asthma, allergies, and sinus problems. When asked why this happens, we casually say, “It’s the rainy season,” and feel satisfied with that answer. But that is not the real reason. Because we do not understand the true cause, we console ourselves with such explanations.

What happens is this. During the rainy season and winter, because the weather is cool and we do not feel thirsty, we drink less water. Even people who follow nature cure are often seen drinking less water during these seasons.

Because of reduced water intake — that is, drinking less water — a chemical called histamine increases in the body. When histamine levels rise, sneezing and allergies occur. To control this, antihistamine medicines are used. When those medicines are stopped, sneezing returns. This clearly shows the root cause.

Therefore, it is very good for a person to drink at least five liters of pure water every day. In one sense, every disease that affects a human being has some connection with water. When water intake is low, blood pressure drops and weakness sets in. Due to insufficient water pressure in the body, the heart does not receive the necessary force to pump properly. From what is called low blood pressure to many other ailments, diseases arise.

Hence, we can truly say that water is a remedy for all diseases. For this reason, it is absolutely essential that we drink no less than five liters of water daily.

Now it is necessary to explain when and how water should be consumed. Early in the morning, on an empty stomach, one to one and a half liters of water should be drunk. The pressure created by this water helps bowel movement occur smoothly.

After another forty-five minutes, one more liter of water should be taken. Drinking water on an empty stomach is always highly beneficial. When we wake up in the morning, we wash away the discharge from the eyes, the oil on the skin, and the coating in the mouth using water. In the same way, the three liters of water we drink in the morning are very useful in expelling waste materials present inside the body’s cells.

Water should never be drunk immediately after eating food. Either drink water half an hour before a meal or two hours after finishing the meal, about one liter. Just because three liters were taken in the morning does not mean water is unnecessary until evening. It is good to drink water at intervals whenever possible.

In any case, a minimum of five liters of water must be consumed daily. Refrigerator water should never be drunk, as it can cause tonsillitis. Those with weak digestion should drink lukewarm water. For others, fresh natural water is best.

Drinking water in this manner brings several additional benefits. Let us look at what they are.

1. Bowel movement happens easily and smoothly without any effort.

2. In people with high blood pressure, it comes down. High blood pressure occurs when salt that should leave the body does not get expelled. When more water is consumed, the water draws out the excess salt and expels it through urine.

3. Long-standing, chronic headaches gradually subside.

4. The thickness of the blood decreases and it becomes thinner. This happens because the salt we add to our food increases blood density. The water we drink reduces this density and thins the blood. As a result, the strain on the heart decreases. Blood flows more smoothly to the brain, and headaches are reduced.

5. Joint pains and joint swelling decrease. When excess salt accumulates in the body, the face becomes puffy in the morning, the legs swell, and the fingers become swollen. As the water we drink flushes out this excess salt, the swelling subsides.

6. Drinking plenty of water ensures that the kidneys do not become diseased. Stones that form in the kidneys dissolve due to water and are expelled from the body.

7. During fever, drinking plenty of water reduces body temperature. That is why animals, when they develop fever, refuse to eat grass no matter how much we try to feed them. They drink only clean water available in nature.

8. Drinking water helps expel stool and reduces abdominal pain.

9. All impurities present in the urine are removed. Urinary infections usually occur due to inadequate water intake. During such times, urine may turn dark yellow. Urine should never be dark yellow — if it is, it indicates a shortage of water in the body.

10. Water removes impurities present in the liver. When jaundice occurs, drinking plenty of water is highly beneficial.

If we continue explaining like this, even this book will not be enough. Therefore, what we must remember is this: drinking plenty of pure water brings only good to a person — never harm.

I will conclude this chapter by saying one final point. You may think, “Instead of water, are not buttermilk, coconut water, and fruit juices even more beneficial?” One thing must be clearly understood here. The liquids mentioned above enter the cells and provide energy to the body. Water is different. It draws out all the impurities present within the cells and expels them from the body.

Because pure water contains no salts, it is especially effective. That does not mean that fruit juices, buttermilk, or coconut water are useless to the body. Each has its own purpose and benefit. A dry cloth absorbs water, but a wet cloth does not. In the same way, pure water absorbs the impurities present in the body, whereas fruit juices and buttermilk, because of the small amount of salts they contain, do not draw out impurities as effectively.

That is why pure water can truly be called a remedy for all diseases.

A Small Note: After reading all this, salaried employees and businesspeople may have a doubt. “We leave early for work. For us, sunrise itself feels like seven in the morning. If we are to drink water three times at intervals of forty-five minutes, when will we drink coffee, when will we eat breakfast, and when will we have our meals?” — such questions may arise.

The answer is this. As far as possible, one should try to follow proper timing, keeping the ideal of good health firmly in mind, and gradually practice these principles. But should we reject such a healthy way of living outright by saying, “These natural principles do not fit into my schedule,” and knowingly invite ill health? That should never happen.

Those who do not have the opportunity to follow the full routine can at least drink one liter of water immediately after waking up and another liter in the evening. That much should surely be possible. I hope there will be no objection to this. Beyond that, the choice is yours.

7. The Danger Caused by Salt

- Only with self-control does the body remain unharmed.

- Use salt like medicine; use it for taste, and danger is inevitable.

- Extra salt is unnecessary — what comes naturally is sufficient.

- Do not draw salt too close; do not drive happiness away.

- The troubles brought by salt are countless and indescribable.

- Why step on embers when unnecessary? Why invite danger by eating salt?

The very food by which a human being lives becomes the cause of disease and death when it is eaten in excess.

The very water that sustains all life becomes the cause of death when one slips and drowns in it.

The very electricity through which a person enjoys light pushes him into darkness when he touches a live wire.

The very air that gives life to all beings destroys life when it turns into a violent cyclone.

The very fire with which we cook our food can burn the entire world to ashes.

This is the law of creation.

What does this teach us? It teaches us the eternal truth: “Excess must always be avoided.” Anything, when taken beyond its limit, inevitably causes harm.

Every substance in this creation, which has descended from the Divine, becomes a source of life when used in the right manner. But when the same substance is used improperly — against the laws of nature — it turns into poison.

Take sweet pudding, for example. It is pleasant when eaten in moderation. But if consumed excessively, its sweetness vanishes and only distaste remains.

Therefore, moderation in all matters is greatly beneficial. It brings good not only to oneself but also to others. The ability to live with such moderation is what our elders called self-control.

When self-control exists within us, our physical form never deteriorates. It remains alive, vibrant, and radiant throughout the span of life. But when behavior becomes excessive, the same body turns inert, lifeless, and powerless.

Now, the same principle applies to the salt we use every day in our cooking. Our elders even called salt a “taste”, probably because it gives flavor to all foods. In fact, if there is even a slight deficiency of salt in our curries, we find them difficult to eat. Because of this, adding salt “just right” has become a habit for everyone.

When it comes to non-vegetarian food, there is no need to elaborate. Salt, spices, and strong seasonings are used in large quantities. If they are not used generously, an unpleasant odor develops, and so we cook the food that way. However, such large amounts of salt are not actually necessary.

Salt is naturally present in the milk we drink, in leafy vegetables, and in the vegetables we eat. All the additional salt that we add to our curries is, in fact, excess for the body.

Salt certainly has great importance for the body. It helps maintain the balance of water within the body. In conditions like cholera or severe diarrhea, all the salts in the body are lost, which is why a person becomes extremely weak. At such times, giving salted water saves life. In this sense, salt is indeed a great benefactor.

But the key point is this: when salt is used in moderation, it benefits the body; when used excessively, it causes immeasurable harm. We will discuss those harms in the sections ahead.

Salt also plays a role in drawing digested food from the intestines into the bloodstream. Thus, salt has many uses — but only when it is used within limits.

Misconceptions

Many among us believe that salt-free food cannot give strength to a person. There is a common notion that eating bland food makes one weak, that a life without taste is not worth living, and that as long as we are alive we should joyfully experience all flavors. People say diseases will come anyway, whether we like it or not; we cannot prevent what is destined to happen, nor can we obtain what is not meant for us. So why torture the tongue deliberately now? Old age will come inevitably. Why practice moderation from now, in middle age itself? When something happens, we will deal with it then — this is how many people live, posing as if they are wise and philosophical.

At first glance, this philosophy appears to contain some truth. But later it becomes clear that it is not true at all — it is nothing but a set of misconceptions.

In earlier times, our elders used to add plenty of salt to gruel and buttermilk and drink them. Yet it did not cause them much harm. The reason was that they performed intense physical labor. Because of that, the excess salt was expelled from the body through sweat.

But today, we are no longer capable of such labor. We get breathless after taking just a few brisk steps. We feel tired even after reading loudly. We wilt the moment we step into the sun. We live like glass dolls kept inside display cabinets.

For people like us, consuming excess salt brings nothing but harm — there is no benefit at all.

Truths

On average, a human being needs only about 200 milligrams to one gram of salt per day. Anything beyond that is unnecessary. From the leafy vegetables we eat and the milk we drink, we already consume more than one gram of salt naturally.

In addition to this, the salt we add to our cooked food ranges on average from 4 grams to as much as 25 grams per day. Just think about how much excess salt we are consuming every single day.

In fact, drinking just one glass of milk provides the body with almost the entire one gram of salt it needs for the whole day. Similarly, leafy vegetables and fruits naturally contain a significant amount of salt. Grains and pulses, on the other hand, contain much less salt. That is why leafy vegetables require very little added salt while cooking, whereas lentils and pulses tend to require more.

So when the salt we obtain naturally from food itself already exceeds our daily requirement, have we ever stopped to think about how many problems arise from adding even more salt merely for taste? It is our responsibility to understand those harmful effects. By doing so, we can realize our duty toward maintaining good health.

Excessive use of salt does not cause just one problem — it leads to numerous and serious health hazards.

1. The first and most important harm caused by excess salt is the hardening of the walls of the blood vessels. When blood vessels become stiff, the blood flowing through them can no longer move freely and instead flows sluggishly. As a result, pressure builds up in the circulation, leading to high blood pressure (BP).

In this condition, if salt is completely eliminated from the diet, the blood vessels gradually return to their normal state, and blood circulation becomes smooth again. In other words, when high blood pressure is caused by excessive salt intake, completely avoiding salt will fully reduce BP.

On the other hand, if one continues to consume salt while relying only on BP medicines, blood pressure will never truly come down, no matter how long the medicines are taken. There is no room for compromise in this matter.

2. Another very serious harm is excessive weight gain, which is called obesity. When a person becomes obese, they are unable to perform even simple tasks. If one cannot carry one’s own body weight, what other work can they possibly do?

Why does a person gain excess body weight? The primary reason is an increase in salt levels in the body. This unnecessary salt must be pushed out of the system. To do that, the body demands more water. When large amounts of water are consumed under such conditions, the abdomen expands and the body becomes bulky.

At this point, a natural doubt may arise in your mind. In the earlier chapter, you advised drinking five liters of water a day — then why are you now saying that drinking water leads to weight gain? The answer lies here: the problem is not drinking water on an empty stomach, but drinking water repeatedly with every mouthful during meals. Drinking water in this manner prevents proper digestion of food.

Another important point is that salt has the property of retaining water. Because of this, excess water gets stored in the body, leading to obesity and swelling. In the morning, the face appears puffy. After sitting for a while — such as during a bus ride — the feet swell. To reduce such swelling, one must consume salt-free, bland food.

3. There is another very important disease — diabetes, commonly known as sugar disease. By giving up salt, diabetes can be brought under control. This is something very few people talk about. When salt is avoided, the body’s cells are able to absorb glucose from the blood more quickly. As a result, glucose does not remain accumulated in the bloodstream, and the blood sugar level naturally stays within the normal range required for the body.

4. Excessive use of salt also damages the digestive process. One has to suffer from indigestion for long periods. Look at some people — when they attend a feast or a heavy meal, they come carrying digestion tablets in their pockets. That itself shows that they know they are doing something wrong. It is like knowingly stepping into dirt and carrying water along just to wash their feet afterward.

This tendency is called craving of the tongue — the inability to control taste. No matter how much one is advised, such a person is unable to conquer their attachment to flavor.

5. Sweating gradually decreases, and the regular flow of urine also reduces. Why does this happen? Because of excessive consumption of salt.

6. There is another harmful effect that none of us should forget — the accumulation of mucus in the lungs. As a result, one keeps catching colds frequently.

7. Most importantly, joint pain develops. This problem too arises due to excess salt. The lubricating layers present in all the joints get damaged when there is too much salt in the body. That is why joint pains occur. It is a mistake to believe that joint pain comes automatically with age.

If that were true, then do elephants — who are complete vegetarians — develop joint pains once they grow old? And why is it that people who consume green vegetables and salt-free food do not suffer from such problems even at an advanced age? We often see people in their eighties who remain active and energetic, managing all their daily activities on their own.

8. Food Is Health — Food Is Medicine

- The body is a vehicle — food is its fuel.

- If you keep your body comfortable, it will keep you comfortable.

- Let us eat sattvic (pure) food — and experience true health.

- Completely avoid oil and ghee — coconut and grains are better choices.

- Search for lost health in nectar-like fruits.

- A devoted mind supports the human being — nourishing food supports the body.

- Fat-free coconut is our true tonic — it bestows genuine health upon the body.

- Food is health — food is medicine.

Food is essential for nourishing the body. The very same food becomes the cause of health, and when illness strikes, it also serves as medicine. It is said that one can judge a person’s character by their walk. In the same way, one can understand a person’s physical condition by the food they eat. In other words, a person’s state of health depends on the food they consume.

Just as oil serves as fuel for a vehicle, food serves as fuel for the body. If inferior, adulterated oil is used, the parts of the vehicle get damaged and the vehicle deteriorates quickly. We take great care to protect a vehicle that we have bought with our hard-earned money so that it does not become useless. A vehicle is something we manufacture ourselves. If it gets damaged, we can replace parts and repair it. If it becomes completely unusable, we can discard it and buy another one.

But the human body is not something we have made ourselves. It is a gift from God. Its spare parts are not available anywhere. Yet, unfortunately, human beings do not give their own bodies the same importance and care that they give to the vehicles they use.

Scripture says, “Protect Dharma, and Dharma will protect you.” Everything in nature has its own inherent law. Likewise, the human body too has its own natural law — the law of the body. If we understand this bodily law and protect it, we can live a life free from disease and suffering, filled with happiness and peace.

In ancient times, both ordinary people and great sages were able to recognize and preserve the laws of the body. That is why they lived full, complete lifespans. Today, even doctors who have studied and understood these bodily laws fail to follow them in practice, and as a result, they fall prey to diseases and untimely deaths.

In modern society, no one seems to have the patience or time to reflect upon the laws of the body. Consequently, in today’s world, if one part of the population is healthy, three parts are afflicted with illness. This too is a sign of the Kali Yuga. Is it not said that in this age, three-fourths is adharma and only one-fourth is dharma?

Among the laws of the body, the very first principle that must be understood is proper and balanced diet.

Any food that can sustain bodily health for a long period may be called good food. Such food is composed of seven essential elements. They are:

1. Water

2. Proteins

3. Fats

4. Carbohydrates

5. Vitamins

6. Mineral salts

7. Dietary fiber

Let us understand each of these in detail.

1. Water: Water is extremely important in the food we consume. Without water, a human being cannot survive for long. Every cell in our body is filled with water. The water we take daily performs three major functions:

1. Supplying nourishment to the cells.

2. Removing waste substances from the cells.

3. Facilitating numerous chemical processes within the body.

Of the one liter of water we drink, nearly three-fourths is expelled from the body in the form of sweat and urine along with impurities. To compensate for this loss, we feel thirst and the need to drink water arises. If more water is eliminated while less water is consumed, the body falls into illness. Therefore, for a person to remain healthy, it is essential to supply the body each day with an amount of water that matches the expenditure, depending on the climate.

2. Proteins: Every day, many living cells in our body die, and some cells become diseased. To replace the lost cells and to provide energy to the remaining ones, proteins are essential. The proteins that are expended in the body must be adequately replenished through food. For every kilogram of body weight, about 0.9 grams (approximately one gram) of protein is required. This means that a person weighing 60 kilograms should receive about 54 grams of protein daily through food.

Proteins are useful for the growth of bones, development of muscles, and the production of hormones, enzymes, and blood cells. Proteins are of two types:

1. Those that the body can synthesize on its own from food.

2. Those that must be supplied to the body from external food sources.

These are collectively known as the 22 types of amino acids. If these amino acids are not supplied regularly through food, the chemical processes that must occur in the body will not take place properly. Foods rich in amino acids include meat, fish, eggs, leafy vegetables, and sprouted grains.

If meat is consumed in excess, acids increase in the blood, leading to heart diseases and urinary system disorders. Proteins obtained from milk, leafy vegetables, pulses, and grains are far more beneficial to the body. They result in the release of fewer waste substances in the body. Therefore, in every respect, a vegetarian diet is superior to a non-vegetarian one. A meat-based diet places greater strain on the body, whereas a vegetarian diet provides sufficient energy with much less strain.

3. Fats: These help keep the tissues of the skin, blood, blood vessels, and nerves healthy. They maintain the required level of cholesterol in the body in proper balance. They act as carriers to deliver vitamins to body tissues. Fats also greatly assist in absorbing vitamin D from sunlight and supplying it to the bones and teeth, protecting the body from cold, and safeguarding the heart and liver from exposure to low temperatures. They are responsible for the body appearing strong and well-formed.

However, there are several misconceptions about fats. Many people mistakenly believe that accumulating fat in the body itself indicates strength. Some feel that fats function like grease for running the body’s machinery, and therefore oils and ghee should be consumed in large quantities. But if we observe nature, except for humans, no other living beings consume fats separately to gain energy. Humans alone rely excessively on oils and ghee, which are almost 100 percent fat, and this brings harm rather than benefit.

Fat-rich foods are a primary cause of heart disease and many other illnesses. The more such foods are reduced, the better it is for health. A diet that includes only the amount of fat required by the body — in combination with proteins, vitamins, and carbohydrates — is truly health-promoting. Milk, tender coconut, whole grains, certain fruits, and vegetables are beneficial.

If fats are consumed beyond necessity, many problems arise. Fats are not easily digested, so they remain in the intestines for a long time and burden the digestive system, often leading to frequent loose motions. When fats accumulate in blood vessels, they can cause paralysis, heart disease, and high blood pressure. Therefore, those who wish to remain healthy and happy should reduce fat intake as much as possible.

4. Carbohydrates: About half of the energy required by the human body is obtained from carbohydrates. They are easily digested and provide quick energy. They are found in fruits, vegetables, leafy greens, tubers, and whole grains.

5, 6 Vitamins and Minerals: These are present in the body in very small quantities, yet they are essential for the formation and growth of cells. Vitamins play a vital role in producing energy, increasing immunity, and helping the body recover quickly from illnesses. Minerals help maintain the balance of water in the body, regulate the acid–alkali balance, aid in hormone production, and support proper blood clotting.

The body itself extracts and prepares the required amount of vitamins and minerals from the food we eat. Supplying them separately and directly from outside does not provide the same benefit. By cooking and overcooking our food, we lose many valuable vitamins and minerals. By consuming raw, natural foods such as vegetables, fruits, and sprouted grains, we can adequately supply these essential nutrients to the body.

7. Dietary Fiber: Although the fiber present in the food we eat does not directly nourish the body, it greatly helps in protecting health. It improves digestive strength, supports proper bowel movements, reduces excess body weight, helps cleanse blood vessels clogged with fat, lowers diabetes, and protects the intestines from cancer. Fiber is found in abundance in vegetables, fruits, and leafy greens, and it is present in even greater quantity in coconut. Meat contains no fiber at all.

Coconut: There are many misconceptions about coconut — that it causes indigestion, that it does not digest properly, that it contains too much fat, and that it leads to frequent loose motions. Humans have become accustomed to believing that bowel movement should occur only once a day, and that if the stool resembles the color of the food eaten, it means the food was not digested. People tend to doubt what is actually beneficial, and tender coconut is no exception.

It is foolish to doubt coconut while continuing to consume oils and ghee, which are almost 100 percent fat. Tender coconut contains a lot of water, so its fat content is very low, while it is rich in beneficial proteins and vitamins. As coconut dries, the proteins present in it gradually convert into fat. Therefore, dried coconut contains a higher amount of harmful fats. It is better to avoid dried coconut. However, people tend to use dried coconut more often, especially in spicy dishes, where it is added for taste. Since it is eaten for flavor, one often fails to notice how high its fat content actually is.

When any fatty substance is eaten together with fiber, the fiber attracts that fat and prevents it from passing from the intestines into the bloodstream, expelling it through bowel movements. It is because of this great benefit of fiber that it is said that eating it prevents heart disease. Since coconut contains a very high percentage of fiber, our elders used it extensively.

Because of the abundant fiber present in tender coconut, the small amount of fat it contains, after digestion, is largely prevented from entering the bloodstream from the intestines and is instead expelled through the stool. This makes it clear that when fat is consumed along with fiber, the harm caused by that fat is minimal.

If one experiences abdominal pain when eating coconut for the first time, the fault lies not with the coconut but with oneself. Such pain can occur because bowel movements are not smooth on a daily basis. Coconut should primarily be consumed to ensure smooth bowel evacuation. Once bowel movements begin to occur smoothly within two days, the abdominal pain resolves on its own.

Since fiber is not digested, the quantity of stool increases and its color may appear lighter than usual — this is a natural characteristic of coconut. Therefore, using coconut daily helps completely eliminate constipation. Adding coconut to bland vegetable dishes not only enhances taste, but the fiber present in the vegetables also ensures that the small amount of fat in the coconut causes no harm.

If we give up consuming unnecessary fatty foods and make it a habit for the family to use one coconut a day — a food that provides great benefit — it would be highly beneficial. Out of ignorance, we have long abandoned what is good and embraced what is harmful. Hence, it is important to understand the great benefits of using tender coconut. That is why our elders traditionally used a coconut in both auspicious and inauspicious rituals.

The seven types of food components mentioned above must be supplied to the body in appropriate proportions. Any excess or deficiency leads to problems. When taken in proper balance, a person remains healthy. The nutrients present in the food we consume not only maintain health, but when illness occurs, the same food — if chosen appropriately for that condition — can also function as medicine.

In the name of modern living, we are ruining our health through food. Polishing rice until it becomes white, polishing pulses, cooking food excessively on gas stoves and draining it, storing and eating food from refrigerators, deep-frying vegetables in excess oil, and using too much mustard, spices, salt, and chili — all these practices cause countless harms. Most notably, irrespective of age, we are inviting problems such as wrinkling of the skin, premature greying of hair, baldness, reduced eyesight, hearing loss, and degeneration of joints.

While all living beings in creation consume fresh, living food, the most intelligent of all — the human being — is consuming dead food. Therefore, it is extremely necessary to live with discernment and handle matters of food with proper care and awareness.

9. The Marvel of the Human Machine

- The human machine proclaims the glory of God — the heartbeat reveals the strength within the body.

- Provide pure air — support the lungs.

- For the lungs, breath control (prāṇāyāma) is life itself.

- After we depart, righteousness comforts us — while we live, health alone comforts us.

- Do not forget what has done you good — do not remain merely ungrateful.

- Do not burden the already overworked heart — do not turn life upside down through ignorance.

- Live a hundred years with muscular strength — seek the address of joy’s true boundaries.

- Human creations wear out and diminish — divine creation wears not, but grows.

- Killing a messenger is not righteousness — abandoning a betrayer is also not righteousness.

- The body’s water “reserve” must not diminish — now at least understand the “value” of water.

- For one who has known disease, health is a nectar-like fruit — for a mind that has known suffering, understanding is a blessing.

- The body itself is a temple — food is the sacred offering to life.

- Eat not for taste — eat for the purity of the body.

- Fever itself purifies us — for humanity, it is a great blessing.

- First comes the duty to the body — only then the duty of one’s profession.

- God is not found in some distant land — the Divine dwells within the body itself.

Our body is like a machine — far more marvelous than any machine made by humans. If the body is supplied with the right amount of fuel, it can function smoothly for a full hundred years. A machine that works continuously, and even when problems arise repairs itself and keeps going — there is no machine like the human machine. When we observe each part of this machine and how it functions, the greatness of the Divine becomes evident.

The heart is small — its work is immense:

Among all the organs of the human body, the heart is the most important. Each person’s heart is about the size of their own fist. The functioning of its muscles is extraordinary. The heart beats on its own about 72 times per minute, pumping around 90–100 milliliters of blood with each beat. In 24 hours, it pumps nearly ten thousand liters of blood. That is, every day it circulates an amount of blood equal to the capacity of a large tanker truck.

A water motor we use overheats and stops if it runs continuously for four hours. After two years of use, its parts wear out. But the heart muscle, even after working for a hundred years, does not overheat, does not wear out, and does not ask for rest. If it is provided with clean air and good food, the heart carries on its work by itself, without any conscious effort from us. It regulates its functioning according to the body’s needs.

Whenever illness occurs, the heart works harder to help repair the affected parts. If one avoids exercise and consumes excessive fatty foods, the heart comes under strain. Then one is forced to spend large sums of money to get repairs done. If we obstruct the heart’s work, it begins to protest. At that point, we run to doctors, as if holding it in our hands, asking them to make it work again.

We all know that if the heart stops, the entire vehicle — the body — comes to a halt. And yet, despite knowing this, we continue to neglect it with careless indifference.

The lungs:

After the heart, the next most important parts of the body are the two lungs. They supply life energy to our body. They respond about 18 times per minute, supplying roughly half a liter of air with each breath, and contract and expand nearly 26,000 times a day. By adjusting their functioning according to the body’s needs, they provide life energy as required.

Our lifespan depends entirely on the air we breathe. The purer the air we inhale, the more thoroughly the blood in the lungs is purified. The higher the oxygen content, the greater the enthusiasm and alertness of the mind. If we can regulate our breathing, our self-control also increases.

If the air we inhale contains dust, dirt, and disease-causing germs, the lungs are harmed. To protect against dust, dirt, and pathogens (including viruses), nature has provided us with nasal hairs first, then mucus layers — to trap particles that escape the hairs — and finally glands that destroy harmful microbes. Through these, the Divine continuously protects our lungs from pollution.

The air filters used in vehicles need to be replaced within a year. These filters clean the air by trapping impurities. Our lungs, however, purify the air and then expel the impurities and toxins from the body.

Because we are unable to restrain our cravings and indulge in tastes, substances like phlegm and mucus are produced. To protect the lungs from these, nature has given us sneezing and coughing. When sneezing and coughing attempt to expel phlegm and impurities, the so-called intelligent human, like pouring water on boiling milk, suppresses sneezing and coughing with medicines — thereby laying the foundation for disease.

By doing this, we deny the lungs the opportunity to cleanse themselves of impurities. As a result, the lungs become prone to illness. Added to this, obesity and increased abdominal weight place an extra burden on the lungs. Those who live in clean surroundings amid green trees do not suffer from lung diseases such as tuberculosis.

Cold foods stored in refrigerators, sweets, and similar items increase phlegm and mucus. Cigarettes, beedis, cigars, and snuff cause great harm to the lungs. One should cultivate the habit of practicing pranayama every morning and evening, and of continuously observing the natural process of breathing with awareness. By doing so, peace of mind and bodily health are assured.

Kidneys:

The two kidneys in a human body filter about 180 liters of water every day. By expelling waste materials from the body through urine and purifying the blood, they protect and sustain us. If we safeguard them through good habits, they will work tirelessly for as long as we live.

Out of the 180 liters of water filtered by the kidneys, substances useful to the body are returned to it through the blood, while waste materials such as urea, minerals, salts, and the like are expelled through urine. In a way, kidneys can be compared to the filter candles in a water purifier. Filter candles strain water and trap impurities; kidneys purify the water we drink and expel impurities from the body.

Filter candles wear out within a year. Kidneys, being a gift from God, do not wear out unless we ourselves damage them. Kidneys are harmed by bad habits such as drinking alcohol, consuming excess salt, drinking too little water, eating meat, and overeating. When that happens, one is forced to spend thousands and lakhs, pleading with others, to purchase and transplant kidneys.

Even though cattle and animals eat unclean food containing dust, dirt, and soil, their kidneys function healthily throughout their entire lifespan without disease. But humans, despite drinking boiled and filtered water and consuming washed and well-cooked food, still end up with kidney stones, diseases, and even complete kidney failure. What is the reason for this? It is the mind.

The words of Vemana — “With the mind as companion, everything goes astray; people fail to understand” — are literally true. No creature in creation inflicts as much strain and suffering on its own organs as the so-called intelligent human. By indulging in unnecessary tastes and failing to drink the necessary amount of water, humans invite these calamities upon themselves.

The well-being or distress of the kidneys depends on the water we drink. If we take care of such extraordinarily powerful organs with attention and care, that alone is worth tens of thousands.

Liver:

Among all the organs inside the human body, the liver is the largest in size. It weighs about three to four pounds. From it, bile juice is produced, which aids digestion. Just as it is large among the organs, it also works more than any other organ. It alone has the power to protect the entire body from falling prey to diseases.

When the food we eat or the medicines we take are digested and reach the liver, the liver directs them to the necessary organs and cells. It always stores a certain amount of blood and supplies it to the required parts during emergencies. It must neutralize the toxins that come from the food we eat as well as the poisonous microbes produced within the body. If this liver is strong, we can live with confidence and good health.

However, we ourselves are weakening the liver that constantly protects us. Indulgence in tastes and consuming excess fatty substances (oil, ghee, sweets) place a heavy burden on it. The liver deteriorates quickly due to irregular bowel movements, eating and sleeping late at night around 9 or 10 p.m., eating continuously from morning till night without rest, using powerful medicines, smoking, eating meat, consuming alcohol, and using intoxicating substances.

If the liver does not function properly, the food a person eats does not get digested well. As a result, frequent fevers, digestive disorders, and diseases like jaundice occur. For liver ailments to heal quickly, fasting with liquid diets helps it repair itself. To keep the liver healthy and strong through such rest, the only way is to consume natural, bland foods without excessive taste and to ensure that the liver is not overworked.

When we protect the liver in this way, it protects us in return. Just as the external body becomes clean through bathing, there is no doubt that the inner body becomes clean through a healthy liver.

Muscles and Blood Vessels:

These carry blood from the heart to different parts of the body and from the body back to the heart. Blood vessels are of two types — arteries and veins. Arteries carry purified blood from the heart to the organs. Veins carry impure blood back to the heart. They branch out into countless subdivisions and are intricately woven throughout the entire body.

They possess elasticity and also the ability to heal and reconnect if torn. If, for any reason, a particular blood vessel stops functioning, many other blood vessels immediately form alongside it and take over its function.

Isn’t it astonishing to believe that if all the small and large blood vessels and nerves in the human body were put together, their total length would be about 60,000 miles? These work continuously, 24 hours a day, keeping us healthy throughout our lifespan — provided we cooperate with them. If any blood vessel gets blocked, the affected part may experience pain, numbness, or loss of sensation. Eating excessive fatty foods, consuming too little fiber, drinking insufficient water, and taking too much salt cause these blood vessels to harden and their inner passages to get blocked.

If one wishes to live a healthy life without such problems, avoiding foods that harm blood vessels will enable them to function powerfully and responsively for a hundred years.

Muscles too are of two types:

1. Voluntary muscles — these are under the control of the mind. All our movements occur because of these muscles.

2. Involuntary muscles — these function inside the body without the involvement of the conscious mind. The muscles in organs such as the heart, digestive system, and brain continue to perform their duties even while we are asleep.

As long as we do not harm these blood vessels and muscles, they will continue to perform their functions on their own. If we provide good food and engage in proper physical activity, they will continue to work for a long time without wearing out, weakening, shrinking, or losing their elasticity.

Bones:

Bones give the body its shape, firmness, and mobility. They bear the entire weight of the body and provide it with protection. The skull is designed like a strong shield so that even if the head receives a blow, the inner organs are not damaged. Likewise, bones provide space and protection to vital organs such as the heart and lungs. The backbone (spine) is what enables the body to stand upright and move sideways. In this way, there are many kinds of small and large bones throughout the human body.

The more physical effort we put in, the more strength and firmness our bones gain. Grinding stones wear out with use, but our bones, instead of wearing down, actually grow stronger the more they are used. Even if bones break accidentally, they possess the power to rejoin and heal on their own. Bridges built at the cost of crores of rupees collapse after bearing weight for some time, but our bones do not hesitate to carry the body for a hundred years. God has given us bones that neither wear out nor weaken — bones as strong as steel.

These bones grow and strengthen through the food we eat. If there is imbalance or error in our diet and lifestyle, they deteriorate. Even hard rocks wear away when tiny ants keep crawling over them, but the teeth given by God do not wear out or break no matter how long or how much we chew or bite.

Skin:

The skin is a wonderful structure that covers the entire body and protects the inner organs from damage. It conveys the sense of touch. It expels impurities in the form of sweat. By adapting to climatic conditions such as cold and heat, it provides protection to the body. By giving form and color, it makes the body attractive. It does not dry up in the sun, does not soak in the rain, does not stretch like rubber, does not harden like wood, does not fade in color, and when torn, it automatically heals and joins back together. It has pores, yet it does not leak. The skin is an automatic shield that cools in heat and warms in cold. If we fail to keep it healthy, the fault is ours. If we neglect it, it leads us into illness and suffering. It is our responsibility to protect ourselves from skin diseases such as rashes, itching, ringworm, and similar conditions.

Shall we briefly reflect on a few more marvels created by the Creator to protect humanity from life-threatening conditions?

Form:

Even though crores upon crores of human beings are born in this world, no two people have the same appearance — one person’s form does not match another’s, one person’s body structure does not match another’s, one person’s voice does not match another’s, and no two minds are exactly alike. That such unique births occur is a mystery of creation beyond human comprehension.

Speech:

Unlike the 84 lakh species of mute creatures, we are not forced to live without expression. God has blessed us with the power of speech, enabling us to express pain and emotion. For this gift, we are truly fortunate.

Pain:

Above all, the most important quality is the ability to feel pain. If the unhealthy disturbances and diseases occurring inside the body were not conveyed to our mind in the form of pain, why would we ever go to a doctor? This quality itself enables humanity to seek treatment.

For example, when the intestines are filled with waste and gas is formed, if the resulting abdominal pain were not felt as discomfort, how would we know that we need to take care of our stomach? Most of the medicines we use are meant only to suppress this pain-signaling mechanism, not to cure the actual disease. By acting only on what indicates where the disease is located, we are actually deceiving ourselves.

Is it righteous to kill the messenger who brings a message from the enemy? We all know it is not righteous. Yet that is exactly what we are doing here — killing the messenger and letting the enemy go free. This is the way of Kali Yuga. We treat the pain and ignore the disease that causes the pain. As long as humans seek to eliminate pain within minutes, the number of diseases will only increase, never decrease. As diseases increase, hospitals increase. Mahatma Gandhi said that increasing hospitals is a sign of an uncivilized society. Only when the ability to feel pain exists does a person pay full attention to health. Pain itself is divine. A life without pain does not improve; a mind that does not listen to pain does not become pure.

Water pressure:

By ensuring that the body’s water balance does not decrease and by properly regulating intake and excretion according to the climate, this system protects us from life-threatening conditions. When there is excess water, it is expelled through urine; when there is a shortage, thirst naturally arises, urging us to drink water — all without our conscious involvement. No matter how diseased the body may be, these natural laws continue to protect us.

Blood clotting:

When we are injured or cut, blood begins to flow. Just as water cannot remain in a cracked pot, life itself would drain away if blood did not clot according to its natural law.

Saliva:

Just as water seeps from the earth, saliva is continuously produced in the mouth according to our needs, without our conscious involvement. Without saliva, we would not be able to chew or swallow food. It constantly provides moisture to support the movement of the tongue and speech.

Digestive juices:

Depending on the quantity of food consumed and the nutrients present in it, digestive juices are produced to digest the food; and when food is not present, the production of these juices naturally stops — all without our permission or awareness. If acids were produced when the intestines were empty, ulcers would form in the intestines, wouldn’t they?

Vomiting:

When we consume food that does not suit the body, or when food is not properly digested, the body expels it in the form of vomiting. In this way, without our involvement, the intestines are cleansed and the body is purified. Elders say that when vomiting or nausea comes, it cannot be stopped — because these processes operate according to divine command, and we cannot restrain them.

Coughing (protective reflex):

Sometimes, while eating and talking, food particles may accidentally try to enter the lungs. To prevent this, the body triggers coughing and forcefully expels them, thereby protecting the lungs.

Hiccups:

When food is swallowed without proper chewing (before it becomes semi-liquid), and if that food obstructs the airway through which air passes, hiccups occur. Through hiccups, the body jolts the obstruction and induces us to drink water, ensuring that the flow of life force is not interrupted.

Sneezing:

If dust or fine particles that enter with the air we breathe attempt to pass beyond the nose and reach the lungs, sneezing occurs immediately to block them and forcefully expel them. Sneezing is a protective mechanism the body has created to safeguard itself. However, instead of allowing this natural process, we often suppress sneezing by taking medicines. We fail to understand that the more frequent the sneezing, the more impurities are present within us. Instead of treating the impurities that cause disease, we take medicine to suppress the sneezing that is trying to expel the disease. Many of the medicines used for sneezing have a mild sedative effect; this sedation prevents the body from eliminating impurities, and as a result, sneezing stops.

Bitter taste in the mouth:

When harmful substances accumulate excessively in the intestines and the liver, both organs seek rest. Since humans rarely allow them proper rest, the body creates a bitter taste in the mouth and removes the desire for food, thereby naturally providing rest to the intestines. If we refrain from eating while the bitter taste persists, the intestines cleanse themselves on their own during this time.

We clean our homes twice a day, and during festivals we thoroughly remove accumulated dirt and dust, fulfilling our duty of cleanliness. In the same way, why does the thought not arise in us to cleanse the temple in which life resides — the body? A person who cleans the house daily does not even attempt to cleanse the body once a year. When the body induces a bitter taste to purify the liver and intestines, we mistake it for a disease and take medicines, thereby obstructing the body’s natural process.

When we are unable to control our cravings and forcibly eat despite the bitter taste, the intestines stop their cleansing activity and instead prioritize digesting the food. Diseased intestines cannot function properly. As a result, even if we eat, the food is not digested well and does not nourish the body. On one side, the illness does not subside; on the other, the food consumed serves no real purpose. This is the mistake we repeatedly make.

Cough:

The body protects the lungs by expelling the phlegm produced in them through coughing. Phlegm formed in the lungs obstructs breathing. To push this phlegm out of the lungs, God has given us the divine gift called cough. Whenever and however many times a cough occurs, it serves either to loosen the phlegm or to expel the loosened phlegm from the body.

Have you ever heard of any other creature in creation producing phlegm or coughing? Why is that? Because they do not indulge in tastes, they do not suffer from cough. Humans, who feel no discomfort while indulging in tastes, suddenly become aware of discomfort when coughing. Though phlegm exists indirectly, the cough troubles us directly. Therefore, we take medicines to suppress the cough and obtain relief. But if phlegm is retained in the lungs for a long time without coughing it out, that phlegm harms the lungs. How long can a coating of gold last on brass?

Nasal mucus:

Through the nose, the body cleanses the mucus produced in the nose, head, and throat regions. Often, sticky mucus forms in the throat and sinus areas (the sides and upper parts of the nose). This mucus interferes with hearing, speech, breathing, thinking (the mind), and also causes headaches, creating discomfort. The body dislodges this mucus through sneezing and expels it via the nose. This is a natural law of the body. When the accumulated impurities are expelled quickly, the discomfort caused by sneezing also subsides quickly.

If, finding the mucus unpleasant, we prevent it from coming out through the nose and suppress sneezing with medicines, other parts of the body suffer damage. There is a saying: if you take medicine for a cold, it goes away in seven days; if you don’t, it goes away in a week.

Diarrhea:

When the number of harmful microbes such as bacteria increases in the large intestine, the body expels them in the form of diarrhea and cleanses the intestines. Even though diarrhea causes weakness, it protects the large intestine by flushing out these harmful organisms.

Fever:

Fever is a great boon that God has given to all living beings. Fever is what cleanses the entire body. Some people think that fever itself is a disease. Fever is different; disease is different. Fever is the heat generated by the body to stir up and expel the disease. This is the law of nature. All living beings experience fever. As long as there are waste materials and disease-causing substances in the body, the fever persists. The fever must remain until those harmful substances are expelled from the body.

Our intellect gives signals to the mind indicating that a fever may occur in a few days. But the human mind, unable to control the senses, goes against the laws of nature. Animals and birds stop eating on the very day the thought arises in their minds that food is not needed. Only after the fever subsides, the mouth feels normal, and hunger returns do they begin eating again. Because of this, the fever (the discomfort) subsides quickly. Except for humans, in all other creatures fever goes away within one or two days. Why? Did they perform some special virtue? The only virtue they practice is following nature.

When fever occurs, the body asks for rest and forgoing food through various signs: bitterness in the mouth, foul breath, the salivary glands reducing or stopping saliva production, body aches signaling not to work, and headaches urging even the mind to rest — in short, requesting rest for the entire body. But this is a society that considers occupational duty more important than the body’s natural law. Therefore, people take one medicine for pain, another for fever, eat just enough to keep working, and pass the time. Moreover, fearing that taking medicine on an empty stomach is dangerous, they force themselves to eat even when the body cannot tolerate food. Scripture says that the food eaten during illness serves the disease, not the body.

Our elders valued the law of the body more than occupational duty. They believed that if we protect the body’s natural law, it will in turn protect us and enable us to carry out our occupational duties for as long as we live. Our elders and ancestors practiced fasting in accordance with the body’s natural law. According to doctrine, fasting was called the supreme medicine. All the medicines we use are ordinary remedies, but fasting alone was regarded as the ultimate remedy.

When fevers and illnesses occurred, by observing fasting for four days, from the very day the fever subsided digestion would improve, appetite would return strongly, and one could eat food well. Just as a person feels renewed strength after sleeping and waking up, so too does the body become strong and energetic after fasting. Those who practice fasting never suffer from chronic diseases. Through fasting, all the accumulated disease in the body is completely eliminated; therefore, there remains no foundation for chronic illness. All living beings in creation use this supreme medicine and thus reach their life’s goal.

When all these organs work tirelessly, without rest, twenty-four hours a day to protect us, how astonishing it is that human beings cannot spare even a single moment to think about them or about their own bodies! If all of us behave so foolishly, what use is it that we have a mind at all? That is why God creates so many kinds of diseases and sufferings for humans and makes them experience everything while still alive. This is the law of disease.

For having given us such a body and for constantly protecting us in so many ways, granting us the opportunity to live a full hundred years, we should always remain grateful to God. With good thoughts, a spirit of service to others, and the company of the virtuous, we should live upright lives and make our existence meaningful. Instead, we behave arrogantly as though everything is in our own hands. We belong to a culture where we say “thanks” after borrowing someone else’s pen for a moment and returning it — yet how unfortunate it is that we lack the culture of expressing gratitude to the infinite power of nature, which selflessly and impartially provides us with air, water, light, and food necessary for our very survival! Do we ever reflect on the supreme power that has given us this precious human birth? Remembering the elders’ words that the body itself is a temple and the living being is God, and by leading a righteous life with noble conduct, making our lives meaningful and living a full hundred years — is that not entirely within our own hands?

10. Therefore, Be Careful! Be Careful!

- Hunger does not recognize taste — sleep does not recognize comfort.

- The day the beast within a human is fed with flesh — that day humanity sings its own funeral song.

- The quality of sattva brings happiness — the quality of rajas brings sorrow.

- There is no fiber in meat — it causes great harm to the digestive system.

- Natural foods are rich in nutritional value — understand that meat is not true strength.

- Do not scorch a fellow living being and bury it in your stomach — never abandon the incomparable sattvic diet in your life.

- Do not become a slave to coffee and tea — do not succumb to addictions.

- Secretly crush the cigarette — openly reveal the true secret of health.

- In the name of modernity, do not create a web of poison — do not pollute health with addictions.

- Without overcoming addiction there is no devotion — without steadiness of mind there is no liberation.

We have spoken about food. We have spoken about health.

Food taken according to hunger gives health.

Food taken according to taste gives disease.

In the present age, human beings have become slaves to taste and are buying diseases with their own hands. Proverbs such as “Hunger does not recognize taste,” “Sleep does not recognize comfort,” and “Even simple gruel becomes nectar” convey the truth that food eaten when one is truly hungry acts like nectar — it strengthens the body, promotes health, and grants long life.

A healthy person thinks about food only when hunger arises.

A person suffering from indigestion has excessive hunger; his attention is always fixed on food. Like the saying “For a mother with nothing else to do, food alone becomes her meditation,” an unhealthy person with no productive activity keeps thinking only about what to eat next.

Such a person keeps eating, groaning with fatigue, and complaining: “There is no nourishment in food anymore! Crops grown with fertilizers, vegetables sprayed with pesticides, adulterated groceries — isn’t that the reason?” They speak as though all their illnesses are caused only by these factors.

It is true — one cannot deny that crops lack vitality, pesticides cause harm, and adulterated goods lead to illness. Yet we do not stop eating them. We do not even think of growing whatever vegetables we can in our own backyard. Nor do we consider using even poor-quality produce in ways that preserve whatever nutritional value remains.

Instead of sitting and cursing what is beyond our control, if we correct what is within our reach and follow a few simple precautions, we can protect our own health.

Non-Vegetarian Food

The food we consume can be classified into three categories.

1. Sattvic food

2. Rajasic food

3. Tamasic food

Whatever type of food a person consumes, the qualities of that food come to dominate the person’s mind.

If we consume sattvic food — such as milk, fruits, vegetarian foods, tubers and roots, and grains — a person develops sattva (purity and balance). Because of sattvic food, the mind never loses its calm and serenity.

On the other hand, if one consumes rajasic food — foods prepared with excessive sourness, salt, and spice, such as pickles, fried items, masalas, ghee, oil, fish, meat, and intoxicants — the person loses inner peace. Mental disturbances arise, moral values decline, and lust and anger are invited into one’s life. As a result, the journey of life does not proceed smoothly.

If one consumes tamasic food — food that has been kept for two or three days (such as vegetables stored in refrigerators), foul-smelling food (stale or rotten), or contaminated food — the person loses sharpness of intellect, becomes dull-minded, and the body begins to emit foul odors. Such a person behaves without discrimination. By consuming these tasteless and lifeless foods, one becomes weak.

Therefore, if we wish to live long with peace, happiness, and mental clarity, accepting sattvic food alone is beneficial in every way.

In today’s world, the number of people who consume sattvic food is very small. Most people consume rajasic food. Both vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike prefer rajasic food. Though many claim, “We are vegetarians,” they still cook their vegetables with heavy amounts of sourness, salt, and spice. Their craving is not satisfied unless they eat pickles. Their restlessness does not subside unless they consume fried items.

As for meat-eaters, there is no need to elaborate.

That is why modern human beings are losing moral values and drifting through life in despair and meaninglessness. Even though our elders practiced and demonstrated the right way of living, their wisdom does not sink into our minds. This is truly unfortunate.

At this point, I will try to explain — in a way that reaches your understanding — the harm that meat consumption causes to human beings. I am speaking specifically about meat because the damage it causes is so vast that it cannot easily be put into words.

In today’s times, because physical labor is minimal, eating food that places less strain on the digestive system is beneficial in every way. Easily digestible food means food that is digested with ease, leaves behind minimal waste in the body after digestion, and supplies vital energy to the body’s cells.

Foods that fall into this category are naturally available fruits, vegetables, leafy greens, and grains. On the other hand, it must be said that meat is food that burdens the body in every possible way.

Here we must understand another important truth. Whichever animal’s meat we consume, until that meat is completely digested, the nature and tendencies of that animal influence the human mind. This is a fact.

Meat takes 10 to 15 hours to digest. That means for all those hours, a person remains agitated and excitable. If meat is consumed again the next day, the same cycle repeats. Therefore, meat-eaters are constantly filled with rajoguna (restlessness and agitation).

Another point is that meat contains no fiber, so it does not move easily through the intestines. Moreover, because meat contains a high amount of fat, it does not digest quickly. Since the food remains in the intestines for a long time, more digestive juices are required to process it, which places excessive strain on the intestines.

While digesting food, the intestines also expel waste from the body. But when meat is consumed daily, the digestive system remains occupied 24 hours a day digesting food alone. Where, then, is the time to eliminate waste? The digestive system also gets no rest. If this continues, indigestion develops, and eventually the person is forced to avoid food altogether because of discomfort.

If even this is ignored, the body forcibly expels the accumulated waste in the form of diarrhea or mucus. This condition is something we bring upon ourselves by not giving the digestive system adequate rest.

If instead we consume naturally available food, these problems do not arise. Even if such food is eaten four times a day, it gets digested properly, giving the digestive system ample rest. It also allows sufficient time for waste elimination.

If waste is expelled on the same day it is produced, we remain truly healthy. All other living beings do exactly this, which is why they do not suffer from diseases.

Therefore, our duty is clear: we must give comfort to the life force that gives us constant well-being. Only then will there be harmony on both sides.

However, some people argue that vegetarian food does not contain all the proteins required by the body; that this deficiency cannot be compensated without eating meat; that meat gives great strength; and that to build muscles one must eat the flesh of muscular animals.

But one important point needs to be examined here. If the meat of deer, antelope, goat, chicken, fish, crab, and shrimp gives strength, then what meat did these animals eat to become strong in the first place? What meat did the bull or the elephant eat to become so powerful? They eat only leaves, grass, and plants. If leaves did not contain the proteins needed by the body, then all these animals should have been weak like humans. But they are not.

Why, then, does a human ignore this directly visible truth and instead consume meat that indirectly causes disease? Strength does not come only from meat; it is present in sāttvic (pure) food as well. Vegetarian food provides all the proteins required by the human body.

All nutritional values exist in natural food itself. Artificially prepared foods do not contain complete nutrition. Humans eat meat purely for taste and justify it in the name of strength. Before cooking, meat emits a foul odor. To eliminate that smell, people add spices and then cook and eat it. The same person who feels disgusted on seeing raw meat happily consumes it after cooking. The sole reason for this is obsession with taste. The mind is drawn more toward external gratification.

In today’s society, there are people who eat meat every single day. Tastes may be available in the marketplace, but health is not sold there. It is enough if they observe the harm caused by meat consumption. To cook meat, large quantities of oil, spices, salt, and masalas are required. Though these are used to remove the foul odor of meat, they cause great damage to the intestines.

Eating meat cooked with such masalas causes excessive secretion of digestive juices to digest it. Due to fat consumption, digestive juices are secreted even when there is no food. In the absence of food, the acids thus produced damage the inner lining of the intestines.

Furthermore, the masalas we use are medicines in Ayurveda. When such medicines are used as food, the body becomes accustomed to them and they no longer function as medicine.

Finally, one more point. After eating spicy meat curry, everyone washes their hands with soap — to remove the foul smell. Even then, the odor does not completely disappear. If this is the case with hands that do not have absorptive capacity, imagine what happens when that food enters the intestines and remains there for 10–15 hours. The intestinal cells do have absorptive capacity. How many days would a person need to cleanse for that stench absorbed by the cells to be removed?

That is why human feces smell, urine smells, and sweat smells. In truth, the human mind itself is the root cause of all these foulnesses. To transform such a mind, only sāttvic food is the refuge.

Sāttvic food increases sattva guna. Sattva guna helps one realize truth. Only when one exercises caution in food and lifestyle does intelligence blossom. The essence of the food we eat itself forms the subtle body (the mind).

Just as we look into a mirror and correct our face, we can correct the health of our mind through food. By killing a fellow living being for taste and burying it in our stomach, we are truly walking graves.

We must purify the intellect bestowed by God and attain true knowledge. Never forget that sāttvic food alone helps in attaining this knowledge.

Tea and Coffee

Drinking tea and coffee is also a form of addiction. Once a person becomes accustomed to them, it becomes very difficult to give them up. We have become so habituated that we even set aside specific times saying, “This is coffee time,” or “This is tea time.” If tea or coffee is not consumed at those times, the mind feels irritated and restless.

But before this habit developed, people had no such problems. Even if we have already had tea before visiting someone’s house, we still drink it again out of courtesy. In this way, whether out of desire or social obligation, we end up consuming tea and coffee many times a day. The one who ultimately suffers from this is none other than ourselves.

Whenever hunger arises, if instead of giving the body proper food we pour tea or coffee into it, the body becomes prone to many kinds of harm. One cup of coffee contains about 150 milligrams of caffeine, while tea contains theine. Due to caffeine, the nerves get stimulated and the person temporarily feels energetic. Mental tension and headaches reduce for a short while, giving a feeling of comfort.

If taken occasionally when truly needed, there is not much harm to the body. But becoming addicted to it is dangerous. The stimulation caused by caffeine lasts only for a short time and then subsides. After that, nervous exhaustion sets in and one feels fatigued. If one then drinks tea or coffee again, the person once more feels alert and comfortable. But once that effect wears off, the person returns to the same depleted state as before.

Substances like ganja, alcohol, cigarettes, and the like fall into the same category. They too stimulate the nerves. The only difference is that they damage the body far more severely than tea or coffee.

Drinking tea and coffee damages the mucous lining of the intestines and can lead to intestinal ulcers. They also cause blood vessels to harden and lose their elasticity and responsiveness. Therefore, all such bad habits are ones that humans bring upon themselves — nothing else. Only when a person distances themselves from these harmful habits can they truly live in peace.

The Hidden Truth About Cigarettes

We often lament that industrial activity and vehicles are polluting the environment, but we fail to think about the harm caused by cigarettes that are smoked casually for pleasure. In foreign countries, numerous studies have been conducted on the dangers caused by cigarette smoke. It has been established that if parents smoke, the children they conceive may be born with genetic defects. Research has also proven that the effect of smoke on infants is extremely severe.

It has been found that a single puff of cigarette smoke contains 1,200 toxic elements. The human lungs have the capacity to counter only the damage caused by one cigarette per day. What, then, can be said about smoking more than that?

If merely holding a cigarette between the lips for four minutes causes the lips to darken and crack, what would happen when such dense smoke remains inside the lungs for hours on end? Wouldn’t the lungs then resemble a kitchen chimney? When the very lungs that are meant to purify the blood become polluted themselves, what more needs to be said?

Smoking doubles the body’s consumption of vitamin C, making a person weak. Immunity decreases. There is little to say to those who value cigarettes more than health, but those who truly desire good health must inevitably give up the company of cigarettes.

Alcohol and Intoxicating Drugs

Alcohol consumption has become a symbol of modernity. Intoxicating substances have turned into a fashion among the youth. People imagine that through these substances they can forget mental distress and float in a world of pleasure.

But just as treating a minor tongue ailment with harsh medicine can result in losing the tongue itself, using intoxicants to numb mental pain can lead to the danger of losing the mind altogether. If a person is defined by possessing a mind, what can we call one who has lost it?

Alcohol damages the liver. It harms the esophagus, causing ulcers. Digestive power weakens. Brain cells are damaged. Blood becomes impure, and immunity declines. Diseases such as cancer and ulcers slowly crush a person.

There is no use grasping leaves after the hands are already burnt. There is no benefit in approaching doctors after diseases have advanced. Therefore, it is extremely necessary to stay away from these substances.

Pan – Chewing Tobacco

In earlier times, the chewing of betel leaves (tāmbūla) was regarded as a health practice. Today, however, many dangerous substances such as kara-killi, jarda, khaini, and similar products have come into use. All of these cause severe harm to the mouth, which is the gateway to the digestive system. Not only do they damage the teeth, but they also injure the salivary glands. Moreover, they adversely affect the mind and the other sense organs as well.

Knowingly becoming addicted to such substances is sheer lack of wisdom. Chewing cud is an animal trait. By chewing these scented substances, humans are in effect adopting animal-like behavior.

Bad habits take hold within minutes, but getting rid of habits once they take root may not be possible even in an entire lifetime. It is said, “Human birth itself is rare.” Having received this rare human life, one should live with gratitude toward God, fulfill one’s duties, and make life meaningful — not waste it by becoming enslaved to harmful habits.

A sapling that does not bend will never bend when it becomes a tree. Therefore, whether it is dietary discipline or principles of health, they must be cultivated from childhood. Give the body what it needs — not what the mind merely craves. Redirect the mind toward noble pursuits and train the body in good habits. Then both the mind and the body will remain healthy.

A healthy person becomes a good citizen — useful to both family and nation. Hence, let us live a happy life by keeping under control the God-given mind with God-given wisdom.

11. Sprouted Grains — Nutritional Values

- Sprouted grains that awaken life energy — complete forms rich in nutrition

- Life energy in sprouted grains — fills the body with fresh vitality and renewed strength

Sprouted grains contain a high level of life energy. When consumed as food, they provide great strength to the body and enhance immunity. The body becomes strong and radiant. They are a complete food that is easy to digest.

When grains are soaked in clean water, the fat content present in them is converted into proteins. The mineral content increases. The vitamin content rises significantly. Proteins become fully available. Therefore, grains that are soaked and kept until they sprout can be considered a complete food.

These grains help reduce unnecessary body fat. Nutrition increases without causing weight gain. Those who do physical labor or exercise regularly should definitely consume sprouted grains. Others can also consume them without hesitation. The belief that they are hard to digest is merely a misconception. They are rich in natural enzymes, minerals, and also contain a high amount of dietary fiber. Hence, they do not burden the intestines and are digested easily.

They are very essential for children’s growth. They help increase breast milk in nursing mothers. Many people fear that sprouted grains may cause stomach pain. Initially, those who do not have regular bowel movements may experience slight discomfort. If consumed continuously for four days without stopping, no discomfort will remain.

Method of Preparation:

Green gram (moong), chickpeas, wheat, finger millet (ragi), black gram, and groundnuts — any of these are highly beneficial for the body.

- Soak green gram and ragi in water for eight hours. Then tie them in a dry cloth bundle and keep them on a plate for about fifteen hours. Sprouts will appear, usually about half an inch long.

- Soak chickpeas and wheat for eight hours, then drain the water and spread them on a plate for another eight hours in a shaded, airy place. After that, tie them in a cloth and keep them for one day; the sprouts will grow well.

- Groundnuts can be soaked overnight and eaten in the morning. They do not need to be kept until sprouts appear.

Each type of grain should be soaked separately and sprouted separately. They should not be mixed while sprouting. Every day, two or three types — or small quantities of all varieties — may be eaten.

Sprouted grains are a strength-giving, complete food suitable for all ages, from small children to the elderly.

12. Misconceptions — Truths

- Fasting you undertake for health — is an opportunity you give your body for protection

- For higher yield you plough the field — for complete health, clear out the waste

- An undigested intestine does not know restraint — a cleansed intestine does not crave food

- A full stomach brings drowsy sleep — fasting brings deep, restful sleep

- Embrace fasting — it is the remedy for addictions

- Use an enema when necessary — remove unwanted waste

- Retained stool is the root of gas — not the lemon you blame

- Shadow follows the sun — disease follows indulgence in taste

- Wealth is meant to be enjoyed — without health, even riches are useless

- Saying “honey is sweet” is pleasant talk — saying “honey produces heat” is wiser truth

- Where filth accumulates, flies and mosquitoes gather — where stool accumulates, disease and suffering gather

- When fear departs, realization dawns — when stool is expelled, comfort arises

- Forcing the body and losing weight is dangerous — weight loss through fasting is joyful

- Do not discard what is good in the name of weakness — do not abandon nature for the sake of taste

- There is no strength in retained waste — we must release the impurities formed each day

- When needed, seek refuge in an ashram — for health, practice nature

- Cattle may differ in appearance but their milk is one — half-eaten food differs, hunger is the same

- When tastes are indulged excessively — desires must be sacrificed for health

- Excess fat is extremely dangerous — fasting is the only remedy

- For a natural body, natural therapy is appropriate — artificial treatments based on misconceptions are unnatural

- Roaming around hospitals is uncivilized — following nature is true civilization

- Live with discipline and forget old age — the mind knows no old age in this world

- No power exceeds mental strength — without health, the mind has no power

- This is not bland food, it is natural food — understand the essence of joyful living

- Our desires are our diseases — our preferences are our troubles

- Do not chase tastes assuming there is no disease — do not forget the diseases lurking behind tastes

- One who is peaceful has no anger — one who follows dietary discipline has no disease

1. Misconception: Is natural therapy meant only for reducing body weight? Is it useful for anything else?

Truth: Those who follow natural therapy observe fasting, so some amount of weight loss is visibly noticed by everyone. Because of this, many assume that natural therapy is only for weight reduction. But in reality, it is beneficial for all kinds of diseases, including chronic illnesses, and is suitable for people of all ages and temperaments, without causing any harm.

2. Misconception: In natural therapy, since you do not give food, the body may lose weight — but how can diseases disappear without medicines?

Truth:It is precisely because food is withheld that the disease begins to reduce day by day even before the body weight decreases. Science says that when disease is present, the food we eat nourishes the disease, not the body.

For example, in a field where groundnut plants grow, weeds also grow alongside them. When we apply fertilizer to strengthen the crop, both the crop and the weeds absorb it and grow. But weeds have the nature of spreading rapidly and multiplying, whereas the groundnut plant does not. Because of the fertilizer, do we not see weeds growing faster than the useful crop?

If the weeds are removed first and then fertilizer is applied, the nourishment benefits only the crop, doesn’t it?

Similarly, by giving the body rest through fasting — without food — the body repairs itself naturally. This is a fundamental secret of creation.

3. Misconception: Do the intestines get damaged by fasting? Is it true that they dry up?

Truth:If one fasts for many days without consuming any liquids at all, the intestines may lose movement and could become dry and damaged. But during fasting, when honey, lemon, water, and plain drinking water are taken at regular intervals, the body gains more energy with less effort, and the intestines remain at rest for longer periods. Isn’t it common knowledge that leaving a field fallow (resting it) helps crops grow better afterward?

4. Misconception: I am already thin. Can I do fasting? Won’t it cause further harm and even endanger my life?

Truth: Yes, you can fast without any fear. Thin people do not lose further weight during fasting. If the energy obtained from honey is not sufficient for you, fasting can be done using fruit juices. Therefore, there is absolutely no danger to life. After completing fasting, if thin people consume natural foods properly, their body weight will gradually increase to the required level.

5. Misconception: I have heard that in natural therapy food is reduced. I am already weak. You may reduce my disease, but how will my strength increase?

Truth: What you have heard is not true. More diseases arise not from eating less, but from eating more than necessary. In natural therapy, balanced food is given according to your physical labor and bodily needs. You are provided exactly what your body requires.

6.Misconception: Is it true that after following natural therapy for some time, if one stops and eats normally, the body becomes even fatter than before?

Truth: Yes, it is true — but do not be afraid. Dry soil absorbs water quickly — isn’t that so? Similarly, after natural therapy, all the cells of the body become healthy and begin to utilize the food they receive properly. This means that the food you eat gets properly digested and assimilated.

Is there anything wrong with the therapy in this?

Before therapy, why did you gain weight in the first place? Because work was less and food was more, wasn’t it? If people who do not work eat as if they do work, they will inevitably gain weight. After undergoing therapy and understanding this truth, will you again overeat and become obese?

7. Misconception: I cannot tolerate hunger at all. I cannot wait even for a short time. So we cannot do fasting, can we? Is there anything else we can do instead of fasting?

Truth: Natural therapy begins only with fasting. A person who eats frequently experiences more hunger. During fasting, since you do not eat, hunger does not arise at all. Are you surprised? It is true!

When the stomach and intestines are given complete rest, digestive juices are not produced, and therefore hunger does not occur. During fasting, the body undertakes the process of eliminating toxins. Until waste matter and accumulated feces are completely expelled, hunger does not arise. This can be understood only by those who have experienced it. Experience alone is the way.

8. Misconception: How can one sleep during fasting when the stomach is empty? Just thinking about it makes me afraid.

Truth: There is no connection between an empty stomach and sleep. Intoxication is one thing; sleep is another. When the stomach is full of food, most of the blood is drawn toward digestion, reducing blood flow to the brain and causing drowsiness. When sleep begins from this drowsiness, it is called intoxicated sleep.

But what a human being truly needs is deep sleep, not intoxicated sleep. Understand this clearly. When food leaves the stomach and digestion subsides, that intoxication disappears and restlessness begins. If one eats and sleeps, all organs continue working throughout the night — how can that be rest? When organs that should rest during sleep keep working, the body does not get proper rest.

During fasting, as disease-causing substances are expelled daily through the excretory organs, the body’s workload reduces. As a result, the body naturally enters complete rest through deep, pleasant sleep. During fasting, the use of enemas and steam baths helps bring good sleep from the very first day.

Those who follow natural food habits understand what true sleep is — how it comes, how it stays, and how one wakes up refreshed. Enter into it, and you will understand its depth.

9. Misconception: I cannot tolerate the headaches that come from giving up coffee and tea. I cannot quit them. Can I continue drinking coffee or tea while fasting?

Truth: No, you should not. During fasting, giving up any bad habit becomes easy. Since lemon juice is used during fasting, its sour taste suppresses cravings and desire for food as well as addictions.

Whenever any bad habit is given up, some discomfort related to that habit is unavoidable for three or four days. However, if one gives it up while fasting, no additional harm occurs. During fasting, all stimulating substances related to addictions that have accumulated in the body are completely expelled from the tissues, right down to their roots.

Because of this, after four days of fasting, the mind no longer asks for those habits — coffee, tea, alcohol, cigarettes, chewing tobacco, and similar addictions. Anyone who truly wishes to give up addictions and bad habits completely should understand that nature cure is an easy and effective path.

10. Misconception: Doctors have told us that we must never stop taking medicines for our illnesses throughout life. So can we continue taking medicines while fasting?

Truth: From the second day of fasting, the progression of disease stops. Because there is no food intake, the body becomes lighter day by day, and suffering does not increase. Therefore, medicines are generally not required. In emergencies, medicines may be used if absolutely necessary.

It is food that runs the body, not medicines. For us, food itself is medicine.

11. Misconception: I have had gas trouble for a long time, and I have been told not to consume sour foods. If I eat anything sour, I get loose motions. You are asking us to use 7 or 8 lemons a day. How can sour taste suit us?

Truth: First, we must understand why gas trouble occurs and where it originates. If the root cause is identified and removed, then all foods become tolerable.

To move food downward, a certain amount of gas is naturally produced in the intestines at all times. This is actually a sign of good health. Trouble arises only when this naturally produced gas gets trapped. The real cause of this problem is that the large intestine is filled with retained stool.

Because of the presence of stool, the gas that is naturally formed cannot be expelled. Instead, it tightens the intestines and the abdomen, causing discomfort. Unable to bear this discomfort, we resort to medicines to expel the gas for temporary relief, but we do not try to stop the excessive gas formation at its root. This is why people suffer from this problem for years together.

If stool is expelled whenever it is formed — meaning if bowel movements occur smoothly two or three times a day — this disease disappears along with its very foundation.

In our treatment, enema is given first to cleanse the intestines of stool. Therefore, from the very first day, gas formation does not occur. After that, no matter how many lemons you use, or whatever foods you consume, you will not experience any discomfort.

12. Misconception: Isn’t it harmful to take an enema daily? Won’t the intestines become loose? Isn’t it true that once one gets used to enemas, bowel movement won’t happen without it?

Truth: If chemical substances like soap water or glycerin are used regularly, they can indeed harm the intestines. However, using lukewarm plain water for enemas causes absolutely no harm, no matter how many days it is done.

Before an enema, the large intestine is stretched and burdened because it is full of retained stool. By removing this load through an enema, the stretched intestine becomes empty and returns to its normal condition.

Enemas are used only during fasting. Once eating is resumed, the intestines remain empty and bowel movements occur naturally. At that point, the enema can be stopped.

13.Misconception: I have been told that I have a stomach ulcer. During fasting, since there is no food, won’t acids be produced in excess and increase the burning sensation? Moreover, doesn’t lemon juice aggravate ulcers rather than cure them?

Truth: The production of digestive juices (acids) depends entirely on the type of food we consume. For example, when we eat fatty foods, digestion takes longer and requires the secretion of more digestive acids. But when we eat fruits, such heavy secretion is not required.

During fasting, since no solid food is taken, there is no need for digestive acids, and therefore they are not produced. In the first two days of fasting, a small amount of acid may still be produced due to habit, but this gradually subsides.

Because only liquid foods are taken during fasting, there is no burning sensation, even for those who have ulcers. No matter how many days one fasts in this manner, people with ulcers do not experience burning.

Although lemon juice has a sharp taste, when it is mixed with water and honey, it becomes favorable for ulcer healing. According to medical understanding, the use of this juice and sour fruits actually helps ulcers heal faster.

14. Misconception: I have diabetes. If I take honey during fasting, won’t my sugar levels increase?

Truth: No, they will not increase. During fasting, since there is no solid food, the small amount of nourishment that is taken is quickly absorbed by the body’s cells. Because the body is at rest during fasting, the efficiency of the cells improves.

The energy obtained from honey is rapidly delivered to the cells and is quickly burned up. Therefore, blood sugar levels do not rise. In fact, during fasting, sugar levels gradually come down day by day.

15. Misconception: I have had heart disease for a long time and have been taking medicines ever since. Will natural therapy be of any use to me?

Truth: Just as one feels great relief when a heavy load carried on the head is set down on the ground, natural therapy brings the same sense of lightness to those suffering from heart disease.

For many people, once this illness occurs, a sense of fear settles into the mind. They begin to believe that only medicines are keeping the heart functioning. In reality, one can safely and fearlessly stop medicines and begin fasting under natural therapy.

During fasting, the intake of large amounts of liquid food causes the blood to become thinner, and circulation throughout the body becomes more active. As a result, the workload on the heart decreases. From the very first day, the use of honey prevents the formation of blood clots.

Because the stomach remains empty during fasting, the lungs expand more fully, take in more air, and purify the blood more efficiently. This supplies better-quality blood to the heart muscles, reducing strain on the heart. As a result, pain, breathlessness, and fatigue do not occur even for a moment.

Blocked blood vessels gradually return to their natural state. Thus, without any operations or medicines, natural therapy helps you live a healthy, fearless life for a hundred years.

16. Misconception: For how long should one follow this bland diet and these natural principles?

Truth: Just as shade follows the sun, disease follows indulgence in taste. What we eat today — whether good or bad — is experienced tomorrow.

People often ask, “Should we eat like this for four months? Six months?” The answer to how long lies with you. Without practice, the desire for a happy life remains only a thought.

As long as you wish to live a healthy, peaceful life, you must follow these principles and disciplines for that long. There is no bargaining in this matter.

17. Misconception: If we eat the way you prescribe, won’t our existing wealth be insufficient?

Truth: After all, what we earn is meant to be enjoyed, isn’t it? Without health, no matter how much one earns or enjoys, it is like pouring camphor onto ashes — it yields nothing. What truly purifies a person is health.

Every rupee spent for health returns to us with interest, in the form of happiness and peace. But every rupee spent purely for taste does not return happiness — instead, it burns away our wealth in the name of diseases, hospitals, and medicines.

It is like losing money and inviting misfortune along with it. What is given to harm cannot yield good — this is human nature. Good food creates a good body; a good body creates a good mind. A good mind leads to good actions. Those good actions are what truly justify spending on health and food.

18. Misconception: Is it true that all diseases are completely cured through natural therapy? Do they never return?

Truth:If practiced with sincerity and awareness, diseases can be completely eliminated. Illness depends on one’s way of thinking, the food one eats, and the disciplines one follows.

We ourselves are responsible for our diseases. Therefore, when invited, diseases come; when dismissed, they leave.

19. Misconception: Is it true that natural therapy takes a long time to cure diseases?

Truth: We live in times that value instant pleasure, and thus people are eager for diseases to disappear instantly as well. All systems of medicine recognize that diseases arise through food, and therefore treatment always involves changes in diet.

In natural therapy, fasting begins without food (except for honey and lemon water). Hence, from the very first day, the formation of disease stops. Existing illnesses are treated day by day during fasting and gradually eliminated from their roots.

Diseases do not subside here like milk calming instantly when cold water is sprinkled over it. Even if you do not see immediate outward relief within minutes, internally the healing process is actively progressing.

In natural therapy, the time required for recovery depends on the severity and depth of the disease.

20. Misconception: Honey does not suit me at all. Even a small quantity makes my body feel “hot.” If I drink so much honey during fasting, won’t it cause heat and loose motions?

Truth:“Heat” is not a scientific term in medicine — it is only a commonly used expression. Honey is thick in nature, so if it is consumed improperly, some people may experience indigestion and loose motions.

If honey is licked slowly, mixed well with ample saliva, and then swallowed, it does not cause any problem. Drinking larger quantities of honey can reduce urine output, so to ensure smooth urination, honey should always be mixed with plenty of water.

To prevent any discomfort from consuming larger amounts of honey, warm water should also be taken regularly. When consumed in this manner, even a quarter kilogram of honey per day can be taken without causing any trouble.

21. Misconception: Does honey itself produce stools? Even though I haven’t eaten anything for so many days during fasting, where is this much foul-smelling waste coming from?

Truth: Honey does not produce stool. Even when taken in large quantities, honey is absorbed directly from the stomach into the bloodstream within about 15 minutes. Honey water does not enter the large intestine (the colon where stools are formed).

Even if a person has bowel movement only once a day, it still indicates constipation. The waste that is coming out is stored stool that has been retained for years. When it remains inside for long periods, one does not realize how much waste has accumulated.

No one allows sewage to stagnate in their house compound, because it breeds germs, mosquitoes, and foul odor. But the lack of similar concern for the waste stored inside the body is the root cause of many illnesses.

Natural therapy cleans this long-retained waste by washing the colon through enema. During fasting, as the body is cleansed in this way, the person feels lighter and clearer each day.

Because the stool stored in the intestines becomes hard like stone, daily enemas are required to soften and loosen it. As the enema water soaks this waste, some amount comes out each day with a foul smell.

Just as stirring a sewage pit increases the stench, disturbing the accumulated waste through enemas releases the odor. Understand that the foul matter is being expelled only because it is being dislodged and removed.

22. Misconception: Yuck! Enema feels disgusting. We have never taken an enema since birth. If it is possible to do fasting without enema, tell us — we will gladly do that. After all, we pass stools smoothly every day. Why do we need enema?

Truth: People do not feel disgusted about storing filth inside their bodies, but they feel disgusted by the enema that washes away that filth and purifies the body. This clearly shows how much value they place on inner cleanliness.

A person does not worry or feel discomfort even if there is no bowel movement for four days. But the moment enema is mentioned, discomfort arises. Nothing comes with birth — habits develop and change according to time and circumstances.

Today’s parents teach children only how to wash the outer body. But after growing up all these years, have you ever washed the inner body? Did the thought ever occur?

You may ask, “Why should the inner body be cleaned?”

Because humans have a mind, it must be cleaned. It is because of the mind that humans suffer from constipation. That is why every person must necessarily learn the practice of enema.

Ideally, bowel movements should occur two or three times a day, and each time it should be completed within 4–5 seconds. That alone is called a comfortable bowel movement. Anyone who does not have such bowel movements must clean the inner body through enema while fasting.

Fasting without enema is like a number zero without a digit in front of it — it has no value. Be glad that at least today you have the opportunity to understand enema. Think about it. Practice it.

23. Misconception: I want to lose 30 kilograms of weight. How many days should I fast to reduce that much weight?

Truth: It is not possible to determine in advance how many days a person should fast. While fasting, the duration is decided based on the condition of the body, the nature of the disease, and the changes that occur.

Those who need to lose weight can be kept fasting only for as many days as the body permits. The remaining excess weight after fasting can be reduced by following the prescribed diet (the food we provide) and practicing asanas, resulting in a weight loss of about 3–4 kilograms per month.

But one should not insist that all 30 kilograms must be lost only through fasting, nor should fasting be continued if the body does not support it.

24. Misconception: If body weight reduces so drastically at once through fasting, won’t it be dangerous?

Truth: There is absolutely no harm at all. The energy required by the body tissues and the brain (about 800 calories) is supplied through honey, while vitamins are provided through lemon juice. When fat melts, the body requires more water. Therefore, by supplying sufficient water (about 15 glasses of clean drinking water), no problems arise.

However, fasting for many days without consuming honey can be dangerous. Reducing weight by torturing the body can cause harm. But in fasting, the body is given rest, and weight reduction happens with the cooperation of the body itself. Hence, understand clearly that this method is 100 percent beneficial.

25: Misconception: Some fruits and food items do not suit me at all. Doctors have advised me to completely avoid foods that cause allergies. But you say that in natural therapy one should eat everything. How will those suit us?

Truth: We do not ask you to consume things that do not suit you. Through natural therapy, we train your body to become compatible with all foods. Just as every tree gets air according to its size, and every amount of effort generates proportional strength, immunity increases with proper effort.

A person who does not exert effort suffers from weak immunity. By allowing the body to rest through fasting, and then rebuilding it through natural therapy, we can restore natural immunity. During fasting, all allergens and harmful substances are completely expelled from the body.

Therefore, after undergoing natural therapy, there will be no such thing as food that does not suit you.

26: Misconception: Everything you say sounds fine. But once we return to food, how long can we eat the same bland dish every day — the same mixed vegetable preparation? If we eat today’s food again tomorrow, won’t it become boring?

Truth: A person finds it difficult to practice what is good, but finds it even harder to give up what is bad — this is human weakness. After all, no matter how many days you smoke, it is the same cigarette, yet you do not feel bored of it. The coffee or tea you drink today is the same one you drink tomorrow — then why does no aversion arise toward it? In the same way, people wish to continue enjoying other bad habits throughout their lives without giving them up.

After experiencing coffee or cigarettes, a certain kind of pleasure is obtained, and therefore you keep craving them again and again. Similarly, although the joy in eating simple food may not be felt immediately, it becomes clear through practice. Butter does not form the moment the churn is turned once in curd. Only by churning again and again does butter emerge. In the same way, the pleasure hidden in this food reveals itself gradually.

What is bitter becomes sweet with continued tasting. Likewise, what is bland becomes enjoyable when eaten repeatedly. Is it really harder for blandness to turn into sweetness than for bitterness to do so?

Yet, a person discourages himself in advance, creating fear in his own mind — “Oh no, bland food! If there is nothing in it, how can we eat it? How long can we eat it?” Such thoughts arise only when the resolve to be healthy and to live healthily has not yet taken root in the mind.

The moment a strong desire to be healthy is born, the mind becomes ready to eat anything and do anything necessary. What we need then is mental strength. That strength prevents the mind from running after tastes and redirects it toward health.

After conducting personal research on such food, methods have been documented to prepare tasty yet healthy dishes without salt and oil — including curries, chutneys, pulaos, stir-fries, sweets made with honey, fritters, papads, and many other recipes that can be prepared at home. To share these methods, the book “Food And Thought” was written.

By preparing food according to those principles, everyone can personally experience how delicious natural food truly is.

27. Misconception: You say one should have bowel movements three or four times a day. If whatever we eat goes out immediately each time, where does any strength come from?

Truth: True strength and health lie precisely in going every time. Nearly 50 percent of people pass stools only once in two or three days. If strength truly lay in retaining stools, then all of them should be strong and healthy — but they are not. If what you say were correct, then animals and birds that pass stools every two or three hours should be weak and unable to move — but that is clearly not the case.

28. Misconception: I have been healthy so far without any illness. Why do I need nature cure?

Truth: It is precisely because you have no illness that we advise nature cure — so that no diseases arise in the future. A healthy person has no need for doctors or medicines. Other medical systems are useful only after diseases appear. But nature cure is beneficial both for those who already have illnesses and for those who do not. Never forget — it is nature cure that protects human beings from falling prey to diseases.

29. Misconception: To practice nature cure, one must stay in an ashram for a long time. Such an opportunity is not easily available to everyone. What is your response?

Truth: What you say is true. To undergo nature cure, one may need to stay in an ashram for one or two months. Such an opportunity may indeed be difficult for employees and businesspeople. But when an unexpected crisis occurs, when life itself is at risk, what happens to jobs and businesses then?

To fulfill one’s professional duties properly, health is essential. Never make excuses when it comes to restoring your health — it is dangerous to do so. You are worrying about one month. But if you put into practice what you learn in that one month, your entire life can change.

By going to a nature cure ashram, receiving treatment, and understanding the methods, you gain knowledge that will help you and your family protect health for a lifetime. Those who follow natural principles can safeguard themselves from chronic diseases throughout life. In this system, each person becomes his own doctor, capable of protecting his own health.

Nature cure is something that can be practiced naturally at home. All that is needed is to stay at an ashram once, learn everything properly from a doctor, and then apply it. Our elders followed this very approach, practicing nature cure as home medicine and protecting themselves from disease.

Rather than suffering lifelong with illness thinking such opportunities are unavailable, seek out a nearby nature cure ashram, understand the value of nature, and make your life joyful. With the support of nature, strive to live a fearless and healthy life.

30. Misconception: Our elders made extensive use of nature cure. Only recently has interest in it increased again. Since it is such a good system of medicine with no harmful effects, what caused this long gap in between?

Truth: True benefit to the body comes only when a person fully understands the merits and demerits of all systems of medicine. What is good can be known only through experience. In times when human beings give more value to the artificial than to the natural, why would the mind turn toward natural medicine?

Human impatience is the root cause of many disasters. Man chooses treatment according to his way of thinking, not according to the natural laws of the body. Even the moon undergoes an eclipse. Does not separation increase love? Likewise, this gap has only increased interest in nature cure. There is no defeat for dharma — and similarly, there is no defeat for nature cure.

31. Misconception: Did not God give us a mouth to eat? Aren’t tastes meant to be enjoyed? One must have good fortune to eat. What is the point of living for 100 years with one’s mouth restrained?

Truth: This reflects the mindset of today’s society. God did give the mouth for eating — but intelligent human beings have also learned to use the mouth in another way: to dig their own grave with it.

Tastes are meant to be enjoyed — yet man is declining precisely because he cannot enjoy them wisely. Falling into indulgence and refusing to restrain the mouth, people are instead restrained by diseases — imposed by God Himself. If life were only meant for eating, what difference would there be between humans and animals? Animals eat, roam about, and reproduce. If we too do only these three things, would we truly deserve to be called human beings?

What humans possess that animals do not is the mind. It is because of the mind that we are called human beings. Animals are useful while alive, and even after death. But after death, a human being is often of no use even to his own people.

Therefore, while alive, one must strive to make human life meaningful. To know anything or achieve anything as a thinking human being, the cooperation of the body is essential. Tastes lead the body onto the wrong path. Only humans have the privilege of enjoying taste — but when taste exceeds limits, it takes away life itself.

This does not mean one should not eat tasty food. Protect your health, and then enjoy tastes wholeheartedly for as long as you live.

32. Misconception: Modern medical science says that one can eat all kinds of food three times a day and still reduce body weight by lowering excess fat in the body. It is also being said in weekly magazines and on TV that losing weight through fasting is a misconception, and that the weight lost during fasting is only water and muscle, not fat. If what they say is true, then instead of starving the stomach, suffering so much, and giving up tasty food, wouldn’t it be better to reduce fat simply through exercise or other modern methods? What do you say to this?

Truth: A person can reduce body weight even by eating not just three, but four full meals a day — without following any medical system at all. Even an illiterate person will say, “If you bend your back and work hard, everything will go away.” The reason we are facing so many problems today is because we are not bending our backs — we are not doing physical labor.

Let us think for a moment about why people gain weight at all. It is not only about how many times, what, or how much one eats — what matters equally is how much of what is eaten is being spent.

People who work hard physically eat more frequently than we do and also consume more food, yet they spend double the energy we do. They do not regularly eat snacks, sweets, ghee-based items, or rich foods. They usually consume less than one kilogram of oil per month and cook just one curry per day. Through rice alone, they obtain about 2,500 to 3,500 calories per day. All this energy is spent the very same day through physical labor. Since no calories remain unused, there is no chance for them to be stored as fat. Therefore, such people always remain lean and strong.

Now let us consider those who do not do physical labor. They want snacks, four varieties of curries, five to six kilograms of oil per month, flour-based foods, ghee-based dishes — all of this daily for their stomach to feel satisfied. Without these, food does not seem complete to them. Even if the quantity eaten appears small, because all these foods are rich in fat, they supply a large number of calories.

For work that does not induce sweating, the body may expend only about 2,000 calories per day. If 2,500 calories are consumed, the remaining 500 calories are not spent that day. Since they are unused, they get converted into fat and are stored wherever fat cells exist in the body. This fat, accumulated over years, is the root cause of these problems.

If what we eat today is fully spent today, there is no possibility at all of that energy turning into fat. This principle alone can protect us from regaining weight. Because we have allowed fat to accumulate, we are now forced to think about methods to melt and remove this stored fat.

Modern doctors say, “You eat everything; we will reduce your weight. You need not worry about your body at all.” Through treatment (using electrical procedures), they can quickly reduce the existing weight without apparent harm. But can they offer any treatment that ensures fat will not form again in the body later? There is no treatment that can prevent fat from forming, is there? Preventing fat formation is entirely in our own hands.

You may undergo such treatment for six months or a year. While you are under treatment, the fat produced from food and the fat already stored in the body can be melted using electrical methods. But will you continue eating everything on one side and taking electrical treatments on the other for your entire life? No one does that. After the treatment ends, since you stop using electrical therapy, how will you melt the fat that forms daily because you continue eating the same way? With no treatment on one side and no physical effort on the other, fat will accumulate again. Like a beard that grows back every time it is shaved, fat keeps returning.

Mechanical methods can melt fat as we wish, but fat does not melt according to the body’s natural preference. Therefore, applying unnatural treatments to a natural body will ultimately result in harm rather than benefit.

Now let us think about what happens through fasting. You asked whether fat reduction through fasting is a misconception. Why does energy in our body turn into fat and remain stored? Whenever the body lacks food and energy, the stored fat naturally converts back into energy and is used to protect and sustain the body. This is the law of the body.

During fasting, food is not given (except honey and lemon water). Therefore, the daily energy requirement is met by melting stored fat, which gets converted into energy, resulting in weight loss. This type of reduction follows the body’s natural law.

Because we consume excessive salt, the body retains excess water. During fasting, since no salt is consumed and more water is taken, and through practices like steam baths and sun baths, the salt-laden water is expelled from the body in the form of sweat. Until the excess water in the body is eliminated, fat does not begin to melt. Hence, in the initial days of fasting, water weight reduces first.

The belief that muscle melts and damages the body during fasting is also a misconception. In obese individuals fasting with honey, tests show that fat is being reduced. Only after all stored fat is completely exhausted, if fasting is still continued, do proteins begin converting into energy — and this is harmful. As long as fat exists in the body, a person fasting does not experience hunger or weakness.

Even without tests, one can determine whether fat is still present during fasting. Therefore, there is no danger. There is no other natural method that can reduce fat and body weight so quickly, safely, and without harm as fasting does. Weight reduces naturally and effortlessly, according to the body’s own rhythm.

Fasting helps reduce existing weight, but it does not by itself prevent weight from returning. To reduce weight further or to maintain reduced weight, dietary discipline and physical exercise are essential. Apart from these two, there is no other solution for human beings.

For example, everyone knows that if salt is completely avoided, blood pressure comes down naturally. Yet, instead of doing that, people take medicines lifelong and keep visiting hospitals — which is a sign of uncivilized living. A disease caused by salt must be cured by removing salt.

Similarly, a body formed due to improper diet and lack of physical effort should be corrected through proper food and proper effort. This is both wise and beneficial. Choosing a good system of treatment is, in fact, a reflection of our honesty toward ourselves.

33. Misconception: We are elderly people who have reached 60 or 70 years of age. What use is nature-based living for us at this age?

Truth: Precisely because you have reached 60 or 70 years of age, it is now essential that you follow the laws of nature. This is the age when responsibilities have been completed — the age of retirement from profession. At this stage of life, people are becoming mentally old rather than physically old.

In their thinking, they console themselves by saying, “If one lives up to 70 or 80 years, that is enough. Why live longer? Whom are we saving? What can we even do at this age?” Thus, they themselves mentally weaken and discourage their own lives.

In earlier times, elders were respected. Even if they were unwell, they were looked after with a sense of duty and service, accepting it as dharma. But today, everyone is expected to take care of themselves. People toil day and night for their children, neglecting their own health. Yet, until now, humans have not cared for their health, assuming they will deal with it after diseases arrive.

But once disease arrives, what is left to manage or protect? Apart from hospitals, nothing remains. At an age meant for comfort and peace, people unnecessarily purchase suffering in the name of disease.

This stage of life is meant to live independently — without depending on others and without troubling anyone else. By the time one reaches this age, all the natural changes that are supposed to occur in the body have already taken place.

Even if one tries to restrain long-standing eating habits, the mind still runs toward taste. After diseases arrive, when one tries to reduce indulgence in taste, the mind refuses to cooperate. At this age, people become lazy, saying exercise is unnecessary now. But as long as a person eats, exercise is mandatory.

Money deposited in a bank allows one to sit and eat comfortably. But the body does not accept idleness the way money does. Saying, “I have worked since birth; now I will sit and eat,” does not work for the body.

There is a prayer in the Vedas: “I wish to live for 100 years — not merely live, but live with an enthusiastic and alert mind; may my eyes continue to see, my ears continue to hear; may my body remain strong, enabling me to perform my daily duties without depending on others. O God, grant me such health and protect me.”

But we do not even think for a single day about living this way — let alone praying for it. Without desire, where will health come from? When there is desire, that very desire pushes us forward toward health.

From the moment disease strikes until it disappears, the only desire we have is to regain health. Just as a child cries only until given a chocolate, our concern for health exists only until relief arrives. Such is the state of our attitude toward health.

At this age, one’s own health serves that person like a mother. As age increases, just as physical labor gradually reduces, the strength of bones, the power of muscles, and the functional energy of the intestines also steadily decline. Therefore, from this stage of life onward, it is most appropriate to provide the body with foods that require minimal effort to digest and that produce fewer waste products.

Nature Cure is the system that teaches such disciplines and ideals and explains methods for cleansing and purifying the body. By taking refuge in nature and following these principles, the changes that normally accompany old age do not take hold in the body. It prevents the fear and suffering associated with aging from arising within you.

At any age, fasting causes no harm. Fasting is adjusted according to each individual’s capacity. Without fasting, the mind does not turn toward health. All the old cravings must be removed from the mind. Unless the intestines are given rest and cleansing, the mind will not let go of taste and indulgence.

After experiencing this way of life, one wonders why such wisdom was not understood earlier. Therefore, instead of spending the retirement years — meant for comfort and peace — circling hospitals with diseases and suffering, turn your mind toward health and proper food.

Understand life by taking shelter in Nature Cure, which is a form of home-based healing that teaches those principles by which a person can live healthily and happily without medicines and without depending on others. Do not waste this life.

34. Misconception: “Doctor, you yourself don’t have any illnesses, do you? If we don’t eat freely when we are young, will we be able to eat when we become old? Why suppress desires and eat bland food from a young age?”

Truth: Before becoming a doctor, I myself was once a patient. At the age of 18, I followed Nature Cure and grew four and a half inches taller. From childhood, whenever I ate sweets, mucus would form in my body. I frequently suffered from nasal congestion and fevers. All these problems were completely cured through Nature Cure and by the grace of Mother Nature.

When I first began Nature Cure, after fasting I was unable to eat the bland vegetable dishes that were given. For ten days, I threw the vegetables out of the window and ate only plain rotis. Those dry rotis did not digest well, and I suffered. Gradually, I trained myself to eat the vegetables. After strictly following natural principles for four months, all my ailments disappeared and I became a normal, healthy person.

Diseases that powerful medicines could not cure were cured simply by changing food habits. That is when I understood that food itself is the medicine for all diseases. However, I did not realize that in order to prevent diseases from returning, one must continue eating the same way.

Thinking, “Now that I am healthy, what does it matter?”, I returned to my old habits — snacking, eating for taste, and indulging in flavors. Parents often think children cannot be restricted forever, and no one objected. After some time of eating everything again, all my previous problems returned exactly as before.

To correct my mistake, I again fasted at home, removed the ailments, and returned to eating bland vegetable dishes and rotis twice a day, occasionally tasting snacks. When I ate this way, the disease did not return as quickly or as severely as before, but it never completely disappeared — it kept reminding me of its presence.

Whenever I ate flavorful foods regularly, the disease returned immediately. When I ate bland food twice daily and tasted flavors occasionally, the disease lingered in a mild form. That made me realize: to completely get rid of a disease, one must completely give up indulgent tastes.

Gradually, a new desire arose — to eat what is good for the body, for the sake of health. When I followed the rules strictly for four months, the disease vanished completely. When I broke the rules, it returned. This proved one thing clearly: disease comes when we invite it, and leaves when we dismiss it.

I realized that our own desires are responsible for the coming and going of disease. Our preferences create our problems. There is no impurity in the body — the impurity lies in food habits. If the body itself were faulty, disease would not disappear merely by following dietary discipline. Since it does disappear, the fault lies with us — this truth became clear.

When we stop feeding the body what the tongue likes and instead give it what the body likes, the body functions harmoniously, according to natural law. I initially feared that giving up tastes entirely would create difficulties when visiting relatives or attending gatherings. But once a firm decision is made, that very resolve protects us everywhere.

With determination and discipline, I began eating natural, tasteless food and resolved to understand the joy of health. Even though conquering taste is difficult, I decided to give it up completely. When we do something with full awareness, joy naturally follows.

After five or six months of eating this way, I began to truly experience the joy of health. Gradually, mental discipline, calmness, and emotional stability increased. Illness disappeared completely from my body. Sleep came the moment I lay down. Bowel movements occurred effortlessly when called. Bad odors — from stool, urine, sweat, and mouth — vanished.

I understood that external cleansing is unnecessary when internal cleansing is complete. When purity arises in both body and mind, one can view good and bad equally. There is immense joy in proper food and health.

After experiencing this, even the thought of eating tasty food for a single day frightened me — because I knew that the purity gained over so long could vanish instantly. It felt like adding a drop of poison to a pot of milk. That is how dangerous indulgence seemed.

I realized that when the body is under our control through dietary discipline, all other disciplines naturally fall into place. If one eats for taste simply because there is no disease, disease will surely follow. Once disease comes, the mind loses discipline, and it becomes impossible to accept bland food.

That is why such eating habits must be cultivated from a young age. We must eat this way not because disease exists, but so that disease never comes. When health is firmly in our hands through such food, we earn the right — at any age, on any day — to enjoy taste consciously and without fear.

Only when there are no illnesses does the mind listen to the guidance of intelligence. Wherever there is illness in the body, the mind gets stuck there. A person experiences the true joy of health only when there are no cravings for taste. That joy itself teaches you that indulging in taste damages health and prevents you from moving toward indulgence again.

A deep longing arises within us to protect the happiness that the body gains through such food. Once this longing begins, the tyranny of the tongue can no longer dominate us. In that state, a person no longer has desires or cravings. Shadow exists only where there is light. Suppression exists only where desires exist. When desires themselves disappear, there is no question of suppressing anything.

One who has no desires does not become angry. One who has no anger does not suffer sorrow. And the one without sorrow is the truly happy person. Scripture says that one who conquers taste can conquer everything.

When the body is healthy and desires are absent, the mind follows the intellect exactly as it is instructed. At that point, intelligence matures to a level where it can clearly perceive and explain reality. In such a state, the mind naturally turns toward God. Then the body and mind become suitable instruments for understanding God and realizing truth.

Just as red-hot iron taken from a furnace can be bent into any shape, so too, when the body attains such a purified state, the mind can be shaped and steadied in any way we choose. Through this, one can attain a complete state of meditation. The body then serves like a boat, helping one cross from the shore of ignorance to the shore of knowledge.

By eating such food, not only do we benefit ourselves, but also our family and even our nation. As you yourself asked — when diseases arise from indulgent tastes, do we not become a burden to ourselves, our family, and the country as well?

Think about it.

13. Concluding Benediction

- Restore health once again within the body — Redeem and rejuvenate this worn-out temple.

- Let lemon juice stimulate the flow of saliva — Let Vitamin C nourish and strengthen the body.

- Let us eat wholesomely and in moderation — And live joyfully, peacefully, and happily.

- Health itself is the greatest fortune — And that fortune alone is supreme bliss.

In this final chapter, the daily disciplines and practices that a human being should follow in order to remain free from illness are explained. In other words, I am consolidating everything stated in this book, extracting its essence, and presenting it here. If the points mentioned below are practiced exactly as stated, life as a whole will become joyful.

1. Waking up during Brahma Muhurta

That is, waking up at around 4:00 a.m. allows us to dwell in divinely bestowed awareness and intelligence. Our elders say that this is the time when divine energies move about. The air that flows at this hour not only brings pleasantness to the mind but is also highly conducive to yogic practice. In this quiet atmosphere, the mind naturally becomes calm and still, without effort.

Another important point is this: just as the lifespan of a house depends on the strength of its foundation, the direction and fulfillment of our life depend on the yoga practice we perform during Brahma Muhurta. Therefore, upon waking in the early morning, drink one to one-and-a-half liters of water, walk a little, and focus your mind on bowel evacuation. After a proper bowel movement, those who know should practice pranayama and yogasanas. Those who do not may engage in outdoor physical work or spend some time in meditation on God.

2. Drinking water after exercise

After completing exercise (pranayama and asanas), once the sweat produced by exercise has completely dried, it is highly beneficial to again drink one to one-and-a-half liters of water. Before drinking this water, there should be no sense of exhaustion in the body. This second intake of water helps ensure that the waste matter loosened during exercise is fully expelled during the second bowel movement.

3. Head bath with cool water

After completing these activities, one should take a head bath with cool water. Whenever one bathes, taking a head bath is highly beneficial. It offers many advantages. It promotes proper blood circulation to the head, thereby reducing headaches and relieving mental irritation and restlessness.

4. Worship God

After finishing these routines, if possible, spend at least half an hour worshipping God. He is the creator of the entire universe. He is all-pervading. He alone has given life to all of us. Therefore, we should never forget Him. As long as we do not forget Him, He will not forget us.

5. Breakfast (Morning Meal) - Juices:

No matter how late we go to bed at night, we usually get about seven hours of restful sleep. In a way, this is equivalent to fasting. In the morning, we are breaking this fast; hence it is called break-fast, not a full meal. Therefore, breakfast should be light, not heavy.

Throughout the night, the intestines remain at rest. If we consume heavy, hard-to-digest food early in the morning, it places unnecessary strain on the intestines. It is best to take food that requires less effort from the digestive system while providing more energy to the body.

Rather than filling the stomach with heavy tiffin items on an empty stomach, it is better to break the fast first with fruit juices. Sour fruit juices are especially beneficial. Juices of sweet lime, orange, mandarin, or lemon juice mixed with honey and water are ideal. Likewise, juices can be prepared by combining tomato, carrot, beetroot, leafy greens, along with cucumber or bottle gourd.

Juices should be prepared using seasonal fruits and vegetables that are easily and affordably available. Everyone should remember that this juice must be sipped slowly, taking about ten minutes to drink, rather than gulping it down.

6. Breakfast (Morning Meal) - Food:

After consuming fruit juice with honey, within half an hour to one hour, one should eat sprouted grains. These should be chewed thoroughly. The better they are chewed, the more quickly they digest and get absorbed into the bloodstream.

While chewing this food, saliva is produced in lesser quantity. Also, when chewing wheat sprouts, the fibrous content stretches, making digestion easier. Therefore, along with sprouts, eating about ten fresh dates is recommended. Dates stimulate abundant saliva secretion, helping the sprouts digest well right in the mouth itself. Those who need it may also consume one glass of milk.

7. Lunch

After finishing breakfast, the next meal is lunch. About half an hour before lunch, drink one liter of water again.

For lunch:

Those engaged in heavy physical labor may eat rice.

Those with less physical activity should eat three rotis (chapatis) with more vegetables, chewing slowly and thoroughly. This is beneficial in every way.

It is best not to drink water while eating. If a morsel does not go down easily, a small sip is acceptable, but one should not drink a full glass of water with every bite, as this leads to abdominal enlargement.

Squeezing lemon juice over cooked vegetables while eating increases saliva flow. Lemon should be squeezed after sitting down to eat, not beforehand. The reason is this: cooked vegetables do not contain vitamin C, and without vitamin C, the iron present in vegetables cannot be absorbed into the bloodstream from the small intestine. Vitamin C enables iron to become usable by the body.

Instead of cooking many different vegetables together, it is better to cook just one vegetable at a time. As explained in the book Food and Thought, meals can be prepared without salt, oil, or tempering. Curd (yogurt) may be consumed as needed. Leafy vegetables should be eaten in the morning.

One should never eat until the stomach is completely full. At least 25% of the stomach should remain empty. Our elders used to say: Just as lightly as you sit down to eat, you should be able to stand up just as lightly after finishing the meal. That is the proper way of eating.

8. After Lunch

Sleeping during the daytime — especially after meals — is very harmful. There is no harm in resting the body for about fifteen minutes, but lying down immediately after eating causes post-meal discomfort (indigestion/breathlessness). This happens because the weight of the consumed food presses against the lungs, making it difficult to breathe comfortably.

On the other hand, remaining upright and engaging in light activity after eating helps the food move quickly from the stomach into the intestines and prevents abdominal enlargement. Two hours after lunch, drink one liter of water again.

9. Afternoon - Fruits

Scriptures advise that fruits grown in a particular season should be eaten abundantly during that same season. Therefore, all varieties of fruits should be eaten in the afternoon, according to seasonal availability.

10. Evening - Drinking Water and Dinner

At 5 p.m., drink one liter of clean drinking water again. After that, it is necessary to focus on bowel evacuation and make an attempt.

Dinner should be eaten before sunset. Just like in the morning, in the evening also it is best to eat chapatis with more vegetables. Adding coconut to vegetables daily is beneficial, as it contains a high amount of dietary fiber.

The reason dinner should be completed by sunset is this: if the food eaten is fully digested by bedtime, the stomach feels light in the morning and natural hunger arises.

11. Night

Before going to bed at night, reading sacred literature and engaging in uplifting discussions are very important. This is because the thoughts present at the time of sleep are the same thoughts with which one awakens in the morning.

Therefore, it is best to go to bed as early as 9 p.m., with positive and noble thoughts. This makes it possible to wake up naturally at 4 a.m. (Brahma Muhurta).

The clothes we wear should preferably be white, as they are very healthy. White clothing protects the body from excess heat of the sun.

If we are able to live in this manner, we will remain healthy every single day. Do not say, “We do not have time to follow these rules.” Those who truly believe that health is paramount always find time.

For the sake of business and earning money, you roam about late into the night without regard for time, don’t you? Then why do you hesitate to think about health? When there is time to gamble day and night in the name of entertainment, time to watch movies, and time to watch television, saying that there is no time to follow even a few health principles becomes nothing but self-deception.

Think again.

Think again and again.

Understand clearly that this is for your own good.

Realize that there is no wealth greater than health.

Mahatma Gandhi said that a person who does not work under the sun, who does not make the body sweat, does not deserve to eat food. Though the words may sound harsh, the truth they convey is profound. Those who work hard can enjoy tastes without falling ill. But those who live without physical labor must strictly follow these principles for the sake of health — only then will they truly uplift themselves and restore their well-being.

Reflect on this.

May all beings everywhere be happy.

(Lokāḥ Samastāḥ Sukhino Bhavantu)

Table of Contents

Foreword

Submission

Health Is the Greatest Fortune

Nature Cure — Its Necessity

Fasting

Enema

Comfortable Bowel Movement Brings Comfort

Water — Its Story

The Danger Caused by Salt

Food Is Health — Food Is Medicine

The Marvel of the Human Machine

Therefore, Be Careful! Be Careful!

Sprouted Grains — Nutritional Values

Misconceptions — Truths

Concluding Benediction