Traditional Food System of India : fight against COVID-19

In the wake of unprecedented covid-19 pandemic, due to absence of any prescribed treatment, vaccine, therapeutic recommendations being available against COVID-19. The outbreak of coronavirus affected general people lives in the following ways -

*It disturbed daily routine.

* Follow undesired law of Social Distancing.

* Receiving a flood of information puts all of us at risk of mental stress and dilemma.

* Our health and immunity may be affected by fear, anxious mood, irrigation, feeling of guilts, pessimism & worthlessness, insomnia, loss of appetite or weight gain, concentration.

* During lockdown period, our physical activities are reducing that may be affect physical strength and immunity system.

Most of the countries and several authorised International Health Agencies like the World Health Organisation, the British Dietetic Association, and the UD Food and Administration are emphasizing on maximum use of raw vegetables and fruits, nuts, and seeds, pulses and wholegrain foods, unsaturated oils, limit the intake of soda, salt, sugar, and trans fats and stop eating junk and sugary food. Despite the food guideline there is also recommend physical exercises, meditation and adequate sleep, good exposure to sunlight.

The above recommendations and guidelines have already been a part of the traditional (ancient) healing system of India, i.e. Ayurveda which suggests that life is standing on 4 pillars namely - 

1. Aahar (diet) : what we eat, how much we eat, how we eat, when we eat.

2. Vihar (lifestyle) : Our  residence/recreation time, our routines including Niyamas.

3. Achar : Our behaviour/conduct with others should be loving, caring and cordial at all times.

4. Vichar : Our way of thinking, it may be negative, positive, or neutral (that should be never allow to anything disturb us).

Food is like a medicine that influence individuals life. Individuals mental, physical and behavioural states can be identify and regulation by their food choices, qualities and lifestyle. There is well known about relationship among genes, environment, food and emotional factors that lead to a bidirectional vicious cycle of mood, food and lifestyle disease. Ayurveda recommends the Satvik Bhog (simple food) to live healthy, peaceful life and fight against various diseases including COVID-19.

According to Ayurveda, Bhagwat Geeta and Yoga Shastra divided food into three types based on their qualities (termed as gunas). They are Sathva (Satoguna), Rajasa (rajoguna), and Thamasa (tamoguna).

1.  Sathva Food : Sathva means goodness, Satvik diet is natural foods and natural eating habits. It is providing load of energy, calmness, purity and promote longivity, intelligence strength, health and delight. For example - Satvik food items are fruits, vegetables, sprouted grains, cereal, nuts & seeds, low fat milk and milk products, pure fruit juices, cooked food that is consumed within 3-4 hours of cooking etc.

2. Rajasic Food (the mode of passion) : It included spicy, hot, or fried with pungent, sour and salty state. Rajasic food creates negativity, passion and restlessness. Example - Rajasic food are caffeinated drinks (like coffee, soft drinks, tea), sugary foods (chocolate, cake, biscuits, chips etc.), or spicy food. These foods have rich glucose, which is provide instant energy but eventually destroys the mind-body balance, feeding the body at the expense of the mind. 

3. Tamsik Food (the mode of ignorance) : It consists of overcooked, stale, fast, reheated, microwaved, or frozen food, dead food such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs, alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs of addiction. Tamsik foods are difficult to digest, dullness, and induce sleep (lethargic). These are causes obesity, diabetes, heart, and liver disease.

Rajasic and Tamsik foods are associated with processed and junk foods, are full of carbohydrates, sugar and trans-fat in high proportions. Which affects Centre in our brain, regulate blood glucose level and appetite. The foods like French fries, doughnuts, cake, biscuit, frozen pizza, cookies, crackers and margarines are made up by using artificial trans fat.

These foods (high sugar, high fat and animal protein) are disrupted -

*Blood glucose levels

*Fat build up in the liver 

*High uric acid concentrations

*Reduced kidney function and increase in arteriolar thickening, and

*Fat deposition.

Goodness of foods (rich in Prana) are combination of carbohydrates, fats, rich in dietary fibre, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants with limited amount of sugar, salt and oil, and no animal fat. It can be digested easily and utilize the six tastes in Ayurveda (sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, astringent). Satvik food is pure, natural, strong, wise and full of energy to provide calmness and peace to the mind, thereby resulting in longevity of life in an individual.

Food like garlic and onion (rajasic & tamsic foods) may be good as medicine but not for daily consumption. The daily consumption of food, which stimulates the nervous system, may lower the possibilities of experiencing life.

Recommended Food in Current Pandemic :

* Fibrous foods in the form of raw or freshly cooked 'life-force' vegetables and fruits. (Rich source of vitamins A, C and E, as well as antioxidant, folate, and fibre)

* Pulses and wholegrain foods

* Low fat - milk, dairy products like curd, yoghurt.

* Unsalted nuts and seeds (like pumpkin, sunflower, and flax). Source of vitamin E, protein, healthy fat, antioxidant, and fibre.

* Egg yolks, and fortified breakfast cereals

* Unsaturated fats (e.g. found in fish, avacodo, nuts, olive, oil, soy, canola, sunflower, and corn oil).

* Fresh fruit juices, low fat lassi, chaaz, lemon water, coconut water/ hot water, herbal tea.

* Honey and jaggery

* Indian herbs - coriander (Dhaniya), turmeric (haldi), fenugreek (methi), tulsi (basil), cumin (jeera), fennel (sonph), clove, black pepper (kalimirich), cinnamon(dalchini), ginger and curry leaves. These have antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory properties, act as immune booster and may help to flush out any sinuses from the body.

Recently, Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India, recommended self care guidelines for preventive health measures and boosting immunity. These guidelines recommend herbal tea and kadha (decoction) made from Tulsi, Dalchini, Kalimirich, Shunthi (Dry Ginger) and Munakka (Raisin) with jaggery and /or fresh lemon juice to enhance the taste as immunity promoting measures against COVID-19. Guidelines also recommend cold, frozen, and heavy foods, which is a clear indication to avoid Rajasic and Tamsic food. Other recommendations are appropriate rest, timely sleep, exposure to sunlight, and practice of Yogasana and Pranayam also help to balance our body, mind, and lifestyle.

As explained above, good food would help in building up our immunity as well as burst the stress while fighting against COVID-19.