Do You Know About India's Ancient 'Smart Practices'?
This is what the ancient people of India did to stay smart and healthy.
The development and downfall of civilizations have been mirrored in people's eating patterns. In the year 1500 B.C., a large group of Aryans left Central Asia for India when they ran out of grazing grounds for their cattle. Simple 'Mediterranean' diets, which dieticians are just now belatedly advising to us, undoubtedly contributed greatly to the astounding successes of the Greeks. The little things we've been taught our whole lives, like "don't go out on an upset belly," "don't chat while eating," "don't share glasses," and "don't chew," are more than just polite. We can miraculously improve our health by returning to a few of these practices.
A floor-based dining experience
Several of the lifestyle illnesses that are common today were uncommon in eras when people ate on the floor rather than at dining tables. Sitting cross-legged on the floor to eat is a common practice in India and is considered a yogic position called Sukhasan, which is supposed to massage abdominal muscles, enhance circulation in the lower body, and improve flexibility. If you don't feel like sitting at the table or the couch, it's quite OK to eat in another location.
First thing in the morning
Breakfast is a tradition with deep historical roots. Jentaculum, the fabled Roman breakfast, was traditionally eaten as the sun rose. Eating hearty breakfasts must have been seen as beneficial to one's health.
Food poisoning from saliva
It seems rude to deny a friend's invitation to share a drink from a shared glass, a meal from the same plate, or even a taste of pizza from the same slice. Nonetheless, in ancient India, it was outlawed, and even now there are some traditional Indian families that hold this belief. The practice of not washing one's hands before eating or touching one's mouth is regarded as highly unclean because of the fear of uchchishtam (Sanskrit), engili (Telugu), or jutha (in North India) contamination with saliva.
Our forebears probably used earthenware to prepare meals since they had no access to modern cooking materials like plastic, steel, or aluminum. But of course, that wasn't the only factor. Food cooked in clay pots retains many of the minerals lost during the cooking process, including calcium, phosphorus, aluminum, magnesium, and sulfur. Because of their alkaline composition, clay containers are a good match for foods that are naturally acidic. Keep in mind that malignant diseases and other dangerous illnesses cannot flourish in an alkaline environment.
