Health & Diet
by Swami Sivananda
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Paperback: 230 pages
ISBN: 81-7052-183-1
Book Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.44 inches
Shipping Weight: 240 grams
Table of Contents
About This Book (Back Cover) | |
Chapter I |
|
Health Is Above Wealth | 11 |
Diet and Health | 12 |
Nutrition and Health | 16 |
The Body Machine | 18 |
Food and Body | 20 |
The Mysterious Palace of Brahman | 22 |
Upanishads on Food | 25 |
Digestion, Absorption and Assimilation | 29 |
Masticate Well | 34 |
Care of the Teeth | 34 |
Avoid Over-Eating | 37 |
Dietetic Rules | 39 |
Give up Meat-Eating at once | 42 |
The Inner Factory | 46 |
Chapter II |
|
Constituents of Food | 49 |
Chapter III |
|
Diet in Diseases | 107 |
Growth and Development of Children | 129 |
Chapter IV |
|
Health Menu | 135 |
Chapter V |
|
Milk-Kalpa | 143 |
Moderate Diet (Mitahara) | 144 |
Yogic Diet | 146 |
Diet for Immortality | 146 |
Chapter VI |
|
Invalid Food Recipes | 150 |
Chapter VII |
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Acid and Alkali Forming Foods | 154 |
Foods Deficient in Sodium Chloride | 155 |
Foods Rich in Iron | 155 |
Diet and Health Alphabets | 156 |
Yogic Diet | 160 |
Chapter VIII |
|
Thanksgiving to the Lord | 166 |
Salutations to the Lord | 167 |
Inner Ruler | 167 |
Body-Temple | 168 |
Most Perfect Food | 168 |
Currents of Vegetarianism | 169 |
Vegetarianism and the Hindu View of Life | 175 |
Ancient Indian Analysis | 176 |
Chapter IX |
|
Hints on Health | 182 |
Place of Diet in Ancient India | 203 |
What to Eat and Why | 203 |
Proteins and Minerals | 203 |
Fats and Carbohydrates | 204 |
Vitamins–Their Sources and Functions | 205 |
Rare Values of Common Articles of Diet | 210 |
How Much to Eat | 211 |
Food Habits | 213 |
Appendix |
|
Landmarks in the Growth of Children | 219 |
A Wise Man |
220 |
Yogi’s Cure | 221 |
Success Tonic | 222 |
Anti-Divorce Tonic | 222 |
Diet and Health | 222 |
About This Book
Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj was a doctor before he embraced the holy Order of Sannyasa. Even before he began his medical career, he enthusiastically conducted a medical journal called “Ambrosia” in which he published regularly articles on health and hygiene, diet and healing.
This volume from the pen of the sage-doctor is of the greatest value, not only to the members of the medical profession, but to the layman as well who will gain immense knowledge from it, for enjoying good health and long life.
Health Is Above Wealth
Health is the greatest wealth and asset for you. Without good health and strength, you cannot achieve success in life and God-realisation. Without good health, you cannot enjoy life. Good health comes from following definite rules. Those who ignore the rules of health, suffer much and die prematurely. Even for spiritual pursuits good health is the prerequisite. Without good health you cannot penetrate into the hidden depths of the vast ocean of life within and attain the final beatitude of life. Without good health you cannot wage war against the turbulent senses and the boisterous mind.
Health is wealth. Health is a covetable possession indeed. Good health is a valuable asset for one and all. You should have physical as well as mental health. If you do not possess good health you cannot prosper in any walk of life.
Health is that state in which a man sleeps well, digests his food well, is quite at ease, is free from any kind of disease or uneasiness. When you are in a state of perfect health all the organs, viz., heart, lungs, brain, kidneys, liver, intestines, work in perfect harmony and concord and discharge their functions satisfactorily. The pulse rate and the rate of respiration are in perfect order. The bodily temperature is normal. A healthy man smiles and laughs. He is cheerful and happy. He discharges his daily duties with ease and comfort. A healthy man is capable of doing work for a long time without getting fatigued. His bowels move very freely every day. He possesses the highest kind of mental and physical efficiency.
Health is a positive state. It is not simply negation of disease. A healthy man can turn out more physical and mental work. He can practise good meditation for a long time. A healthy man need not be necessarily strong and robust and a strong and robust man need not be necessarily healthy. Health is a gift from Mother Nature or Lord who is the power behind life. Health is your birthright but not disease. It is as natural to be well as to be born.
Health is above all gold and infinite wealth and treasure. It enlarges the soul and opens all its powers to receive instructions and relish virtues. “This Atman cannot be attained by a weak and unhealthy man.” This is the emphatic declaration of the Upanishads. Emerson says, “The first wealth is health. Give me health and a day I will make the pomp of emperors ridiculous.” He who has good health has nothing more to wish for. He is really a blessed man. Ramalingaswami sings, “I want a life with health and without disease.” The first requisite in life is good health. Health is a sine qua non to every kind of enjoyment in life.