Healthy Eating Protects Against Recurrent Illnesses and Frequent Hospital Visits.

N. Raghuraman Management Guru

A few months ago, when my wife was in the hospital, we sat together and talked about our ancestors who rarely or never went to the dispensary. From my great-grandmother to the rest of my elders who were alive, I don’t remember ever taking them to a dispensary or hospital.

We were discussing his eating habits and the fact that the stomach is often called the ‘second brain’. It contains about 70-80% of the body’s immune cells and acts as the primary defense mechanism against all diseases.

The ‘gut microbiome’, an ecosystem of trillions of bacteria present in the intestines, is directly linked to your immune system to fight pathogens and control inflammation.

Eventually we realized that a healthy gut strengthens our natural defense system, prevents frequent illness and leads to fewer hospital visits. Here are some habits of our ancestors, which even experts say should be adopted to stay healthy.

Never miss breakfast: I grew up hearing, ‘Eat something before leaving home, you never know when you will get your next meal.’ This has now become a rule for breakfast. At that time people used to eat food to their heart’s content. In between meals and getting ready for office, my grandfather used to take a 20-minute walk. Especially in those days, when the flow of water in Kaveri was fast.

This was because they needed energy to swim across three rivers. He worked in Umayalpuram village of Tamil Nadu and near the village Kaveri divides into three streams. There was very little public transport in those days. They knew that it was not right to swim in strong currents on a full stomach. Even today’s experts say, ‘Never skip breakfast.’ I see a deep synergy between these two things.

Eat fruits and vegetables with their peels: If you remember, except for fruits like banana, our elders used to eat most of the fruits with peel. Used to give banana peels to the cow in the backyard. There are exceptions for some fruits, but the peels of many fruits and vegetables can be eaten – such as carrots, beets and potatoes.

Try not to take excessive fiber: Even in rich countries, people consume less fiber than the recommended guideline of 30 grams per day. Fiber should not be taken like protein, which we include in large quantities in any food. This will upset the stomach. A little bit of fiber should be taken in different things. Some fiber is available from nuts and fruits. The peel of a potato contains three times the fiber as its interior.

Dr. Emily Leeming writes in her new book ‘Fiber Power’ that flax seeds, chia seeds and hemp seeds are fiber boosters. She is a scientist and researcher in nutrition, lifestyle and gut microbiome at King’s College London. Leftover carrots, beans, and herbs can be used to make a delicious high-fiber dip and keep it on the dining table for kids to eat as they move from room to room.

Dinner can be had at 6 pm: My grandfather did not eat food before or after 6 pm. His time was fixed. They always say it’s all about the ‘eating window’, so your body has time to digest food before going to sleep. Apart from this, if you eat food at the same time every day, then the body remembers this routine and your microbes understand when to prepare to digest the food.

The bottom line is that By eating healthy food on time, you live a healthy life. Why don’t we also try to adopt some of the good habits of our parents, grandparents and great-grandparents to regain the same gut health?

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