Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, a world-renowned humanitarian said, “Health is not a mere absence of disease. It is a dynamic expression of life – in terms of how joyful, loving and enthusiastic you are.” He has improved people's lives all around the world with his advice around fitness, mindfulness and spirituality. Lovingly, addressed as Gurudev, he provides us with crucial guidance for living a long, healthy, and disease-free life. Whether you have diabetes, hypertension, depression, or anxiety, or if you're in good health and want to stay that way for the rest of your life, all can be achieved through healthy eating habits.
Diet and fitness lessons by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
In a recent video, he discussed several methods for enhancing health as well as the steps that must be performed to increase fitness and health through diet and nutrition. He begins by saying, “I don’t know, if we teach this in our education system, nutrition is a great aspect that children must learn. Children should know what protein and carbohydrates are. They should understand what we should consume and how much we should consume.”
Remembering his roots, Ravi Shankar says, “My grandmother would not finish a meal without spinach in it. She has designated leafy vegetables for each day of the week. On Ekadashi we would fast and eat bitter leaves, Karela (bitter gourd) and many healthy vegetables. She would often eat yogurt, salad, and dal (pulses) alongside her regular meals.”
Traditional eating practices
Laying emphasis on the traditional way of serving food on Banana leaf, he says, “Bana leaves have now been replaced by fancy utensils. However, many studies suggest the benefits of eating on banana leaves. We must serve food on it as it is great for eyesight.. There was a systematic way of serving food on a banana leaf, top right would have some salt then salad next to eat alongside many seasonal vegetables. The entire meal consisted of small portions of 12-13 food items necessary for a complete balanced diet.”
He often advises how crucial it is that you eat the proper food in the proper quantity. Food that is vegetarian is nutritious, light, and simple to digest. Consume a lot of raw honey, ginger, almonds, seeds, and fresh fruits and vegetables.
Ravi Shankar suggests not consuming old and stale food, too much oil, spices, or sugar. Avoid non-vegetarian meals and too much garlic and onion if you don't want to be dull and lethargic. Food that has been processed, canned, or frozen is likewise bad for our health.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s words around optimism, sensitivity, spirituality, and mental wellness are significant. He showed how living a relatively easy life could become challenging due to conflict, curiosity, and bewilderment and adopting a healthy lifestyle is crucial. Strong minds can inhabit weak bodies, but weak bodies cannot support strong minds.
