SPECIAL MENTION OF CERTAIN FOODS

Articles In This Section:

· PROPER DIET

· DIMINISHING THE APPETITE

· TAKING VITAMINS AND MINERALS

· NUTRITION FACTS

· SPECIAL MENTION OF CERTAIN FOODS

· AN OCCASIONAL CIGARETTE

· DRINKS THAT ARE BENEFICIAL

· YOGA PRACTICE OF FASTING

There are certain foods which require special mention here: Garlic is said in some parts of the world to have magic properties. Italian peasant women will carry a head of it in their pocket or wear whole garlands of it like beads to keep epidemics away. Sanskrit writings of 2,500 years ago also mention its therapeutic values. As sometimes happens, old wives' tales and legend turn out to coincide with medical facts. Recent research bears out the claim for garlic as a curative agent in the treatment of stomach, blood and catarrhal complaints such as influenza. In fact, pure garlic oil is now available in small, soluble capsules for those who cannot bear its taste and odor. But there is more pleasure in cultivating a liking for it. Olive oil is a fine lubricant for the system as well as a source

of easily-digested vegetable fat. People who must worry about the cholesterol content of their blood are advised to substitute peanut or other vegetable oil, both of which are also preferred by some for their neutral taste. However, the calorie content of a spoonful of oil need not worry you if you follow your Yogi routine so that your food is digested properly—and if you do not overeat on such rich foods as cream sauces and rich pastries.

As a general rule, honey is better for sweetening than sugar. In fact, honey is one of the most easily digested of foods, for it is transformed in a matter of minutes into blood-sugar, providing new energy and dissipating fatigue. The secret of honey is known to most athletes. A spoonful of pure honey, swallowed plain if you are a honey fancier or diluted in a glass of warm water, will stimulate you like a glass of whiskey, but without the side effects.

Molasses—not to be confused with the commercially sold black treacle—is another quick source of energy and can be assimilated by the weakest stomach. Pure molasses may generally be obtained in health food stores. It is an especially desirable adjunct to one's diet because it is said to prevent hair from turning gray. Pure maple syrup is another fine source of nourishing sweetening, as is raw sugar. Brown sugar is better than white. And "refined" sugar is at the bottom of the list.

Because adulteration of food is actually inevitable in our urban centers due to problems of transportation, supply and preservation in large quantities, it is a good idea to supplement the diet with wheat germ, soy beans and all manner of whole-grain cereals generally considered exotic. A visit to any reputable health food store will give you some notion of what is available. You will find the foods there relatively expensive, but not as expensive in the long run as the vitamin pills so many people depend on. Try cultivating a taste for such "peasant" foods as black Russian pumpernickel, buckwheat groats, the near-Eastern couz-couz which is a form of whole-grain cereal, slow-cooking Irish oatmeal and the equally slow brown rice. These are the staples on which millions of people all over the world exist, and they are not undernourished although they may be much poorer in pocket than we are.