Following some fundamental principles, you can avoid sickness, keep diseases away, and even enhance your life. Let us have a brief look at these.

1. Conception & resolution: The first and foremost thing is to conceive that we can remain healthy.  It is a proven fact that we become what we think. Upanishad states, “Whatever man desires is fulfilled with his resolution and determination.”  Humans first conceive, then determine, take a resolution, conduct accordingly, and get awarded with what they want. An American scholar, Marden, has written, “Man can renew his body by renewing his thoughts.” “Control your thoughts, and you control the destiny.” “Poverty itself is not so bad as the poverty thought.” “Thought is the stuff out of which things are made.”

Bannet, a scholar, spent the first fifty years of his life carelessly ignoring all health parameters. His image at 50 years of age is given in his book, “Old Age, Its Causes and Prevention,” which is full of wrinkles and sagging skin. At this age, Bannet thought about it and decided to become young.  He changed his lifestyle and food habits, started walking, light exercising, and yoga, and continued for 20 years. At the age of 70, another image of Bannet is given in the same book, in which he appears to be around 40 to 45. In this book, Bannet raises the question: When body cells usually get broken and destroyed, new cells are generated in their place, so why does a person become old? Bannet replies: “With his thinking and thoughts.”  People start getting old as they think about old age and its consequences.  We even notice all this in our lives. The moment we start thinking about ‘How to save for old age,’ ‘retirement age is coming,’ ‘where to invest our savings to secure old age,’ etc., we start getting old.  Those who do not think along these lines remain young, like the current Prime Minister of India, Sri Narendra Modi. 

Another scholar, Milton, has written, “The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven.” Emerson states, “The effect of any writing on the public mind is mathematically measurable by its depth and thought.” So, to remain healthy, it is essential to think that ‘I am healthy,’ ‘I will remain healthy with my lifestyle,’ and ‘I will never allow any disease to come over me with the help of obeying principles of nature.’ Similar thinking in case of any sickness: ‘Since I did not obey principles of nature, this disease has come over me, now I will surrender myself, take shelter of nature, and throw away this disease’ may help overcome sickness.

2. Happiness: Another fundamental tip of our well-being is to remain happy.  Generally, it is perceived that happiness has some direct link with physical resources, but it is not valid. Most of the things we get in our lives are the outcomes of the accumulated actions of our previous lives, which we don’t know. Almighty God used to take correct stock of our doings and award or punish us accordingly. Decisions about some of our doings are taken fast and awarded in our present life, while others are stored and accumulated to be decided after our death. Accordingly, some individuals are born into the most affluent families and some into the poorest families, while some are diverted to other species even to become cows, dogs, monkeys, cats, rats, or anything. Even in that species, some individuals can be pets and live in high-class families; some find shelter in a temple, while others wander on roads. 

To summarize, we may come across two kinds of situations – some of these may be in our hands to deal with and maybe our test, the result of which may come in our present life or may be kept reserved to be awarded in our next life.  However, other situations may not be in our hands; they are primarily the result of our destiny in our previous lives.  Generally, these things make us worried and sad, which we must avoid. Some may say that when we are in trouble and unable to do anything, how can I not become sad and remain happy?  Undoubtedly, you can still maintain your calm and happiness, provided you have full faith and confidence in the almighty God, who is impartial and never does injustice to anyone. The almighty is simply awarding us according to destiny, which we made.

3. Activeness: One should remain active in all phases of life. Being enthusiastic and eager to do something and disliking remaining idle constantly is a sign of good health.

4. Wake up early in the morning– at least before sunrise. It is another key to remaining healthy. Waking up early in the morning has many benefits:
5. The early morning air contains ozone, which diminishes with sun rays. Ozone is also found in hills and on the seashore. It is so good for health that doctors advise patients with diseases to visit hill stations for some time.
6. Out of our food intake, the entire nutritive part gets converted into the blood, while the un-useful part gets collected in the colon as a stool. The stool does not decompose at night, but with the heat of sun rays, steam/ vapors start to form and get condensed on one or the other body part. Diseases of that body part take place on which these vapors get condensed. That is why getting fresh before sunrise is essential.
7. Whenever we go from dark to full light or vice versa, our eyes feel a sort of shove, which is harmful to our eyesight. When we wake up before sunlight, our eyes remain well protected from this shove; waking up after sunrise weakens our eyesight.

5. Do pranayama, yoga, exercises, jogging, or walking to remain fit and fine and avoid diseases. In modern mechanized life, its importance has increased multiple-fold. Usually, about 230 cubic inch air remains in our body. During normal breathing, about 30 cubic inch air goes out and is replaced with fresh air, but 200 cubic inch air remains inside without being replaced.  About 130 cubic inches of air are replaced during all these yogic activities. With prolonged pranayama practice, about 200 cubic inches of air gets replaced, and our body gets more oxygen, which is vital in preventing diseases and aging.

Individuals may perform all these activities in open and fresh air. They should not exercise more than their energy level. No pose of yoga must be performed forcibly and with a sudden jerk. Never mind if you cannot attain a complete pose; attain only as much as possible with a slight stretch without any jerk. With a few days of practice, you can achieve better results. If you want to do Shirshasana, do not do it by taking body weight on your head and neck; reverse your body with a handstand only. You may take support of a wall also. In this position, your head will remain 1-1½ feet above ground level, body weight will be on your hands instead of on your head and neck, and you will also get all the benefits of Shirshasana.

6. Maintain a healthy climate: Living in a healthy environment and inhaling purified air is equally important as food. You do not need to go to a hill station or seashore for this. You can maintain it in your city/ village by following simple rules.
   1. Do not sleep in a closed room; keep at least one door open. Do not cover your face while sleeping. Once in the morning, open all doors and windows for at least one hour.
   2. Maintain a high level of cleanliness and hygiene, particularly in toilets, kitchen, etc. Do not let vegetables, fruits, or any food item decay, decompose, or rot in the house; immediately remove all food waste, peels, etc from the house. The best way to remove these would be to put them in the food boxes of some cows.
   3. Plants are the best source of purified air because they consume (eat) carbon dioxide and release oxygen. So, the maximum possible plantation should be done in every house. Even living in an apartment, you should grow some plants on your balcony.  Some indoor plants release oxygen even at night and can be kept even in a bedroom. Some of these are – the snake plant, Areca palm, Aloe Vera, Money plant, Peace lily, Rubber plant, weeping fig, chrysanthemum, philodendrons, etc.
   4. Sunlight, storms, strong winds, thunderclaps, and the pleasant smell of flowers all purify the air in very natural ways, so let them come inside the house instead of keeping the door closed and pulling curtains all the time.
   5. Hawan (Yagya)is a very good tool for purifying air; even if it is not possible to do it daily in our hectic schedule and lifestyle, at least every morning and evening, light a lamp and  Fumigate  Bhimseni Kapoor (Bhimseni camphor) in a good quality Bakhoor

7. Drink adequate water: Water plays a vital role in digesting food, maintaining blood pressure, and eliminating waste, toxins, etc., from the body. To help our system perform all these functions, we need to drink 2½ to 3 liters of water daily. However, impure, dirty, or contaminated water may cause many diseases. So, take purified water only.

Do not drink icy cold or fridged water. Take hot or at least room temperature water only.  In extreme summer, if cooling is required, only cool it in a mud pot. In diseased conditions, drink warm water.  As far as possible, do not have water with food. Drink adequate water after 1½ to 2 hours of taking food. Under certain circumstances, even if taking water and food is unavoidable, do not take more than 50 – 100 ml. When getting up in the morning and before bed, we should drink at least one glass of water.

8. Take the Right Food: More than 95% of acute diseases are the result of wrong food intake/habits, and more than 99% of chronic diseases are combined result of both wrong food habits and taking too much/prolonged Allopathic medicines. So, take the right food at the right time and remain healthy.
   1. Rightly distinguish between appetite and being voracious. Wise people eat to live, while others live to eat. Anything eaten will not get converted into energy, but food digested and absorbed by our digestive system can only give energy. So, we should always eat food that is nutritious and, at the same time, easy to digest.  Moreover, we should eat so that food is digested and absorbed quickly.
   2. At the outset, be abstemious and eat simple food only. Never fill your stomach to the full but leave some parts empty to allow enzymes and acids to mix with food properly. Just like we never fill a food processor to make a paste, the stomach also needs space to convert food into a paste.
   3. We must avoid certain habits and food:

• Tobacco and smoking. These are harmful to the heart and brain. Just one to two drops of certain poisons found in them can kill even the healthiest dog. Similarly, alcohol is very harmful to the liver, kidneys, and heart, and we need to avoid them.
• Tea and coffee. Out of the total chemicals found in it, Thiamine, Tannin, Thiaminases, and Caffeine are the most important. Thiamine is commonly known as Vitamin B1, that is an ‘anti-stress’ naturally found in tea and coffee. However, it also contains thiaminases, an enzyme that destroys thiamine. Thus, thiamine found in tea & coffee remains of no use. Black and green teas have tannins and caffeine. Black tea has too much and green tea comparatively less, but both teas stop the absorption of Iron, Vitamin D, and B-complex. Instead of boiling, if tea leaves are put in the strainer and boiling water is poured from the top of it and collected in your cup, your tea may have a lesser quantity of tannins. However, it will still have sufficient to impair the absorption of minerals and vitamins.

Herbal tea, on the other hand, has no tannins or caffeine and has many benefits. We can use ingredients like ginger, holy basil, cinnamon, guava leaves, and mango leaves to make herbal tea. We can add cloves, black pepper, and cardamom to enhance taste and benefits. You can also use Swasthya Bhandar’s homemade herbal tea formula, which we use to treat cardiovascular diseases. You can buy our homemade Saumya herbal tea, which contains only organic ingredients. This tea also acts as a preventive measure against heart disease, rheumatism, and cancer.

• Maida (Refined White Flour). Maida elevates blood sugar levels, offsets cholesterol balances, slows down metabolism, and affects digestion because it does not contain fiber. It is highly acidic and should be avoided.
• Refined sugar. Sugar is responsible for weight gain, depression, heart disease, cancer, tooth decay, and cavities and enhances the risk of diabetes. Hence, it needs to be avoided. Raw honey, stevia leaves, dates, and resins are A-grade alternatives to refined. Jaggery, deshi khand (raw sugar), and bura (demerara sugar) are B-grade alternatives to refined sugar. 
• Regular Salt. Generally, we consume more than twice/ thrice the required daily amount of salt, which increases the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. The best alternative is to replace it with rock salt (Sendha Namak).  It is a myth that rock salt lacks iodine.  It also contains the required level of iodine, which is usually sufficient for our body unless an individual has an iodine deficiency; in this case, mixing both in a 50:50 ratio will suffice. Similarly, an individual with sodium deficiency must have regular salt. Apart from sodium, rock salt contains calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sulfate; regular salt is pure sodium chloride.  

Black salt is another good substitute and has antioxidant properties. Apart from important minerals like iron, calcium, and magnesium, it also contains sodium sulfate, sodium bisulfate, sodium bisulfite, sodium sulfide, iron sulfide, and hydrogen sulfide. It stimulates bile production in the liver and helps control heartburn and bloating. However, due to its strong taste and pungent smell, it cannot be used for daily cooking, but in other raw food, it adds a unique taste.

• Polished pulses and rice. The polishing process removes the outer husk through a milling process. This results in a loss of certain nutrients and fiber content. It also increases the glycaemic index, which can cause a spike in blood sugar levels after consumption. All the nutrients in the whole grain are negatively affected by milling, and the more polished the grain, the greater the loss. Polished rice loses most of its iron and zinc content and fibre-related components. All this hinders protein and carbohydrate digestion and absorption. That is why whole grain pulses, organic pulses, and brown rice are preferred as these reduce blood pressure and serum cholesterol. Rice bran also contains isoprenoids, of which tocotrienols, caffeic acid, vanillic acid, and triacetin are examples that have potent anticancer properties. Many epidemiologic trials show that refined starches, as in polished rice, increase the risk of Type 2 diabetes by 11% per 250 gm serving. When this is substituted with brown rice, this risk falls.  
• Processed/junk food. All these are typically infused with artificial colours and additives to make foods attractive and preserve them for longer. They are also more calorie-dense and most suitable for obesity, high cholesterol levels, cardiovascular problems, diabetes, kidney and liver damage, cancer, dental cavities, etc. If you are unable to cook for any reason, opt for healthier choices of Salad, roasted grains, seasonal fruits, nuts, and milk.

1. Take a timely and balanced diet: If disruption happens in an individual’s natural circadian rhythms (physical, mental, and biological changes an organism experiences over a 24-hour cycle), as occurs with late or night-time eating, it results in reduced fuel utilization and leads to fuel storage in adipose tissue which is a connective tissue, and also an interactive organ in our endocrine system. Adipose tissue communicates through hormone signals with other organs throughout our body and our central nervous system to regulate metabolism. Dysfunctional adipose tissue leads to various metabolic disorders, including insulin resistance, resulting in diabetes, obesity, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, fatty liver, and other liver disorders, hormonal imbalances, and poor mental health, including depression and anxiety.

To follow natural circadian rhythms, clearance of bowels before sunrise, observing the proper food timings (breakfast: 7.00 am to 7.30 am, lunch: 11.00 am to 12.00 pm, and dinner 6.00 pm to 6.30 pm), and retiring for the day latest by 10.00 pm are necessary. There is no harm in skipping any meal other than late eating or even opting for short and quick meals: seasonal fruits, fruit juice, roasted grains, salad, milk, buttermilk, etc, avoiding grains and pulses.  

A balanced diet does not mean a rich diet, but it should be full of required nutritive ingredients and easily digestible.  Milk is a naturally balanced diet.  Seasonal green vegetables and seasonal fruits should be an unavoidable part of our diet. Our agriculturalists and farmers have started to grow some vegetables around the year. Still, such vegetables can not be termed seasonal; only those naturally grow in a particular climate and environment.  Bottle gourd, round gourd, pointed gourd, ridge gourd, snake gourd, bitter gourd, carrot (yellow), and available leafy vegetables in summer: turnip, radish, cabbage, red carrot, beetroot, and all available leafy vegetables in winter should be vegetables of our daily use while pumpkin, taro root, jackfruit, brinjal, etc., in summer and peas, cauliflower, runner beans, etc., in winter are the vegetables of occasional use.  It may be interesting to note that potato is not a vegetable, but its properties are almost equal to that of bread. However, its use in particular vegetables may be attractive for taste.  In all such cases, the final veggie food/curry’s potato proportion (by weight) should not be more than 20% to 25%.

1. Fried Food: At the outset, fried food makes the food calorie dense. Fried food contains Acrylamide, a toxic substance that forms in foods during high-temperature cooking such as frying, roasting, etc. It poses a high risk for several types of cancer. Moreover, cooking fried foods occurs in oil at extremely high temperatures so they are likely to contain trans fats. Each time a cook reuses oil for frying, its trans fat content increases. Generally speaking, eating more fried foods is associated with a greater risk of developing obesity, cancer, Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and low HDL (“good”) cholesterol, all of which are risk factors for heart disease. However, it’s important to distinguish between these artificial trans fats and those trans fats found naturally in foods such as dairy products. Research has not shown that naturally occurring trans fats have the same adverse health effects as those in fried and processed foods. It is also important to note that fat intake is not harmful; only food fried in it is dangerous. When frying, even alkaline food becomes acidic (the difference between alkaline and acidic food is described ahead).  In fact, like other nutrients, fat intake is also as important as other nutrients. One should take fat in an optimum quantity. The standard of optimum quantity will depend upon the amount of physical activity. More physical activity needs more fat.  Exercise is also a part of physical activity. Which kind of fat is ideal? This may be a matter of debate amongst modern scientists, whose findings vary occasionally. Still, the opinion of Ayurveda and our ancient knowledge is everlasting and continuous on pure desi ghee (clarified butter), preferably cow ghee.

Also, refrain from indulging in air frying. An air-fryer decreases the healthy fat content (poly-unsaturated fats) and increases the cholesterol oxidation products, which may negatively affect cholesterol levels.  High-temperature air frying can lead to Acrylamide and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which may pose health risks. Air frying can contribute to forming AGEs (Advanced glycation end-products), a complex product formed by the Maillard reaction between the carbonyls of reducing sugars and the free amino groups of amino acids. Some AGEs ingested through foods accumulate in the human body, causing a series of chronic diseases, including inflammation, diabetes, heart diseases, and various types of cancer.

1. Maintain acid-alkaline ratio: Our blood mainly contains two components: alkaline and acidic. These are not in the same ratio but are 80% alkaline and 20% acidic. Thus, we should have food that is also at the same ratio. If this ratio gets impaired, serious diseases find their root. We can measure the acidity in our blood (known as pH) with the help of litmus paper, and we should ensure that our body does not become acidic. A pH of 0.00 to 6.00 is acidic. A pH of 7.00 is neutral. A pH of more than 7.00 is alkaline. An alkaline diet generally includes foods that are nutritious and unprocessed. An indicative list of alkaline and acidic food items is mentioned below, though it may not be exhaustive.

Alkaline food should be 80% of our diet.

• Raw milk (unpasteurized) and buttermilk are alkaline, while pasteurized milk and curd are still considered alkaline despite being slightly acidic (pH 6.7 to 6.9 and pH 4.5 to 5.5, respectively). This is due to their high calcium content, critical in neutralizing acid and maintaining a healthy pH balance. Curd has more calcium than milk.
• Fruits that taste sweet or become sweet on ripening. Citrus fruits, such as lemon, orange, mosambi (sweet lime/lemon), etc., are acidic, but after digestion, they leave alkaline ash only and find a good place in alkaline food items. Moreover, these being rich in vitamin C is very beneficial for health.
• Unsweetened fruit juices, seeds, herbs, and herbal tea are alkaline. Nuts are slightly acidic, but soaked nuts are alkaline.
• All leafy and non-starchy vegetables, such as bottle gourd, round gourd, pointed gourd, ridge gourd, snake gourd, bitter gourd, turnip, radish, carrots, beetroot, cabbage, cauliflower, peas, broccoli, garlic, onions, tomato, cucumber, etc. Though garlic, onions, and tomatoes are alkaline, their use as spices makes them acidic for frying.
• Desi Ghee is alkaline, but any food fried in it is acidic. Cooking oils are slightly acidic (pH 6.7 to 6.9). The pH of both (ghee and oils) starts decreasing when heated and continues to decrease with the rise in temperature. So, to maintain the alkalinity of ghee, cook vegetables in the bare minimum quantity and add raw ghee either in dal, vegetables, or bread while eating.
• Wheat flour and rice are slightly acidic (pH 6 to 6.8), but gram (Chana), barley, and millet are alkaline. Rice and all pulses are somewhat acidic. All sweeteners are slightly acidic except unprocessed stevia. All blends of stevia and artificial sweeteners are acidic.

Highly acidic food.

• Wine, alcoholic drinks, beer, all aerated drinks.
• Meat, eggs, and all other non-veg food items,
• Maida and items made using maida, fried foods, processed food, canned food, junk food, packed snacks, all convenience foods, 
• Tea and coffee.
• Paneer (Indian cottage cheese), cheese, and similar other processed dairy products, as well as washed lentils.

1. Some fundamental beliefs about food

• We should neither totally avoid spices nor use them excessively. Spices are beneficial and essential in moderate quantities. However, we should use garam masala (a mixture of ground spices, such as cumin, coriander, and cardamom, used in Indian cooking) in winter only, and that too in small quantities. We should avoid red chili, and green chili is its best substitute.
• Properly wash hands, feet, and face before taking food.
• Always consume freshly cooked food only. Refrain from eating stale or refrigerated food. Do not heat food again after cooking but eat hot food as soon as possible before it loses its heat.
• Do not eat the same food daily; change the menu every day.
• Finish your dinner at least 2 hrs 30 mins to 3:00 hours before going to sleep.

Vegetarian food is always much better, more nutrient-rich, and more energetic than non-vegetarian food. It is a myth that non-veg food is more energetic and healthier. Even in extreme summer, a bull or horse can pull a cart for many kilometres, but a dog, wolf, tiger, or lion cannot walk/run even for a few kilometres. Nature has made some difference amongst all vegetarian and non-vegetarian living organisms by giving easily distinguishable different kinds of teeth to both these. All non-vegetarian animals have long, pointed, very defined canine teeth for tearing at meat, combined with a sometimes-limited number of molars. In contrast, all vegetarian animals have strong and flat molars made for grinding leaves and non-existent canine teeth. So, nature has the intention of keeping us vegetarian only.