Mangalore: The trends of livelihood may have undergone charges but to maintain proper health, active mind and daring intellectual propensities, one has to guard against cheap food habits, because what goes in as nourishment by way of food in take cannot be junk, like eating chips and papad without rice or wheat preparations on the plate. When there is no bone-strengthening nourishing food quality is there in what you eat, it can only be junk, like what you eat at afternoon tea after a heavy full meal or tasty lunch just past noon. Especially, during breakfast, one needs good, nourishing food like Idli, vada, dosa, pulao or Conjee. The south Indian form of meal at lunch (1 PM) made up of a chapathi, boiled rice, sambar, two curries (one dry and the other with gravy), pickles, buttermilk and soup with a final payasam or Khichdi as dessert, is scientifically recognized as best in the world. The Indian Upma is recognized as the finest morning breakfast food with ingredients like mushrooms or tomato or paneer pieces. The Upma won a world prize of 1 lakh US dollars for a Bombay Muslim chef. Taste alone is not enough, body nourishment also is required.
Junk food addiction is like smoking habit chats of north Indian variety belong to junk food, they do not give satisfaction but merely create an exotic taste in Pani Puri, bhelpuri, Dahi-puri and what not Packet foods cannot replace meals, they are good only for afternoon tea. Those who work on night shifts, losing sleep and concentrating on mechanical work in the still dark hours of night have to guard against eating light snacks or packed foods like chips. Even those educated persons working in BPO’s at night do not bother about what they eat and smoke after snacks and tea, both of which spoil bodily health soon. It is better they re-design their food habits to eat better food once in 4 hours between 9 PM and 6 AM during work without red eyes and then take a nap of 4 hours after duty. Tea or coffee in take does not prevent sleep at night, especially for students facing exams and revising their lessons. They can eat fruit salad, rice/wheat preparations (like Idli, chapathi or puris with dishes) but not cold foods (Ice creams etc) Juices can be taken. Dry fruits and badami milk are advised if one has to be awake all through the night. Veg sandwiches can help but not veg burgers or pizzas or omlets. Have meals at home before night duty.