EFFECTS OF JUNK FOOD AND PROPOSED DIET TO LEAD HEALTHY LIFE – Eat Healthy, Live Healthy – Exclude Junk Food
The
ancient Ayurvedic text states, ‘One whose Doshas are in balance, Appetite is
good, whose Body, Mind & Senses remain full of bliss; is called a Healthy
Person.’
Consuming
junk food on regular basis can lead to an increased risk of Obesity and Chronic
diseases like cardiovascular disease, Type II Diabetes, Non-alcoholic fatty
liver disease and some Cancer.
Harmful
Effect on Body by Intake Junk Food
|
Disorders |
Causative
Factor |
|
Headache
|
Eating foods
filled with sodium, like many fatty foods can increase risk of headache. |
|
Acne
|
Carbs, not
grease can trigger acne carb-heavy fast food like French fries, burger and
potato chips may lead to acne breakouts. |
|
Heart
disease/Stroke |
Elevated
cholesterol & increased blood pressure are two of the top risk factors
for heart disease & stroke. |
|
Hypercholesterolaemia |
Fried foods
are filled with trans fats that are known to raise LDL cholesterol levels. |
|
Weight
Gain |
Even though
thinking that eating healthy at large quantity, you may underestimate the
number of consuming calories which can lead to unintentional weight gain. |
|
Blood
Sugar Spike |
Fast food is
filled with worst carbohydrates which can cause frequent insulin spikes; this
may alter human body’s natural response. |
|
Insulin
Resistance |
Due to
leading frequent insulin spikes junk food causes insulin resistance and type
II diabetes. |
|
Depression
|
Processed
food affects our blood supply to brain that may increase the risk for
depression. |
|
Dental
Distress |
The carbs
and sugar containing fast food produce acids that can destroy tooth enamel
which lead to dental cavities |
|
Shortness
of Breath |
Extra
calories can turn into excess pounds. Without exercise to counteract the
increase in calories, obesity may become a reality can cause shortness of
breath & wheezing, even when performing very little physical activity. |
|
High
Blood Pressure |
Fast food is
typically high sodium diet which can elevate blood pressure or aggravate
existing heart disorder including congestive heart failure. |
|
Consuming
Excessive Calories |
People who
eat junk food as well as processed food items tend to take extra 190 to 200
calories per day. |
|
Bloating
& Puffiness |
Body may
retain water if consume excessive sodium, leaving you feeling puffy, bloated
& swollen. |
|
Effect
on Reproductive System |
Fast food
contains phthalates which chemicals interrupt low hormones act in our body;
high levels of these chemicals could lead to reproductive issue including
birth defects. |
|
Integumentary
System (Skin, Hair, Nails) |
Junk foods
impact skin’s appearance. Children and adolescents who eat fast food at least
three times a week are also more likely to develop eczema, skin diseases.
According to study eczema is a skin condition that causes initiated patches
of inflamed, itchy skin. |
|
Menstrual
Health |
Premenstrual
symptoms, intensity of dysmenorrhea high in girls and adolescent who
consuming junk foods regularly, junk food being deficient in micronutrients
like vitamin B6, calcium, magnesium & potassium might also be responsible
for premenstrual symptoms. PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) has also seen. |
|
Constipation
& other disorders |
Soda &
cola also contains phosphorus and other harmful chemicals which ruin the
normal mechanism of body. Body becomes extremely acidic and prone to frequent
sprains and fractures because of entire skeletal structure weak. |
Moreover
junk food is prepared very easily. It takes minimum time to prepare & does
not have any nutritious ingredients. Most importantly junk food has become very
accessible now, more than ever which destroys our health continuously.
Due
to excessive consumption junk food, vitiation of Apana vayu, Vyan vayu results
dhatu kshaya condition. Vayu is responsible for all type of movements (gati) in
the body. The excess movements like atyanasevana & atigamana cause
vitiation of Vyana vayu & Apana vayu respectively by karma samanya. Diva swapna
results by augmentation of Kapha.
Due
to junk food consumption Tridosha of body is vitiated, body may affect various
types of disease. Balance & nutritious diet, healthy food containing
vitamin, calcium, and proteins is required to maintain body function and stable
tridosha, thus health can improve.
Ayurvedic
texts emphasize ahara as vital for promoting health and happiness. Ayurveda
creates health by enlivening the body’s inner intelligence to create harmony.
Unlike modern nutrition thesis, which tends to recommended “one size fits all”
guidelines that change with each new wave of research, Ayurvedic physicians
maintain there is no one single diet or food that is healthy for all
individuals.
Ayurveda
identifies six major tastes we need in our diet every day – madhur amla lavana
katu tikta kasaya (sweet, sour, salt, pungent, bitter & astringent). Each
of these tastes has specific health giving effects. By including all six we
will be most completely nourished & satisfied. When we consistently eat
only a few of the tastes, it not only causes health problems but also trigger
craving for unhealthy foods. For instance, fast food contains mostly sweet,
sour and salty tastes. If we eat a steady diet of fast food, we can develop a
craving for sweets. Adding more pungent, bitter and astringent tastes can help
out of control desires for candy and dough nuts.
Balancing
Act of Body
The
six tastes also affect the Doshas. The Doshas increase or decrease on the
principle of “like attracts like”. If someone has predominance of vata, he will
have the tendency to accumulate more vata. Foods that decrease a Doshas are
said to pacify that dosha, and foods that increase it aggravate it, sweet,
sour, & salty foods pacify vata, sweet, pungent and bitter foods decrease
pitta. Pungent, bitter and astringent foods pacify kapha.
·
Vata
types foods that calm their tendency towards anxiety & over activity. Vatas
can healthfully cook with move salt than pittas & kaphas.
· Pitta
needs to be cooled down. Pitta thrives on reduced amount of fats, oils &
salt. Sweet, completely ripe fruits and all vegetables except garlic, tomatoes,
radish and chilies are pitta pacifying. Coconuts, pomegranates, grilled
vegetables, salad and rice pudding all reduce pitta.
·
Kapha-
Light, dry, warm foods reduce pitta such as barley, buckwheat are the best for
kapha type. Pumpkin and sunflower seeds and all beans with the exception of
oilier soybean are excellent.
Ayurvedic
Principle of Digestion –Agni & Ama
Ayurvedic
text says the process of digestion to cooking over a flame. Digestive fires
collectively called “Agni”, cook food so the nutrients can be optimally
utilized. When Agni is strong, our body fully assimilates nutrients and
eliminates what it doesn’t need.
The
food we eat produce a biochemical called gas, if the digestive fire is weak,
the incompletely digested portion of the meal forms a sticky, toxic substance
called ‘Ama’. It settles in various areas of the body that are out of balance,
taking on many forms, such as calcium deposits in joints, cysts & tumors.
To prevent Ama from forming, drink plenty of warm or room temperature water.
Eat freshly prepare food; do not eat at late night.
Aspects
of Individual Health
1) Proper
nourishment
2) Proper strength
3) Desire & appetite for intake of food
4) Proper digestion of food ingested at proper time
5) Sleep early
6) Absence of pathological or dreadful dreams
7) Feeling of freshness after waking up in morning
8) Proper evacuation of feces, urine & flatus at
proper time
9) Proper functioning of mental faculties,
intelligence and senses
10) Absence
of any kind of pain & inflammation
Preferable
Food Items (Daily Basis)
1. Edibles
prepared with cereals like wheat (gehun) & barley (yava)
2. Condiments
prepared from animal meat of dry land
3. Jivanti
(Holostemma ada kodien), Radish (muli), Basal (Vastuka-Bathua), Haritaki
(Terminilia Chebula), Amlaki (Embilica Officinalis), Patola (Snake gourd),
Moong (Green gram), Pomgranate (Dadim) and Saindhav lavana (Rock salt) are
desirable for regular use
4. Fenugreek
(methika) has high fibre content and useful in reducing blood glucose,
cholesterol & triglycerides.
5. Green
vegetables like karela (bitter gourd), lettuce leaves, ladies finger (bhindi),
carrot (gajar), soya beans, drumstick and jambu seeds are having beneficial
effect. Curd, kshara, vinegar, radish, dried meat, meat of sheep, tuberous
roots, fiber of lotus, dried leaves & molasses are taken regularly which is
beneficial for healthy life style.
By
reducing consumption of junk foods, state of Agni is maintained and formation
of all dhatus, upadhatus takes place, tridoshas of body works properly which
helps to lead a healthy life.
(Article
noted by Radha Jha, CGHS Prayagraj (Allahabad), Ministry of Health & Family
Welfare; Govt. of India)
