Good Food – How to Increase Energy?

Note:


If you have any queries, please contact Coach Rameshon at 9100 4369 or you can email him at swift.rameshon@gmail.com. Please refer to website http://flexifitness.com.sg (for more information on him and his programmes)

By Rameshon

Bsc (Hons) Degree in Physical Education, Loughborough University (1992-1994)

Masters in Education (University of Western Australia, 2005-2008)

Spices and Fruits – A Summary

I can write on this topic and it can be lengthy. In short, take note that spices have the highest score for vitality, compared to fruits, which comes next. After an intensive study, it was noticed that turmeric has the highest vitality score. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar told during talks that it is wise to put turmeric in food, at least a little quantity. There are many studies to show that turmeric can prevent cancer in a person. It can prevent innumerable sickness and diseases as well.

Out of fruits, the family of berries are the best in vitality score. Blueberries have one of the highest scores for the berries family of fruits. Studies prove this so. Having discussed on the summary of Spices and Fruits, I will summarise below on how I come to know about Sattwic, Rajasic and Tamasic food and give some details on the meaning as well. After that, I will list out all the food items for people to understand easily and on the classifications to enable people to choose food wisely. 

An Explanation on Sattwic, Rajasic and Tamasic Food: My Experiences on Food – The Super Food (Sattwic Food, The Yogic Diet)

In the past, I read a book on Dr Sivananda (1987-1961), who became a doctor by profession. He explained the meaning of Sattwic, Rajasic and Tamasic, from his experience. Hence, I chose my food wisely during my competitive years. Dr Sivananda wrote more than 100, maybe even 200 books on health, diet, yoga, etc. Due to my strict regiment in my diet, I found abundant energy when I chose Sattwic as opposed to Rajasic and Tamasic food. Feeling of being strong will set in mind and body and there will be serenity of mind. One could do visualisation and mental training properly with clarity. I remember Dr Edgar Tham telling us in the 1995 SEA Games in Chiengmai, “CLARITY is POWER.” Also, I found that it was hard to get an injury when you are consuming food like fruits every day as anti-oxidants are found to be abundant in them. Anti-oxidants cause a person to recover faster and the immunity of the body will be very good. You will have excellent health.

Hence, let me discuss the topic on the 3 types of food which will prevent us from falling sick and feeling revitalized.

The 3 Types of Food – Sattwic, Rajasic and Tamasic Food

There are altogether three kinds of food that a man consume – Sattwic, Rajasic and Tamasic. Moreover, according to the gunas or temperament, a man is controlled by Sattwa, Rajas, Tamas. Sattwic food makes you light, feel-good and renders the mind calm and serene. People who want to have a good meditation should take Sattwic types of food. If your mind is calm, you can meditate better. If your mind is not calm, it is difficult to meditate. Examples of sattwic food are fruits, barley, vegetables, etc. Rajasic food makes you feel energetic. Examples of Rajasic food are chilli, meat, fish, eggs, etc. Rajasic food excites passion and makes you lose the calmness. The last, but not least, is Tamasic. Tamasic food makes a person lazy and dull. Examples of Tamasic food is unripe fruits, over-ripe fruit, more than 3-hour food, reheated food, food kept for several days, etc.

Hence, to put it in a nutshell, all food has these three different characteristics. Different foods exercise different effects on different compartments of the brain or the mind. Thus, a man’s nature is greatly influenced by the food that he consumes. The fact that man feels a desire for certain foods is according to his guna or temperament.

A man achieves all his purposes in the world through the body. It is the vehicle that takes him towards his aim, purpose, target and goal. Therefore, it is advisable to keep it clean, strong and healthy. The body is a form by the mind. The body and the mind are actually connected. The food that the body takes has a vital effect on the mind and activities. Therefore, whatever we consume or foods that build the body and the mind should be pure, nutritious and wholesome.

Every food we see is of threefold. The food is either Sattwic, Rajasic or Tamasic according to its character and it has an effect upon the body and the mind. You can find out the nature or temperament of a man from the nature of the food he takes. This can be seen in animals that take vegetarian food, for example, elephants, cows, horses and goat are usually calm. Animals like tiger and lion are usually not calm and are controlled by the nature of the Rajasic temperament that they derived from meat. You can find out your own nature, whether you are Sattwic, Rajasic or Tamasic from the food you take. It is wise if you can abandon the Rajasic and the Tamasic foodstuffs and take to the Sattwic diet.

Also, our daily life is controlled by these three modes of gunas Sattwic, Rajasic and Tamasic and they keep changing throughout the day. Only by sticking to Sattwic food, one can, over time, have more of the Sattwa qualities lightness and calmness and less of getting oneself irritated or feeling of being lazy.

Now, I shall enumerate the food that has these 3 qualities.

Sattwic Food – Added benefits are it increases vitality and strength in one’s body. A person will have cheerfulness, mental clarity and serenity by eating these type of food. Mental poise can be attained by eating this type of food. The body will be full of energy and one would feel energetic throughout the day. Hence, Sattwic foods are highly conducive and beneficial to health.

Examples of Sattwic Food
Fresh ripe fruits like papaya, mango, orange, apple, starfruit, honeydew, berries, etc
(most fruits)
Milk
Butter
Nuts like unsalted almonds, peanut, groundnut, hazelnut, walnut, etc (most nuts)
vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, spinach, various types of beans etc (most vegetables)
dates
barley
wheat 
cereal
oats
brown bread
vegetables
ugali (Kenyan staple food)
corn flakes
pasta
brown rice
brown sugar
wheetabix
macaroni
spaghetti
chapati (Indian bread made of wheat)
naan (Indian bread. Make sure it is made of wheat and not rice flour)

There are others as well. Take note that Fruits, vegetables, brown bread and rice form most part of our food.

Rajasic Food

Rajasic Food distracts the mind, excites passion and one gets disturbed by emotions. this causes restlessness of the mind. The mind will think about one thing and then quickly switch to another causing one to lose focus. In short, the mind is caused to have cravings. The mind, thus, thinks about many things.

fish
meat 
liquor
egg
pungent condiments
sweets
onion
garlic 
lemon
tea
coffee
betel nut
black gram
clove
brinjal
fried bread
fried rice with chilli
food with curry
salty food
mustard
pungent pickles
ladies’ finger

Tamasic Food

Stale
dry 
without juice
putrid articles
cocaine
opium
ganga
unripe fruits
wine
garlic
onion
overripe fruits
liquor

The more complete food

Milk is the best food for yogis but it may not suit everyone. If one finds that one form of diet is not suitable, it would be advisable to change the diet and try some other Sattwic articles of food as this is a common-sense approach.

Milk should be boiled as soon as the boiling point is reached. Too much boiling destroys the nutritions and makes the milk quite useless.

Note:

By Narayanan
Rameshon has taught in Hwa Chong Institution, plus several schools, and Republic Polytechnic as well. He has won many accolades and he was awarded Merit Award for 1991 marathon performance in breaking the national record of Singapore, at that time. He has made 22 male athletes to do marathon in sub-3hrs. He has made 7 female runners to do sub-4 hours for marathon, as well. He was inducted to the ‘Roll of Honour’  by the then College of Physical Education, organised by Singapore Olympic Academy, in 1998, for breaking the National record repeatedly 4 times, till he did 2hr 24min 22sec).


He also has a Coaching group and he trains them on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7pm at Botanic Gardens. Those interested can call him at 91004369 for coaching assistance, to improve performance. There is also personal training that he does for many in a week. You can e-mail him at swift.rameshon@gmail.com.