DIET

"Ask your husband not to worry. Let him walk to his shop every morning.It is just two furlongs away". The advising voice faded away as I walked faster and faster. It was a man advising his relative. Though I was a complete stranger I could make out that the lady's husband had got the high sugar levels and she was worried about it. The past decade has seen increasing levels of diabetics in India. All the media cry and shout about it, nobody knows the cause, it's just happening. A boy of 10 or 12 years walks limpingly holding his mothers arms unable to read the prescription as they come out of the doctors shop asks his mother " enu bardiddaramma?"(what has he written?) his mother with a heavy voice answers " adeno mixtard anthe"( mixtard it seems). My heart is heavier than her voice. Why this dirty disease is so cruel?

There must be some important factors which we have neglected to follow might have resulted in such a disaster. As a woman who spends half of her time in the kitchen, my mind naturally goes in that direction- are we eating properly? There was no other choice than Idlis, dosa, rotti for breakfast even a decade ago. Cereals have replaced these items as they do not need any pre-cooking excercises. Even when I was young, if we buy bread from the local baker he would kindly enquire about the health of our family members. There was a common understanding that we should eat bread only if we are sick.

 Friends groups and Media, everyone is talking about the balanced diet, healthy diet and fat-free diet. Doctors and Dieticians warn about having refined food like sweet bread and other products of maida.
We are advised to have whole wheat bread, fiber-rich products and lots of greens. Frequently having brunches may lead to obesity and under-nourishment. Why can't we eat a simple rice, roti, rasam, palya everyday and have a feast once in a while, it was done by our parents and grand parents.

We feel Ragi mudde( steamed ragi ball) and Soppina saaru(greens rasam ) are boring and tasteless food nowadays. Is healthy food always tasteless and boring? Increase in number of diabetics in the state is scary. We have no time left for excercise or walking, why can't we sit back for a while and think about our lives? is our changing lifestyle making us physically weaker than our fathers and forefathers? why don't we change our food habits atleast to improve our physical strength.