Blog 25: Abundance

“Create healthy habits, not restrictions.”

“Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.” – Jim Rohn

Living in a big city can give rise to complexities and blurriness of reality. While I travel everyday to office, which is about 50 kms per day, I observe the changing face of the city, which brings me to this blog. Along with one more Blog which will be the next, I will cover my take on inter-related issues emerging through my observations.

I recall while I was a small child, around 40 years back, me and my brother used to wait for my father to take us and my mom for an ice-cream treat. It used to be a feat!! Having lot of sweets and savories during Diwali was also a feat and we used to get these special food items (chakali, ladoos, anarsas etc.) only during this festival. However, now in 2000s, as I travel everyday through the cities, small towns, and even villages, we find the food stalls everywhere. There are literally all items on the food stalls and food is indeed in abundance. A poorest of the poor will get food to eat and very few people will sleep hungry now. Try and give some food items to the beggars on street, and you will visually see unhappiness on their face!! They are looking for money and not food!!

As I did some statistical survey, worldwide, and also in India, in 1900s, majority of the deaths in the world (and moreover in the developing and under-developed countries) was due to epidemics and malnutrition. This was related to sanitation facilities and food shortages. Economy of the country was ofcourse the main reason, which was linked to population, farming facilities, supply-chains and implementation of healthy practices in all parts of a specific country. However, the fact remained that many people would die of hunger and food shortage and affordability. As we come to 2000s, the scene is very different. There is lot of food around. It could be as simple as a burger or vada-pav and as rich as Au-gratin and Tiramisu!! But now, very few people sleep hungry. Food insecurity is not a major issue now.

So, what are the NEW reasons of death?  Statistical data shows that diabetes, digestive diseases, cardio-vascular diseases, gastro-urinary diseases have emerged to be a major culprits. The food-scarcity has now taken place in “Others” category, which amounts to merely 7-8 % in this total chart. Watch carefully… All these new diseases are related to in-appropriate and abundant food. Some of these would be related to genetics, which is a complex function (and a slow-varying, but definitive function of multiple parameters, including food!).

Improper food habits, eating more than 3-4 times a day, continuous munching and lesser and lesser exercise regimes lead to complications which are described as “diseases”. Worldwide, as the economy improves, the sanitation facilities have become better. Supply chains have become better, transportation, production and delivery have been linked properly and hence there is abundance of food. Junk food is emerging in a very big way! Inorganic food stuffs are multiplying and quickly replacing the organic and natural food stuff. Lot of chemicals are floating in the food industry, of which one is not aware of, at all!! Resulting situation: Lot of food stuff, too many options, availability 24×7, and mindless munching!!!

As we analyze this situation, we find that more and more people are sick now, not because of epidemics, but because of abundance which the body is not capable of handling. This is a new problem. The solutions have to be new! Otherwise, now we see obesity as a problem, but tomorrow we will have it as a part of our own genetics and it would be impossible to re-arrange the code!

A noted Professor from Harvard School of Medicine, Prof David Sinclair spoke once on a media interview (link given below) that ageing in a person is highly related to mindful eating. Having plant-based food, fresh cooked food and non-alcoholic diet helps in remaining mentally and physically fit. Now, in the social arena, food does not cost much. Hence people consume themselves in alcohol and untimely munching which is deteriorating the younger population and older ones, too, rapidly.

Just think about this: what will an unhealthy large population serve the community? When anything is vastly available, mindful consumption is very important!!

More on thoughtful mindfulness in the next blog!!

References

Sameul S Mayers et.al., 10.1038/s43016-020-00157-w

RJ Walker et.al. 10.1016/j.annepidem.2019.01.014