In the olden times when the Nagas had not yet come into any sort of contact with the outside world, our society was basically an agrarian society. We cultivated and tilled our own lands. Besides rice which was our main staple food, we planted and reared all sorts of vegetables and fruits that could grow and ripe in our climate and environment. Apart from these plantation activities, our forefathers also domesticated all sorts of animals from cows and pigs to the likes of chickens, ducks and goats. In such an agrarian set-up where modern currency was literally unknown, it was not surprising that everything was counted in terms of all these possessions. And the primary objective of all these agricultural and farming activities was basically to keep food aplenty on the table for all throughout the year. Yes, food was central to the lives, mentality and culture of our forefathers. “The more you eat the stronger and healthier you will be” or “the more food you have the better-off you are” must have been the belief of our forefathers. And in an era where the science of health and medicine had not yet made its entry, it is no wonder that our forefathers lived with such a mentality and idea.
Now, in such a society where modern medicine had not yet made its entry, how did the people respond and react to ailments, diseases, plagues and epidemics? Obviously, in a societal set-up where the people were ignorant and primitive in their thinking and attitude and where their agricultural and farming products were all that they had, they would certainly try to find the solution to their health issues from their agricultural and farming products or from some wild plants growing somewhere in the jungle or from some wild animals roaming out there in the deep forest. I believe such traits and beliefs had been common to all primitive people everywhere in the world.
In such an agrarian society and set-up where modern medicine and doctors were not around, when someone fell sick, the first thing that the family members did was to find and prepare a food which they thought would be good in restoring the health of the sick person. Rather than being concerned about what to eat and what not to eat, they were probably more concerned about which food would be the most palatable to the tongue of the sick-man so that he could consume the maximum and have a decent and sound sleep. Yes, it is a scientific fact that when a person consumes a great quantity of food he would feel sleepy and he would become mentally dull and less alert and he could easily fall into a deep and sound slumber while the foods are being digested inside his stomach. Maybe, in their ignorance, our forefathers interpreted such an outcome after consumption of heavy meal as benefiting the sick man. And many Nagas seem to have inherited this same idea of food from our forefathers.
Yes, even in today’s Naga society where modern science and medicine have reached us, many Nagas still seem to have the same idea about food. When a husband falls sick, his wife would normally go out and buy a pleasant food item and cook a delicious meal which her husband would devour to the utmost and retire to bed only to wake up the next morning when the sun is already high up in the sky. And by doing so, the wife would feel that she has done a good wife’s role splendidly. And the husband would also feel that he has a wonderful and caring wife who can splendidly take care of him whenever he falls sick. But is that really so? And would such behaviour do any good to the health of the ailing person? Of course, if someone comes home physically exhausted, such a treatment from his wife would make him totally refreshed and revived by the time he wakes up the next morning. And for the wife also, such a behavior is a splendid way through which she can show her love and care for her husband. And in the olden times when we were totally oblivious of the science of health and medicine, it is no wonder even if our ancestors harbored such beliefs.
But the irony is that many Nagas even now seem to think that food is the solution to most of our health problems. When someone falls ill, his family members would search and prepare the most delicious meal for him and his friends would also visit him with delicacies like pig leg, cow leg, goat head, local chicken, frogs etc. And there is no denying the fact that many of these foods may have ingredients in them which may prove helpful in restoring and healing the health and wound of a person. And such behaviours on the part of the family and friends are also a superb way to show one’s love, care and concern. But apart from that, I doubt whether such behaviours or consumption of such foods would have any worthwhile benefit on a person’s health.
Yes, we often tend to think that food is the solution to our health problems. But rather being the solution, it is highly probable that our eating habits are the root causes of our health issues. Today through the science of health and medicine, we know that our food habits play a most pivotal role in determining the status of our health and wellbeing. If we consult any world renowned or veteran medical practitioner, I am sure none of them would recommend us to eat pig leg, cow leg, goat head, dog meat or frog for any of our health problem. Rather, staying away from red meat may be a good idea as far as our health and wellbeing is concerned.
Yes, we need food daily for our survival. Yes, food can heal but food also can kill and destroy. In this age when health tips are all around, we should make the optimum use of this information technology and learn to use our food as medicines for our body instead of frequently paying visits to the pharmacy every now and then. Yes, learning to use our daily foods as medicines would be the best way to keep the doctor at bay.
Now let’s come to the matter which most of us do not want to do at all – exercise. Our forefathers lived an agricultural life and no other occupation was known to them. From their childhood till the day they died, planting, farming and rearing animals was all that they knew and did. This occupation demanded an active lifestyle from them. They went to the paddy field everyday and toiled the whole day whether it was sunshine or rain. Thus they lived a very physically active life. Therefore when their lifestyle itself was that much active, the need of doing regular exercise might not have been relevant for them. But today when most of us are literally living sedentary lifestyles because of the comfort of our cars, our desktops, laptops, our phones, our televisions etc, regular physical exercise has become as much necessary as food and water. Yes, medical science says that the best tool available at hand for us to keep away cancer, diabetes, strokes, heart-attacks etc is regular physical exercise. Most of us associate exercise with getting up early in the morning and running miles. As such our exercise mission becomes a big hurdle even before we start because of problems associated with time, space, environment and ego. But exercise can be in many forms. Today multiple exercise avenues (outdoor as well as indoor) are available to us. Exercise methods with or without equipments are aplenty all around us.
From my own experience, I can testify to the amazing wonders of regular physical exercise. Because of my concern for my health I stay away from alcohol and tobacco in any form. I also drink enough water everyday. These have been a routine for me for almost 20 years now. But I got into regular exercise only some 3 years back and ever since then, it has been doing wonders for me and I often blame myself for not cultivating this habit earlier. Before I got into regular physical exercise, fatigue was a real issue for me even though, by the grace of God, I do not suffer from any health issue. Yes, I used to get tired very easily and it was because of this that an afternoon nap of about one hour was a daily necessity for me without which I could not remain normal. But after I started my regular indoor breathing and stretching exercise some three years back, I no longer need this afternoon nap. Previously, whenever I do any physical work (even minor ones) or whenever I return home from outside, exhaustion would set in and I would be on the verge of collapse if I don’t lie down for at least a few minutes. For example, during those times, even changing my car tyre was strenuous physical work for me. Whenever I changed my car tyre, I would breathe heavily and sweat a lot. And by the time I finished changing the tyre I would feel like coming out of a boxing ring after fighting with a heavyweight champion. But now, changing my car tyre is not something I dread or dislike anymore. Rather, surprisingly, I look forward to my car tyre getting punctured so that I can get the opportunity to change the tyre. Changing my car tyre is now a pleasure for me because every-time I do this, I can feel the strength and energy in my shoulders, my arms and my wrists and I no longer breathe and sweat heavily like I used to. And I can safely say that this incredible increase in the level of my energy, strength and stamina is not because of eating pork, beef or dog meat but solely because of the regular physical exercise which has now become a part of my life. Yes, my first-hand tryst with regular exercise has taught me that regular exercise can do wonders for my health and wellbeing which eating pork, beef, dog meat or any kind of wild animal meat can never do.
So the bottom line is this: there are many foods which are palatable and irresistible to the Naga tongue. Yes, food is fundamental for our survival and we need it everyday. Food can heal….. but food can also kill and destroy. And food may not be the solution for most of our health issues…. rather our food habits may be at the root causes of our health issues. To live long and healthy, we need to look beyond food and realize that habits like drinking enough water daily and engaging in regular physical exercise can do wonders for our health and wellbeing. If we truly want to demonstrate that our bodies are temples of God, these realizations are the fundamental tools needed. Let us also remind ourselves that a healthy mind can reside only in a healthy body and only healthy people can make worthy contributions to the society……
