Food allergy is caused by

• Putrid, stale and rotten foods.
• Half cooked or over cooked foods which have been deep fried with saturated fats, strong and pungent spices and condiments.
• Taking any food beyond one’s digestive capacity or when the user is a known allergic to certain foods.
• Overeating, especially when on empty stomach, after prolonged illness.
• Eating foods during off season.
• Mixture of certain foods which are opposed to nature.
• Untimely or late eating of any food item.
• Any food item which is cooked or prepared under unhygienic condition or any rotten or exposed, pre-cut dust-laden, bacteria-manifested food.
• Home made preparations have lesser chance of causing any reaction or allergy.

Reaction of food items is quite often instant, like many drug-reactions but when violent vomiting nausea, diarrhoea, colic, flatulence, etc. set in the problems are label to multiply and often with serious ramifications. Best way to avoid such situations is to take proper care about hygine. Sometimes food taken is uninfected but our way of consumption is faulty (when nails are uninfected, hands not properly washed), then only food may cause allergies and reactions.

What to Avoid

Spicy, highly cooked vegetables with saturated fats, exposed and previously cut/sliced foods, juices or even fresh juices available at juice shops corners, any food that is suspected to carry harmful bacteria, infection, exposure to dust, smoke, fast foods, chowmin, chats or fruit chats should find no place in your diet. Any stale, putrid, foul smelling pungent and unhygienic food can do a lot of harm to your body.

If you do so, you are in for physical disorders of high magnitude. Also refrain from drinking water stored in refrigerated trollies or still worse water from public hydrants or if and when sold by other unhygienic means. Water is one of the leading bacteria-carrier and most of our ills are slightly attributed to impure, unhygienic and polluted water. Avoid alcohol, tobacco in any form, narcotics and drugs.

What not to avoid

Of all the choices, food prepared at home is by far the best option as you are sure of its hygienic and pure conditions. There is hardly any chance of food infections. Take your meals punctually, in a measured quantity. Take plenty of green vegetables, fruits, salads, so that there is enough bulk and rough and roughage.

These food items, in juice/raw form, will also taper down carbohydrate and fat intake, thus yoghurt, wheat, cheese should form an essential part of daily diet. In short, dairy products provide all the nutrients which our body requires, to sustain energy of the body. Emphasis may be laid on occasional food exchanges so as to avoid element of monotony.

Breakfast may be taken slightly heavier which may may however be followed by fruits in the lunch, with slice or two of bread. Dinner should be an all-conclusive blend of all the essential nutrients. Always try to finish your dinner, at least 2-3 hours earlier before you retire to bed.

General

Food intake should, as a matter of rules, be in consonance and conformity with your actual requirement, amount of energy expanded and physical mobility. It will be shown, later on, how many calories generally needed by a person while performing various jobs. For instance, an old man’s diet cannot match with that of a child who is in the growth stage. Similarly, an ailing or bed. Confined patient’s calorie requirement and dietary regimen would be totally different from that of a normal and healthy person, who will not require same kind and amount of diet.

Food intake is intended to keep all the functions of our body in normal functional status. The more we look after it, the more useful it would be for us. Food is simply a means to provide energy and other necessary nutrients to our body and it is, by no means, an end itself. We can overload or strain our body to a specific limit and beyond that, we are only extending an open invitation to diseases.

Hardly any person dies due to undereating but, due to overeating, most of the people die. In our Dharma and way of living life, fasting plays an important part, as it not only purifies our body but also keep our mind in good humour. By the process of fasting, various functions of body retain their balance, the secretions are normal and the body also gets well deserved rest.

Fasting does not imply abstinence from food but it does not imply that, on each day, a food item (bread, salt, sugar, vegetable, fruit or fats) should be given go-bye. More light would be thrown on fasting and its importance, later on, at an appropriate place. So, eat when you actually need, and never while you desire only. Need and desire should not be confused or absued.