We live in a time where information is accessible and available in plenty. Information here means both real, mis-, and fake. Challenge is filtering the real or facts out of the rest. One area this is highly prevalent is the one which is dear to all of us – health and diet. Health and diet are areas where science is still in progress. When it comes to infectious diseases and structural problems (accidents, fractures, etc.) science has made excellent progress. Science doesn’t have answers yet – specifically for diseases that are internal to us – hypertension, diabetes, mental health, IBS, heart disease, cancer, to list a few. Enter pseudo-scientists, social media influencers. Social media is flooded with diet influencers, diet acronyms, how to lose weight, how to gain weight, detox, OMAD, intermittent fasting, keto, paleo, vegan, and so on. There are mix of experts and non-experts – it is hard to figure out who is who. Science, facts, beliefs, tradition gets thrown at you till your brain turns into a fungus. To top it off, it is not whole food anymore – we need to know about nutrients, micro-nutrients, probiotics, microbiomes, carbs, proteins, good fat, bad fat, vitamins, etc. It is not just Omega-3 – we need to know about ALA, EPA, and DHA. If you are taking medication for diabetes or hypertension, then the peer pressure gets to you from every direction – medicines are bad for you, hospitals and pharmacies are out there to make money, gut and brain connection, you can quit the medication with diet regime and lifestyle changes, yoga, meditation, etc. You are pushed to go on a guilt ride!! Eating food is not a simple task anymore 😀 We can’t just pick handful of almonds and eat – you have to soak it overnight and eat 5 almonds in the morning!! Then a research paper shows up that says soaking nuts don’t have any effect. The amount of data we have to process, make us feel like we are studying for a doctorate.

We reach a point of numbness, analysis-paralysis. Yes, we need to worry about what we eat since we have access to all kinds of foods. What I would like to point out though is how pervasive this diet and nutrition topic has become in our daily lives. Every other conversation veer into diet, health, and workouts. Going through all these wandering thoughts, it occurred to me whether Thiruvalluvar, the man of literature and wisdom, has covered diet in his Kurals? I opened my Thirukkural handbook and voila, he didn’t disappoint. Strike that…he never disappoints – he has something to say for any value and existential questions that arises in us. He has a chapter on medicine – 10 kurals. In that chapter there are few Kurals on diet (food). The Kural that immediately struck me is the following one: When to eat?

Tamil

மருந்தென வேண்டாவாம் யாக்கைக்கு அருந்தியது
அற்றது போற்றி உணின்.

            Transliteration

Marundhena vaeNtaavaam yaakkaikku arundhiyadhu
atradhu poatri uNin

Meaning: If we eat our meal only after assuring that previously eaten meal is fully digested, no medicine is necessary.

Now that he has addressed when we eat, he gets to how much should we eat in the next one.

Tamil

அற்றால் அறவறிந்து உண்க அஃதுடம்பு
பெற்றான் நெடிதுய்க்கும் ஆறு.

            Transliteration

atraal aRavaRindhu uNka aqdhutambu
petraan netidhuykkum aaRu

Meaning: Once the previously eaten food is fully digested, eat only what is required in moderation. Following this will give one a long and healthy life.

Then Thiruvalluvar moves on to what to eat.

Tamil:

அற்றது அறிந்து கடைப்பிடித்து மாறல்ல
துய்க்க துவரப் பசித்து.

Transliteration

atradhu aRindhu kataippitiththu maaRalla
thuykka thuvarap pasiththu

Meaning: Once the previously eaten food is fully digested and feel hungry, eat only what is agreeable to the body. Avoid disagreeable foods. Agreeable here means foods that are not allergic, you can tolerate, and compatible to your body. Avoid incompatibility.

Now he moves one step further. Even if the good is agreeable to you, stay with in moderation and say a big NO if it goes beyond.

Tamil:

மாறுபாடு இல்லாத உண்டி மறுத்துண்ணின்
ஊறுபாடு இல்லை உயிர்க்கு.

Transliteration

maaRupaadu illaadha uNdi maruththuNNin
ooRupaatu illai uyirkku

Meaning: One who eats in moderation the food that is agreeable and say NO if it goes beyond moderation even if the food is agreeable leads a healthy life.

Next, he warns what happens if we eat more!!

Tamil:

இழிவறிந்து உண்பான்கண் இன்பம்போல் நிற்கும்
கழிபேர் இரையான்கண் நோய்.

Transliteration

izhivaRindhu uNpaan-kaN inpampoal niRkum
kazhipaer iraiyaankaN noai

Meaning: Those who eat in moderation lead a happy life while disease dwells in those who eats voraciously

He ends with a final warning to those who eat without knowing when to stop.

Tamil:

தீயள வன்றித் தெரியான் பெரிதுண்ணின்
நோயள வின்றிப் படும்.

Transliteration

theeyaLa vandrith theriyaan peridhuNNin
noayaLa vindrip padum

Meaning: Those who eat immoderately going beyond their limits will be afflicted with numberless diseases and are as ignorant as those who don’t know how to use fire (or play with fire).

In Thiruvalluvar’s times, 2000 years back, most probably people may not have known about breaking down foods into carbs, proteins, and fats. But the knowledge did exist on compatible and incompatible foods, digestion, body internal balance, moderation, etc. My big take away from him is the first one I listed above, eat only if the previously eaten meal is fully digested. Second one, eat in moderation. Along with that I would add, eat a balanced diet of carbs, proteins, and fats. Get them from whole foods. Eat home cooked meals. Avoid sugar. Moderate salt. Stay away from processed foods 😀