Food at the centre of well-being: Food is an integral part of holistic well-being. It doesn’t power just a single human body — it powers entire communities and the entire planet. How can you contribute? Start at the superior level. As an individual, you can make better choices when it comes to food. For example, you may source local ingredients instead of ordering imported ones. You could find out your nutritional requirements and what works best for you. Food is not just something you crave, binge on, or wolf down to sustain. One of the critical paths to achieving holistic well-being is mindful eating, Ayurveda, and sustainability. These three together can lead the way.
Working Up An Appetite For Holistic Well-Being
- There are no shortcuts or a single path to well-being. If you wake up one day and decide you want to be happy and fulfilled, you must holistically focus on it— that of the whole person, the society, and the planet. And also, remember, well-being is a positive, long-term commitment — it can’t be achieved overnight.
- Food — the primary fuel that nourishes and sustain our body and mind, has far-reaching effects on the well-being of an individual, a community, and even the planet. A nutritional diet and mindful eating are critical elements in achieving it.
Holistic Well-Being At The Individual Level
This is all about paying complete attention to what we eat, understanding what nutrients we need and what we don’t, and eating with a purpose increases our awareness of and respect for each ingredient/element of food we’re eating. This, in turn, enables us to reap the maximum benefit and nutrition from the food we eat and to make the right food choices. This ties in with well-being on a larger scale — the community and the planet. In this article, we talk about how food is an essential factor in enabling holistic well-being for all three.
The wellbeing of the community through Ayurveda
- Once you set your mind on it, it’s not so challenging to attain well-being through food at an individual level, but doing so at a community level can be difficult. Therefore, not one but many people, groups, societies, and organizations need to take the necessary steps to ensure community or societal well-being through food, and a proven process becomes vital.
- Ayurveda throws light on the importance of aahaar (diet) and anna (food) for humans. It emphasizes including food that is nourishing for the body, mind, and soul. When adopted at the community level, Ayurveda can help transform the health of multiple or entire groups of individuals through proper and mindful eating, regulating their emotional and physical wellbeing. It is, thus, a practice that can contribute to building a healthy society that eats mindfully and sustainably.
- In today’s fast-paced world, where a large part of the population is dealing with burnout and anxiety, a community-level ayurvedic approach to food can help us achieve the goals of preserving life and restoring wellbeing.
Remember, individuals, communities, and planets are interlinked. So by taking concrete steps to design your holistic well-being, you’re also contributing to the well-being of society and the earth.
(Authored Article By Girish Bindal, Lead, RoundGlass Thali)