Positive Grain - Positive Brain

WHEN FOOD IS WRONG, MEDICINE IS OF NO USE.

WHEN FOOD IS RIGHT, MEDICINE IS OF NO NEED.

- Says Dr. Khadar Valli.

Covid was such a horrible time that the whole world has faced. But many people, including me, took it positively and corrected the flaws in their lifestyle. During lockdown I came across a video by Dr. Khadar Valli while scrolling and got influenced by his knowledge, research and work on a positive grain - MILLET! An eminent independent scientist, health and nutrition expert, “Krishi Ratna” awardee Dr. Khadar Vali needs no introduction. He has dedicated his life to building a healthy society. My journey started with this one video and is still going strong. Millets had been the major staple food in different parts of India for about 7000 yrs and consumed till the time of the Green Revolution. Millets have been mentioned in some of the Yajurveda texts. They are farmer and eco-friendly as they generally grow without chemical pesticides. The size and texture of millets also help them survive harsh conditions of weather. Millets being rain fed crops, do not require standing water in their fields therefore, are called “The Lazy Man's Crop”. They have a low carbon and water footprint. It is grown in about 131 countries and is the traditional food for around 60 crore people in Asia and Africa. India is the largest producer of millet in the world. It accounts for 20% of global production and 80% of Asia’s production. They are less expensive and nutritionally superior. Sorghum, pearl, ragi, oats, porso, finger millet etc. millets are easily available in the market. On the top of the series, there are five positive millets called “Siridhanya” - kodo, barnyard, foxtail, browntop and little millet. These five positive millets have very powerful healing nutrients. Nowadays, the rice and wheat which we eat are of hybrid varieties so, no or very less nutrients are present in their seeds.  Millets should ideally be an integral part of daily diet. We are surrounded with many lifestyle health issues in the current world like diabetes, obesity, hypertension, PCOD, anemia, cancer, early puberty, etc. with their accompanying complications. India has the highest number of diabetics according to WHO. One of the main causes for its aggravation is food that we consume. It is now high time to switch over completely to millets - a positive food. Millets are highly nutritious, rich in fiber and gluten-free, making them easy for the body to absorb. They are slow digesting food which doesn't cause a huge spike in blood sugar. Some people have found enormous benefits, especially in controlling weight, diabetes, hormonal imbalance, and many more modern lifestyle diseases by systematic use of millets in diet. They are called positive grains because they have healing power, also satisfy our gut microbes and create positive energy. They are immunity boosters too. Unpolished millets are the best to consume for achieving maximum health benefits. They are packed with the goodness of vitamins and minerals. We need to train our taste buds from popular cereals to millets to get its benefits. Health benefits come with switching to whole-grain foods. Make your diet gluten-free. Millets are now called “next-generation smart food”. This proposal of India was supported by 72 countries and UNGA declared 2023 as the International Year Of Millets to create awareness and a sense of participation in the country around the ancient and forgotten golden grains. The Prime Minister of India, Mr. Narendra Modi, spoke on the benefits of millets and coarse grains at the inauguration of World Food India 2017 at New Delhi. He also emphasized the constructive role of the organization in economic recovery and the supply chain. 

Here is a glimpse of it:-

And so,

FOOD IT WAS… FOOD IT HAS BEEN … FOOD IT SHOULD BE!