It is a common belief that good and more eating is necessary for good physical and mental health. In our daily lives, we invest our efforts, money and time for having good and delicious food. Our media, print and social, invest most of their capacity in the publicity of the delicious foods and their preparations. The Antithesis of this whole trend will be surprising for most of us that there are so many blessings of less eating. It is strived to include different groups of food on daily basis, to make our health good to best.
It is discovered by Ibn-e-Khaldun that the people living in the areas abundant with food and grains are not healthier than from the areas where there is very small seasonings are there. People who have less food are healthy, smart, intelligent and having a fair complexion. The causes are described as that in their bodies, no extra fat expands their body parts and makes the function of the brain dull. No poisonous matters are grown in the stomach. Their spiritual capacity and activity are sharper than the people having plenty of food. When there is less food, there will be no wastage of time in making different delicious recipes. So the mind will have more spare time to think in deep about deep ideas. This thing will be increasing their mental and spiritual space and resulting efforts.
He gave the example of animals as well. Those who live in hilly areas where there are so many seasonings are there, are dull and having physique wise weaker bodies than the animals who are living in deserts, where there very few things to eat. These are intelligent and smart and have more active lives. People eating those animals are also like these animals, active, smart and intelligent.
All these findings are good, but to reduce our diet, in the circumstances we are living is not easy or let’s say not possible. It will require extreme self-control and awareness of health rules. One more important thing is that our stomach is habitual of eating more. The sudden decrease can put harm to our bodies. The only gradual decrease in our food intake can do work better.
In our daily life, we see that people with thin bodies usually have more active and healthy routines. They can move more easily and do a lot of tasks than the people with more weight. People who eat less are healthier and have longer lives in most cases. They can do creative work more actively. Excessive eating can cause so many health issues like heart problems, diabetes or joint problems.
These studies and findings, shown in the beginning, are presented by Ibn-e. Khaldun. Some findings of the same nature are also there. One study published in the Cell Metabolism journal concluded that cutting calorie intake by 15 per cent over two years can slow ageing and protect against diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer's. It is also reported that after they start to lose weight, their hunger levels subside a bit and they start to feel the benefits of the weight loss. They find it easier to move around, their joints hurt less, they feel better.
The importance of diet is self-evident. One cannot survive without eating. We must focus on our diet patterns and try to improve them. The gradual decrease in our eating and selection of balanced diet, with some gap, about 5-6 hours, will help us to improve our daily lives. It will not only improve our health but also increase our mental and spiritual abilities. It will decrease the chances of illness and can increase our life span. Some exercise also can help a lot. Balance is the rule of this world and for our healthy life as well.
The outcome of this write up is that we must be eating to live and not to live for eating.