We are at the end of the month now but have we ever reflected on the foods that we consume every single day? Or let us say about how much food we have wasted every day? Have we ever thought about the poor? Are we so rich? These questions need to be answered.
We are very good at wasting food on every occasion and celebration. Why can't the buffet be followed or put very little food in the banana leaf to avoid bulk wastages of food? Do you ever imagine how you will be without all the food you have right now? I know this sounds crazy but this is reality!
Why can’t things change for the better? Will the change harm our roots or affect our development?
We talk about 'Nutrition Week' and 'Nutrition Month' all the time but what is the use if we never give a thought about a change that can be made over a small thing at first?
Let’s bring change!
Schoolgoing adolescents hardly take tiffin to school, get fainted, sick, weak and suffer from a number of illnesses as such. Why can’t we parents, elders, teachers, take the initiative to make it a compulsion for them to carry tiffin to schools?
In the Bhagwat Geeta, there is a saying, “Annad Bhavanti Bhutani” that means – right from the single cell from which you conceived it is food that makes you. So every individual needs nutrition to grow, develop, be strong and prevent all sorts of diseases.
Let’s make food our medicine and not medicine our diet!
Thanks to our Modiji for making September a Nutrition Month which is called “Rastriya Poshan Maah” launched during an occasion of International Women’s Day in 2018. For 2022 the month is celebrated under the theme “Mahila aur Swasthaya” which means ‘woman and health’ and “Bacha aur Shiksha” meaning ‘child and education’.
It mainly emphasised on woman, lactating mothers, pregnant woman, and adolescent girls. A good nutrition and healthy diet will help us to benefit a lot and overcome a number of diseases and malfunctions. Over-nutrition and under-nutrition can be avoided if we know what to consume and what not to.
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”, says Nelson Mandela.
Manipur is a small state and we don’t see slums and extremely poor people that cannot afford anything overall. We live in a place where everybody works hard. Women of Manipur never sit idle, which is why Manipur is known for its unique Ima Market - the only all-women market in the world.
When we work hard, there is less chances of starvation, beggars and slums.
All we need to focus on is to provide awareness, support, and conduct awareness programmes about nutrition, health and well-being.
Our seasonal foods are the best in every way and they cannot be substituted by the imported products from outside the states.
Agriculture and farming systems can be improved; if the agricultural production of our state is improved it will not only generate job opportunities but also can bring very good socio economic conditions. It’s all inter-related.
Let us all try to stay healthy and fit by eating good food, being hygienic, doing regular exercise, yoga and making some behavioural changes for a better and healthy society.
